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Wednesday, March 21, 2012

NFL Hates Saints, God Hates Tebow

Posted by on Wed, Mar 21, 2012 at 12:39 PM

If you don't follow professional football, it's hard to explain how big this news is:

[New Orleans] Saints coach Sean Payton has been suspended for one year, former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was suspended indefinitely, general manager Mickey Loomis was suspended for the first eight regular-season games, the team was fined $500,000 and lost two second-round draft picks (one in 2012 and '13) as a result of a bounty program conducted by the team during the 2009-11 seasons that targeted opposing players.

The team allegedly paid players a cash bonus to injure opposing players on the field, a scandal that has resulted in the most severe organizational sanctions in NFL history. Payton will forfeit his $7.5 million annual salary, and the Saints will lose their head coach, their general manager, and two second round draft picks. These are potentially crippling sanctions against one of the top teams in the league, but hardly overly harsh considering the potentially crippling actions they're intended to punish.

In other NFL news, the New York Jets have acquired Jesus-infused quarterback Tim Tebow from the Denver Broncos for fourth- and sixth-round draft picks. If anything can test Tebow's faith in a just and compassionate God, playing in the NYC market will do it.

 

Comments (32) RSS

Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment
1
prediction; tebow will come out in nyc.
Posted by juan gabriel on March 21, 2012 at 12:43 PM
Zotz 2
Moving to NY from CO -- man, that would suck!
Posted by Zotz on March 21, 2012 at 12:44 PM
Matt from Denver 3
Not just the NYC market, but the most dysfunctional team in the NFL. But, apparently his style is compatible with the Sanchez offense. Still, the only way they could have found a more Sodom-like place for him was if the 49ers would have taken him.
Posted by Matt from Denver on March 21, 2012 at 12:48 PM
4
Goldy there might be a hang up with the deal might not go through
Posted by Seattle14 on March 21, 2012 at 12:48 PM
Cracker Jack 5
Oh for FSM's sake, I DO NOT want that sanctimonious little twerp in my city. He's like Santorum in a jock strap.

Yeah, enjoy THAT visual, SLOGers!
Posted by Cracker Jack on March 21, 2012 at 12:52 PM
Urgutha Forka 6
I don't follow football all that much, but this seems like a bad deal for Denver. Trading away a young player who seems to have some potential and instead getting Manning, a guy who is certainly great, but it seems like his best years are behind him and he's prone to injury.

I guess they're only thinking of the next year or two instead of the next decade. Doesn't seem very smart to me.
Posted by Urgutha Forka on March 21, 2012 at 12:54 PM
Goldy 7
@6: I think they've made the decision that Tebow's limited throwing ability does not make him their quarterback of the future, despite the miraculous comebacks he engineered last season. And the relatively low trade value that got for him seems to indicate that other teams were in agreement.
Posted by Goldy on March 21, 2012 at 12:57 PM
Matt from Denver 8
@ 6, sometimes it's Super Bowl or bust. Manning's still years younger than Elway was when he was the MVP of the big game.
Posted by Matt from Denver on March 21, 2012 at 1:00 PM
venomlash 9
@6: IKR
Posted by venomlash on March 21, 2012 at 1:00 PM
lark 10
Goldy,
I just read the story regarding Payton's suspension. At first, I wasn't too surprised that bounties are paid in the NFL. NOT that that's an endorsement. There were or even are (?) bounties paid in other leagues. The NHL comes to mind. In an interview, Michael Vick smiled and noted he would be "flattered" if he was the target of one those bounties.

What I didn't know was the extent of involvment (both players and front office), the amounts of the bounties and finally the blatant lying by Payton, Williams and Loomis to cover it all up. This is one large-scale scandal for the NFL. I believe the punishment is just given the gravity of the situation. Tough break for the Saints' organization and its fans. But, bounties must not be tolerated.

Regarding Tebow heading to the Jets: That's a surprise. I believe it would have been better if he had stayed in Denver (Manning while talented is old by NFL standards, had a crippling injury and could easily be injured again). But, I'm not familiar with the money end of it. I wish him, Tebow good luck.
Posted by lark on March 21, 2012 at 1:02 PM
11
I am so glad the NFL is throwing the book at the Saints. This kind of "kill them" violence has got to go. It is ruining the game and ruining lives. More of this kind of crackdown, both on and off the field, please.
Posted by westello on March 21, 2012 at 1:11 PM
Gurldoggie 12
I call bullshit on the fines and suspensions. If people didn't want to see NFL players attack and maim other players, they wouldn't fucking watch football in the first place. And what do you call the astronomical salaries they command if not "bounties?" American viewers want bloodsport, and capitalism demands that the NFL deliver.
Posted by Gurldoggie http://gurldogg.blogspot.com on March 21, 2012 at 1:25 PM
Zotz 13
Just in: Jets’ trade for Tebow hits a snag, could be voided, Rams may get him

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/201…
Posted by Zotz on March 21, 2012 at 1:27 PM
Fnarf 14
@5, I think you may be wearing it back-to-front.
Posted by Fnarf http://www.facebook.com/fnarf on March 21, 2012 at 1:27 PM
Matt from Denver 15
@ 13, maybe God loves Tebow after all.
Posted by Matt from Denver on March 21, 2012 at 1:31 PM
16
The league should have taken away their super bowl rings.
Still hoping that they get indicted for their criminal conspiracy.
Posted by dirge on March 21, 2012 at 1:33 PM
17
@1 ah yes, Timmy will be totally overcome by nyc and the many, many sexy, (and readily available) boys, who dig big closeted jock types... :)

The lord does indeed work in mysterious ways... (or at least has a heckava sense of humor)
Posted by kylecheez on March 21, 2012 at 1:33 PM
merry 18
They shoulda fired Payton, Williams, and Loomis. Just shitcan their asses.

THAT would send a message...

Also: DEAR GOD PLEASE DO NOT LET TEBOW GO TO THE RAMS THANK YOU AMEN OVER'N'OUT.
Posted by merry on March 21, 2012 at 1:52 PM
Hernandez 19
@12 - yes. All we're doing here is pretending that they're protecting an otherwise clean and sanitized game from vicious bad seeds. It's a load of horseshit, and I say that as a long-time football fan. All this does is throw a bone to the corporate sponsors who want to be reassured they're running their ads during a "family friendly" sporting event.

That said, anything that screws the Rams is OK in my book.
Posted by Hernandez http://hernandezlist.blogspot.com on March 21, 2012 at 2:00 PM
Karlheinz Arschbomber 20
Tebow: holy shit. Bounty on getting him outta the league: priceless.
Posted by Karlheinz Arschbomber http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arschbombe on March 21, 2012 at 2:03 PM
Kinison 21
The Jersey Devil

I smell a SNL skit (or digital short) in which Tim visits New York and gets lost in Manhattan in a maze of smut of greed, everywhere he turns he is witness to all sorts of evil, only to realize the true horror that he's actually in New Jersey, with a 8 month pregnant Snooki trying to seduce him in a reverse Pepe Le Pew (looney toons) scenario. The punch line being that Snooki isnt pregnant (fat joke).
Posted by Kinison http://www.holgatehawks.com on March 21, 2012 at 2:17 PM
merry 22
@12 - Yes. Because whenever a player has to get hauled off the field on the little medi-cart, the fans watching are in total ECSTASY and will not stop their hootin and hollerin for nuthin. Yep, just like the NASCAR, the ONLY reason ANYONE watches football is to see the horrible rending of manflesh, the cracking of the bones, the tearing of the sinew YES. /satire

@21 - Don't quit yer day job.
Posted by merry on March 21, 2012 at 2:35 PM
Original Monique 23
@12:

To echo agreement with others, this has nothing to do with the "bloodsport" of football. Injuries happen, sure. They are pretty bad when they do happen, but you will be surprised to know that it should not happen ON PURPOSE. A good tackle doesn't mean killing another player. This team took it on themselves to try to enforce hurting, not playing. They got what they deserved in my opinion, I hate seeing players carted off the field. It's horrible and should never be encouraged by the coaches (or players). The NFL did a good thing by really sending a message that this is not how to play the game.

Just because you don't understand/like football doesn't mean you can trash it and say it's a "bloodsport" and basically insinuate that players and fans got what they deserve. Could not be further from the truth. Ask all the guys/girls playing fantasy football how badly they want someone injured.
Posted by Original Monique http://www.facebook.com/notifications.php#/group.php?gid=124801948427 on March 21, 2012 at 2:44 PM
gingersnap 24
Maybe they need more circumcisions in NY?

http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/01/13/9-th…
Posted by gingersnap on March 21, 2012 at 2:47 PM
ScrawnyKayaker 25
If Gawd loved Tebow, wouldn't he have been traded to the Giants?
Posted by ScrawnyKayaker on March 21, 2012 at 3:08 PM
26
New York is a pretty simple town. Football fans don't care if their quarterback wears a cassock or a tutu if he can just throw the damned ball, lead the offense and win games. Tebow, with his 48% completion rate, stands a good chance of getting booed off the field.
Posted by Brooklyn Reader on March 21, 2012 at 3:27 PM
Vince 27
Tebow in his jockstrap. Now there's something. He could make good money with a website like that. Real good money.
Posted by Vince on March 21, 2012 at 3:29 PM
28
This is the biggest NFL scandal I can remember because it involves a conspiracy by the entire organization to deliberately injure opponents out of the game. That is a big deal, it's potentially constitutes assault because injury is intended (I'm no lawyer by any stretch), and not only should the coaching staff and management by banned permanently from the game, but the ownership should be investigated and I can't see their defensive players won't be tainted by this. The best they can say is that they knew that there was a conspiracy to injure opposing players, potentially ending their career and depriving them of their livelihood, and they kept the secret.

As for our Jesus boy, he's just not that good. Never was, even with all those "miracle" wins on the last minute, against self-destructive or injury-plagued teams, after stinking up the joint for three quarters. Tebow had the fan adoration on his side, was drawing in the TV ratings, had had a memorable season, and the team still decided to replace him with an aging veteran on his sunset stage (legendary though he is) who may prove to be as fragile as a Lego sculpture. And teams aren't offering up the farm to get him. What does that tell you? Tebow is more hype than potential. He's no Kurt Warner. As a fan, I would hope my team stays away from him.
Posted by floater on March 21, 2012 at 4:11 PM
blackhook 29
i think God is just a little bit jealous of all the attention Tim Tebow's getting - so the LORD is throwin' a good ol' smote on him.
Posted by blackhook on March 21, 2012 at 5:18 PM
30
"Not just the NYC market, but the most dysfunctional team in the NFL."

When did the Dolphins move to NYC?
Posted by Reader01 on March 21, 2012 at 6:06 PM
Christampa 31
@30- Hey, look at that Reader: When you're not talking about your insipid and childish political views, you're actually a good poster.
Posted by Christampa on March 21, 2012 at 9:17 PM
Fnarf 32
The joke I heard was that Denver is so desperate for a Super Bowl they sacrificed a virgin. Budump bump.
Posted by Fnarf http://www.facebook.com/fnarf on March 22, 2012 at 5:51 AM

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