Woodley and Harrison React....

[Flasteel]

If these players actually took money for purposefully injuring other players...and there is some type of proof this took place, then I would fully agree with the suspensions. But these players and agents are screaming that this is not the case and that no evidence has even been presented.

How can these suspensions be handed down without the players hearing the evidence against them?

How does Vilma hear about his suspension from a TV broadcast? Doesn't Goodell owe it to all of them as men, to look them in the eye and tell them face-to-face?

I have stated before that I have no problem with a bounty system. As long as it's not asking players to operate outside the rules of the game or reward incidental injuries, nobody should have a problem with it.

Let's see the proof.

By the way...I have no problem with Woodley, Harrison, or any player speaking their mind...especially if they feel there is an injustice. The sanctity of the game is at stake here...I hope everyone who feels the same way speaks up. Go let Goodell run a two-hand touch league played in a giant moonwalk.

[Shoe]

Does anyone know: Are the concussion related post-career stuff spread throughout NFL history? Or do they correlate with the advent of the types of equipment? i.e. modern ay helmet?

[Oviedo]

of course Vilma getting suspended for a year is too harsh and excessive.

but this is not just about the bounty program, this is Roger Goodell and the NFL trying to protect themselves from future lawsuits.

That is exactly what I have been saying since last year. Everyone wants to make Goodell the villain and say he is ruining the game. The villains are the former players using the courts to maker a buck because they have wasted the money they earned in the NFL and have no other skills.

BTW Steelers LBs need to learn to keep their mouths shut and fingers still. Once gain they make themselves out as the malcontents to no ones benefit especially their own.

[Sugar]

That is exactly what I have been saying since last year. Everyone wants to make Goodell the villain and say he is ruining the game. The villains are the former players using the courts to maker a buck because they have wasted the money they earned in the NFL and have no other skills.

BTW Steelers LBs need to learn to keep their mouths shut and fingers still. Once gain they make themselves out as the malcontents to no ones benefit especially their own.

I agree with the first paragraph and vehemently disagree with the second. Who are any of us to tell them not to voice an opinion they have about their workplace? I wouldn't want them telling me not to speak up about problems I see at work.

[DukieBoy]

Were there any dirty hits or fouls caught on film? The NFL films everything anymore and has for years. It seems that if Vilma, or anyone else did anything dirty it would be on film. I can understand where the Steelers players are coming from seeing this. I wouldn't tell them to shut up about their careers anymore than I would want them to tell people to just play along with anyone else's company politics.

They did Favre real dirty in the NFCC game vs the Vikes. Sure looked to me like they were trying to take Favre out with late hits and shots to his legs.

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

I call BS.

"If players took money for trying to injure the other players ...".

"If players took money for trying to hit the other players as hard as they possibly could within the rules of the game ...".

There are rules in place. No hits to the head. No late hits. No chop blocks. IMO, the rules are there to place an outside boundary on how hard you can hit the other player. If you hit the other player as hard as you can WITHIN THE RULES, where's the foul? And if the other player has to leave the field because you did, is it your fault, or are the rules not good enough?

The NFL, I thought, pays players money ALL THE TIME to hit as hard as they can, within the rules. But it's unethical for the players to receive an extra few $$ from heir coaches for doing exactly the same thing?

So - maybe I missed it? - was it ever shown that the players were encouraged, monetarily or otherwise, to play outside the rules?

As an aside: Don't you think the NFL is to blame for the late hits on Favre in that playoff game rather than the players? If the refs had thrown flags when they were supposed to, the hits would have stopped.

I'm just not seeing it.

[Jooser]

I played football from Peewee through College. I can honestly say that every football coach I ever had taught me to knock the other guy's d!ck in the dirt every time we made contact. If the other guy was hurt, then he was a P*ss (coach's words ). It's a tough, physical game if played correctly....and usually the most violent team will win if they sustain that dominance for the entire game.

But, I don't like cheap shots to injure your opponent. If that's what REALLY happened, then there should be consequences. The problem I'm seeing here is that no proof has been presented. It's people's word against each other.

[DukieBoy]

I call BS.

"If players took money for trying to injure the other players ...".

"If players took money for trying to hit the other players as hard as they possibly could within the rules of the game ...".

There are rules in place. No hits to the head. No late hits. No chop blocks. IMO, the rules are there to place an outside boundary on how hard you can hit the other player. If you hit the other player as hard as you can WITHIN THE RULES, where's the foul? And if the other player has to leave the field because you did, is it your fault, or are the rules not good enough?

The NFL, I thought, pays players money ALL THE TIME to hit as hard as they can, within the rules. But it's unethical for the players to receive an extra few $$ from heir coaches for doing exactly the same thing?

So - maybe I missed it? - was it ever shown that the players were encouraged, monetarily or otherwise, to play outside the rules?

As an aside: Don't you think the NFL is to blame for the late hits on Favre in that playoff game rather than the players? If the refs had thrown flags when they were supposed to, the hits would have stopped.

I'm just not seeing it.

Agree 100%. The refs let it happen in the NFCC. The Saints players hit Favre late and low and dirty because they could, because the refs did not enforce the rules already in place.

[Jooser]

Absolutely right Dukie.

[ikestops85]

I played football from Peewee through College. I can honestly say that every football coach I ever had taught me to knock the other guy's d!ck in the dirt every time we made contact. If the other guy was hurt, then he was a P*ss (coach's words ). It's a tough, physical game if played correctly....and usually the most violent team will win if they sustain that dominance for the entire game.

But, I don't like cheap shots to injure your opponent. If that's what REALLY happened, then there should be consequences. The problem I'm seeing here is that no proof has been presented. It's people's word against each other.

I'm with you Jooser. There is a difference between trying to hurt a guy and trying to injure a guy. Harrisons words and I agree with them. He wants to hurt a guy enough that the guy will involuntarily release his grip on the ball. He doesn't want to end a guys career.

I would hope the Saints players wouldn't try to take a guys livelyhood away from them by deliberately trying to injure. If they would then the suspensions are justified ... just show us the proof.

[BradshawsHairdresser]

Doubtful if facts and proof matter a whole lot to Herr Goodell...

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

Man, I hate twitter

[Eich]

Greg Williams, "....also instructed his players to test Kyle Williams’ concussion, aim for Michael Crabtree’s ACL, and attempt to injure Vernon Davis’ ankle by bull-rushing him into a pile of players."

How do you do that while playing within the rules?

[RuthlessBurgher]

I'm with you Jooser. There is a difference between trying to hurt a guy and trying to injure a guy. Harrisons words and I agree with them. He wants to hurt a guy enough that the guy will involuntarily release his grip on the ball. He doesn't want to end a guys career.

I would hope the Saints players wouldn't try to take a guys livelyhood away from them by deliberately trying to injure. If they would then the suspensions are justified ... just show us the proof.

Goodell most likely has all the proof for these Bounty allegations...but he probably already burned the tapes.

[Oviedo]

Hurt = make them uncomfortable enough to destroy their will to compete and degrade their behavior and performance

Injure = causing damage to a body part that physically effects the ability to play