New Orleans Saints Bounty Scandal

The game of football is a fast paced and sometimes brutal sport, so big hits and injuries are often part of the game. Recently, the National Football League has been facing a public relations crisis. At the end of last year's season, football fans across America learned that the New Orleans Saints may have been participating in a "bounty program." The "bounty program" was said to be led by the starting linebacker for the Saints, Jonathan Vilma. The program was allegedly a list of monetary incentives that Vilma would pay teammates for accomplishing certain goals, such as injuring an opponent.

Commissioner of the NFL, Roger Goodell, dished out a year long suspension for Vilma and head coach of the Saints, Sean Payton. In addition to their suspensions, several other players and coaches have been given multiple game suspensions for their alleged participation in the bounty program. Vilma, along with the other players and coaches that have been suspended, consistently denied any such "bounty program" and appealed their suspensions.


Vilma answering a reporter's question as he leaves the Player's Union meeting Monday.

The appeals have been re-examined and Commissioner Goodell announced his final ruling last week. 
The final ruling and statements made by the players can be seen here in an article published by Sports Illustrated: Commissioner Goodell's Ruling

The bounty program and the appeals have created a great stir in the sporting community. Sports fans have began to question the integrity of sports and asking questions about what else goes on that fans do not know about. I think the suspensions and controversy that surrounds the alleged bounty program is ridiculous. People need to remember that football is a game of contact. Anyone who has ever played football knows that from pee-wee leagues, players are taught to hit the opponent as hard as they can and try to take them out of the game. Obviously no cheap shots or late hits, but be as physical as possible and deliver the hardest hit possible. I think Goodell is wrong for suspending players and coaches for doing exactly what they have been hired to do, and that is to play football. This scandal, whether true or not, is a bad look for the NFL and professional sports organizations as a whole.