Now that a few weeks have gone by since NFL Commisioner Roger Goodell has levied punishments against the New Orleans Saints, including the coaches and G.M. who new about and or took part in the ‘Cash for Injury’ scheme, the only judgements that need to still be handed down by the NFL are the fines/suspensions of the players directly involved, such as Jonathan Vilma.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is still reviewing the evidence regarding players on the Saints, like Jonathan Vilma, who were directly involved in the outlay of money in the Bountygate scandal. Photo: matthew Sharpe/Getty Images

And as we have suggested when the whole ‘Bountygate’ issue was first exposed, there will undoubtedly be many civil suits that will flood the courts filed by those who feel they are the victims of  this scandal. Some people think that is the reason that Goodell came down so hard…

We had chosen to hold off on our take on the events surrounding this whole ‘Bountygate’ situation until all the fallout from the comments , blogs , and talk shows have all been discussed and rehashed adnauseum . To all those who think that Goodell was ‘too tough’ on the Saints and that ‘this is the way football is supposed‘ to be played, we have this to say:

It doesn’t matter why Goodell came down on the Saints the way he did. We applaud him for it. This kind of ‘Pay for Play’ practice, whether it has been going on for one year or 40, has a negative affect on the intergrity of the game and it’s illegal! If left to fester unscathed, why couldn’t this practice transcend itself into other sports?

A flagrant 2 hard foul -like the one Jason Smith levied on Blake Griffin a week ago yesterday- could have taken Griffin out for the season or worse. Or the flagrant foul by Dwight Howard on Paul Pierce in the Eastern Conf. Finals in 2010. 

ORLANDO, FL - MAY 18: Dwight Howard #12 of the Orlando Magic comitts a flagrant foul against Paul Pierce #34 of the Boston Celtics in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2010 NBA Playoffs. Photo: John Raoux/Getty Images

 A base runner taking out a second baseman or a catcher in baseball could have ‘ulterior motives’ that can cause season ending injuries. A pitcher could have a bounty on a batter and get extra $$ for plunking him hard enough so that he is forced to leave the game. Maybe he gets more money if the player ends up on the DL… Same goes for Hockey, Soccer, and a whole host of sports.

This scheme that has been fostering within the Saints organization, as well as among other football teams, has been a cancer that needed to be removed. Roger Goodell has begun to remove this desease from the most popular sport on the planet. Unlike Bud Selig or David Stern, Roger Goodell has been one of the most effective, well-respected, and popular of all sports commissioners. The Saints were asked several times in the past couple of years to stop what they were doing. They chose not not listen.  All Goodell did was to draw a line in the sand and say, “Enough”!  And for that he is to be commended…

N.O. Saints G.M Mickey Loomis, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, and Saints head coach Sean Payton.
Photo: Getty Images