Black and Gold Friday

This post is in honor of all my fellow New Orleanians who are sad, hurt and angry about the awful punishment our beloved Saints have been handed by the NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell.

In case you are totally unaware of the situation, here it is.

In early March an NFL investigation found that from 2009 to 2011, more than 20 defensive players for the Saints participated in a 'bounty' system which rewarded individuals with cash for harming opposing players.  The penalties are as follows:

• The Saints organization has been fined $500,000.
•  The Saints will forfeit their selections in the second round of the 2012 and 2013 NFL drafts.

• Head coach Sean Payton is suspended without pay for the 2012 NFL season, effective April 1.

• Mickey Loomis, the Saints general manager, is suspended without pay for the first eight regular-season games of the 2012 season.

• Former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams (currently with the Rams) is suspended indefinitely from the NFL, effective immediately. 

• Saints assistant coach Joe Vitt is suspended without pay for the first six regular-season games of the 2012 season.

• The players in the bounty program remain under investigation and Goodell will address possible discipline at a later date.

Now, no one wants to see any player get a serious injury, but for goodness sake, this is football not chess!  We want our players to play hard and to win.  Football is a rough contact sport and the players are paid to make big hits and win games.  

Ok, if the Saints have to penalized, I think all teams should be penalized.  I KNOW that my beloved Saints are not the only team to offer 'rewards' for big hits.  I and pretty much the entire city of New Orleans definitely think that suspending Sean Payton for the entire year is utterly and completely RIDICULOUS!!!

One of the ways the Who Dat Nation has chosen to show support for our team and our coach is to sport our black and gold gear today.  All of the t-shirt companies in New Orleans, including my favorite, Fleurty Girl, began selling shirts supporting our coach.  It was said that within the first 3 hours Fleurty Girl sold over 500 of these shirts and trust me, I was one of those 500. 

I really hope that Goodell comes to his senses and realizes that he is being entirely too hard on Payton.  Regardless of what he thinks of this 'bounty' program suspending him for the entire season is way too much.  

Too much for Payton and too much for the fans.  

Whatever the outcome of this mess is, we will prevail.  We have been through hell and high water, literally, and we will make it through this.  

We are still hoping for a 2013 Superbowl win in our city next year.  That will truly be the best come back in NFL history.  

So for all of the Saints fans out there, Who Dat Forever!!!

Renee