Sean Payton Gets One-Year Suspension for Bountygate; Gregg Williams, Mickey Loomis Also Punished

Forget Thor. Roger Goodell is the one who truly wields the hammer. A hammer given to him by the god of himself. A hammer with which he strikes down all those who damage the reputation of the NFL.

Sean Payton, Gregg Williams, Mickey Loomis and other Bountygate transgressors found themselves on the wrong end of the Hammer of Goodell today. Saints coach Payton got a one-year suspension for his role in the scandal, which involved paying bounties to players for injuring opponents – an illegal system that may or may not have helped cost the Vikings the NFC title game after the 2009 season. Former Saints DC Gregg Williams was suspended indefinitely, which I guess means he can come begging to Goodell at a later date and ask for reinstatement. Saints GM Mickey Loomis got an 8 game ban plus a $500,000 fine. The Saints will also have to surrender a pair of 2nd round draft picks.

There are probably some angry Viking fans out there who think this means vindication for the team. But the truth of it is, they STILL lost the NFC title game. Adrian Peterson still fumbled on the exchange at the end of the first half. Naufahu Tahi still poked his nose into that huddle when he wasn’t supposed to. Favre still threw across his body. So it’s not really vindication. Any comfort this provides is of the cold variety. But if it makes people feel better to think the Vikings were robbed? Let them think that.

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