Well, today was the day. Commishoner Roger Goodell brought down the hammer for the bounty scandal. 

The official release from NFL.com is below, and all of these punishments seem fair, when thinking about how Goodell goes about punishing people. He doesn't take crap, that is for sure, and this is just another example. 

New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma has been suspended for the 2012 season, as the NFL handed down its player discipline Wednesday for the Saints' pay-for-performance "bounty" scandal.

Three other players -- Scott Fujita, Anthony Hargrove, Will Smith -- in addition to Vilma were notified that they have been suspended without pay for conduct detrimental to the NFL as a result of their leadership roles in the "bounty" program that endangered player safety over three seasons from 2009-2011.

"It is the obligation of everyone, including the players on the field, to ensure that rules designed to promote player safety, fair play, and the integrity of the game are adhered to and effectively and consistently enforced," Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. "Respect for the men that play the game starts with the way players conduct themselves with each other on the field."

The discipline breaks down, per a league release, as follows:

• Linebacker Jonathan Vilma of the Saints is suspended without pay for the 2012 NFL season, effective immediately per league policy for season-long suspensions.

• Linebacker Scott Fujita (now with the Cleveland Browns) is suspended without pay for the first three games.

• Defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove (now with the Green Bay Packers) is suspended without pay for the first eight games.

• Will Smith of the Saints is suspended without pay for the first four games.

"In assessing player discipline," Goodell said, "I focused on players who were in leadership positions at the Saints; contributed a particularly large sum of money toward the program; specifically contributed to a bounty on an opposing player; demonstrated a clear intent to participate in a program that potentially injured opposing players; sought rewards for doing so; and/or obstructed the 2010 investigation."

"No bounty program can exist without active player participation," Goodell added. "The evidence clearly showed that the players being held accountable today willingly and enthusiastically embraced the bounty program. Players put the vast majority of the money into this program and they share responsibility for playing by the rules and protecting each other within those rules."

Now, it was reported that Vilma expected a suspension from two to eight games. Mr. Vilma, do you know who you are messing with?

This sends a big message league wide that there is no tolerance for any activity that results in a negative outlook towards the NFL. Now, the Saints, players, coaches and all, know first hand. 

Good morning all. Let's take a look around the conference with the major news story for each on this lovely Saturday.

Buccaneers

Tampa Bay and new head coach Greg Schiano found themselves a defensive coordinator, finally.

Bill Sheridan, a Super Bowl winner on the New York Giants staff, joins the team as DC.

Here is the official release fom the Bucs' official website.

Falcons

Things are a bit slow around Atlanta, not too much going on, but the general manager Thomas Dimitroff has a bit of a new role.

Here is the official release from the Bucs' official website.

Panthers

Everyone knows the type of rookie season that Cam Newton had. As a result, the awards keep coming in. The talented former Auburn quarterback already won the Pepsi Rookie of the Year award, but there is more. 

Here is the official release from the Panthers' official website.

Saints

Sean Payton and company recently made some BIG hires on the staff, including bringing in an elite defensive coordinator with the hope of taking home another Super Bowl title, with a guy who has experience doing so.

Here is the official release from the Panthers' official website.

Texas is nice enough. They're very proud of themselves. There are signs everywhere saying "Don't Mess With Texas". It's meant to be a warning against littering, but it speaks to a much deeper attitude in every Texan. Right now, the number one ranked, Texans defense is saying "Dont Mess With Texas". Members os the team have been quoted as saying, "the Saints wont be a problem". I say it's time to MESS WITH TEXAS! Don't let your 2-0 record go to your head! The Colts are in the beginning of a nose dive and The Dolphins are a struggling team at best. The Texans defense has yet to meet an opponent that can put up 30+ points a game. 

The SAINTS aren't scared of good defenses! The Packers and The Bears have great defenses and we managed to put up 859 yards and 64 points against them. There are holes in every defense and Brees and Payton will find them in the Texans'.  Brees spent two years practicing against a Wade Phillips defense in San Diego. Although Payton lost to the Phillips defense during pre-season, we left a lot of our tricks in the bag. Both Payton and Greg Williams will be opening up the playbook this Sunday. The Texans' pass defense is great....our offense is better. We are heavily stacked in the run game and if Mario Williams gets upfield too fast he might find himself behind the best screen game in The NFL.

As a Saints fan, I find it almost amusing that another team would look at US as their "first test of the season". Our team has become the team that you can "prove" yourself against if you want to be considered a top-notch member of the NFL. We have become the team to beat. It's quite an honor! BUT NOT THIS WEEK! The Saints are on a mission this year. We have all the weapons! Drew Brees is in his prime, our defense has vastly improved since week one, our running game is made for speed AND power, Jimmy Graham and Dave Thomas are legitimate threats and Darren Sproles is lighting it up in all aspects of the game. Our offensive and defensive lines are playing VERY well and the secondary has been hitting people hard and covering tight! 

This Sunday's match-up in The Superdome will be a chess match for sure. Two teams who believe that they have what it takes to go all the way. AND THEY DO! In my humble opinion, this game will be decided on ball controle and clock management. Who can get the crucial 3rd and short, who wins the special teams game and who can capitalize on defensive mistakes. The turnover battle will be all-important. How many times does Matt Shaub have to peel himself off the Dome turf? The 12th man will be a HUGE factor...perhaps a few false starts?!?!?

In short, it's time to MESS WITH TEXAS in a big way! They might be on the way to great things this season....but not tomorrow...not in our house...not against our team. It's a short trip from Houston to New Orleans but it's gonna be a long road home for the Texans!!! 

Sixty-three games in the National Football League were decided by three points or less last year.  For Saints fans, there were five white-knuckled, nail-biting games – or as I like to call, more than our fair share.

Maybe it’s the intensity of a close game, or maybe it our high expectations – but in these situations, the kicker is either the hero or the villain.  He gets all the praise or is burned effigy.  As a Saints fan, it feels like we are in this situation more frequently than preferred, and we are all too familiar with the kicking woes of the last several years.  Which raised an interesting question in house…

Have kickers become worse?

Rather than wax and wane in unsubstantiated opinion, I pulled all the field goal attempts and made statistics for every team by yardage for the past five years (because really, what else are you going to do on an early Friday evening when the kids want to Toy Story for the umpteenth time?).    Here’s what I found:

1. No, kickers have not become worse, in fact they are better.  In the last five years, the overall field goal percentage for the league was 83%.  From 2000-2005, the average percentage was 78%.
2. Not so much for you, Saints fans.  In the past five years, field goal percentage averaged 80%, versus 82% in the 2000-2005 time frame
3. 2007 was the most painful.  Saints averaged 68% in 2007 versus the league average of 83%
4. There is a “Saints Sweet Spot”.  Between 30-49 yards lines, the Saints kicking percentage is reasonably close to the league average.
5. Anything can happen at 50+ for any team…and honestly, do you expect that kick to be made?

Interesting factoids, but does this mean anything to the organization?  Probably not.  However, the Saints making 88% of attempts from 20-29 versus the league average of 96% over the past five years was shocking.  These are the missed “chip shots” that sent pillows flying and prompted sailor cursing in Saints fans’ living rooms.  Attempts in this range are the equivalent of free throws in basketball – and you know how fans feel when they miss!  More alarming for Saints fans is that this is the AVERAGE.  In 2010, Saints kicking was 63% from this yardage – worst in the league, with the Seahawks and Bengals being a distant second to last (83%).

What this means to the coaching staff is exactly what you have seen Sean Payton do.  Be aggressive as the offense marches towards the red zone.  Going for it on 4^th downs.  Makes sense – we may actually stand a better shot of scoring a touchdown than putting up three.  This may be why we see Drew Brees sometimes hold on to the ball and try to make something happen, as noted in the last post (Houston: We Have a Problem).

Being scarred by low kicking percentages and missed field goals in tight games has been tough for fans.  And based on this analysis, seems like you should hate the kicker.  For those fans I have four words for you…”Garrett Hartley” and “Superbowl bound”.

...an' dat's dat!

It's the elephant the room we haven't talked about....that ends now.  What about Reggie Bush?

I remember draft day 2006.  I was running on the treadmill, already out of breath, and now facing a  major coronary event - "With the number two pick, the Saints draft Reggie Bush from USC".  My first reaction was ambivalence.  We already had Deuce McAllister, our beloved local hero, and Aaron Stecker.  With so many weak areas to address after our appalling 3-13 "Katrina" season, was this where the organization wanted to put their focus?

But this was the first post-Katrina season and fans needed to be excited more than anything else.  No doubt, Reggie Bush was electrifying...watch any USC highlight film.  He would bring the "Hollywood attention" to a team and city in desperate need of attention.  Fans showed their overwhelming approval by buying number 25 jerseys in bulk and chanting "Regg-ie, Regg-ie" when he first stepped on the field for that magical Monday night opener against the Falcons.  Reggie brought a much needed swagger - he was a winner that wasn't accustomed to losing.  The Saints and New Orleans knew losing all too well.

The NFL would be an adjustment for Reggie, as it is with most rookies.  His high-flying, beat 'em around the corner, faster-than-everyone-else on the field style might have worked against boys but not men.  It did, however, work occasionally and it was spectacular and everyone praised his athleticism.  In a photograph of his first punt return for a touchdown against the Bucs, even the chain gang is caught cheering him on.  When it didn't work, he took the wrath of fans and talking heads. When you're the talk of the town, you're also the butt of all jokes!

Is everyone supposed to be succeed all the time?  Mistakes happen every game - missed tackles, fumbles, interceptions and missed blocking assignments.  The only problem with a "Reggie Bush" is that the spotlight shines on him all the time whether he's excelling or not. The problem is, as with any top draft pick, when you pay big money, you expect big results.

I, for one, think we got what we paid for.  Reggie was a pivotal part of building a championship team.  Anyone who disagrees may want to look up the definition of "team".  Did he drop a punt or two (or more)? Sure he did! Did he miss a pass or two? Sure he did! But when it came time to "Bring the Wood", he brought it!  When he was asked to carry the load in a season with massive injuries, he stepped up.  When he was asked to stop doing so many commercials, he stopped.  When he was asked to move his offseason workouts to New Orleans, he did.  

It's easy to be critical of a big dollar player.  Reggie did what he was asked to do - showing a great deal of commitment to the Saints and New Orleans.  But he wants to be a feature back and he has that opportunity in Miami.  I wish him the best of luck....unless of course we meet the Dolphins in the post-season.

...an' dat's dat!