Saints hired former FBI director Louis Freeh to take top-to-bottom look at organization after bounty, wiretap claims (1 Viewer)

[bornnraisedwhodat]

Benson says "this is Chess not Checkers!!"

 

[birdog]

This is a huge blow to Goodell, and his team of investigators. Louis Freeh, will reject all the bounty gate allegations made by the NFL and Goodell, which will hasten his departure, once the firestorm starts brewing. Right now as it stands, the bounty gate investigation is on life support, and an impeccable source whose credibility is beyond question will point that out!

I think Goodell's days in office are numbered....

 

[Swimmer]

I don't think this was a Benson effort to clear anyone's name, people.

This sounds to me like Benson wanted to know exactly what was going on in his organization. Maybe we'll know more when Florio sends out an actual story.

Or Sean Pampillion releases an insider tape of the report to Benson

 

[Booker]

I'm with Sarcastic on this. I don't think this is about refuting the league's claims, I think it's more about making sure there's nothing else going on that could embarass the team. I'd expect that the hoped for outcome from Benson is simply a "certification" that everything in the organization is on the up and up, not that the team was unfairly punished for past violations.

 

[SharonT]

birdog, I don't think this has anything to do with Bountygate, but with the unfounded (?) report that the Superdome had been secretly wired and Loomis somehow involved.

I'm hoping it will reveal other garbage that former "disgruntled" employees and/or others with access to the team have "shared" but that would be lagniappe. Very good move.

 

[bornnraisedwhodat]

I'm with Sarcastic on this. I don't think this is about refuting the league's claims, I think it's more about making sure there's nothing else going on that could embarass the team. I'd expect that the hoped for outcome from Benson is simply a "certification" that everything in the organization is on the up and up, not that the team was unfairly punished for past violations.

Agreed. I doubt this is about throwing something in the league's face. Benson is just not that type of guy.

You got the league making claims, ESPN making claims, your own staff stabbing you in the back, dudes taping team meetings, etc, sometimes you just have to see what you got going on in house.

 

[saintsfan26]

Coincidentally, Freeh has drawn praise in the past from former federal prosecutor Mary Jo White, whom the NFL has hired to provide an independent review of the bounty evidence.

 

[OutlawSaint]

Saints are doing this to hopefully prove everyone that is against the Saints wrong.

 

[stevend]

I'm with Sarcastic on this. I don't think this is about refuting the league's claims, I think it's more about making sure there's nothing else going on that could embarass the team. I'd expect that the hoped for outcome from Benson is simply a "certification" that everything in the organization is on the up and up, not that the team was unfairly punished for past violations.

I would agree. He's likely being hired not only to investigate, but to also put a system in place to make sure these things don't happen again.

 

[Mardiboys]

People - this has nothing to do with proving Goodell wrong.

Benson wants to make sure his people are running a clean business. This is self-analysis, not preparing for battle against Gooodell.

I like that Benson is being proactive.

 

[guillermo]

This is a huge blow to Goodell, and his team of investigators. Louis Freeh, will reject all the bounty gate allegations made by the NFL and Goodell, which will hasten his departure, once the firestorm starts brewing. Right now as it stands, the bounty gate investigation is on life support, and an impeccable source whose credibility is beyond question will point that out!
I think Goodell's days in office are numbered....

For what I understand, this is more about the wire-tap then the pay-for-performance issue.

As I wrote earlier, it will be such a waste if there were no changes inside of the organization after the tumultous spring.

Changes have come: Dennis Lauscha is now the strong man in both the saints and hornets organization, and he is now the contact between the saints and the front office. Mickey and Sean also will have to report to Lauscha if anything wrong is happening inside of the organization.

And also, after the string of scandals, internal security has to be reviewed, and here is where I think the Freeh Group will work. I am sure they will review all current and former employees, check what really happened and prepare a solid structure that won't allow these things to happen again.

Now, does this affects Goodell's case? Maybe, but I don't think so.

And does affect Goddell's days at the office. I really doubt it. Right now, the owners need him.

It is incredible how there are no writings about Goodell's performance considering:

- He signed a labour agreement that has almost broken the relations with the players association.
- Is on a current contract fight with current officers.
- With his infinite power has lost all the confidence of objective judgement with the players.
- Has been constantly critize for lack of transparency, by destroying evidence on the patriots' case and for not releasing the one he claims to have in the saints case.
- Gotten into a fight with the owners of the cowboys and redskins.
- Is facing a suit from the NFLPA for imposing cap penalties on an uncapped year.
- Is facing a defamation suit from a current NFL player.
- The league is facing a master complaint combining 86 suits from 2,300 ex-players regarding the league's management of information about brain injuries.

Incredible how bad things are going, and nobody is saying a thing. The office of the Commisioner has not been so devaluated as it is now.

The interesting thing, is that there are so many problems to handle, that I doubt the owners would even consider to make a move.

 

[saintsfan26]

People - this has nothing to do with proving Goodell wrong.

Benson wants to make sure his people are running a clean business. This is self-analysis, not preparing for battle against Gooodell.

I like that Benson is being proactive.

I disagree.. this goes deeper than just Benson being proactive IMO.. the NFL already had Joe Hummel (former FBI) investigate the Saints. Why would Benson need another former FBI agent to investigate his team other than the fact that he doesnt trust the NFL's investigatiions?

 

[birdog]

birdog, I don't think this has anything to do with Bountygate, but with the unfounded (?) report that the Superdome had been secretly wired and Loomis somehow involved.

I'm hoping it will reveal other garbage that former "disgruntled" employees and/or others with access to the team have "shared" but that would be lagniappe. Very good move.

the way I read the initial report, Benson hired Freeh to find out what's going on inside the organization.Everything.....or, all things relevant to this org are up for review. Bountygate is but one issue, the wiretapping is another one, so there are lots of things going on inside the org. Freeh will look at all of them. Then he will issue his report to Benson and Benson then has the option to make them public. Of course Freeh will have to answer all questions related to his investigations, and there lies the problem for Goodell, and the NFL.

I am 100% convinced that his report will contradict the NFL's findings, at which point the media start smelling blood, and will demand all relevant documents to be made public, to settle the issue. If the NFL won't comply, that in itself will be a huge blow to Goodell, and the NFL. There will be nothing, but one thing to deduct from their refusal.....they don't have anything to make their case.

I think Goodell is entering the final phrase of his tenure as the NFL commish.

 

[guillermo]

I think Goodell is entering the final phrase of his tenure as the NFL commish.

For the reasons I explained before: I don't think so.

And also, be careful what you wish for. If Goodell is gone, the logical replacement is Jeff Pash, who in my book, is even worse!

 

[AARPSaint]

I think that it shows Benson's sincere desire to ascertain exactly what was going on with the Saints in 2009-2011. Anyone he hires to investigate the procedures of the Saints is going to be accused of not being objective. But what is the alternative? The NFL has already done their so-called investigation. They aren't going to hire anyone to be objective either, as we saw with Mary Jo White. This is a good move IMHO, irrespective of the motivation.