Goodell upholds Bountygate suspensions, Parcells will not coach Saints
Apr 10th, 2012 by dmack
Parcells will stay retired, Dungy not in the mix, Saints to hire from within
As expected, the NFL upheld the Bountygate suspensions handed out to the New Orleans Saints, HC Sean Payton, GM Mickey Loomis, and assistant-HC Joe Vitt. Payton’s suspension will start April 16th, Loomis (eight games) and Vitt (six games) will start immediately after the preseason. The suspensions will not automatically end. Commissioner Goodell will review all three’s status and determine their eligibility for reinstatement.
Goodell also announced that he would “consider mitigating the financial penalties” on the various individuals involved “if they embrace the opportunity” to assist in those programs.
Additionally, the league said it would consider “modifying the forfeiture” of the 2013 second-round pick that the Saints were initially docked by the league.
ESPN’s Chris Mortensen is reporting with Payton’s suspension starting on Monday, it is now a virtual certainty that Bill Parcells will not become the interim coach for the New Orleans Saints in 2012, according to team sources.
“While there has been minimal communication between the Saints and Parcells in the past week, a source said that Parcells indicated to Payton in a recent conversation that he preferred to remain retired. Parcells, a Hall of Fame finalist who turns 71 in August, has not coached since 2006 when he finished a four-year stint with the Dallas Cowboys.”
The Saints whistleblower finally identified ???
During a Tuesday appearance on America’s Radio News Network, filmmaker and author Alan Donnes said that former Saints defensive quality control coach Mike Cerullo was a whistleblower in the bounty scandal that led to wide-ranging sanctions for the Saints, according to CBSSports.com Rapid Reporter Larry Holder.
“Donnes described Cerullo as a disgruntled former employee who couldn’t find work after being let go after the 2009 season,” Holder wrote Tuesday afternoon. “Donnes said Cerullo believed Sean Payton and Gregg Williams blocked Cerullo from getting a job in the NFL. Cerullo is currently a football program aide at Connecticut. When contacted by CBSSports.com on March 9 concerning Bountygate, Cerullo said he had no comment.”
More from Holder: “The NFL had no comment Tuesday evening on comments made by filmmaker/author Alan Donnes on America’s Radio News Network that former Saints quality control coach Mike Cerullo was a whistleblower for the Saints bounty scandal. “As we have stated, our information was corroborated by multiple independent sources,” NFL spokesman Greg Aiello wrote in an email to CBSSports.com.”
Three weeks ago, NFL Network analyst Warren Sapp, claimed that former New Orleans tight end Jeremy Shockey was the “snitch” that outed the Saints. Shockey promptly denied the accusation and called for NFL Network to punish Sapp.
The Donnes Interview … fast foward to 3:05
Panthers and Steve Smith agree to three-year extension
Steve Smith should take Cam Newton out to dinner. After the worst year of his career in 2010, the resurgent 11-year veteran out of Utah had an all pro year in 2011 resulting in a three-year extension signed today. In 2010, Smith demanded out of Charlotte after an abysmal year that saw him limited him to just 46 catches for 554 yards and two touchdowns. In 2011, with Cam Newton calling the shots, Smith had a resurgent 79 catches for 1394 yards and seven touchdowns.
Check out Smith’s 2011 highlights
Bobby Petrino axed at Arkansas
This just in compliments of CBS Sports Line
Bobby Petrino had the support of the Arkansas faithful, a 21-5 record the past two seasons, and another potential BCS team coming together in 2012. It still hasn’t been enough to save his job in the fallout from his recent motorcycle accident.
Petrino and Razorback athletic director Jeff Long met throughout Tuesday afternoon and Long made the announcement official at a Tuesday night press conference: after four years and a 34-17 record, Petrino has been fired.
An emotional Long said that Petrino had “knowingly misled” the Razorback athletics department and the Arkansas public, having concealed both the details of the accident and — more importantly — his relationship with Jessica Dorrell, the recently hired 25-year-old Arkansas football administrative staffer.
“I have informed coach Petrino his employment at Arkansas is terminated immediately,” Long said, saying Petrino had “abused his authority” in hiring Dorrell without disclosing their relationship. Petrino was terminated “with cause,” denying him the buyout included in his contract.
Petrino had been placed on administrative leave Thursday in the immediate wake of the public release of the Arkansas State Police report concerning his April 1 motorcycle accident. Though Petrino had told Long that he had been alone when he wrecked his motorcycle, repeated that account at a Tuesday press conference, and allowed the university to issue a press release to that effect, the police report indicated that Petrino had been accompanied by Dorrell, a former Arkansas volleyball player.
Long said that Dorrell’s relationship with Petrino had given her an unfair advantage in being hired over the other 158 applicants for her current position. Long also revealed that Petrino had given Dorrell a $20,000 cash gift, though he declined to say why Petrino had done so.
Petrino issued a statement Tuesday apologizing for his “previous inappropriate relationship” with Dorrell and expressed his “hope” he would be retained as Razorbacks head coach. For his part, Long said he would “get all the facts” before making a final decision.
BOTN will follow this story closely and update frequently
Petrino’s news conference after the accident where he denies second passenger
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