Senate Investigating NFL Over Bounty Program

[Conley]

The Senate wants to grill the NFL about bounties. And the NBA, NHL, NCAA and Major League Baseball are invited, too.

Sen. Dick Durbin is setting up a Judiciary Committee hearing about bounties in professional football and other major sports in the wake of news that New Orleans Saints players received extra cash for hits that hurt particular opponents.

The fallout from the Saints' bounty program is far from over. Pat Yasinskas looks at what's next for New Orleans. Blog

The assistant Senate majority leader, an Illinois Democrat, said Thursday he wants to examine whether federal law should make such bounty systems a crime.

"Let's be real basic about it here. If this activity were taking place off of a sporting field, away from a court, nobody would have a second thought (about whether it's wrong). 'You mean, someone paid you to go out and hurt someone?' " Durbin said in a telephone interview before raising the issue on the floor of the Senate.

"It goes way beyond the rules of any sporting contest, at least team contest, to intentionally inflict harm on another person for a financial reward," he said.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/7722853/new-orleans-saints-senator-dick-durbin-sets-hearing-bounties-nfl

Another waste of time by the government if you ask me.

[ramone]

Just what in the hell does the US Senate have to do with professional football? Don't they have better things to do, like pass a budget? Good grief, more unwanted gov. intrusion into a private sector.

[Conley]

Just what in the hell does the US Senate have to do with professional football? Don't they have better things to do, like pass a budget? Good grief, more unwanted gov. intrusion into a private sector.

Agreed. Really what surprises me is that Durbin started this nonsense and not Waxman. I would have figured he'd be the one to pull this stunt after the baseball steroid hearings. :rollseyes:

[ramone]

Agreed. Really what surprises me is that Durbin started this nonsense and not Waxman. I would have figured he'd be the one to pull this stunt after the baseball steroid hearings. :rollseyes:

I wonder how much those steroid hearings cost us? Like it had anything to do with governing the nation, these people are on a power trip and need to be reeled in. This type thing is ridiculous and costing us money.

Good reading here: http://thelibertyprofessor.com/category/capitalism-and-free-markets/


This is why the Founders of our nation wrote into the Constitution that all powers not specifically given to the federal government must be understood to belong to the states and to the people. Basically, they wrote in that sacred document–the Contract of Liberty–that the national government is authorized to do only a few things. Regarding all other things it was construed to have no authority whatsoever. Thomas Jefferson could probably have been speaking for all of the framers of the Constitution when he wrote the following: “Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms [of government] those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.” How prophetic!

[MMC]

Durbin shows the way of the Democrat at all times. He will come off sounding like he knows what he is talking about. But in the end. Like most all other Demos. He will find a way to waste time.....and money! :wink:

People need to tell these Senators. Hey if ya want to go back to practicing law. Then get hell out of Politics and wasting the American People's time.

[Stoney]

We need to make those jobs part time again. They've got way too much free time and their free time steels our freedom.

[MMC]

Politicans and Judges!!!!! Part time and sent out to pasture.

[Mainecoons]

Another reason Congress should be limited to 60 days per year and paid by the day with no benefits.

[RollingWave]

The only times I think senate SHOULD investigate into sports is if the Mafia controll many of the teams or something. this is even more ridiculas than the steriods investigation in some sense.

38

[MMC]

What I think the American people should do is hold Senate and House Hearings. Like when they take those extended holidays off. Then we should have American People kinda like a group that is a Jury and a group that is an investigative team Go in with access to computers and pull up all their appearances in the media and the shit they have stated out of their mouths. Bring up any ethics charges as well as any medical conditions. Then pass sentence on whether they shall be allowed to serve.

Any politicans that are over the age of 65 to be given a psychological evaluation every 3 years. Plus have to take a physical every year and to be recorded down pubicly. Let them know that in order to serve, just like with the Military. They are going to be put thru some shit.

[Mainecoons]

Let's save a lot of time, shoot the lot of them (will also save a lot of money on those outrageous pensions) and start over again with a part-time, term limited, per diem paid legislature.

Oh, and with a balanced budet requirement. In very short order, most of the Federal government would be gone and there would be no more of this policing the world nonsense.

[Don]

When the pro sports operations were granted monopoly status by our federal government they had to sell their soul to them. That's why they can intervene. What business does the federal government have in investigating sports figures who use steroids or other forms of "doping?" What business do they have in serving subpoenas to sports figures forcing them to testify and possibly be charged with "lying to congress?"

If laws are broken shouldn't it be state or local governments that prosecute? At least then the person charged wouldn't have to testify against themselves.

[Conley]

Yep, that anti-trust exemption is what they'll point to, but it's still a waste of time.

[ramone]

Yep, that anti-trust exemption is what they'll point to, but it's still a waste of time.

Well they haven't passed a budget in three years but they have time to get involved in a state's professional feetsball teams problems. It's pathetic, really it is. These people are like that nosy neighbor that can't run their own household but gives advise to the entire neighborhood on how they should live.

[Don]

These people are like that nosy neighbor that can't run their own household but gives advise to the entire neighborhood on how they should live.

And then don't follow that advice themselves.