Your Say: NFL player safety sidelined

Former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue vacated suspensions of four current and former New Orleans Saints players implicated in "bountygate." They were accused of collecting bonuses for injuring opponents. Comments from Facebook:

So the evidence was correct, and the factual findings by Commissioner Roger Goodell were correct, yet the players escape punishment? Somehow that just doesn't seem right.

I'm glad that standard isn't used in our court system: Yeah, we know you robbed the store but we're not going to make you go to jail. Just doesn't feel right.

Jim Siverson

This does not make sense. I guess Tagliabue wants to put the blame on the coaches and the organization rather than the players.

However, I feel that Jonathan Vilma, the New Orleans Saints linebacker, will get his comeuppance because he wants to pursue his defamation lawsuit. All of the evidence will be made public, and he will be shown to be guilty.

Melvin Green

This whole ordeal was bogus. The penalty for unnecessary roughness is 15 yards, not suspending anyone. This was all about the NFL covering all bases due to pending litigation with former NFL players, and their injuries from concussions.

Tagliabue is just trying to minimize the legal exposure for Goodell.

Ira Stoker

Letter to the editor:

It is surprising that in all the news

about suspensions of players and coaches in the NFL bounty case involving the New Orleans Saints, there is not a word about criminal charges ("Suspensions lifted, distaste remains," Sports, Wednesday).

If in fact there were deliberate orders and actions designed to specifically hurt NFL players for money, is that not a crime, such as assault or conspiracy to commit assault?

The players' union, the owners and the coaches should all be publicly demanding a criminal investigation to protect players from harm, as well as to protect the integrity of the game. A legal but tough tackle is expected in the NFL. Assault and battery to cause intentional harm for payment of money is illegal.

Correale F. Stevens; Hazleton, Pa.