The New Orleans Saints — still trying to put the infamous “Bountygate” scandal behind them — are calling the Falcons “classless” after handing Atlanta its first loss of the season Sunday.
From USA Today:
“They were talking (expletive) to our guy Curtis Lofton,” Saints linebacker Scott Shanle told Mike Silver on Sunday night. “I couldn’t even understand them. They were just walking all over our drills trying to mess with him. (Linebacker Jonathan) Vilma went and told their coach it was classless and they didn’t even say anything. It set the tone for the day. It was classless and they got what they deserved.”
Lofton is a former Falcon playing in his first season with the Saints.
Vilma, by the way, is only playing while he appeals a year-long suspension for allegedly participating in a program that paid players for injuring opposing players.
Some of the Saints players were also offended by a dance video made by Atlanta safety William Moore.
The “D-Block” rap video was posted on the Falcons’ website over the weekend.
“That video would never be allowed nor would our players make a video like that in our locker room,” NBC’s Pro Football Talk quoted an unidentified “Saints source.”
Of course, the Falcons have done their part to stoke the rivalry, which has been dominated in recent years by the Saints.
Last week, Roddy White told the Journal-Constitution:
“I don’t like nothing about the Saints. The colors. The city. Nothing. But they’ve got some good food, though. Other than the food, nothing.”
After Sunday’s game, White refused to credit the Saints.
“It’s not like they came out here and won a game,” he said. “I think we kind of gave it to them.”
Shanle, however, told Yahoo! Sports that Sunday’s result just proves the Saints “own” the Falcons.
“They’re like our little brothers. Deep down they know they can’t mess with us even when we are having a down year,” he said.
210 comments Add your comment
Dirtybird82
November 13th, 2012
10:23 am
Now that New Orleans is up and running post Katrina (2006), will you people FINALLY go back home? If you don’t like what the Falcon fans say in the Falcons’ home state, then GO BACK to the swamp! We didn’t ask for you to become residents, but since you are here you need to do as Rome and join in with your NEW HOME TEAM. If not, please board a bus and go back to NEW ORLEANS and be REAL FANS there.
Adam
November 13th, 2012
10:25 am
Vilma to Mike Smith: “Some of your guys are taunting and saying hurtful things to my guys. They’re being classless!”
Smith to Vilma: “OMG you can’t be serious! (pause)……………….HAHAHAHAHA! Get out of my face and go warm-up. This could be your last game this season, Bounty-Boy.”
Rogie
November 13th, 2012
10:27 am
Classless is making a judgment on someone else in the media and not having the guts to put your name to it. Except for Jonathan Vilma in this story everything else is “source.”
Not only classless, but cowardly.
CreoleCat
November 13th, 2012
10:29 am
Roddy White whines and giggles like a girl. Teeheehee!
me
November 13th, 2012
10:33 am
New Orleans is the cesspool of the south.
wp
November 13th, 2012
10:34 am
Cry me a river Saints!!! Ya’ll are so dirty and got caught at it. Its ok when ya’ll were trying to hurt or destroy somebodies career. Call somebody who cares.
falconsjrt
November 13th, 2012
10:37 am
The aints called us classless is like calling the kettle black. Remember aints fans you have bounty gate and that have business in the nfl and thats is classless. Who dat aint s–t! #RISEUP4LIFE!
D man
November 13th, 2012
10:38 am
“The Falcons are the Saints little brothers?” yeah, keep talking chumps. We gave that game to you. It will be payback time in 16 days when we end your comeback playoff plans…
S Gouse
November 13th, 2012
10:39 am
Sooo, the Saints have won 11 out of the last 13 meetings with the “stinky birds” and have a “SUPER BOWL” ring while the “stinky birds” have yet to win a playoff game; hilarious!!!! Roddy, “shut up and catch the ball in the end zone next time!!!!
Clay
November 13th, 2012
10:41 am
Falcons players need to shut their fat mouths when talking about the Saints. That’s because in recent years the Saints have OWNED the Falcons. You look like a fool trash talking when you haven’t been able to back it up in YEARS. This coming from a life-long Falcons fan.
Gloria
November 13th, 2012
10:44 am
Has anyone heard Lofton complain? Could be that is just what players do and it’s all in fun, I can imagine him taking it personal. I was at that game and the way the Saints fans were acting you would have though they had just won another Super Bowel, but guess what “it’s not that deep” We knew this day would eventual come. But come February the Falcons will be back in New Orleans and we won’t be playing the Saints.
Carroll
November 13th, 2012
10:45 am
it’s the pot calling the kettle black-and-gold
Home of the Braves
November 13th, 2012
10:48 am
I would have pitty on the Saints but it is their own fault that they are the laughing stock of sports. It will be a long time before anyone remembers them for anything but Bountygate.
tevako27
November 13th, 2012
10:48 am
Eventually the little brother turns out to be better than the big brother. Ask the Mannings.
dood
November 13th, 2012
10:52 am
Roddy, it is “Anything”…you don’t like ANYTHING about the city
I know 5 year olds with a better grasp of the English language. But as long as you can catch a football you can be a great role model for children.
Falcon James
November 13th, 2012
10:59 am
When I read the headline, I thought it was a misprint. I was shocked that anyone on the Saint team could accuse anybody of being “Classless”, Don’t they know what the rest of the world think about the Saint?. Now if somebody called the Saint team, they fan, or they City “Classless”, I don’t think anybody would care because that is a known fact. But a Saint player calling somebody else “Classless” who not even on his own team. now that is HYSTERICAL !!!!
Dagne
November 13th, 2012
10:59 am
Pot, meet kettle! Guess what? You’re both black.
Atlanta Falcons: Lacking good manners, refinement, or grace.
New Orleans Saints: Lacking sophistication or delicacy.
Both teams are classless. Just funny that they choose to fight a war over who has the less amount.
Home of the Braves
November 13th, 2012
11:00 am
We could get in a shouting match with the Saints and their fans but they are so far behind us we wouldn’t be able to hear them.
of course
November 13th, 2012
11:07 am
I agree with every single word Roddy White said.
Rise up! (in my pants)
November 13th, 2012
11:07 am
As a lifelong Falcons fan we need to shut up and play the games. Roddy is a great receiver but he talks way too much. Assante with the taunting move and hitting us for 15 yards hurt too. We went from being a well displined machine to a bunch of trash talking players. We all knew we wouldn’t be undefeated the whole season, and with the NFL parity we need to go out every week and execute. The encouraging thing from the game is that atleast we were in it and had a strong chance to win. Finish strong and then send the Saints team some popcorn so they can sit on the couch and watch us in the playoffs. Until then, shut up!
Kennesaw Dave
November 13th, 2012
11:07 am
Boy that takes some nerve to call the Falcons classless when your team has been involved in a bounty program that could have potentially ended some very tallented men’s careers. This has to be one of the biggest examples of hypocracy I’ve seen all year.
Ryan
November 13th, 2012
11:08 am
Do the Saints really think they can call any team in the NFL “classless”? Have they already forgot about those CLASSY BOUNTIES? Sorry we hurt your feelings with a little trash talk. If that is so offensive, go play in the lingerie football league.
FalconFANatic
November 13th, 2012
11:08 am
8-1 > 4-5….Can’t wait to win a Super Bowl in the Aint’s house!!! That will top the bountygate bowl trophy the Aint’s won in 2009. At least the Falcons do it the right way! Remember the Falcons will embarass yall on thanksgiving night in front of the entire nation in OUR HOUSE!!!!
calvin
November 13th, 2012
11:08 am
cry baby ass Saints
Eradicator
November 13th, 2012
11:10 am
Enter your comments here
P0ng0
November 13th, 2012
11:10 am
So Lofton speaks poorly about the organization here, and the players and that’s ok. But when the Falcons talk back (to his face, no less instead of the media) it’s classless? Grow up, NO.
Really
November 13th, 2012
11:11 am
They are both classless.
Stuart
November 13th, 2012
11:14 am
It seems that anyone who goes to play for the Saints must go to the Mississippi River or Lake Ponch. and drink the water because all they ever do is whine about something. It has been like this for years and looks like it will never end.
Clayton Bigsby
November 13th, 2012
11:14 am
There’s a MegaBus parked on Pleasant Hill Rd. All New Orleans residence can get a free voucher to go back home. You must turn in your EBT card and forfeit your unemployment benefits. Good for nothings!!!
Taxi Smith
November 13th, 2012
11:15 am
This from a team that put bountys on other players heads. Consider the source.
ILOVEUGA
November 13th, 2012
11:17 am
SEC FAN 8:20 – AMEN!
True ATL Fan
November 13th, 2012
11:17 am
New Orleans is the dump of the country. No Katrina jokes but the city was a piece of sh*t before the storm and still is. We hate them, they hate us…its a rivalry. To be a grown man playing a violent sport and you turn around like a puss and call someone classless. Who cares? Grow a pair Vilma, Shanle (who are you), and anybody else on that trash team. These are the real Saints with no NFL post-Katrina investments. The city of NO is too stupid to even realize that the NFL invested in them to create a storyline for that season. Yall piss on our stadium logo last year and expect us to “play with class”??? Come the 29th, New Orleans fans might not want to show up in the Dome b/c it’ll det ugly, believe it. Who Dat…stolen from Cincy.
jackie
November 13th, 2012
11:18 am
The entire NFL is “classless” just a bunch of steroid freaks and social lowlifes
Roo
November 13th, 2012
11:19 am
Our city is above sea level.
G
November 13th, 2012
11:23 am
What irony, pay for play thugs calling someone out.
RG
November 13th, 2012
11:24 am
Saints 11-2 vs falcons since 2006. Not even a contest.
Dirtybirdsin'12
November 13th, 2012
11:25 am
Lol, the team which admittedly urinated on our midfield logo calling our team classless. They’ve got a big ol’ glass house down in NO these days; probably should watch the stone throwing.
failcons
November 13th, 2012
11:25 am
sounds like some falcons are pretty mad lol..I wud hate a team to if I’d lose to them EVERY YEAR!! Just face it boys y’all can’t f**k with the saints even on a bad year! 8-1haha see y’all in a couple weeks
Joe S.
November 13th, 2012
11:27 am
When do pitchers and catchers report?
hind tit
November 13th, 2012
11:30 am
The kings of classless calling the Falcons classless. And i suppose trying to confuse another team has never happened in the NFL.
Dee
November 13th, 2012
11:36 am
Their cheating franchise pays their players to injure other players, gets caught, makes threats towards the Commish and they have the balls to call us classless?
Priceless.
VoiceOfReason
November 13th, 2012
11:36 am
Ha ha, the Falcons suck. Another disappointment in a loser sports city!
Nick
November 13th, 2012
11:44 am
So talking trash before a football game is classless, but bragging about urinating on the field in Atlanta is ok? Makes perfect sense.
Zarcon
November 13th, 2012
11:46 am
Yes 1st place in NFC.. still. Its true that the Falcons had their first loss to the Saints, but we already knew it was just a matter of ‘when’ and by ‘who’. For the Saints fans, yes we lost and a win is a win, but the saints did not ‘woop’ us by no means.. Honestly, if the Falcons wouldn’t have missed those 2 other TD opportunities, we would not be hearing a peep from you saints fans. And not to worry, If the Saints lose ANY more games, you are out for the season. And just remember, we get to tango with the Saints again come 11/29, on our turf this time. Wouldn’t it be nice if we gave them the loss needed to be out for the season…
RealATLchick
November 13th, 2012
11:47 am
Classless….? Come on now Aints…a 4-5 record is “classless” and need yall need to go back to “class”!! Next…..!
jack thompson
November 13th, 2012
11:49 am
BEING CALLED “CLASSLESS” BY THE SAINTS IS LIKE A FROG CALLING YOU UGLY!!
Geaux Home
November 13th, 2012
11:52 am
Taking pictures while you simulate urinating on the Falcons’ logo is class.
kimmer
November 13th, 2012
11:53 am
Several points.
1) If what the falcons did to lofton was classless then it was classless. It has nothing to do with what someone else did that is perceived as worse. Trying to excuse it on that basis is moot. Its one thing to talk smack during the game but coming over to the saints side during warm-ups to talk shyte.
2) Anyone who does not think that the goal of most NFL defenders is to knock opposing players out of the game is incredibly naive. Many of the games greatest defenders have stated that was what they tried to do every play. That’s why they call them ‘headhunters’. Ever notice how hard players try to lay a lick on a scrambling QB? . Using a penny-ante (for NFL players) bounty as a motivational tool was a terrible idea but does not make doing the same thing for free as pure as the driven snow. That is also why the officials have a penalty flag and the commissioner the ability to review film and fine. Incidentally, the number of personal foul penalties or players injured playing the saints were not significantly different than the rest of the league.
3) Using Brett Farve to make the point of trying to end a career is not a good example.
Dee
November 13th, 2012
12:02 pm
^^^^Blah, blah blah. A Saints fans attempting to use askewed logic to justify their classlessness.
Priceless.
Sha
November 13th, 2012
12:03 pm
Just Remember saints, you all will be in the A Town shortly, we will deliver the same thing back to ya