Drew Brees looks like fool for not acknowledging bounties
Drew Brees' conflict of interest is undermining player safety issues. (AP photo)
Drew Brees has been one of the faces of the NFL, one of the best ambassadors the league has had. He is a premier player at the centerpiece position (quarterback) who led his team to a Super Bowl and also helped heal a city (New Orleans) after a disaster.
But the guy has lost it, and he should be removed from any executive board position he holds with the NFL Players Association. In short, Brees still refuses to acknowledge the New Orleans Saints had any bounty system, even though former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams (who orchestrated the whole thing) admits it existed.
“We didn’t get any meaningful evidence, or any meaningful truth or facts,” Brees told NFL.com when asked about any discussion on the bounty program at Monday’s meeting between the league and union. (The league has yet to announce penalties for players involved.)
There are two problems here: 1) That Brees, probably out of loyalty to his team, still hasn’t publicly admitted that the Saints had a program. It makes him look foolish; 2) Because of that loyalty, and an obvious conflict of interest, he should not be allowed to sit in any meeting as an NFLPA executive board member when penalties for Saints’ players are being discussed.
In fact, a case could be made he should be removed from the board altogether. Think about it: One significant reason for the uproar of the program is it undermines player safety. There is evidence of Saints players being told to head-hunt or take out a opposing player’s ACL. But Brees, a union representative, refuses to acknowledge that, despite evidence and confirmation from a figure involved, effectively giving his blessing to the program.
How does Brees rationalize that to his union brethren?
Let’s briefly go through a few reasons why commissioner Roger Goodell has disciplined the Saints organization, Williams, coach Sean Payton and assistant Joe Vitt:
– Via the NFL’s findings, the Saints operated the bounty program for three seasons, largely funded by players but “also occasionally” by Williams.
– Payments were made when opposing players were injured. Specifically, the investigation showed bounties had been placed on four opposing quarterbacks: Brett Favre, Cam Newton, Aaron Rodgers and Kurt Warner. Defensive captain Jonathan Vilma offered $10,000 to any teammate who knocked Favre out of the NFC title game in the 2009 season.
– Via the official NFL release: “Coach Williams acknowledged that he designed and implemented the program with the assistance of certain defensive players.”
– Also via the NFL: “Vitt admitted that, when interviewed in 2010, he ‘fabricated the truth’ to NFL investigators and denied that any pay-for-performance or bounty program existed.”
But Drew Brees wants evidence. He doesn’t look like a leader. He looks like a fool.
By Jeff Schultz
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258 comments Add your comment
Charles Buzbee
April 17th, 2012
2:33 pm
Sit behind your little desk and make your stupid comments about Drew Brees. So you make up a dumb story about an upstanding individual. You are the fool. ACJ pays you to write NOTHING! Prove that Brees knew about it, prove that Brees was involved then you have a story all you are writing is your opinion and you know what they say about opinions everyone has one.
JasonS
April 17th, 2012
2:34 pm
Oddly enough the proof is in the pudding: there were no injuries, thus no payments.
They should be punished for trying to have a bounty system. A bounty system that doesn’t work is not a true bounty system.
This is all very foolish. It is also the epitome of posturing and yellow journalism.
RLV
April 17th, 2012
2:35 pm
How exactly is Brees refusing to “acknowledge the New Orleans Saints had any bounty system” just because he said that the NFL has yet to provide him with the evidence allegedly held by the NFL? All of the “evidence” you listed above is contained in the NFL report itself or the testimony of an ostracized coach, not the documentation that the NFL has said it has but refuses to make available. If anything, Brees’ position is consistent (and not in conflict) with that of a player representative; how on earth could he be expected to represent the players effectively if he is not allowed to review the documents that allegedly evidence their guilt? If this situation were reversed and he immediately rushed to judgment against the players solely on the basis of an NFL report without reviewing the background materials on which that report were based, you would likely be ranting for him to be ousted as an ineffective representative, and justifiably so. Any attorney who did what you are asking Brees to do in terms of simply accepting the claims of the prosecution without independently reviewing the evidence on behalf of his client would be disbarred. If you have nothing better to write than this, then please refrain from writing anything at all. This article did nothing to convince me that Drew Brees is a fool, sir; it only served to prove that YOU are.
10 of 12
April 17th, 2012
2:39 pm
JasonS- You idiot savant! Conspiracy to commit a crime is also a crime.
10 of 12
April 17th, 2012
2:49 pm
Drew Brees is a complete fool because he is stupid enough to believe that he’s denial of the existence of proof will somehow mitigate the offense. Roger Goodell has provided proof to the owner of Drew Brees (Benson) and his boss Sean Payton. If Drew Brees does not have proof who cares since he does not have to be provided with anything but a contract to throw footballs. He needs to understand his place in all of this and sit down somewhere and prepare for getting knocked down during the season. LOL Last week Brees said Sean Payton had not provided him with an explanation of what happened now Roger Goodell owes him one. What an idiot! No one owes you anything but a contract to play, get that done and show up to lead your team and let these matters be handled by those in a position to do so.
Jeff "I KNOW NOTHING" Schultz
April 17th, 2012
2:52 pm
10 of 12 We all know you came from your momma and daddy and I for one have no problem with inbreeding. You turned out just fine!
Saints All Day
April 17th, 2012
3:06 pm
This is crap, Yes Brees and the PA is looking for evidence for bounty with the saints. Just because Greg Williams admitted to doing it does that make it that everyone is doing? NOT. Okay every Falcon fan is a Drug user. I said it so I guess there will be a lot of free jobs in Atlanta next week right. Bret Farve, Warner, Ya’ll player WR White said they didnt feel bountied. So many retired players have admitted to this. Falcon fans Really Drew Brees Classless because ya’ll team couldn’t stop a TD from happening. Sit Down. I bet a whole year of pay that Drew want go to a Playoff Game and don’t score a point. Don’t do to others that you don’t want done to you. I have witness Falcons running up the score. We will take this fall because we are strong. Get facts, which nobody has, you can believe eveything Goodell says, he knew 3 years ago but open his mouth now. So why believe someone who is covering his on.
10 of 12
April 17th, 2012
3:07 pm
Jeff “I KNOW NOTHING” Schultz-The funny thing here is..I just came from your moms and everything definitely turned out fine.
Boy you spell like a wild monkey! Curious George can spell mama boy.
10 of 12
April 17th, 2012
3:21 pm
Some are you buffoons just don’t get it. LMAO!!! The verdict is already in. The judge has spoken. Wow some of you so-called Saints fans really don’t do the city of New Orleans any favors at all by showing up to a blog site and not being able to communicate on a level with humans. I feel like I need a translator for some of this . LMAO!!!
Kevin
April 17th, 2012
3:23 pm
@ Saints all Day…… Learn how to freaking write a comment with correct spelling and maybe some one will pay attention. That must be that N.O education well at work. What a clown!!!!
DawgNole
April 17th, 2012
3:24 pm
Ken Stallings
April 17th, 2012
1:31 pm
Of course, had Brees just uttered a claim there was no proof, evidence, or truth to the sordid and ugly Saints coaching practices, then he’d been laughed off the stage and publicly called a liar. So, he think he can put lipstick on the pig by using the term “meaningful.”
The people he’s trying to insult now are the fans of the NFL — Brees thinks so little of our intelligence that he thinks such efforts will work!
____________________
Sadly, his efforts DO work–on the Saints fans.
Whats Important
April 17th, 2012
3:24 pm
Jeff, amen, testify. There is no way Drew Brees should be in this process. That is like a Defendant sitting on his own jury. It makes Brees and the players union look not only foolish, but also that they are not acting in good faith. I don’t believe you need a smoking gun when someone has confessed to pulling the trigger.
fedup
April 17th, 2012
3:24 pm
While I think the Saint’s bounty scheme was terrible, I do not believe that Brees was denying the existence of the program. I read the article that contains the quote at NFL.com, and Brees was specifically asked if the bounty program was discussed at yesterday’s meeting and he answered accordingly. He was not denying the scandal – he was just commenting on what little was discussed at that meeting yesterday. The president of NFLPA confirmed that yesterday’s meeting was not meant to be about the bounty scandal but that it was touched on a bit. If Brees was asked directly if he believed that the bounty scandal happened and he denied it, then he does look like a fool. But that is not what happened yesterday, and I feel it is unfair to suggest that Brees denied the existence of the bounty scheme.
That being said, he should recuse himself from any voting or role in deciding what happens to the Saints players involved.
savannahga321
April 17th, 2012
3:34 pm
I don’t think he looks like a fool. Every one of your points started with “according to the NFL”. All the NFLPA wants is to see the evidence. This is still America, last I checked, and while due process might not apply to Sean Payton, it still applies to the players via the NFLPA. Asking for the facts and evidence isn’t foolish, it’s smart.
Donnie B22
April 17th, 2012
3:36 pm
Hey Jason all of them that would be on welfare attended college and hopefully went to classes, so they can learn how to spell Obama, and not degrade the office of President, Did you mispell President Reagan’s name, Oh thats right you cant spell. Drew Brees is following the true spirit of denial in America, that people all over the country attend too. We should hope that this system is over and pray that no one else faces injury like that.
Saints from Humble
April 17th, 2012
3:42 pm
Jeff,
Expected more from an ignorant Falcon fan. What he is saying is that the players union did not receive any concrete evidence from the players perspective. We already know at the organizational level that a program did exist implemented by Williams. Now the the NFL has the burden of proof of proving the players went along and were involved. Brees is a class act for our city and the NFL. It is true he is in a tough position and quite frankly I wish he was not in this position. However I give him kudos for willing to take on this position for leadership of our team.. Call him a fool if you want, but the bigger fools are the falcons until they master the art of beating the Saints. Hmmm if I am correct I think we run the last 6 out of 8 or something like that and the last two in the Georgia Dome.
10 of 12
April 17th, 2012
3:45 pm
Just as the Failclowns team wants the notariety of the Saints and the winning orginization they have , there seems to be a Failclown fan out there who wants to me by posting under my name . Just as your team is a bunch of schmucks , so are you and just as your team has no imagination , niether do you . Try to put your APS brain to some use and come up with your own name . What a pitiful and sad life you have wanting to be someone other than yourself . Don’t you think Jeff has your e-mail and knows it’s not me making remarks at him? Obviously you don’t which further cements my point in calling you a schmuck.
Big Mo from N.O.
April 17th, 2012
3:47 pm
Until The Falcons win anything,may I introduce you to shuuta(stfu). Who Dat 4 life
JAS4802
April 17th, 2012
3:47 pm
Schultz is way off base. This is another case of a punk writer who’s never played the game trying to impose his “sports knowledge” on someone. The truth is, this stuff goes on everywhere. Williams has done it at every team he’s coached. And the truth is, the bounty was never about maliciously going out there and trying to injure an opposing player. This was a motivational tool for this defense and a way for the coaches to identify certain individuals they wanted to focus on. It goes on at every level of football….even Pee Wee. If a kids hits an opposing player – LEGALLY – and that kid gets hurt or taken out of the game he gets a sticker for his helmet afterwards. Its no different. These are grown men out there ramming into each othe with the force of a car crash 30-40 times a game. Violence is a an embedded into the fabric of this sport. It lies at the very core of numerous positions on the field, including the offensive line. To say you are shocked about any of this is to say that you are full of bull or a niave, Madden game playing, fantasy football, jock sniffer who wouldnt know a safety blitz from a safety pin. That goes for you to Schultz.
Jalanbisma
April 17th, 2012
3:52 pm
For all of you Brees bashers regarding his comments of proof, if you paid attention and listened to what he said instead of pulling the Fox Network trick of soundbites, you would understand what he and all Saints fans want to see: video proof that showed Saints players illegally hitting players that were not called at the time or fined after the NFL viewed game tape. If the league was so certain they were trying to intentially hurt the opposing players, why didn’t the league suspend any Saint player in the past 3 years? Harrison of the Steelers and Suh of the Lions are two high profile players that actually put guys out of the game with OBVIOUS cheap shots, and the paid the price.
Look, there is no denying (and Greg Williams admits it) that he was running a “bounty” program. It just doesn’t seem that they (the Saints defenders) took all of his rantings literally. Either that or they are just horrible football players (and that is very likely the case) who can’t tackle or don’t want to tackle because they (like most players these days) are so intent and focused on making the “big hit”, jump up and down like it is the greatest thing ever, make Sportscenter highlights and be famous (or infamous).
nfl fan
April 17th, 2012
3:54 pm
the saints did wrong and they have been punished for it. But don’t call the city names and say cruel things about all things new orleans. if this would have happened to your team you would try to defend them. some of the things being said about drew are just dirty. he is in a bad position. unless anyone really knows him can you say what kind of person he really is?
it is just strange saints were the only ones caught when practically everyone says there are bounty systems all over nfl. another strange thing why did tape come out very day of saint’s appeals?
Boo Hoo
April 17th, 2012
4:03 pm
Umm Jeff, Brees doesn’t have to admit anything…he’s not there to make you happy Mr. GODell koolaid drinker. Just because the NFL says all of the things you listed it’s true right? Why won’t the NFL present their proof to the NFLPA? Good try on the article anyway…it’s written like a true FalCANT.
JJ
April 17th, 2012
4:09 pm
Just a bunch of Saints hating Falcon fans on this board. Well I got news for you, Saints sweep Atlanta this year again without Payton and the defensive players that will get suspended. The Falcons are just that bad.
MattyIceNotProBowlMaterial
April 17th, 2012
4:15 pm
Ok. Coming from a Colts fan, can’t really fault Brees for sticking up for his team and wanting evidence (with the exception for Vilma and Harper). True, he is in a bias position due to his position in the NFLPA true, but I think he is in NY more for his team’s sake than the NFLPA. I mean as a team captain he kinda has to support his team through thick and thin. Even if it means costing him a bit of his rep. Also, I think he may be in NY to try to prevent Goodell from going off the wire with suspensions. (Vilma, Harper, and Jenkins definately) There is little to no evidence to support severe punishment for the rest of the current D. If the rest does get severe punishment, I think Drew just wants to see that evidence. If anybody disagrees that’s cool, but its not like everybody thinks that Goodell if 100% trustworthy with judgment. Hell I mean Suh and Harrison repeat MAJOR INFRACTIONS and only get a MAX 2 game suspension. Come on, Really?
Turbo
April 17th, 2012
4:15 pm
Hey Jeff, when the union exposes the snitch as a disgruntled former employee who likely forged a majority of the documents he turned into the league, and that punishments were dished out based on said documents, are you and the rest of the uninformed sports journalists of the world going to apologize for not doing your job? and by job, i mean doing some kind of reporting that isn’t cut and paste from ESPN dot com and/or shock jock dribble pieces? thx bud!
MattyIceNotProBowlMaterial
April 17th, 2012
4:17 pm
BTW I think series goes 1 and 1 between ATL and NO.
jsmitty
April 17th, 2012
4:18 pm
Schultz you are naive or dumb or more likely both. He can not admit in public any knowledge because of law suits. Especially because of his connection to the NFLPA. From when I was a 10 year old football player through high school, we were taught to “take out” opposing players, through getting in their head to make misstakes or physically hurting them so they can play well or at all. The idea that every team is not doing this in some way is naive
elaborde
April 17th, 2012
4:20 pm
keep talking Atlanta fans, watch the who dat walk. you’ll be singing a different song this fall
Turbo
April 17th, 2012
4:25 pm
PEOPLE,
he wants the league to produce evidence because most of it was handed to them by former defensive quality control coach Mike Cerullo. Cerullo lost his job and blames Loomis/Payton for sabotaging his chances at getting more work in the league. the kicker? he was a defensive coach for the saints in 2009, one of the years in question. Not only is he a guilty party, but he’s also a former employee w/ a wild conspiracy and a vendetta. most of the evidence he turned over probably has forgery written all over it. Brees wants the league to hand over this information for the obvious reasons stated above.
Louie Arceneaux
April 17th, 2012
4:25 pm
Saints fans are not denying Williams said what he said and others said what they said. What Brees is saying is that there is no evidence that any of the talk turned into action on the field. Just check out the fact that no players were carted off and the Saints received no more penalties for defensive hits than any other teams.
WhoDatKell
April 17th, 2012
4:35 pm
With all the players names in the bounty, I see Matt Ryan wasn’t included. They probably collected the bounty money for those games and donated it to charity. Since the Brees/Payton era, we have owned you sorry Falcons. We have the better team, better team, and better fans. That’s evident in Curtis Lofton (your leading tackler) saying he wanted to play for a winner and a passionate fan base. That, in itself, says a lot about your team and the fans. The Saints defense is so scared of that Atlanta offense after that 2 point offensive explosion in the playoffs this past season (Sarcastic cough). We own you and no one can deny that. Now excuse me, I have a meeting to attend. I’ll have to put my phone on “Atlanta Falcon” mode…….NO RING.
Michael Smith
April 17th, 2012
4:36 pm
I am really surprised at the IQ level and journalism of these sports writers including Mr. Shoes or schultz.
Questions to you :
1. Have NFL made all these so called evidence public ?
2. If yes, have you read all the reports ?
3. If not, how do you know all words coming out of commish is true ?
4. How many players have been carted-off the field in 3 years?
5. Do saints lead in league penalties in last 3 years ?
6. How do you prove that a hit was malicious and the intent was to intentionally hurt the players?
7. What are the details of financial transactions for the bounty ?
8. Is there any video or audio evidence of Vilma funding that 1OK or other what NFL has been blabbering about ?
9. How many of those hits were illegal ?
10. How many were flagged ?
11. Why did NFL wait for 3 years to punish saints if they were so concerned about players safety ?
Lets think logically here…in court, you need to provide evidence to defense attorney and grand jury to prove somebody guilty. In this case, how do you punish somebody without providing sufficient evidence ? How do you as a journalist believe somebody so easily ? SP and GW confessed as they do not have any other go. They cannot afford to fight a legal battle here with the league. So what would you do ? accept, take a punishment and move on.
Trailboss
April 17th, 2012
4:38 pm
I’m just glad our team is not involved in this and as far as to Bree’s being a leader he should step down if nothing else he’s not fair so how could he judge another team when he can’t judge his own fairly. For that reason he should step down and get pass this but not without Bree’s doing the right thing. STEP DOWN.
Patrick
April 17th, 2012
4:40 pm
You are taking his comments out of context. He said: He knows of no instance where it can be proven that players participated in the bounty. He didn’t deny the system, or the bounties, he denied there being any proof of any player accepting money for injuries inflicted. Right or wrong morally, if Goodell suspends players based on their coach telling them to hurt people, and those players not doing it, he opens the floodgates.
jjf
April 17th, 2012
4:41 pm
You can’t seem to discern fact from fiction. Schultz seems to pick certain parts of Drew Brees’ statement in order to have a story. Drew Brees isn’t denying that a bounty system was instituted by GW. He is merely stating there is not evidence that the PLAYERS acted on it. By the way; the 49ers game that the GW audio came from….Saints had no penalties the entire game.
Brees is a BUM
April 17th, 2012
4:57 pm
Drew Brees is a self-centered, selfish, son of a (oops can’t say it like I want to) who is more worried about his stats than his own team. Case in point. A few years ago,last games of season. Aint’s playing Panthers. Until this point the team that finished last in the division went on the next year to win the division. Last play of game, I think inside the Panther’s 50 yard line. A td pass wins the game. Knowing he needed X number of yards to set a record that piece of garbage threw a short pass across the middle instead of going in the end zone to win the game. This cost the Falcon’s the division title and a first round bye !!
someone
April 17th, 2012
5:04 pm
i think Jeff is foolish for believing that Drew and the rest of the Saints have a bounty system in place. sure everyone heard of the recordings of Greg W hyping his team to play and to take someone out of the game, but if anyone really watched the games against the 49ers last year, there are no evidence of the players targeting a specific player and a particular body part of anyone. the reason i pointed out this game is because this audio was made right before the 49ers playoff game. so sad that many journalist will say or do anything with pure speculation for the sake of money and promotion… now let me here all of you thrash me for this…lol
TrueBeliever
April 17th, 2012
5:09 pm
You all make it so easy for the media to sway your opinions! Drew Brees is not denying that a pay for performance took place. As in interceptions, sacks, fumble recoveries etc. Other teams and players have admitted to such as well. What he is saying is that regardless of what knuckle head Greg Williams was spewing out of his mouth, no player went out and maliciously injured an opposing team’s player. Answer me this Mr. Shultz, how many players of the opposing teams were carted off the field during the time frame in question? Drew is saying that no player actually received money for injuring someone!! Yes they heard what the coach was saying, but blew it off for what it was (rhetoric) and carried out their jobs professionally. 6 other teams had more personal foul penalties than the Saints during the years in question. Have they been investigated?
KeepTheDomeLoud
April 17th, 2012
5:11 pm
Wonder why Mattie Ice not on list? HMMMM
Dene
April 17th, 2012
5:22 pm
wow, Just wow.. Do I detect a huge amount of bitterness here? Sounds like I am hearing a bunch of people that are 2-10 against the Saints for the last six years. It’s ok, your worship is duly noted.
Eric
April 17th, 2012
5:26 pm
He wont look like a fool when he plays the Falcons twice this upcoming season. Relax peps, it’s April. Come this fall it will be all about Football. What will it say when the Saints, without their Head Coach, come into North Georgia and beat the Falcons once again? What will be the excuse when the Saints claim the NFC South? Think about it and we will talk about the results the Monday or Tuesday after the game. Utnil next time, peace…….:-)
whodat70816
April 17th, 2012
5:27 pm
Jealousy makes people say crazy things….
Especially FailClown fans and bloggers!
Not acknowledging there was a bounty program may in the opinon of Schwatz make Brees look foolish….
But Ryan not being able to pass a ball more than 20 yards makes Noodle arm look just as foolish….
Not being able to convert 4th inches several times makes Smith and the entire falcons offense look foolish….
Scoring 2 points in a playoff game….looks foolish.
And getting swept this upcoming season by a team whose head coach is out for the season….
Well, lets just say will make the entire FailClowns organization and fan base look foolish.
laura Burch
April 17th, 2012
5:27 pm
Drew Brees is The best qb in the Nfl,HANDS DOWN.To all the “haters”You just show your ignorance, as for Atlanta ..Ha Ha, If I were you, I’d hate us to.
bjon
April 17th, 2012
5:28 pm
saints are going to have it tough this season, no doubt. thank goodness they can count on the 2 wins against the falcons. hopefully both of those games fall in the first 6 weeks when they are coach-less so they can count on the wins…
Parade of Knuckleheads
April 17th, 2012
5:37 pm
The sAints
need to pull out the paper grocery bags again.
Parade of Knuckleheads
April 17th, 2012
5:41 pm
New Orleans is the armpit of the south.
Joe Martina
April 17th, 2012
5:46 pm
Brees has never denied that there was a pay for performance program. He is looking for proof that there was ever a program that was directed at intentionally injuring players. Many current and ex NFL players have admitted that the Greg Williams speech was standard fare in locker rooms, aimed at motivating players, not injuring opponants. What he is getting at is if a player has had a concussion or an ACL tear or a sprain or any injury, is that player fully recovered, or will he not be at full capacity after a few hard hits. Would a boxer not try to knock the stuffing out of his foe? The next thing we know, the commissioner will have the players’ moms standing on the sidelines with washrags and band-aids. The Saints were nothing more than scapegoats in the commissioner’s quest to turn the NFL into a Powder Puff league.
Falcon James
April 17th, 2012
6:47 pm
It crack me up that all these looser saint fan want to come to brees rescue. Although Brees is a so so QB. These idiotic saint fan be living in disney land trying to defend him. Jeff article hit the nail square on the head. Brees not fooling nobody except his miserble fan base.
Mumaniac
April 17th, 2012
6:52 pm
You do realize this is the unions stance, and not just Drew Brees dont you ? It is the NFLPA itself who has taken the stance that the NFL has not provided it evidence that a pay for injury system existed in New Orleans. Dont let your hatred for the Saints confuse the facts. Goodell himself asked the NFLPA to be involved in helping come up with a punishment for the players involved assuming they would just take his word on the evidence. I have 100% confidence in the NFLPA being neutral in this situation as it involves players on both sides of the bounty gate situation, those allegedly targeted, and those who did the alleged targeting. If they say they have not received evidence that proves this went on, I believe them 100%, and it really brings a lot of questions on the whole situation.
SaintsWillWin
April 17th, 2012
6:56 pm
Why didn’t you mention that the Saints had ZERO (0) penaltys in the 40-whiner game you mentioned?
If Goodell was really concerned about player safety, why did he let the Saints continue for THREE years before stopping them?
The only players that were knocked out of games played against the Saints during the period in question was PatriCheats RB Faulk in ‘09 when the Saints destroyed them on MNF; a perfectly legal hit, and the hit on Kurt Warner in the ‘09 playoffs, another perfectly legal hit.
Goodell is trying to head off a wave of lawsuits coming his way by showing that he is doing something.