If Bugging Reports Are True, Saints Must Fire GM Mickey Loomis

Those of you keeping score on the NFL's worst rule-breaking offenses in recent memory can stop comparing the Patriots’ Spygate to the Saints’ Bountygate. Saints general manager Mickey Loomis has just upped the ante.

For the record, Bountygate alone was a far more egregious offense, but Loomis apparently wasn’t happy with just edging the Patriots as the orchestrator of the league's dirtiest secret. According to an ESPN report, Loomis had listening devices installed in the Superdome to eavesdrop on opponents.

If true, Loomis has to be fired immediately and banned from the NFL.

This is not just a case of horrible timing for the Saints and for Loomis. It is further proof, if true, that the New Orleans general manager is underhanded and willing to put his own well being before the league and its players.

Loomis was reportedly using a setup that was already in place. Randy Mueller was the Saints general manager prior to Loomis and installed the system to listen to communications of the Saints staff. If the reports are accurate, Loomis reworked the system into an eavesdropping tool.

After the transition from Mueller to Loomis, the electronic device was re-wired to listen only to opposing coaches and could no longer be used to listen to any game-day communications between members of the Saints coaching staff, one source said.

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"There was a switch, and the switch accessed offense and defense," said the source. "When Randy was there, it was the Saints offense or defense, and when Mickey was there it changed over so it was the visiting offense or defense," the source said.

ESPN's Outside the Lines could not determine for certain whether Loomis ever made use of the electronic setup.

The sources said when Loomis took his seat during home games, he was able to plug an earpiece into a jack that was under the desk in front of him. With the earpiece in place, Loomis could then toggle back and forth with a switch that he controlled, enabling him to listen to the game-day communications of either the opposing offensive or defensive coaches.

Also underneath the desk in front of Loomis was a metal box that contained two belt packs similar to those worn around the waists of NFL head coaches during games. The packs powered the listening device available to Loomis, which was, according to sources, hard-wired to the audio feed of the opposing coaches.

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There are many legal ramifications affecting whether or not the NFL should take action.

Depending on when Loomis listened to opposing teams’ communications, he could be prosecuted under Federal law. Despite any legal action, Saints owner Tom Benson has to take swift action on this one.

Unlike his sit-back-and-wait approach as he used in the Bountygate scandal, Benson must suspend the general manager immediately, and fire the suspended Loomis with the first proof of wrongdoing.

Of course, Benson has to work with the NFL and authorities to find out how true this report is. If the truth is even remotely similar to what is being reported, Benson must cut ties with Loomis forever.

The NFL would do well to follow suit.