Re "N.F.L Inquiry Says Saints Set Bounty for Hits," March 3: There is only one punishment that fits this crime, and I hope Commissioner Roger Goodell understands it: forfeiture of the Saints" 2010 Super Bowl victory and banishment of the principals, certainly Gregg Williams, from professional football for life. Baseball's Black Sox scandal pales in comparison. That was only about money; this was about blood. George F Gitlitz Sarasota, Fla. Hiring someone to injure an individual is a crime whether it is committed by organized crime, a jealous spouse or a common thug. The definition of assault typically provides that a person is guilty if "with intent to cause physical injury, a person engages in conduct that causes physical injury." Coaches and players who conspired to injure an opponent, then carried out the plan for money, are equally culpable. The fact that the crime occurs on the football field is not recognized as a defense in any state that I am aware of, and it should not provide protection from criminal prosecution. The N.F.L. has a responsibility to refer this case to local prosecutors as well as disciplining those who have engaged in this deplorable conduct. Robert C. Gottlieb In commercials I have heard the slogan "more than a game." Has it truly become more than a game to the point of warfare? As an N.F.L. fan, I am disgusted to know that the New Orleans Saints paid players to injure opponents. The history books should place an asterisk next to their Super Bowl victory because it was fueled with the intention of hurting the other team. In the Saints" memorable N.F.C. championship game against Minnesota, they placed a bounty on Brett Favre and injured him. This advantage allowed them to escape with a narrow win. The Saints were able to inspire the city of New Orleans and all of America. This feel-good story has been tainted by this recent investigation. Asim Ahmad Storrs, Conn. Re "Bounties Called "Inmates Governing Themselves," " March 4: No athlete is immune from the immense pressure to perform and to push the envelope of conduct that is acceptable on the playing field. The current debate in the N.F.L. should be less about bounty hits and more about players who seemingly want to injure one another and coaches who encourage their athletes to cross the line. The money offered in the bounties is pocket change to multimillionaire athletes and does not serve as further motivation to hit harder and hurt opposing players. These bounties are merely a distraction from the larger picture. The league should focus on protecting players from egregious acts of violence. Jon Heshka Kamloops, British Columbia Deliberate efforts to injure an opponent are not within the rules of football. This conspiracy should be investigated by law enforcement authorities, and, if the New Orleans Saints truly conspired to attack and cripple others, applicable criminal penalties should be enforced. A two- or three-game suspension is not the treatment that the law prescribes for premeditated aggravated assault. Daniel Tinkelman