Well, shoot, here I thought the post below this one was me taking an unpopular and unique stance on the whole “bountygate” brouhaha.
Guess not.
In the hours since I penned that plenty of others have suggested the practice of bounty hunting in the NFL is no surprise, that the Saints simply got caught, and I have even seen suggestions elsewhere that the NFL should punish them by taking away their rights to a 2012 franchise tag.
Now, I know the Vikings aren’t the only team affected over the last two or three years by Gregg Williams and his unacceptable bounty program, but it is clear they are among the most affected.
Reports have emerged that prior to the 2009 NFC Championship game linebacker Jonathan Vilma threw ten grand on a table and said it would go the player that knocked quarterback Brett Favre out of the game.
As us Vikings fans remember well, that game featured plenty of cheap shots to Favre and it was quite a feat that he was able to finish the game (badly). This scandal also brings up memories of Adrian Peterson indicating Jabari Greer excessively twisted his ankle on the bottom of a pile in 2011, which nearly caused him to lose his cool.
We know the Saints are going to get punished and I still think there is a case to be made that the team should have their franchise tag revoked this offseason, but is this a case in which the NFL’s punishment should include payment to the team(s) affected by the broken rules?
It wouldn’t be the first time the league did something like that.
In 2008, the NFL found that the 49ers had been tampering with Chicago linebacker Lance Briggs, talking contract with him before they had the right to do so, and San Francisco had to forfeit their fifth round draft pick as a result. The two teams were also forced to swap third round picks, increasing Chicago’s draft position in that round.
Now, I’m not going to sit here and pretend that plenty of other factors didn’t play into the Vikings loss to the Saints that postseason (ahem, twelve men in the huddle), but there could be a slight chance that the team is in line to receive compensation of some sort for being on the receiving end of Williams’ tactics.
Let’s hear it Vikings Territory, do you think the Vikings should get something out of this? If so, what should they get?
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How about Brees, Graham, Jenkins and Evans and we'll call it even...
Now Sharper comes out and says that this never happened even after Gregg Williams admitted it and apologized. Did Sharper turn out to be a real dick or what?
I just saw that, what an idiot... A case of the old, 'deny 'til you die'
Darren Sharper is such a dirt bag. Ashamed he was ever on this team.
Here's Sharper in a nutshell http://www.nfl.com/videos/carolina-panthers/09000d5d822f50e8/WK-5-Can-t-Miss-Play-A-Newton-Smith-production
Oops Brett I think that was Harper on that late hit but just more proof of that Saints dbag defense under Williams
You're right... someone on another blog posted it and said it was Sharper... Should have double checked. They're name/numbers/personalities are so close, though... Sharper/42/Idiot and Harper/41/Imbecile.
Haha Brett that was good and couldnt agree more. Cal must be rubbing off on you.
Besides losing their franchise tag, the Saints should give up some draft picks and those picks should be awarded to the teams that were affected most by these actions. Since they did this during the NFC Championship game, the Vikes should be awarded the Saint's second round pick since they have they have no 1st round pick this year.
That damned Vilma needs a visit to the red hot poker club for his part. What a complete scumbag he is..It would be nice to get some draft picks for the parties most affected but it will never happen, teams involved would fight like cats and dogs about who gets what.
...the Lombardi trophy...
While it kind of pisses me off....it's football, professional football. The very best players against the very best players. If you can knock the hell out of the other guy, you can get the advantage because of it. But the Saint coaches are stupid for letting it go on.
The thing I don't understand is why you offer to pay to get the job done. Just tell them to go do it. I guess it's the competition of it, it couldn't be the money...
Is it dirty? Yep. But it happens all the time, I think most coaches are smart enough to not get involved. They got caught, they should be punished. Take away a couple of high draft picks. And fine everyone involved 500,000 each. That should send a message.
CC,
Agreed, Ya watched the game and all the late hits and stuff... Dirty playing for sure.They couldn,t punish enough for me.
I thought I was over that game. That should tanish them some.
What about the refs who didn't call those hits? You can't tell me they weren't in on it. Time and time again #4 was getting beat around, and only one late hit call? The League office should fine itself.