My opinion of Saints Bountygate

Of all the NFL teams I am amazed the NFL is choosing the Saints to set their example. The Saints? Really?! Couldn't they have picked a stronger defensive team to go after? It's not like the Saints are known for having an intimidating defense. Don't get me wrong, I love the Saints, but this is not the famous Dome Patrol defense of the 80s/90s. Actually, I wonder if anyone on the Saints defense has ever even cashed out on this bounty, but so what if anyone did. This is honest to goodness hard hitting FOOTBALL people. I know I'm just a girl, but isn't the point of the defense to sack the quarterback and hopefully force a fumble, or to tackle the offensive player with the ball? Hasn't the NFL even cashed in themselves making money from DVDs like "The NFL's Greatest Hits","The Best of Thunder and Destruction - NFL's Hardest Hits","Crush Course", "Extreme Hits", and the like? So, is the lesson here that it's okay for the NFL to make money, but not the players putting themselves on the line?

Come on, NFL, you are the National Football League, not Powder Puff football. These players make damn good money to play football and we the people pay damn good money to watch it. Let them play! They all know what they signed up for. Yes, it's a hard hitting game and I think most players wouldn't have it any other way. It's football for Pete's sake. Kurt Warner and Brett Favre are 2 quarterbacks the Saints defense put the most pressure on and both have spoke out on the Saints behalf. Yes, the Saints put aggressive pressure on them, but this is football. This bounty program offered incentives for good legal hard hits. I thought that was what football was all about and if anyone needed an incentive program it was the Saints. I fail to see what the problem is with the bounty. Don't most lines of work offer incentives and/or bonus programs? Why not football? As long as the hits are legal and not done out of malice or hostile disrespect, let them play.

Maybe the Saints and their fans should take it as a compliment. The Saints have come such a long way from being mockingly referred to as The Aints. No one ever thought the Saints would ever win a Super Bowl, but it happened. The days of the Aints are gone and we actually have a strong team with respectable coaches. Seems like the NFL doesn't like that the Saints are finally getting some respect. Bounties are nothing new to football and it's certainly not unique to the Saints. It's been said that all teams do it and it's pretty common practice among all teams, so why choose the Saints to make an example of? Personally, I think it's because the Saints are the Aints no more. I think it's because the Super Bowl will be in New Orleans this year and the NFL doesn't want the Saints in it. But, you know what, and this is of no disrespect to Coach Payton at all, I am naive enough to think we still have a chance. When Coach Payton hurt his knee last season they continued to win games. I think a big part of that is due to Drew Brees' leadership, and to that cute baby faced Carmichael guy (hey, I like Saints football, but I never claimed to be an expert). Come on Saints, you got this. We may have lost our head coach for the season, but we still have our Defensive and Offensive coaches. The Saints have risen up in time of adversity in the past and they can do it again. Just Believe.