Gary: What's the big deal?
by Gary
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posted Mar 5 2012 12:19PM
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All weekend long I have been listening to the four letter network’s Sports Talk Shows about how appalled they are with the New Orleans Saints and former Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams. Roger Goodell’s findings were that the Saints, specifically Defensive Coordinate Gregg Williams, was paying players to injure opposing players – also known as “Bounties”. This has been going on in the NFL for a long time. Why are people so upset about it? Reminds me of the days when I played for the Green Bay Packers and we were playing the Chicago Bears, Forrest Gregg came into the meeting and said “here are the players we have to take care of in order to win the game – #85 – Willie Gault,# 34 – Walter Payton, #9 – Jim McMahon.” As all Packer fans know on that Sunday, Charles Martin body slammed Jim McMahon to the ground, knocking him out of the game. What Charles Martin did was an illegal hit, there are many hits that are within the rules of the game that take players out. That happens all the time. Many people will pay their kids to play sports or for every free throw they make. Some pay their kids for good grades. Why do parents do that – because they know their kids will work harder if there is a monetary incentive. Same thing goes on in the NFL – extra incentive and motivation to have a hard hit or a big tackle. If it ends up knocking the other teams player out of the game, even better. Most of these “bounties” only take place in big games or rivalry game – playoffs, championship games. Keep in mind, other things get rewarded during a game too – key blocks, kick off or punt returns for touchdowns, interceptions, etc. What’s the big deal?
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