Saints accused of "Bounty Program". Thoughts?

Originally Posted by shilala

Football is acted out like a strategical war metaphor. I think that strategy plays right down the line, tighter and tighter, until anything goes, depending on the circumstances and players involved.
Could a rivalry or game become so intense that a player is directed or takes it upon himself to break someone's knee? Hell yeah. The player will likely feel bad about it later unless he's of James Harrison psycho ilk.
Honestly, I think kids at the high school level are far likelier to hurt someone on purpose than at the NFL level. At the NFL level there's some professional courtesy expressed or implied because there is SO much on the line. While a game-ending injury might be applauded, a career-ender would not. Guys know what kind of hits produce what type of injuries, they're certainly not stupid.
If the bounty thing is dangerous, it's far more dangerous at high school level than in the NFL, for sure.

My opinion is that you're giving a lot of those guys way too much credit, in regards to the section I bolded. There may be some smart guys out there on the field, but I'm sure there are plenty that are probably lucky they graduated high school.

I can see where you're coming from, Scott, but I don't know that hs players necessarily have the skill (or power, for the most part...at least not your "average" hs player) to deliver an injury causing blow, unless it's something like a completely blind/cheap shot. They might actually be more likely to hurt htemselves while trying to hurt an opponenet.

Now, in regards to professional courtesy, wouldn't that honestly preclude them from actually participating in the bounty system? These guys beat their bodies up, to start with, and adding an injury that could potentially cause harm down the line just adds to that. IMO, that's not professional courtesy. And because of what's at stake ($$$$), that would seem to be something that goes to the opposite of what you're saying. The high $$$ contracts could cause a player to take those shots, with the hopes of parlaying being a "big hitter" into a big contract. I just don't think the NFL needs to add fuel to the fire by condoning bounties.

I seem to be in the minority here in the fact that I think this was a horrible practice. Just not a cool practice, IMO. Never has been, never will be. Yes, injuries will always be part of sports, but going out to cause them should not be (with the obvious exceptions of things like boxing and MMA). As someone said, if they happen during the natural course of a clean play, then so be it. We can all accept that. To me it's all about the intent.

Originally Posted by shilala

Who wasn't happy to see Michael Irvin gone? I rest my case.

Just meant we had to hear him talk more.