I was born and raised in the gopher state and I worked on the old “Bud Grant Show” on KSTP-TV in Minneapolis way back when, so I feel more than a little connected to the Minnesota Vikings. However, I hesitate to become emotionally invested in the team because of their habit of knocking on the door to a Superbowl victory only to get their teeth kicked in at the last minute.
That’s not going to happen this year. There’s no chance at the Superbowl following yesterday’s loss to New Orleans. Thing is, I’m not so sure it was the Vikings fault. It was obvious from the first few plays, that the Saints were out to do everything and anything they possibly could to injure Vikings QB Brett Favre short of beating the poor guy to death with truncheons. I know it’s a physical game. I know all that, but this was ridiculous. The unnecessary beating he took will probably end up claiming several years off the back end of his life.
Is there no rule in the NFL regarding late hits? I’ve never seen a QB get slaughtered with late hits the way the Saints were hitting Favre. And the refs? Did they have a meeting before the game and decide they were going to turn a blind eye to hits on Favre after he had thrown the ball? And what about using helmets as a weapon? Isn’t there a rule against helmet hits as well? Let’ see…..yes, there is. Again, where were the refs, and for that matter, where were the Vikings coaches? Why weren’t they yelling about all of this as the Saints continued breaking or at least bending the rulebook into pretzels to beat, batter and bludgeon their 40 year old quarterback who just kept sucking it up and coming back for more?
What happened to Favre wasn’t football. It was assault. If what happened in New Orleans yesterday is okay by the NFL rulebook, then it’s time for the NFL to rewrite the book on helmet tackles and unnecessary roughness. I think the commissioner was there and possibly watching the game?