The Offseason

Picture it: December 2011. My two teams are flying high, destroying opponents, breaking records. I find myself sitting ten rows up from the field in the Superdome during a playoff game. By January I realize this was too good to be true.

I've never seen two teams crash and burn so quickly.

LSU will bounce back and the quarterback situation has been resolved. Just when we thought we could finally turn the volume up on Verne and Gary we are hit with a shut out in the BCS Championship game. Guess I better head to Best Buy and get myself a good radio. I don't think I will be able to listen to them ever again after that travesty of a game. Yes, for a fleeting moment I wanted to put a FOR SALE sign on Les' front lawn. Then I remember that the BCS is a fraud and we do own the most important trophy in our conference. We're still SEC champions. I didn't see Saban playing for that. I saw his apologists doing everything they could to get him another BCS win.

But I digress.

I don't even know where to begin when it comes to the Saints. This will definitely have to be a two part post.  The first thing I want to say is that Goodell is ruining the league. Of course I think player safety is important. Of course I worry about my guys getting hurt, but when the hit on Pierre in the SF playoff game is considered "legal" I have to question things. Did the bounty program exist? It does for every team. Did it work? Obviously not. Our defense under performed the entire season. My question for Goodell is this: Are you going to investigate the officiating crews? I really do not understand how they are getting out of this unscathed.

I could go on about "Bounty Gate" for days and days and I don't want to bore myself or anyone else. I think the punishments were excessive and an abuse of power. I don't understand how you can convict without showing evidence. I don't understand how Mickey Loomis got 8 games, but Payton got a whole year. I don't understand how the man who hands down the punishment can also listen to the appeals.

I do understand why Vilma got what he did. It's obvious, isn't it? It's a message from Goodell. It's loud and clear. If you want to get paid and if you want to play the sport you've loved your whole life you have to be a rat. Vilma didn't rat anyone out, so he's being punished.

What Goodell is doing to the NFL is shameful.