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A letter to Peter King | NOLA.com

Peter King of SI has been over the top in his writings about the Bounty scandal. He's talked of wanting to puke when he thinks about it,and even wrote a story about how the Vikings should've won the NFC Championship game. I can accept a lot in regards to this whole issue, but not this sanctimonious cr@p, nor the revisionist history. So, I wrote him a letter and spelled out what it was going to take for me to meekly accept this all...

Dear Mr. King,

As a Saints fan, I know my team should be punished for Bountygate. I do not accept that they were a dirty team, however, and my proof of that is the ranking for personal fouls and fines under Gregg Williams, as well as my eyeballs. Did they knock the hell out Favre. Ya, but I’ve been a Saints fan since 1980, and an Oilers fan before that. We all know dirty football when we see it. If the Saints are, then the problem is widespread and, to that end, I have a few more assignments for you…

-It's now clear that "good 'ol Joe Gibbs" lied about having knowledge of bounties. Hell, he even walked around the locker room handing out $100 bills himself!, according to former Hog George Starke. Starke also says they were coached to knock players out. (Just as an aside, Gibbs defended Dexter Manley after he spit in Jim Dombrowski’s face late in a game in the late 80’s/early 90’s. Dombrowski then punched Manley, got flagged, pushing them from a makeable FG to one that even Morten Anderson’s strong leg missed. Gibbs said something like, “That kind of thing happens.”)

-Two Giants players, Jacquian Williams and Devin Thomas, are quoted as saying that Kyle Williams of the 49ers was targeted because he had a history of concussions. This led to critical fumbles in the most recent NFC Championship game. Man, you can write another story about how the wrong team won the Super Bowl!

-After the 49ers knocked out the Saints' Pierre Thomas, Donte Whittner openly proclaimed "That's how we play!" He went on to say that they knock players out, and a long list of players that were injured vs. the 9ers last season proves him right.

-But the piece de resistance to find out if you're legitimately righteous about this, or just selectively going after us, is whether or not you'll write about, and publicly condemn, your colleague Rodney Harrison. He had a looooong history of playing dirty, including the clearly deliberate injuring of Trent Green's knee. (You said that what the Saints did makes you want to puke. Thinking about how you are buddies with Harrison and yuk it up on NBC, now makes me want to puke!)

I'll give you a break here and offer that the whole Bountygate scandal has "opened your eyes" to this kind of thing. But, if you don't go after Harrison now (as well as Joe Gibbs, Tom Coughlin, etc.) then I will know for certain that the Saints are the sacrificial lambs in this. Again, I don't condone what they did. But, as a fan of the team, I will also be carrying around the Scarlet Letter that this scandal is quickly branding us with. I'll accept that, but only if everyone is treated the same in this. The above list is only a partial one. YOU know there are many more. If, however, you or anyone else feels that by getting the Saints, a message is sent and the rest of the offenders should be allowed to slink away...F that.

The NFL is completely fan driven. We pay the bills. I know they don't want any of this. They don't want to hurt their Cinderella team, but the lawyers scare them to death. I accept that they have to ding us. I will not, however, accept seeing my team be crucified for everyone's sins. If that happens, then you and the whole league can…pun intended…go to hell.

Sincerely, a long, and currently, suffering Saints fan.