ELI: BOUNTIES ARE "NOT WHAT THIS GAME IS ABOUT"

[RoanokeFan]

ELI: BOUNTIES ARE "NOT WHAT THIS GAME IS ABOUT"

"Eli Manning has taken his share of big hits in his eight NFL seasons. He
knows they’re part of the game, and he knows injuries are part of it,
too.


But what the New Orleans Saints allegedly did – paying players to
purposely injure opponents – crossed way over a line that the two-time Super
Bowl MVP said should never have been crossed.

“I know the importance of
a defense trying to get to the quarterback, get sacks, get hits on the
quarterback. That’s part of the game,” Manning said. “And I hear what Coach
Coughlin tells our defense about getting hits and I’m kind of sitting there and
I say ‘I know the opposing teams are saying the same thing about
me.’

“But when you start talking about injuring a guy and carting him
off and trying to end his season or career, that’s not what this game is about.
I think we should have more respect for the game than that. It can’t be a part
of football.”

With that, Manning became one of the first NFL players –
and the most prominent – to speak out strongly against the Saints’ actions in
the wake of the BountyGate scandal. He said he can’t remember any specific dirty
hit from the Saints from when the Giants lost 49-24 in New Orleans on Nov. 28,
so Manning doesn’t know if their former defensive coordinator, Gregg Williams,
ever put a bounty on him.

Just the idea of a bounty being placed on
another player, though, seemed to make him mad.

“Obviously it is a big
deal, what’s going on,” Manning said. “It’s not good for football and can’t be a
part of football. I know (NFL commissioner) Roger Goodell will do a good job
figuring all this out and making sure this doesn’t happen again.”

That
sentiment was echoed by some of Manning’s teammates, who joined him at a Times
Square theatre on Monday night to watch the premiere of the DVD of the Giants’
Super Bowl championship season. Safety Antrel Rolle, who insisted the Giants’
defense has no bounty system in place, said the Saints’ alleged actions are “not
good character.”

“You never want to go out there with the intention to
actually injure another opponent,” he said. “You do what you’ve got to do within
the fine lines of football.”

The Saints allegedly stepped over those
lines. In fact, they may have done it against the Giants when Saints safety Isa
Abdul-Quddus gave receiver Hakeem Nicks a vicious hit that left him with bruised
ribs. Nicks said “The way he was celebrating you would probably think that
(there was a bounty),” but he said he believes there probably
wasn’t.

“Some dudes thrive off big hits like that and it gets the
momentum going,” Nicks said. “They’re going to do it. I don’t think that’s going
to change in this game.”</p>

[Flip Empty]

Wow, it's unusual to see him speak out like this. Good to see.

[alau53]

bravo to eli and the gmen..you gave your opinions on bounty gate with class and dignity

[GmenFan1980]

I was upset watching the Saints act so happy that they may of injured Nicks.

Especially when we showed great concern for Graham, and there O-linemen were pushing our guys away :/.

Screw the Saints

[swimeasy]

Thanks Roanoke. I agree Flip. Very good to see and once again a leader to be proud of. And Rolle right there with him. Love it.

[M0rbid]

We all knew Saints got away with murder against the Giants ever since 2009. NFL officials need to be held ACCOUNTABLE also.

[Bluesmagoo]

Isn't there some sort of criminal charges applicable here? Collusion or conspiracy? Certainly the money involved would seem to make it fall into the ricco caregory. I would like to see Williams et al face criminal charges. Especially for the willful intent/act to commit bodily injury or assault for money. Surely there is an attorney out there eager to make a name for him/herself and let fly with the suboenas? Take depos/interogs etc from every player invloved in a questionable hit (the defence and the offensive player assaulted) from each team Williams coached. I would ask the DA in each county to act.

[bELIeve_in_Giants]

[quote user="Bluesmagoo"]Isn't there some sort of criminal charges applicable here? Collusion or conspiracy? Certainly the money involved would seem to make it fall into the ricco caregory. I would like to see Williams et al face criminal charges. Especially for the willful intent/act to commit bodily injury or assault for money. Surely there is an attorney out there eager to make a name for him/herself and let fly with the suboenas? Take depos/interogs etc from every player invloved in a questionable hit (the defence and the offensive player assaulted) from each team Williams coached. I would ask the DA in each county to act.[/quote]</P>


Nah...</P>


I wouldn't get carried away. Goddell will come down hard enough.</P>

[Bluesmagoo]

ya, rereading my post it does seem I gort a wee bit carried away. How long until pre-season? hahaha

[Harooni]

Defensive guys all secretly or not so secretly have a plan to hit the opposing QB hard and possibly take him out.

in fact didnt we injure at least 5-6 qb's in a row last season? its part of football and the reason QB's are paid so much.