Hit hard, shake hands, share a brew ...

I have always played contact sports.

Currently, I am involved heavily in the martial arts.  I hit and kick people.  They hit and kick me. We are not hurting each other, we are challenging each others skills.

Games I play are generally played hard.  I do not mind contact, when it is about the game, but when it seems gratuitous, not so much.  Do not substitute aggression for skill. I grew up playing goalkeeper, catcher, etc ... and that meant contact and impacts.  I played a little high school football and got my ass handed to me.  Any injuries I suffered was due to incidental contact, never because someone was trying to injure me. I never intentionally injured any one.

That brings me to the New Orleans Saints.  Intentionally going after another athlete with the intent to injure and to reward that is not sport. It is not football.  Sports like football, hockey, or rugby require that athletes play the games hard, but with a respect for the contact.  The New Orleans Saints rewarded and chose injury over competition. Intentional ... that is Rollerball.

Suspensions, fines, and public scorn is but the tip of the ice berg.  The lawsuits, they are a coming.  Brett Favre or Kurt Warner, I hope you sue and end up owning the Saints.