Joan N. Parker, Vikings Fan

Dear Joan Parker from Minneapolis,

You're obviously upset about last Sunday's football game, so upset in fact that you wrote to the Times-Picayune to voice your disgust. You wrote that you were "appalled at how the Saints abused Minnesota quarterback Brett Favre. Tackles made after he released the ball were an obvious attempt at roughing him up, disabling him or worse." Then you correctly state that "Football is a game, not an opportunity to maim another person."

Great, and thanks for sharing. I'm reminded of that preseason game earlier this year when Favre threw an illegal crackback block at Eugene Wilson's knees, nearly ending his career. But that was totally different, as Favre's cheap shot had a major impact in the outcome of that important preseason game, unlike the actions of the Saints' defense in the NFC Championship. Furthermore, you clearly wrote Favre a similar letter and he saw the error of his ways and started playing the game with good sportsmanship as his primary goal. Also, Wilson recovered and came back to play football. Those mean Saints, by putting Favre on the ground (not just his pants) so many times, got in his head and then they had the gall to trick him and intercept his pass just like two years ago, and well, it looks like Favre was so beat up and dejected that he's likely to retire. Retire for good I mean, not like he retired from the Vikings-nemesis: the Packers. He'll need a hug, and being that he'll retire in Mississippi and not Minneapolis, I'll be sure to check in on him from time to time.

Finally, can you even imagine how much satisfaction we as Saints fans are getting from the fact that first we abused Kurt Warner and he'll soon retire? Then we did the same to Favre and he'll soon hang up his cleats. Those are two hall-of-fame quarterbacks I remind you. There certainly are plus sides to playing rough with Favre. I'm sure you'd agree with me and everyone that it is a positive that Prince won't write any more Vikings songs this season. Favre won't throw any more interceptions during the pro-bowl game, because he's too hurt from the Saints rough-housing (documented thoroughly in your letter). I hope this letter can restore your faith in the Saints. Some of them play naughty, I suppose. I blame our defensive coordinator Greg Williams. He goes after quarterbacks.

In closing, I was very upset three years ago when the Bears defeated the Saints in the NFC Championship game, and that wasn't even close. The game Sunday could have gone either way. The 12 men in the huddle, the interception, the coin toss, and then several questionable calls in overtime, if I were a Vikings fan I'd be upset too. But I'd argue that every hit against Favre was legal, and it's part of the game, and the Saints played the game of beating up the quarterback very well on Sunday.

Sincerely, Michael Homan, Saints fan