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[size=13pt]Vikings Insider: All's fair in love, war ... and maybe in the NFL[/size]
The Vikings broke no rules when they signed Steve Hutchinson, but you'd never know it from the poison-pill angst that followed.
Kevin Seifert
Last update: October 22, 2006 – 12:06 AM
It's a tough pill to swallow, but we didn't have to swallow it.
In my opinion, Holmgren and the Seahawks lost all rights to complaining about Hutch when they did the exact same thing with Burleson.
You cannot take the high road after you've retaliated for a wrong, real or imagined.
Better still, they sat on the offer for the entire alloted time, THEN tried to protest it.
In short, they tried to punish us TWICE for it.
And, after both of their hissy fits, they still try to take the high road - claiming that they are the victims in all of this.
Wake up and smell the caca, Seattle.
The fact is, the Seahawks screwed up on Hutch.
They could have franchised him, but didn't.
They gambled and lost.
They cried a river, and no one cared.
Then, they "stole" a Nate Burleson we didn't really need (At that time) in retaliation, and no one really cared about taht either.
So now, with their dreams of playing the Avenger eliminated, they try to play the role of hapless victim.
I think they'd do much better playing the role of clueless boob.
Holmgren has that role nailed from his GM days.
Further, the NFL has no one to blame but themselves.
In an era where contracts aren't worth the paper their printed on, and standards are applied selectively, trying to hold teams to "Gentlemen's Agreements" is completely ludicrous.
Haven't they already established that they aren't gentlemen?
Face it.
Seattle, and by proxy the entire NFL, got caught with their pants around their ankles.
They aren't outraged, they're embarrased.
We hurt them with the Hutch deal, but worse than that, we humiliated them...and they can't get back at us.
And, if we beat them today, it's only going to sting that much more.
Caine