Sure, Brett Favre threw THE interception and Adrian Peterson fumbled 174 times, but everybody knows it was the referees who made that infamous postseason game competitive. Hell, Sean Payton was suspended for a full season because of the paid assault the Saints defense was allowed to commit against Favre.

The NFL and their referee minions

Still, most do not remember just how badly the Minnesota Vikings were wronged that late January night. It wasn’t just the Bountygate scandal or the hits that Favre took. In fact, I’d say that part was the least of Minnesota’s series of unfortunate events that night. Let’s go back and look at the tape.

Never forget that the Saints have the most fraudulent unearned Super Bowl in history. #SKOL pic.twitter.com/Y6b3LPYHmV

— Thomas Sullivan (@Yfz84) September 28, 2022

The Bountygate investigation got Sean Payton a movie deal and made the Brett Favre sandwich an iconic moment in league history. The phantom Ben Leber pass interference penalty is hard to forget too, especially if you listen to KFAN, where Leber is a regular contributor.

The atrocities you may not remember.

But earlier in their game-winning overtime drive, the Saints faced a critical 4th and 1, just inside of Vikings territory. Pierre Thomas leaped over the line and Chad Greenway’s helmet met the football while he Thomas was in mid-air. The resulting fumble pushed the Saints’ offense back behind the line to gain. Easy call, right? Wrong, even after booth review, the 1st down stood and New Orleans’ game-winning drive to continued.

Oh, you have a steel trap memory and remember all of this? Well, what about the zebras’ knockout blow that night? On 2nd and 14, Robert Meechum clearly dropped a pass from Drew Brees, that pushed the Saints into easy game-winning field goal range.

Yet again, the Vikings got their booth review. Yet again, it didn’t matter. Only one team was going to win that night and it wasn’t the one coming from Minnesota. So with Vikings vs Saints (London Edition) upon us this weekend, it’s important we remember the historic football atrocity levied at us back in 2009. #NeverForget

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

Sean Payton is one of those guys that nobody likes. He reminds me a lot of Drew Brees’ facemark. Disgusting.

The crimes have been proven. Payton and his coaching staff orchestrated a paid hit on Minnesota Vikings HOF quarterback, Brett Favre, in the 2009-10 NFC Championship game. Bountygate cost jobs and triggered suspensions inside the New Orleans Saints organization and Sean was banned from the league for the entire 2012 season. The Saints cheated their way to the Super Bowl in 2009-10 and ending Favre’s career was just part of the plot.

And now Payton’s career defining moment has earned him a movie deal. Payton, who went and coached a high school football team while serving his year-long suspension, will be played by Kevin James and produced by Happy Madison Productions. I wish I were joking.

“Coming Home”

Kevin James will play New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton in ‘Home Team’, a film from Netflix covering Payton’s suspension in 2012 and the time he spent coaching his son’s sixth grade football team.

(via @peter_king) pic.twitter.com/a8kj1FVtc6

— Lights, Camera, Pod (@LightsCameraPod) April 12, 2021

Uh, Kevin James the actor? That’s right. James is going to play Sean Payton in a Netflix movie called “Home Team,” produced by Happy Madison Productions. (Sound familiar? It’s the Adam Sandler company.) Imagine this: The plotline begins in 2012, when Payton is suspended for the season by commissioner Roger Goodell for the Saints’ bounty scandal, which gives Payton the chance to re-assess his life and put it in some perspective. As part of his new life, Payton becomes the offensive coach for his son Connor’s sixth-grade football team, the Warriors, in the Dallas area. (Thus, the “Home Team” title of the flick.) Filming of the movie begins this year. Payton read the script recently, made some corrections, and here it comes. My one thought about casting: James is going to need to lose a few pounds to play Payton.

Peter King

I hate that Adam Sandler is going to help make Sean Payton more famous. I remember back before I wrote this blog, back when I liked Kevin James.

Those were the days. Mall Cop was such a classic that will now melt away in my next bon fire. Too bad.

#bountygate #neverforget pic.twitter.com/kzbr7AVt0b

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) April 12, 2021

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

We never get tired of hearing @PAOnTheMic call of the Minneapolis Miracle!

Is this your favourite playoff moment? pic.twitter.com/mG0y79KUNJ

— Minnesota Vikings UK (@UKVikings) January 13, 2023

What crazy Alabama game-winning touchdown?

On the greatest play my heavily-biased, Millennial-self, has ever seen, Case Keenum and Stefon Diggs connected for a 61 yard walk-off touchdown that Allen perfectly dubbed the “Minneapolis Miracle.” The Vikings’ 29-24 victory over New Orleans will help ease Skol Nation’s remaining animosity over Bountygate.

Fan reaction videos are taking Social Media by storm. They are a hell of a lot more fun to watch than the Blair Walsh inspired versions. My Minnesota Sports Fan colleagues documented their own live response to the sensational play. According to Sunday night’s weather forecast, I’d say that footage will be available at some point on Monday. 

The below is not a live reaction, but Everson Griffen’s reaction immediately following the game-winning touchdown was priceless:

We are all @EversonGriffen. #SKOL pic.twitter.com/my5rXn5Xzl

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) January 15, 2018

Alright. If you want some more (don’t blame you) of that type of stuff, stay tuned for our founder, Eric’s article.

Personally, to explain my feelings when Diggs was sprinting to the end zone, only one life-moment really comes to mind: A couple of days before my 11th birthday, my mom gave me a scratch off ticket (great parenting) as an “early present.” After my pre-pubescent fingers scratched away the silver face, it was a winner. A big winner. After screaming that I had won 10K, the two of us enjoyed a tainted celebration. I had no idea at the time, but the damn thing was fake. The second I became cognizant of the scam, I broke down worse than the Saints secondary.

The “Minneapolis Miracle” felt like the EXACT OPPOSITE of that near social service investigation worthy moment by my mother.

If the fancy media people or others around the country want to complain about giving up the 17 point lead, by all means, be my guest. As for me, zero complaints.

However, a couple of quick points:

• Don’t worry about Xavier Rhodes. Andrew Sendejo getting cracked by Michael Thomas set him off. From there, it was a perfect storm that resulted in 2 TD’s for Michael Thomas and Mike Zimmer stepping in to help calm down the All-Pro CB. R-E-L-A-X. Rhodes was one of the first guys in the tunnel celebrating with Diggs. While Thomas is a dog, the Eagles’ Alshon Jeffrey is a cat. Next Sunday, it’s back to #RhodesClosed.

• The week prior to Aaron Rodgers suffering some injury, he led the Packers to a last second win over Dallas. If you recall, the Cowboy’s clock management got ridiculed for even giving number 12 a chance. In the event we happen to meet Tom Brady in the Super Bowl, and the game is close, let’s try to avoid giving him the ball last. I know this defense is historic, but you don’t want him, Rodgers, or Drew Brees, controlling the outcome of the game. it didn’t end up biting us in the ass on Sunday but I wouldn’t count on a last-second miracle play, like that, very often.

But that doesn’t matter this morning. Because, it’s on to Philly. The Zim Reapers will go up against Carson Wentz’ replacement, Napolean Dynamite Nick Foles next Sunday.

Sorry, Eagles. The backup QB stepping into the starting role and thriving is our thing.

If Case and company can get it done next Sunday night (5:40 PM CST Kickoff), it’s Super Bowl homeboys and girls.

Case Keenum had the whole state of Minnesota in the palm of his hands. Chills pic.twitter.com/mAh2WY0nz0

— Barstool Sports (@barstooltweetss) January 15, 2018

#SKOL

Johnny Minnesota @TheJohnnyMN
Minnesota Sports Fan MinnesotaSportsFan.com

Sean Payton of the New Orleans Saints is the only head coach in modern NFL history to be suspended. As punishment for his role in the “Bountygate” scandal vs. the Vikings in the 2009-10 playoff game, Payton was forced to sit out an entire season.

Let that sink in for a second… Ok. Are you pissed off, yet? If not, someone needs to check you for a pulse.

We’re all familiar with the story by now. Minnesotan’s have had night-terrors for 8 years, in regards to the NFC Championship Game that ended our 2009-10 season. For the vast majority of those nightmares, we’ve known the New Orleans staff was using cash bonuses in hopes it would motivate their defense to injure then-Vikings QB, Brett Favre.

The Minnesota Vikings and Skol Nation officially get their opportunity for revenge:

We’ll see you Sunday.#BringItHome pic.twitter.com/EIWQ9rm1Uo

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) January 8, 2018

Well, guess what? New Orleans advanced to the Divisional Round, after outlasting the Carolina Panthers Sunday night (31-26), during the Wild Card round.

Congrats, Saints! As a reward, you get to play in the loudest stadium in the NFL. Not only that, but it’ll be against the best 3rd down defense the league has seen in over 25 years. You’re going to need that banged up offensive line to recover awfully quick. Mike Zimmer and company will be plenty rested, after a week off.

Outside of coach Zimmer, I don’t respect anything or anyone more than the Football Gods. The Saints HC seems to be on the opposite side of the fence. Sean Payton apparently doesn’t give a shit about the almighty powers over looking the pigskin.

I know, I know. Then New Orleans DC, Gregg Williams, was the one who implemented the “bounty” program. At the end of the day, that was Payton’s team and staff. In my opinion, he is responsible for making sure nothing along those lines occurs. The fact that this man was suspended for the entire 2012 season speaks for itself.

For rats like him, I just hope everything plays out like my 2012 Fantasy Football season. Meaning, shit ends up coming full circle and the jackass of the scenario ultimately gets what they deserve.

Antonio Brown yelling “Karma” throughout JuJu Smith Schuster’s postgame interview regarding his hit on Vontaze Burfict ???pic.twitter.com/CjCHUAxZwt

— Tailgate Sports (@_TailgateSports) December 7, 2017

The beat-down I expect the 13-3 Vikings to put on Payton’s Saints will be good for him. He needs a reality check shoved down his throat. That will be better for his health than all of that Vicodin.

As for this article’s sake, I decided to forego the X’s and O’s aspect. Unlike the Minnesota staff, that will be saved until later this week. When it is posted, there won’t be much mention of the week 1 drubbing of the Vikes over New Orleans, earlier this season. The team we are about see on Sunday is a completely different animal than the one we beat in September.

Hell, the Saints had Adrian Peterson in that first game. Unlike going for it on 4th and 2 vs the Panthers, trading number 28 and increasing Pro-Bowl Rookie RB, Alvin Kamara’s, touches was a GREAT move.

Speaking of the artist formerly known as “Purple Jesus,” how pissed is he right now? After a decade with the Purple, he signed with New Orleans in free agency. If he were able to work things out with the Saints, AP could be preparing for a playoff game vs. the team that drafted him.

Somewhere in America, Adrian Peterson is currently smacking himself with a switch and repeatedly yelling “I’m an idiot.”

— Johnny Minnesota (@TheJohnnyMN) January 8, 2018

Anywho, as I was saying, no (well, a little) X’s and O’s in this piece.

At this point, the most important thing is setting the tone, leading up to game day. From a fans’ perspective, early in the week is our proverbial opening kickoff. Sometimes, coming out of the gates like a bat out of hell is more crucial than anything.

#whof*ckdat

Johnny Minnesota @TheJohnnyMN
Minnesota Sports Fan MinnesotaSportsFan.com