If you watched yesterday’s Cowboys-Vikings game, as I did, you may have found yourself wondering why the Vikings were keeping their starters in the game with the score 27-3 and the outcome long decided. You might also have wondered why the Vikings decided to pass for the end zone on 4th and 3 to jack the score up to 34-3 (the Vikings took over deep in Cowboys territory after Dallas turned the ball over on downs).
Cowboys linebacker Keith Brooking was wondering the same thing, and he’s most displeased about it. You likely saw Brooking go over to shout at the Vikings’ bench right after the score. He wasn’t finished voicing his aggravation there.
"I just thought what happened at the end of the game was disrespectful," Brooking said. "It was classless and all the things that are in that category. I'll say it to the Vikings organization and whoever is over there calling plays. It wasn't the right thing to do at that time. Period."
Both Brad Childress and Brett Favre denied maliciously running up the score. I’m of the mind that there’s no such thing as running up the score in pro sports. At the high school level, when Powerhouse High takes on Little Timmy’s Quaker Farming Academy? Sure, there’s poor sportsmanship in that arena. But at the professional level, you’re paid to stop the other team. And if you can’t, then too bad.
However, it’s easy to see Brooking‘s side of the argument in this instance. It’s not that Childress and company were poor sports for running up the score. It’s just it was such an ego-bloating thing to do. That TD was basically gifted to them via field position. Who is Brad Childress to rub it in? And, again, why is he risking the health of his 40-year-old QB in the process? It was less a case of sore winning than it was stupidity and arrogance.
And it’s not something New Orleans will so easily tolerate.
