The Louisiana State Senate has passed by a 28-1 margin a resolution urging the NFL to reconsider the discipline given the Saints for the bounty scandal.
The resolution, which had already passed the State House of Representatives, says this is a matter of concern for the state because “the New Orleans Saints have produced countless exciting and magical moments for the city of New Orleans, the state of Louisiana, the Gulf Coast region, and the entire country,” and because “the taxpayers of Louisiana have invested millions of dollars into the success of the Saints organization by supporting stadium improvements, practice facilities, and other incentives.”
There is no chance at all that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will actually be swayed by this resolution, although the reminder that the taxpayers have invested millions into the Superdome might be enough to get him to give a perfunctory statement about how he respects the legislature’s opinions and appreciates the fans’ passion for the Saints.
And the fans’ passion for the Saints is what this is really about. The resolution says that “the sanctions faced by the team will likely have a negative economic impact across the Crescent City and the state as a whole,” but what Saints fans are really concerned about is the negative impact the sanctions will have on the team’s won-loss record. What this resolution really accomplishes is to tell Saints fans who are also voters that their elected officials are on the team’s side.