The NFL released it's 2012 Kickoff Information Guide yesterday, which is made available to all media and bloggers like myself. It's chock full of information, records and facts not only about the league's opening week but also about the upcoming season in general.
So when I was emailed my digital copy of the guide yesterday, I downloaded it and began perusing for interesting nuggets and tidbits. But I stopped dead in my tracks when I came across this infograph of kickoff weekend records for all the current head coaches in the NFL.
Notice something missing? I do, too. Though there are 32 teams in the league there are only 31 coaches listed, the Saints and Sean Payton being the absent party.
WTF!? Are you #&$%# kidding me, NFL!?
Look, Payton's just been suspended. Look the word up. It's a "temporary abrogation or withholding," the key word there being temporary. That doesn't mean he's not still officially the head coach of the team (the organization and the NFL's official website both still have him listed as their head coach) and it damn sure doesn't mean his accomplishments should be ignored, overlooked or wiped from the record book. The guy isn't Joe #&$% Paterno for Christ's sake!
My guess is that the league didn't include him in this year's guide because they felt the information wasn't pertinent to this year's kickoff weekend since Payton won't be coaching. But I think it's poor form and classless. They could have at least put an asterisk there and an explanation.
Am I missing something? Am I making a mountain out of a molehill here? This has got me pretty heated.