Cris Carter Admits Bounties

Cris Carter has come out and admitted on ESPN that he has used bounties as a form of protection in his career.  "I've put bounties on guys.  And if a guy is trying to take me out; a guys is trying to take a cheap shot on me.  I'd put a bounty on him right now."  Carter said.

"Bill Romanowski, he told me he was gonna take me out before the game, warmups, no problem.  'I'm gonna end your career carter'  No problem.  I put a little change on his head before the game.  Protect myself.  Protect my family.  Thats the league that I grew up in.  You have to realize the league that we grew up in, the bounty was based on protection or a big hit, excitement or helping your team win.  It wasn't to maim or hurt the dude.  When a guy said he was gonna hurt me, my recourse was to put a bounty on him to make sure."

Carter brings a different perspective to a bounty program that seems to be more widespread than just the New Orleans Saints.  A player puts a bounty on an opposing player to protect himself.  It sounds very similar to the occasional Mafia or street gang mentality, "Get him before he gets you."  This story begs the question, "Does it make it more acceptable for a player place a bounty on an opposing player to protect himself?"