Anthony Barr tells New Orleans Saints fans to ‘take your L’

The Minnesota Vikings linebacker (for now) wasn’t about to hear the request of Saints fans to restart the NFC Championship Game.

The Minnesota Vikings weren’t anywhere near the NFC Championship Game between the Los Angeles Rams and the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. However, many Vikings fans felt a connection when Rams cornerback Nickell Roby-Coleman appeared to commit pass interference by leveling Saints receiver Tommylee Lewis late in regulation.

The play, which definitely should have been pass interference, was not called and sent the Bayou into a fit of rage after New Orleans eventually fell to Los Angeles 23-20 in overtime.

In the aftermath, Saints fans have gotten lawyers involved and posted billboards around Atlanta, the host city of next weekend’s Super Bowl.

Their main premise has been demanding that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell restart the game under Rule 17, Section 2, Article 1 which has been brought up by Pro Football Talk.

While many would love to see the Rams and Saints re-play the final 1:49 of the NFC Championship Game, Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr wasn’t among those people.

When recently approached by TMZ for a pop-up interview, Barr stated that officials miss calls all the time and that re-playing the final sequence would be “dumb.”

"“It’s unfortunate that it happened, but we can’t re-play the whole game What’s done is done. I understand how (the players) feel, but what are you going to do?”"

He was then asked what message he had for Saints fans that were holding out hope for a re-play.

"“Sorry? Take your L. It’s unfortunate, but it’s the world we live in. It’s not perfect… you can’t replay a game after the results are in.”"

Barr’s comments make sense as it would be mind-blowing if Goodell stepped in, made the Rams take another cross-country flight and gathered the Saints back to the Superdome to play a scenario that likely had New Orleans winning the game and going to the Super Bowl.

That series of events would only pour gas on the fire for those who already think the NFL is rigged.

Barr also makes a good point that officials miss calls all the time. If the game is replayed, are other blown pass interference calls in the past going to result in a replay?

How do you determine what scenario warrants that? It opens a can of worms that the league probably does not want to open.

In the end, the New Orleans fan base is being a tad bit overdramatic here. Yes, the refs missed the call, but Saints had a 13-0 lead over the Rams and could it have been 21-0 if not for a couple of gaffes in the first half.

New Orleans also received the ball in the overtime and instead of taking the game, Saints Drew Brees threw an interception which set up Los Angeles for the game-winning field goal.

Sports are not meant to be perfect (and when they are, they turn into baseball. Thanks, sabermetrics!). The refs missed the call, but to post billboards and call lawyers over it is asinine.

Especially considering what went down 10 years ago in New Orleans.