Violence, 'Mad Men' and Football Links for your consideration, amid the biggest off-season in N.F.L. history: 1) We know the Saints had a bounty system. Was there a correlation with more violent and illegal hits? Cezary Podkul, Reuters: In a 2011 season in which the New Orleans Saints rewarded players for injuring opponents in a "pay-for-pain" bounty scheme, the team was among the most violent in the National Football League, a Reuters analysis shows. The Saints were second in the NFL with 17 regular-season defensive flags for violating rules intended to protect players from being hurt, just behind the Oakland Raiders" 18. The league averaged nine per team. 2) At SB Nation, Spencer Hall rambles, and we're better for it, about "Mad Men" and football and the evolution of what is considered risky behavior. At one point in Mad Men last season, Peggy exploded at Don. You never say thank you. Don's response: "That's what the money is for." It is a heartless response, but an honest one. The gap between the preventable and the inherently dangerous in football needs to be narrowed. The rest can be bridged with a solution that hasn't changed since the days of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce. That, as Don would say, is what the money's for. 3) At Sports Illustrated, Peter King pieces together Peyton Manning's recruitment, a wonderful job of reporting with too many juicy anecdotes to mention. Here are two to whet the appetite: 1) As Shanahan talked with Manning, a text message popped up on the coach's phone. It was from Elway. Hey, Mike, put in a good word for us with Peyton. All Shanahan could do was laugh. 2) To say John Fox was nervous would be an understatement. On the morning of the 17th he texted "Happy Anniversary" to both Peyton and Ashley, who were celebrating their 11th. How did he have Ashley Manning's cell number? "Top secret," Fox said. I recruited for 10 years in college. I was pretty good. 4) Obligatory Tebow. Cardinal Dolan supports the trade. And Tebow poked fun at himself and pledged his devotion to the Jets in a Twitter message: I've already said it 44 times so here goes number 45: I'm really excited to be a Jet! Haha! All joking aside it's truly an honor... 5) Mike Tanier, in his Walkthrough column at Football Outsiders, says take off your tinfoil hat and take a deep breath. If you are conspiracy-minded, or scandal-minded, or you just like to be contrary and have a thing for dethroning champions, you now have the power to erase nearly half of recent NFL history and rewrite it the way you wish. 6) Tom Coughlin, with his team being overshadowed by the Jets, tweaks them, via Rich Cimini of ESPN New York: "You know who won the Super Bowl, you know who the world champions are," Coughlin told reporters Wednesday morning at the NFL meetings. Whether we're on the front page every day or not, it's not that important. Asked if he'd ever consider removing his "guy" for 20 snaps per game, as the Jets have suggested they might do with Mark Sanchez so Tebow could run the wildcat, Coughlin looked increduously at the questioner. "Our guy?" he asked, referring to Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning. Also: Coughlin's "hysterical recollection of his post-game hug with rap star Flavor Flav" after the Super Bowl. 7) Clark Judge of CBSSports.com declines to hop on the Parcells-replaces-Payton bandwagon: There are so many things wrong with the Bill Parcells-to-New Orleans rumor I don't know where to start. Having Payton make that decision is like trusting Bernie Madoff make your next investment. Extra point Maybe we shouldn't be surprised that Coughlin hugged Flavor Flav. With that giant clock on his chest, Flavor Flav is unlikely to be late to meetings.