Should Sportsmen Be Encouraged by Bounties?

The biggest sports story of the week in the big USA has been the revelation that the New Orleans Saints have been paying bounties to their defensive players for injuring key opponents. In fact, the bounty system had been in place at the Saints for 3 seasons including their successful Super Bowl winning season in 2010, courtesy of defensive coordinator, Gregg Willliams.

However, it looks like head coach Sean Payton and GM, Mickey Loomis will probably get away with it scotch-free; this could be to Payton what the videotaping controversy was to Bill Belichick in 2007.

But should professional athletes really be encouraged by money to achieve a particular goal?

If so, should there be a bounty or bonus for...

The All Blacks winning the Rugby World Cup? Yes there was one in fact, but was it the motivating factor of their win last year or were there other more pressing factors?

How about something a bit deeper...

Should there be a bonus for every....

Rugby or league player who tackles and injures an opponent's star player, making them invalid for a period of time (or heck being the "victim" of a red card tackle that gets a key player sent off for the rest of the game, i.e. Vincent Clerc)

Cricketer who throws a bouncer, injures a key batsman, even forcing him to retire from the game?

Footballer who tackles the key playmaker out of the game? Roy Keane would have been a very rich man if this system had been around at Man United.

Ok maybe not a bounty for injuring a player, but what a bonus for every 5-wicket haul, every hat-trick, every winning goal, every century..

Should an athlete really be motivated by a bonus? Yes, but it shouldn't be their main focus of performing to the highest level. And outside the USA professional sports arena where amateurism is still strong, pride is still very much the most important thing to an athlete. But that bonus can be handy too.