Wednesday, the NFL unveiled its Defensive Player of the Year, and it was no surprise that the NFL awarded the honor to Giants defensive end Michael Strahan for the amazing feat he accomplished this season.

It took almost 17 years for the NFL sack record to be broken, and it was broken by one of the best defensive ends the pro game has ever seen, but of course, in the NFL, there’s been less attention focused on the new record than on whether the play he broke the record on was scripted or not.

Mark Gastineau, who was not a well-liked man, set the old record of 21.5 sacks with the New York Jets in 1984, and it looked as if nobody could break his record.

Strahan looked as if he had no chance when he went down to Philadelphia to play the Eagles, which would be the second-to-last game of the season.

However, he manhandled John Runyan as everyone handles a big tub of goo?by just running around it?and sacked Donovan McNabb 3.5 times.

That left him with one objective when he had to face the Packers in the last week of the season, and that was to only get one sack on Brett Favre and become the new sack god.

The entire game was filled with double- and triple-teams, until one of the last plays of the game. Before the play, Favre and Strahan were talking to each other, which is common with Favre, given his relationship with the defensive linemen who want to eat him.

However, in the ensuing play, Favre rolled out the wrong way and slid down, only to be met by Strahan. Of course, Strahan then became the new sack champion.

And instantly, the legitimacy of Strahan’s new record was questioned.

Are you kidding me? What was that? Why would Favre take a dive for Strahan? What could Favre possibly receive by giving Strahan the sack record? Did he feel he was doing some kind of civil service to mankind by taking a dive?

It had to be one thing?pure pity. Strahan was the only player on his defense who did anything, and after a year in which he had gone to a Super Bowl, he would not even get a sniff of the Playoffs this season.

Every time I see Favre, I always see him jawing with the defensive linemen and the linebackers, but he does it in a way that makes him seem more friendly with the defense.

But who would have thought that Favre would stoop to this? I don’t mind that Strahan took the sack?who wouldn’t have taken it?

But why taint the record? Doesn’t the NFL have enough problems as it is (e.g. horrible football, bad refereeing, players’ poor attitudes and coaches having one-year tenures at their respective teams)?

I guess he thinks he is doing a favor to Strahan, but all he did was put an asterisk next to the sack record.

Just imagine Strahan’s Hall of Fame induction? And now, I would like to present to you the best defensive lineman of all time, who broke the sack record- (cough), fixed, (cough)?Michael Strahan!

Oh wait, that’s in everyone’s Hall of Fame introduction. At least Gastineau doesn’t have to worry about it.

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