IS it me or did the National Press completely leave go of their senses at Ewood on Saturday?

Inspirational Irishman Damien Duff sank sorry Spurs with one of the best goals you're likely to see all season as Rovers roared to their first victory of the new campaign.

But when I opened up the papers on Sunday morning to read about it all I saw was page after page of sanctimonious garbage trying to paint Graeme Souness as the Premiership's equivalent of Rambo.

'Souey's in a war of words' blasted the Sunday People. 'Taricco's Aggro' rapped the News of the World. And, perhaps my favourite of the lot 'Souness rips into Hod and his Argie toughie Tarrico' slammed the Sunday Mirror.

For those of you who weren't there to see it, the incident to which the gentlemen of the jury (er, Press!) were referring was a first half spat between our Souey and Tottenham tough-guy Mauricio Taricco.

It was sparked by Spurs defender Chris Perry who completely pole-axed Matt Jansen with the kind of tackle normally reserved for Jackie Chan movies.

Souness -- perhaps too close to the action for his own good -- took exception to the challenge and became embroiled in a spot of Argy-bargy with Taricco and one or two team-mates.

But what then transpired was no better or worse than half a dozen similar incidents last season, which begs the question: national hacks, just where have you been for the last 18 months?

With Graeme Souness, you get exactly what you see -- a fiercely passionate man who wears his heart on his sleeve.

Okay, he might breathe fire now and again and the odd fourth official has felt the full wrath of his tongue.

But it's that characteristic which makes him so adhering to Rovers fans because they know they have a manager who goes through the exact same emotions as them.

Now, that's not to say I'm suggesting it's okay to grab whoever you want by the scruff of the neck on a regular basis (unless it's Alex Ferguson, of course).

But let's get it into perspective, lads.

Saturday's clash between Souey and Taricco was no more than handbags at 10 paces.

And to waste 45 of the 86 paragraphs devoted to the game in the Sunday tabloids pontificating about it just doesn't add up to me -- especially when there's goals like Duffer's to describe.

If you ask me, I think some of my Press colleagues are starting to lose the plot rather than Souey!

So stop the Rovers bashing and let's give credit where credit's due. Spurs were floored by a double-whammy from Duff and Alan Mahon -- not a lethal left-hook from the manager.