Sports: NFL

[ABOMINATION]

Originally Posted by Balantai

I'm suprised nobody has mentioned the horrible play that occured in the Jets / Dolphins game. For those of you that didn't see or hear about it, one of the Dolphins cover players on a punt was running down the sidelines when he got tripped by one of the Jets' coaches. The trip was obviously on purpose and caught on film. The player got hurt but was able to walk off on his own. It's just an example of a classless coach working for a classless orginization. I hope this trainer gets fired and the NFL fines the Jets.

...this coming from a Steeler fan.

I kid, I kid. Personally, I think that a lot of the Steeler franchise is bundled up in one big group and labeled as cheap hitters. What happened at the Jets game (besides an absolute snoozer of a game) was uncalled for, and I hope they fire that trainer. This may be a rough sport, but there is absolutely no reason why a trainer should stick out his knee and trip and possibly ruin the career of a player.

[Balantai]

Originally Posted by ABOMINATION

...this coming from a Steeler fan.

I kid, I kid. Personally, I think that a lot of the Steeler franchise is bundled up in one big group and labeled as cheap hitters. What happened at the Jets game (besides an absolute snoozer of a game) was uncalled for, and I hope they fire that trainer. This may be a rough sport, but there is absolutely no reason why a trainer should stick out his knee and trip and possibly ruin the career of a player.

With the exception of Rothlesberger, who I can't stand, I think the Steelers are a stand up organization. The only person that's labeled as a cheap hitter that I know about is Hines Ward, and everything he does is completely legal. If an offensive lineman does what he does, he goes to the Pro Bowl.

Mainly, I hate what Rothlesberger did to the football fan community. Before him, there weren't many Steeler haters. Sure, fans of the Browns, Bengals and Ravens hated Steeler fans, but that's to be expected. Now, you either love the Steelers or you hate them. And I can understand why it's easy to hate them. Rothlesberger is brain dead when it comes to social commonsense and decency. I really wish they had treated Ben the same way they treated Santonio Holmes.

[nyys]

Originally Posted by Dignan

The Bears had their chances to change the game. There were three passes in the first half that should have been picked off. The Bears dropped those balls and the game quickly got away from them. Who knows what would have happened if two of those were caught?

Yeah, you're right. That along with a foot keeping a player from being down and in turn allowing a fumble to occur.

--

Wow, two great catches to send the Houston/Baltimore game to overtime.

[Dad_Scaper]

*gack*

That was closer than it should have been.

Originally Posted by balantai

The only person that's labeled as a cheap hitter that I know about is Hines Ward, and everything he does is completely legal. If an offensive lineman does what he does, he goes to the Pro Bowl.

Ward's reputation as a cheap shot artist is because he'll wreck people far away from the ball after the play is effectively over but before the whistle blows. It's wrong, it's ugly, it's not part of the play, and that's how people get injured.

I love to see WRs running down the field and blocking and playing physical games. But if the ball is in the hands of the RB 30+ yards away and he's being gang tackled, it's nauseating to see him run up and hit defenders in the back.

You can keep Ben & Ward. And Harrison, the juicer. Besides them, it's a respectable team.

[Kaemon Awasome]

Originally Posted by Dad_Scaper

Ward's reputation as a cheap shot artist is because he'll wreck people far away from the ball after the play is effectively over but before the whistle blows. It's wrong, it's ugly, it's not part of the play, and that's how people get injured.

I love to see WRs running down the field and blocking and playing physical games. But if the ball is in the hands of the RB 30+ yards away and he's being gang tackled, it's nauseating to see him run up and hit defenders in the back.

Hitting in the back is obviously illegal, otherwise it's not "wrong" to play that way. I've always heard him being described as a "dirty" player, or taking cheap shots (as you mentioned). But it can very well be a part of how he wants to play his game and get in people's heads. It may go against how most of us feel the game should be played, but shoving or blocking another player that is away from the action, as long as it is done legally, is acceptable. Hitting a guy in the face (like Finnegan did), is not okay. There is a big difference between the two from rules standpoint, even though both may irritate the other player. It's just like lineman who talk all kinds of trash and say vulgar things to one another. They shouldn't do it, I don't agree with it, but it's not wrong from the standpoint of rules of the game.

[Dad_Scaper]

It's not the "illegal" part that's so scary about someone who hits away from the ball when the play's winding down far away. You say it's acceptable, but what you mean by acceptable is "legal"; there just aren't many other players in the league who do that regularly. I can't think of one, honestly.

And it would be "acceptable" to me if people weren't getting hurt, but they are, so I find it unacceptable.

[Aldin]

I stayed up and was rewarded with one of the more improbable comebacks I've seen this year only to have to watch the replay of the final play because I got up to grab a glass of water. What a heartbreaking loss for the Texans.

~Aldin, glad they at least made a game of it

[jbbnbsmith]

So, did the Ravens defense intentionally not play the entire second half, just to make a dramatic reapperance in over-time?

Of course, the same could be said of the offense, with the exception that they didn't show up in over-time.

Exciting game, especially considering I thought it was a forgone conclusion with about 4 minutes left in the second quarter. From that point on it looked like Baltimore was doing whatever they could to lose that game (except for the second half opening return).

But ugly or not, a win is still a win. Go Ravens!

[Kaemon Awasome]

Originally Posted by Dad_Scaper

It's not the "illegal" part that's so scary about someone who hits away from the ball when the play's winding down far away. You say it's acceptable, but what you mean by acceptable is "legal"; there just aren't many other players in the league who do that regularly. I can't think of one, honestly.

And it would be "acceptable" to me if people weren't getting hurt, but they are, so I find it unacceptable.

Well to that end I agree with you. But until they make a rule regarding it, he's not doing anything outside the confines of the game. It can be held against him in the court of public opinion, and is from what I can see, but to label him as a dirty player is completely subjective. He could ask, "What's dirty about playing within the rules of the game and intimidating my opponent?" I know Ray Lewis offered money to the guys on his team once to whoever could take a certain player out of the game with a clean hit. To me, that's wrong, but as long as the hit is clean, then there's nothing illegal or punishable from the League's standpoint.

And I would reiterate that from a personal standpoint I agree with you, and would never counsel any of my children or students to play that way.

[Rÿchean]

Originally Posted by Kaemon Awasome

To me, that's wrong, but as long as the hit is clean, then there's nothing illegal or punishable from the League's standpoint.

This is not accurate. The league has a policy in place that bans bounty type activity:

“Clubs and players are prohibited from offering or accepting bonuses to a player for his or his team’s performance against a particular team, a particular opposing player or players or a particular group of an opposing team.”

The Commish fines accordingly if there is proof of violation.

[killercactus]

Hines Ward has consistently been voted the dirtiest player in the game BY THE PLAYERS. Consistently.

He's an @$$8013

[ABOMINATION]

New info on the Jet aide tripping the Dolphin player: Turns out, he told several of the inactive players to form a 'wall' (it can be seen in the video on NFL.com). So, more classlessness from the Jets. Disappointing, to say the least.

Also, KC, we can't take your word on Ward being the dirtiest player in the league. That's like asking a Packer fan if the Bears are the most obnoxious fans in the league.

...well, if every player says the same thing as you do, then I guess forget it.