Re: James Harrison
 

[quote=hooskins;764686]Gtripp you dont think Finnegan(sp) or Seymour deserved more than a slap on the wrist? Everything is relative, and Harrison's just doesn't compare for me.

Sure his technique could not be the best, but he is trying to play the game. All the others are extracurricular and are not part of the game. What this does is basically equate open fighting and attacking to playing NFL football.[/quote]Well, an ejection is not something I consider to be a slap on the wrist. I thought both Finnegan and Johnson deserved a game in addition to their ejections because it was a fourth quarter brawl in a game that was likely already decided.

Seymour was ejected for hitting Roethlisberger in the face after a play as well he should have been. Didn't believe a suspension was necessary, but could have been justified given the circumstances.

I don't think fighting is being equated to hitting because comparing just the punishments in a vacuum is drawing a link where one may not exist. A $25,000 fine with no suspension for a hit that the NFL actually determined to be illegal AND a point of emphasis would qualify as a slap on the wrist. It's different if the argument is that the hit on Fitzpatrick was perfectly legal and should not have been flagged or fined. Then I would side with Harrison. I do think it broke a point of emphasis, and should have been flagged and fined.

If Harrison hasn't yet been suspended, bound, and gagged, I'm not sure how serious the league is about suspending players for dirty hits. It seems like they are trying to uphold the status quo of fines, fines, and more fines until they can get to the offseason and work something more concrete into the CBA. Which I think is exactly the case.

Re: James Harrison
 

If Harrison tackles by the shoulder then he drives the QB in the ground which would be a 15 yarder. IMO the refs and the FO have it out for the guy and they're clearly making an example out of him. I've heard former players comment on Harrison and they think it's a joke as well.

Re: James Harrison
 

Anyone remember the Philly/Indy game? The refs pretty much didn't want Philly to win the game, for what ever reason. One of the Philly defenders got a 15 yarder for accidently LIGHTLY slapping his hand on Manning's helmet. Not sure if there was a fine there but when are the refs going to be held accountable for awful calls? Or that hit on Austin Collie? Two of the worst calls I've ever seen.

Re: James Harrison
 

Fighting and illegal hits are seperate issues and should be treated as such.

Re: James Harrison
 

[quote=skinsfan69;764697]Anyone remember the Philly/Indy game? The refs pretty much didn't want Philly to win the game, for what ever reason. One of the Philly defenders got a 15 yarder for accidently LIGHTLY slapping his hand on Manning's helmet. Not sure if there was a fine there but when are the refs going to be held accountable for awful calls? Or that hit on Austin Collie? Two of the worst calls I've ever seen.[/quote]

Anytime you even touch a QB's head it's going to draw a flag, simple as that.

The call on Collie's hit was just an example of the refs being instructed to throw the flag on anything questionable and sort it out after. It definitely wasn't an illegal hit and they admitted it after, but they are going to err on the side of caution every time.

Re: James Harrison
 

[quote=Mattyk;764705]Fighting and illegal hits are seperate issues and should be treated as such.[/quote]

What about Seymour? Is that fighting or an illegal "hit?" Because the saying says it takes two to fight but that was clearly a punch.

Re: James Harrison
 

Lets fine everyone on every down.
Lets make them all wear 747 inner tubes.
Lets play two hand touch.

Re: James Harrison
 

[quote=Mattyk;764707]Anytime you even touch a QB's head it's going to draw a flag, simple as that.

The call on Collie's hit was just an example of the refs being instructed to throw the flag on anything questionable and sort it out after. It definitely wasn't an illegal hit and they admitted it after, but they are going to err on the side of caution every time.[/quote]

Yeah but there was no intent and it doesn't hurt the QB one bit if a hand hits his helmet. These guys have got to start using simple common sense.

Re: James Harrison
 

^ Then you're asking officials to make judgement calls, not a good road to go down. A rule has to be called by the letter of the rule.

Re: James Harrison
 

I have Zero sympathy for Big Ben getting clocked by Seymour. Lets not forget this is the dude who uses his power to harrass/abuse girls in the girls bathrooms. A kid I used to play poker with went to Miami of OH and said Ben walked in one day saw that they had named a sandwhich after him and demanded they take it down. He is a premadona and got what he deserved for talking trash to a bigger man. Also did you notice how his team mates didnt do much in terms of retaliation? Imagine if that happened elsewhere? I guarantee you 90% of the OLs in this league would have pounded any Defensive player who smacked their QB like that.

As for Harrison he is an extremely aggressive player and yes he is probably being watch a lot more closely than other players but they are watching him like that because he has knocked out more players than anyone else recently. The league is serious about head injuries now and he is going to have to adjust his style to continue to be effective.

After saying all that though I agree that someone needs to have some power to balance goodell he is trying to run roughshod over the players too much