2011 NFL Season

[Panni]

James Harrison needs to be kicked out of the league, but obviously that would never happen. At least suspend this jackass. How many times does this moron have to be told not to lead with your helmet?

Don't tell me this was a heat of the moment tackle either. There's no justification to rock Colt McCoy with a helmet to helmet hit after he's thrown the ball. Hit him hard in the chest with your shoulder like every other player in the league. Given how much we know about head injuries these days it's just inexcusable. The guy refuses to play by the rules and fines obviously don't matter to him. It's time for a suspension.

I'm not buying the "this is football" argument either. A man's health is more important than a game. Yes, it's a contact sport, but there are times when a hit like that is totally unnecessary and last night was one of those times.

[sahyder1]

Harrison needs to be suspended multiple games. He is going to end up paralyzing someone out there.

[Lint]

When he does he'll still say he's being unfairly targeted

[gunnar hendershow]

The NFL is afraid of the backlash from suspending one of the biggest stars on one of its most popular teams. If Harrison played for Seattle or someone he'd be facing a suspension longer than Suh right now. He's repeatedly violated a rule the league has placed massive emphasis on enforcing. Some of the safety rules the league has are idiotic, but he's not breaking the idiotic rules.

[NobBe Nobbs]

I feel like we're missing something.

Wait, yeah.

HARRISON IS TOTALLY RIGHT

LEAGUE TARGETING BEST PLAYERS HE'S JUST TOO REAL FOR THOSE STUFFED SHIRTS

BY THE WAY HAVE I MENTIONED HOW BRAVE BIG BEN WAS FOR PLAYING HURT AGAINST CLEVELAND

COURAGE COURAGE COURAGE COURAGE COURAGE COURAGE COURAGE COURAGE COURAGE

There we go. Harrison's a fucking thug and it will never cease to make me laugh how Steelers will demonise Suggs for being a dirty player when they have the NFL's Matt Cooke on their roster. Is it something endemic of Pittsburgh teams that they're contractually obliged to put a scumbag on the roster?

[Panni]

James Harrison makes it so easy for people to tell he's a moron too. His helmet-to-helmet hits are so blatant. The guy clearly has no regard for the rules or people's safety because it seems like he delivers another one of these big hits every few months. Like I said, he should get kicked out of the league. That won't happen to suspend the jackass.

[Meacon Keaton]

Well, it is football. And shit does happen. But the fact that it's been the same guy doing it over and over again just goes to show that he's a thug that thinks he's above everyone else. I agree that at this point he needs to be suspended, and without pay. Stop fining him pocket change, and start taking away large chunks of his salary and we'll see if he has enough God damn sense to play the way everyone else in the league does.

[gunnar hendershow]

Suggs hasn't been a terribly dirty player since Rexy left. In fact the Ravens defense as a whole has really cleaned themselves up the last few seasons. Bart Scott, Terrell Suggs, and others used to be cheapshot artists when Ryan was the coordinator. Hell in 07 Scott threw a penalty flag in one of the hilarious, but embarrassing, tantrums ever.

That said, Tomlin and LeBeau come across as having enough sense to enforce some sort of discipline on Harrison. Pittsburgh plays tough and physical, and that's how you should play. But Harrison on a regular basis crosses the line and as of yet has no reason not to continue playing the way he wants.

[naiwf]

That said, Tomlin and LeBeau come across as having enough sense to enforce some sort of discipline on Harrison. Pittsburgh plays tough and physical, and that's how you should play. But Harrison on a regular basis crosses the line and as of yet has no reason not to continue playing the way he wants.

Doesn't that statement contradict itself? If Harrison keeps playing dirty and faces no repercussions from his team, he's going to keep playing dirty. Short of crippling or killing someone, he's not going to stop playing the way he does and it doesn't seem like the Steelers have seen enough. Goodell will drop the hammer on him long before Tomlin does.

[gunnar hendershow]

That was my point, they're both sensible people so why are neither of them acting to make him play by the rules for the benefit of the team?

[Dan]

Can't believe people are saying we'll draft another QB this year.

We should be looking at Blackmon as our top pick (if the rams don't take him first), not another fucking QB, Gabbert is still the youngest QB in the league and will be next year too. He's not played great but he didn't have a full off season, has a shitty group of receivers which changes every week and our O-Line is pretty awul too.

[gunnar hendershow]

Jags should take the best O-Line player they can, build that first and then add pieces everywhere else. Rams should do the same.

[mystikz]

obviously fines don't seem to matter to Harrison. he just keeps doing it, and usually runs his mouth about it. this thug needs a BIG suspension. he's going to end up seriously hurting somebody if this keeps up. It really didn't look like McCoy should have went back in the game after that hit.

[Evil Chase K]

obviously fines don't seem to matter to Harrison. he just keeps doing it, and usually runs his mouth about it. this thug needs a BIG suspension. he's going to end up seriously hurting somebody if this keeps up. It really didn't look like McCoy should have went back in the game after that hit.

Colt McCoy was out of the pocket. He also tucked the ball and was running. That makes him a running back, and runners are not subjected to the helmet-to-helmet rules.

Also, Harrison began his tackle before McCoy threw the ball, McCoy essentially puts himself in a position to take that hit. At that point there is NOTHING Harrison can do. Real life isn't The Matrix, he can't just stop all of his momentum at once and prevent the hit.

The hit, according to the rules, was legal. Just like his hit on Mohammed Massaquoi and Josh Cribbs were last year. (The Massaquoi hit was more the receiver's fault for ducking his head as Harrison was originally on target to hit him in the chest.)

I am on board with a large fine, if the hit is illegal. I think any and all illegal headshots should be fined regardless of intent. But according to the rules that hit was legal, and should not have been flagged nor should it be a fineable offense.

Phil Taylor's lariat of Ben Roethlisberger was a much more intentional, much dirtier hit.

And before people jump on me for defending Harrison (OH NOES! I'M A HOMER!) I called for Steelers safety Ryan Clark to be fined for a helmet to helmet hit in an earlier game when he clearly and unnecessarily drove his head into the head of an offensive player who was one step out of bounds.

I'm all for fining James Harrison the moment he does something that is obviously illegal.

[Evil Chase K]

James Harrison needs to be kicked out of the league, but obviously that would never happen. At least suspend this jackass. How many times does this moron have to be told not to lead with your helmet?

Don't tell me this was a heat of the moment tackle either. There's no justification to rock Colt McCoy with a helmet to helmet hit after he's thrown the ball. Hit him hard in the chest with your shoulder like every other player in the league. Given how much we know about head injuries these days it's just inexcusable. The guy refuses to play by the rules and fines obviously don't matter to him. It's time for a suspension.

Please tell me how the man is supposed to pull up when Colt McCoy throws the ball literally a split second before they make contact.

McCoy tucked the ball. He was running the ball and he was out of the pocket. According to the rules that you seem to be citing, it was not an illegal hit.

Did Harrison hit him with his helmet? Absolutely. Did it contact McCoy's helmet? Absolutely. But it wasn't like McCoy was standing still and Harrison took a run at him. McCoy's own motion may have contributed to him taking the hit right in the face.

I'm glad McCoy wasn't seriously hurt and it would be a shame if he was, but stop acting like Harrison went up to him after the play and rocked him.

The NFL is afraid of the backlash from suspending one of the biggest stars on one of its most popular teams. If Harrison played for Seattle or someone he'd be facing a suspension longer than Suh right now. He's repeatedly violated a rule the league has placed massive emphasis on enforcing. Some of the safety rules the league has are idiotic, but he's not breaking the idiotic rules.

Except this hit didn't violate a league rule.

When a QB is out of the pocket and is clearly running the ball, he is no longer protected by the new helmet-to-helmet rule. There was a helmet-to-helmet hit on Mendenhall earlier in the game and Mike Mayock was correct in pointing out that running backs are not protected.

McCoy tucked the ball and was running. He suddenly decided to flip the ball to a receiver. By that point Harrison already had all of his momentum going toward McCoy. How in the hell is he supposed to stop?

I feel like we're missing something.

Wait, yeah.

HARRISON IS TOTALLY RIGHT

LEAGUE TARGETING BEST PLAYERS HE'S JUST TOO REAL FOR THOSE STUFFED SHIRTS

BY THE WAY HAVE I MENTIONED HOW BRAVE BIG BEN WAS FOR PLAYING HURT AGAINST CLEVELAND

COURAGE COURAGE COURAGE COURAGE COURAGE COURAGE COURAGE COURAGE COURAGE

There we go. Harrison's a fucking thug and it will never cease to make me laugh how Steelers will demonise Suggs for being a dirty player when they have the NFL's Matt Cooke on their roster. Is it something endemic of Pittsburgh teams that they're contractually obliged to put a scumbag on the roster?

Who demonized Suggs? I don't think Suggs is a dirty player at all. He has one borderline hit on Roethlisberger, that's as far as I've seen Suggs go.

The problem I have with people attacking Harrison is that the two hits that started this mess were clean hits. The first hit on Massaquoi would not have been a hit to the helmet if Massaquoi didn't duck. The second hit on Cribbs was clean because Cribbs was running the ball.

Since then Harrison's developed a reputation and now, whenever he hits anyone, people want to run him out of the league.

The NFL needs to protect their players, but there is no way in hell anyone can prove that Harrison deliberately went at McCoy's head. And you cannot prove that McCoy's on motion did not contribute to the hit.

If they want to change the rules and say that no helmet-to-helmet contact is legal no matter what the situation, fine. But when they have to throw 40 flags a game because of it they'll be forced to draw the line somewhere. And Harrison's hit on McCoy though vicious, did not cross that line as the rules are written right now.

[Lowerdeck]

999,999,999 out of a million

It was supposed to be 999,999 out of a million. You added a few too many nines.

And the Giants got remarkably lucky scraping into the playoffs as a 6 seed, then on the play of the 21st century so far.

[Lint]

999,999,999 out of a million

It was supposed to be 999,999 out of a million. You added a few too many nines.

And the Giants got remarkably lucky scraping into the playoffs as a 6 seed, then on the play of the 21st century so far.

Oh right...was kinda drunk that night

[Cactus Drags]

I think all the fines should be scaled according to what a player earns, some of the amounts that some guys get fined are laughable, they couldn't care less.

I'm not even going to join any argument involving Harrison with Chase around, other than to say Harrison tends to play on the very edge of the law at the best of times. The dude is going to get someone seriously hurt at some point, and it's troubling that he doesn't seem to give a shit. I'd suspend him just for being a bell-end.

[gunnar hendershow]

Even then with endorsements and bonuses it would be hard to find a scale to make a dent in a superstar's wallet.

[Evil Chase K]

I think all the fines should be scaled according to what a player earns, some of the amounts that some guys get fined are laughable, they couldn't care less.

I'm not even going to join any argument involving Harrison with Chase around, other than to say Harrison tends to play on the very edge of the law at the best of times. The dude is going to get someone seriously hurt at some point, and it's troubling that he doesn't seem to give a shit. I'd suspend him just for being a bell-end.

Football's supposed to played with an edge. Does Harrison take it too far at times? Perhaps. But if he was going out to deliberately injure people he'd hit them after the play, or take out a knee or something.

Contrary to popular belief James is a good guy. Anyone who sees how he treats his son or the children of other players would see that he's a gentle guy off the field. He's not a monster. He's a guy who was cut three times from NFL rosters before finally sticking. He still plays like a guy who is fighting to stay on a roster. Maybe he needs to tone it down a bit. But I know why he doesn't. His edge is what makes him a great player. His edge is why he's a great pass rusher and one of the best linebackers in pass coverage in the NFL. If he doesn't play with an edge he's just another guy.

And he's not going to change the way he plays because he's not doing anything any different than a lot of NFL players. He's just under more of a spotlight. There was no outcry when Ray Lewis hit Hines Ward in the head and gave him a concussion. Lewis was fined for it, but it wasn't plastered all over tv with people bitching about it. There hasn't been an outcry about Richard Seymour's play. Ndomakung Suh is the only guy in the league who has been villified like Harrison has over the past two years. For the most part that's how the NFL works. The punishment is directly proportional to the media coverage it gets.

I wish James would stop with these borderline hits just because I get sick of being the only one looking at it objectively (cue the LOLs, right guys?), and as some have pointed out it's just a matter of time before he hurts someone. I'm sure there are people villifying the guy who haven't even seen the hit.