James Harrison is one of those guys who when we read about him dying at 46 with violent alzheimers or parkinsons dementia we're all going to be really sympathetic to him and his family.
I think that everyone needs to take a step back and realize what sport you are watching. It is a very fast paced game, even faster at the professional level. These things happen. It is part of it. I have seen a lot of cheap shots in my time of watching football, that was a tackle where helmet to helmet was involved. It was not a head hunting tackle, it was not one of those tackles on a player that got blind sided. Nothing like that. It is dumb that helmet to helmet is such a big factor and that the NFL is putting this so thick into fans heads now. It is a hard hitting, well compensating professional sport. They all know the risks involved. I understanding protecting players, but it doesn't matter what rule they place on this game, these type of tackles are still going to happen. The only way to completely avoid these type of hits is to start playing flag football.
Of course it costs him the game check but that's not the same as seeing your bank account go down. My point is that that is nowhere near enough money. He should have been fined $250,000, and told that the next time he headhunts he'll be suspended six games and fined $500,000. The time after that he'll be suspended for a year. It is blindingly obvious that he doesn't give a damn who he hurts, and it is only having football taken away from him that will get his attention.
Obviously I couldn't disagree more. He knows exactly what he is doing, and doesn't give a damn. We'll just have to agree to disagree.
I unerdestand your anger, trust me I do. I want this type of head hunting to stop and I'm holding out hope that the 1 game gets the message across. This costs him money alsmot equal to his last fine and a game that his team needs to win to stay in the hunt for thier division. Don't discount that, because I'm sure steelers maangement and his teamates are talking to him about his importance to thier team and how him missing time is hurting everyone.
They really need to make these guys play with leather helmets and no facemasks again. This kind of thing would stop immediately if the tackler was the one risking his teeth.
I'm becoming a bigger fan of this idea... take away a good bit of the padding and people will stop launching themselves like heat seeking missles, or marauding about like an armored knight.
Appeal denide. Shocking I know. http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AvR6GVSNZ.iva30xmIYbfhRDubYF?slug=ap-harrisonappeal No James, you got suspended for being a dirty head hunting bitch.
you would a valid argument except for the fact that Harrison is the only player to continuously make these types of dirty plays, so obviously it being a fast game doesn't lead to it occurring if every other player can avoid doing so, or doing so repeatedly after the first mistake and fine.
Here comes the biased Steeler fan. Watch out. Harrison had made a strong effort to play within the new pussy rules the NFL has laid out and in fact he had not been fined or even flagged for a helmet to helmet hit since December of last year. In this situation, McCoy had tucked the ball and was running for the first down when he suddenly pulled up stood up straight and dumped the ball off. All of this happened within one second. It's helmet to helmet I understand that and he drew a flag. Fine, that's the rule, flag him. Fine him, cool. Making him the first player suspended for a tackle on the field in 25 years....Not cool. The last guy to get suspended picked Jim McMahon up, corkscrewed him and pile drived him neck first into the hard turf. THAT'S ridiculous. Harrison's intense, that's for sure, I'm sick of the rules making it impossible to play defense or hit the QB. Can't hit him in the head, can't hit him below the waist, and when they run head down as a runner, where do you hit them? What do you do when they take off running then suddenly shift position to throw? All of this takes place within a second or two. Not much time to make a decision as a defender. These players know they are playing a dangerous and violent game. They choose to play it at a young age when they are taught to hit hard. What Goodell is turning this league into sickens me. No more defense at all.
Its because the decision should always be to go for the waist of the QB. Nothing below the knees, nothing even near the shoulders. Everyone knows this, Harrison included. Sure the rule sucks, but tis the rule. Stay within the safe zone and don't lead with your head or the crown of your helmet. This was a calssic head to head hit. Its a cheap shot by todays standards and has been for a couple years. Go back to page one and watch the gif. He's coming in high even if the QB had the ball its still a flag. The crown of his head makes contact with the facemask of the QB. Its so flagrant its stupid. I can't help it your team employs the scumbag, but you look silly trying to defend him.
Not even that can stop you from taking a 15 yard penalty sometimes. Just look at the Marcus Dixon roughing the passer against Vick yesterday; Vick lowered his own head into Dixon, leaving virtually no way not to take a penalty. I'm not saying that's what happened in this case with Harrison, just that the rules are unbelievably slanted against defenders. You can't always avoid a flag in real time. On another note, apparently many players on the Steelers appear in the new Batman movie. Hopefully James Harrison breaks Batman's back instead of Bane, then threatens to retire if Commissioner Gordon comes after him.
