Polamalu tackled by the mane (1 Viewer)

[Maurile Tremblay]

Would he have gotten flagged for yanking him up by the jersey? I mean, I can't see them flagging him if that had been part of the uniform...which it's supposed to be.

It's not part of the uniform after the play is over.

 

[squidrope]

I am pretty sure the hair is fair game when making the tackle, but after he was down, Larry Johnson continued to hold onto his hair, yank on it again and actually pull him back up by it. Totally over the line by LJ and warranted a flag IMO.

 

[squidrope]

I watched the replay frame by frame, and it looks like he is still holding onto it to me. His thumb would be in the open position if it were just caught up in it (which is easier to do than some of you think).Would he have gotten flagged for yanking him up by the jersey? I mean, I can't see them flagging him if that had been part of the uniform...which it's supposed to be.

This was my thought as well. It's either a penalty to grab hair or it isn't. I agree that the hair should be defined to be different than the uniform. Stuff like this puts the refs in a gray area. Not good.

His hair IS considered part of the uniform DURING the play. Once the play is OVER his hair OFF LIMITS. If he was tackled by his pinky finger, no problem. But if he was picked up by said finger AFTER the play ended, there should be a flag.

 

[Stashy]

It's really not that Complicated. You can tackle players by their hair however you can't remain holding on to the hair then lift the player up by the hair after the play is over.

 

[cr8f]

By John Grupp

TRIBUNE-REVIEW

Monday, October 16, 2006

Troy Polamalu might want to consider using a gel.

Chiefs Pro Bowl running back Larry Johnson tackled Polamalu by his long, flowing hair after an interception in the most memorable play of a 45-7 shearing at Heinz Field.

Johnson said Polamalu's hair, which hangs about a foot out of his helmet as a tribute to his Samoan warrior heritage, was too inviting to ignore.

"I mean, the dude had hair," Johnson said. "What do you want me to do? They said the hair is part of the uniform, the last time I checked. When I grabbed it, that was the only thing I could get my hands on and pull him down."

The NFL official observer at the Steelers game said there has never been a rule making it illegal to bring down a runner by his hair. After former Miami Dolphins running back Ricky Williams was tackled twice in 2003 by his long dreadlocks, NFL head of officials Mike Pereira made it a point to remind teams that it is legal to tackle runners by their hair.

"The hair is part of the uniform," Chiefs coach Herm Edwards said.

 

[zamboni]

"The hair is part of the uniform," Chiefs coach Herm Edwards said.

You play to pull the mane.

 

[faulkfan]

i didn't think LJ held on....i thought his hand was stuck in the soul glow

If you watch the replay, LJ really took his time with letting go of the hair. Didn't look caught in his hand at all. Look like he held it.

Let us not forget that most of these guys wear tacky gloves to help them hold onto the ball. Those things are bigtime sticky. Rolle gets 15 yds for a play that could well have ended LJ's career and Johnson get's the same 15 yds for the Ref's perception of taunting. Does something seem wrong with this?I just wish someone would have pulled down Cowher by his chin after he decided to rub the loss in the Chiefs face by going for it on 4th and goal when he was already up 31-7. A field goal puts the game out of reach anyway so why be a jerk and run up the score?

The same can be said of Shotty who leaves in his starting linup until 4 minutes to go in a complete demolishing of SF.

 

[Godsbrother]

I just wish someone would have pulled down Cowher by his chin after he decided to rub the loss in the Chiefs face by going for it on 4th and goal when he was already up 31-7. A field goal puts the game out of reach anyway so why be a jerk and run up the score? The same can be said of Shotty who leaves in his starting linup until 4 minutes to go in a complete demolishing of SF.

The 4-1 occurred on the 1 yard line very early in the 4th quarter (only 2:00 into it, I believe). The TD put the game away and if they don't get it they give KC the ball on the 1 yard line. Jeff Reed had also missed a FG earlier in the game.On the next four drives Batch and the rest of the Steelers reserves were put in the game so what exactly are you complaining about?Maybe LB Rian Wallace shouldn't have returned his 4th quarter interception for a TD because the Steelers were already up by 31. If he really wanted to be a good sport he would have dropped the pass or better yet, hand it to a Chiefs WR and point the direction to the Steelers endzone.

 

[CrossEyed]

I just wish someone would have pulled down Cowher by his chin after he decided to rub the loss in the Chiefs face by going for it on 4th and goal when he was already up 31-7. A field goal puts the game out of reach anyway so why be a jerk and run up the score? The same can be said of Shotty who leaves in his starting linup until 4 minutes to go in a complete demolishing of SF.

The 4-1 occurred on the 1 yard line very early in the 4th quarter (only 2:00 into it, I believe). The TD put the game away and if they don't get it they give KC the ball on the 1 yard line. Jeff Reed had also missed a FG earlier in the game.On the next four drives Batch and the rest of the Steelers reserves were put in the game so what exactly are you complaining about?Maybe LB Rian Wallace shouldn't have returned his 4th quarter interception for a TD because the Steelers were already up by 31. If he really wanted to be a good sport he would have dropped the pass or better yet, hand it to a Chiefs WR and point the direction to the Steelers endzone.

I have an even better idea. How about we just call the game if a team gets up by more than 3 TDs in the second half so nobody gets their feeling hurt.

 

[Black Box]

I think Polamalu probably knows the deal about being able to be tackled by the hair. He didn't even as much as look at LJ after the tackle. He just got up and ran away, happy for the interception. Classy reaction because I'm sure it sucked to be tackled that way, even if legal.

 

[TheLaw]

to bad there was a penelty on the play. i thought hair was part of the jersey. Didnt Ricky Williams get pulled down by the hair without consequence?

I think the penalty was because LJ held onto Troy's hair after he dragged him to the ground, got up while still grabbing his hair, and gave it kind of a tug and fling as he walked away from troy. I'm a Penn State grad, but LJ is a bit of a ####.

 

[AhrnCityPahnder]

I just wish someone would have pulled down Cowher by his chin after he decided to rub the loss in the Chiefs face by going for it on 4th and goal when he was already up 31-7. A field goal puts the game out of reach anyway so why be a jerk and run up the score?

Everyone (including you, I suspect) knew that the Steelers offense up to this point had been a miserable display. Putting up 45 and getting Ben some TD throws and some of his confidence back is exactly what they needed yesterday. I would have watched them put up 50 more if there was time left on the clock for it.

Or, to put it more succinctly,

 

[One]

anybody have a link to the tackle? some guys at work have yet to see it.

 

[a_rackowski]

If I am a machinist - I will not have hair down to my waist. Its common sense or risk vs reward.

 

[GregR_2]

KC Star

With Pittsburgh in control in the third quarter, Johnson did deliver one highlight play. He chased down Troy Polamalu, who’d intercepted a Damon Huard pass and was steaming toward the end zone. Johnson dragged Polamalu down by his long, wavy hair.

Three years ago, Johnson had hoped to be drafted by Pittsburgh. But the Steelers traded up and picked Polamalu instead.

A flag flew, but coach Herm Edwards said it was because of the skirmish that ensued afterward, not the hair-pulling. Long hair that grows beyond the helmet is considered part of the uniform.

“I made the tackle, tried to get up, and my hand’s full of his hair,” Johnson said. “It’s real cute that (Steelers cornerback) Ike Taylor came over trying to defend his boy when it wasn’t what was going on.

“If I got penalized, I hope it was for me hitting Ike Taylor in the face twice and not for pulling Troy’s hair. Because Troy’s a good player, and he’s a good guy off the field. That’s not something I’m doing.”

Pitt Gazette

For the record, any part of a player's hair that extends from the helmet is considered part of the uniform and is fair game for a tackler. It's known as the Ricky Williams rule for the running back who favored dreadlocks as his hairstyle. The NFL has instituted a new rule that prevents tacklers from collaring a ball carrier from behind, but that may be splitting hairs.

Although Johnson held onto Polamalu's hair and looked as though he twisted it when Polamalu bounced back up, he later explained that he tried to let go but his fingers got stuck. He thought the penalty was called because he hit defensive back Ike Taylor in an aftermath that could be described as a hairy moment.

 

[Lutherman2112]

KC Star

With Pittsburgh in control in the third quarter, Johnson did deliver one highlight play. He chased down Troy Polamalu, who’d intercepted a Damon Huard pass and was steaming toward the end zone. Johnson dragged Polamalu down by his long, wavy hair.

Three years ago, Johnson had hoped to be drafted by Pittsburgh. But the Steelers traded up and picked Polamalu instead.

A flag flew, but coach Herm Edwards said it was because of the skirmish that ensued afterward, not the hair-pulling. Long hair that grows beyond the helmet is considered part of the uniform.

“I made the tackle, tried to get up, and my hand’s full of his hair,” Johnson said. “It’s real cute that (Steelers cornerback) Ike Taylor came over trying to defend his boy when it wasn’t what was going on.

“If I got penalized, I hope it was for me hitting Ike Taylor in the face twice and not for pulling Troy’s hair. Because Troy’s a good player, and he’s a good guy off the field. That’s not something I’m doing.”

Pitt Gazette

For the record, any part of a player's hair that extends from the helmet is considered part of the uniform and is fair game for a tackler. It's known as the Ricky Williams rule for the running back who favored dreadlocks as his hairstyle. The NFL has instituted a new rule that prevents tacklers from collaring a ball carrier from behind, but that may be splitting hairs.

Although Johnson held onto Polamalu's hair and looked as though he twisted it when Polamalu bounced back up, he later explained that he tried to let go but his fingers got stuck. He thought the penalty was called because he hit defensive back Ike Taylor in an aftermath that could be described as a hairy moment.

 

[One]

"The dude had hair. What do you want me to do?" Johnson asked. "That's the only thing I could get my hands on."


"I hope I got the penalty for hitting Ike Taylor twice in the face," Johnson said, smirking. "It was real cute that Ike Taylor came over and tried to defend his boy."


link

 

[Evilgrin 72]

It was clearly a penalty.

First off, the NFL might want to reconsider the whole "hair is part of the uniform" thing. They're supposed to be cracking down on the horse-collar tackles, and calling penalties for tackling a guy by the collar because of the risk of head/neck/spinal injuries, but they're going to allow you to pull a guy down from behind by his hair?

If they want to mandate hair kept short enough that a player can't be tackled by it, so be it. Until then, they might want to reconsider that stance though, because someone is going to get seriously hurt. Troy doesn't wear his hair long to be a showboat, he does it because it's a tribute to his Samoan culture and representative of great Samoan warriors, who would not cut their hair, feeling it gave them added strength in battle. You can make fun of that all day long, but that's why he does it, and yes, it puts him at risk of injury. I think he'd be smart to cut it, but it's his choice.

Even given that, LJ still would have gotten off if he had just made the tackle and left it with that. he was obviously frustrated and was taking it out on Polamalu's scalp. Troy, to his credit, jogged away as if nothing happened, but given the replay, is Johnson really surprised that Taylor got in his face about it? Johnson can talk all he wants after the fact about what a great guy Troy is, but he sure didn't show a lot of respect there. He's supposed to be a leader of that team.

 

[Ditkaless Wonders]

Dear Troy:

No matter what she whispers in your ear, do not let that ##### near your head with scissors.

Your Friend,

Sampson

 

[bradf35]

I don't understand why the NFL has so many rules about how players can and can't dress, but then they allow players to have their hair outside of their helmet. They get a little carried away making sure that a player's shoe strings match his shoes, but then they let players grow hair halfway down their back.

 

[One]

It was clearly a penalty. First off, the NFL might want to reconsider the whole "hair is part of the uniform" thing. They're supposed to be cracking down on the horse-collar tackles, and calling penalties for tackling a guy by the collar because of the risk of head/neck/spinal injuries, but they're going to allow you to pull a guy down from behind by his hair?If they want to mandate hair kept short enough that a player can't be tackled by it, so be it. Until then, they might want to reconsider that stance though, because someone is going to get seriously hurt. Troy doesn't wear his hair long to be a showboat, he does it because it's a tribute to his Samoan culture and representative of great Samoan warriors, who would not cut their hair, feeling it gave them added strength in battle. You can make fun of that all day long, but that's why he does it, and yes, it puts him at risk of injury. I think he'd be smart to cut it, but it's his choice. Even given that, LJ still would have gotten off if he had just made the tackle and left it with that. he was obviously frustrated and was taking it out on Polamalu's scalp. Troy, to his credit, jogged away as if nothing happened, but given the replay, is Johnson really surprised that Taylor got in his face about it? Johnson can talk all he wants after the fact about what a great guy Troy is, but he sure didn't show a lot of respect there. He's supposed to be a leader of that team.

If Troy's gonna wear hair halfway down her back, she deserves to have it pulled in a PRO FOOTBALL GAME.

 

[E Street Brat]

It was clearly a penalty.

First off, the NFL might want to reconsider the whole "hair is part of the uniform" thing. They're supposed to be cracking down on the horse-collar tackles, and calling penalties for tackling a guy by the collar because of the risk of head/neck/spinal injuries, but they're going to allow you to pull a guy down from behind by his hair?

If they want to mandate hair kept short enough that a player can't be tackled by it, so be it. Until then, they might want to reconsider that stance though, because someone is going to get seriously hurt. Troy doesn't wear his hair long to be a showboat, he does it because it's a tribute to his Samoan culture and representative of great Samoan warriors, who would not cut their hair, feeling it gave them added strength in battle. You can make fun of that all day long, but that's why he does it, and yes, it puts him at risk of injury. I think he'd be smart to cut it, but it's his choice.

Even given that, LJ still would have gotten off if he had just made the tackle and left it with that. he was obviously frustrated and was taking it out on Polamalu's scalp. Troy, to his credit, jogged away as if nothing happened, but given the replay, is Johnson really surprised that Taylor got in his face about it? Johnson can talk all he wants after the fact about what a great guy Troy is, but he sure didn't show a lot of respect there. He's supposed to be a leader of that team.

If Troy's gonna wear hair halfway down her back, she deserves to have it pulled in a PRO FOOTBALL GAME.

Don't be a ####, guy.

 

[Evilgrin 72]

It was clearly a penalty. First off, the NFL might want to reconsider the whole "hair is part of the uniform" thing. They're supposed to be cracking down on the horse-collar tackles, and calling penalties for tackling a guy by the collar because of the risk of head/neck/spinal injuries, but they're going to allow you to pull a guy down from behind by his hair?If they want to mandate hair kept short enough that a player can't be tackled by it, so be it. Until then, they might want to reconsider that stance though, because someone is going to get seriously hurt. Troy doesn't wear his hair long to be a showboat, he does it because it's a tribute to his Samoan culture and representative of great Samoan warriors, who would not cut their hair, feeling it gave them added strength in battle. You can make fun of that all day long, but that's why he does it, and yes, it puts him at risk of injury. I think he'd be smart to cut it, but it's his choice. Even given that, LJ still would have gotten off if he had just made the tackle and left it with that. he was obviously frustrated and was taking it out on Polamalu's scalp. Troy, to his credit, jogged away as if nothing happened, but given the replay, is Johnson really surprised that Taylor got in his face about it? Johnson can talk all he wants after the fact about what a great guy Troy is, but he sure didn't show a lot of respect there. He's supposed to be a leader of that team.

If Troy's gonna wear hair halfway down her back, she deserves to have it pulled in a PRO FOOTBALL GAME.

I get it.... you said "she" and "her" to insinuate that only women should wear long hair ! Good one !It's PRO FOOTBALL, so we might as well allow helmet-to-helmet tackles, horse collars, free shots on the QB, and everything else, right? I mean, these guys are PRO FOOTBALL players, not women !!!

 

[One]

It was clearly a penalty. First off, the NFL might want to reconsider the whole "hair is part of the uniform" thing. They're supposed to be cracking down on the horse-collar tackles, and calling penalties for tackling a guy by the collar because of the risk of head/neck/spinal injuries, but they're going to allow you to pull a guy down from behind by his hair?If they want to mandate hair kept short enough that a player can't be tackled by it, so be it. Until then, they might want to reconsider that stance though, because someone is going to get seriously hurt. Troy doesn't wear his hair long to be a showboat, he does it because it's a tribute to his Samoan culture and representative of great Samoan warriors, who would not cut their hair, feeling it gave them added strength in battle. You can make fun of that all day long, but that's why he does it, and yes, it puts him at risk of injury. I think he'd be smart to cut it, but it's his choice. Even given that, LJ still would have gotten off if he had just made the tackle and left it with that. he was obviously frustrated and was taking it out on Polamalu's scalp. Troy, to his credit, jogged away as if nothing happened, but given the replay, is Johnson really surprised that Taylor got in his face about it? Johnson can talk all he wants after the fact about what a great guy Troy is, but he sure didn't show a lot of respect there. He's supposed to be a leader of that team.

If Troy's gonna wear hair halfway down her back, she deserves to have it pulled in a PRO FOOTBALL GAME.

I get it.... you said "she" and "her" to insinuate that only women should wear long hair ! Good one !It's PRO FOOTBALL, so we might as well allow helmet-to-helmet tackles, horse collars, free shots on the QB, and everything else, right? I mean, these guys are PRO FOOTBALL players, not women !!!

Dude, I'm just playin'.

 

[Doug B]

It was clearly a penalty. First off, the NFL might want to reconsider the whole "hair is part of the uniform" thing. They're supposed to be cracking down on the horse-collar tackles, and calling penalties for tackling a guy by the collar because of the risk of head/neck/spinal injuries, but they're going to allow you to pull a guy down from behind by his hair?

This is a good point.The NFL could mandate "no hair hanging out of the helmet" without resorting to making guys like Polamalu cut the hair, though. A simple, flexible, flattened vinyl sleeve could cover the hair, and then be tucked under the shoulder pads and jersey.

 

[bryhamm]

anybody have a link to the tackle? some guys at work have yet to see it.

Not a very good

, but it is a link. Looks like someone videotaped their TV.

 

[Evilhomer3k]

The current rules are just fine. The hair should be part of the uniform otherwise you're going to have cousin it out there on the field and no one will be able to tackle him because they're always going to be grabbing hair.

Johnson got penalized for holding onto the hair for too long. That's a valid penalty even if it was a bit of a grey area.

 

[Mr. Brownstone]

It was clearly a penalty.

First off, the NFL might want to reconsider the whole "hair is part of the uniform" thing. They're supposed to be cracking down on the horse-collar tackles, and calling penalties for tackling a guy by the collar because of the risk of head/neck/spinal injuries, but they're going to allow you to pull a guy down from behind by his hair?

If they want to mandate hair kept short enough that a player can't be tackled by it, so be it. Until then, they might want to reconsider that stance though, because someone is going to get seriously hurt. Troy doesn't wear his hair long to be a showboat, he does it because it's a tribute to his Samoan culture and representative of great Samoan warriors, who would not cut their hair, feeling it gave them added strength in battle. You can make fun of that all day long, but that's why he does it, and yes, it puts him at risk of injury. I think he'd be smart to cut it, but it's his choice.

Even given that, LJ still would have gotten off if he had just made the tackle and left it with that. he was obviously frustrated and was taking it out on Polamalu's scalp. Troy, to his credit, jogged away as if nothing happened, but given the replay, is Johnson really surprised that Taylor got in his face about it? Johnson can talk all he wants after the fact about what a great guy Troy is, but he sure didn't show a lot of respect there. He's supposed to be a leader of that team.

I dont agree with this EG. Tacklers may reach or grab at the collar area and make a tackle without being called for a horsecollar tackle.

 

[joffer]

Johnson got penalized for holding onto the hair for too long. That's a valid penalty even if it was a bit of a grey area.

i don't think so. i think it was for some taunting that happened after Ike Taylor came in and the crowd gathered.either way i don't have a problem with any of it. i don't have a problem with Polamalu having long hair, i don't have a problem with LJ tackling him by the hair. whether he held on or his fingers were tangled in that narly mess is open for debate, but doesn't really matter to me since i believe the penalty came afterward.

 

[Sabertooth]

I don't know. I think Larry probably pushed it a bit too far, but Troy has the mane. He can cut it and chooses not to. Whether it's a tribute to Samoan warriors or not, it's a choice.

 

[MrPack]

It finally happened--Troy Polamalu, returning an interception, was taken down after being pulled down by his wavy flocks of hair. Sometimes there's a price for keeping one's style. Thoughts?

Necessary to NOT have a rule that would prevent someone being pulled down by the hair. What if someone purposefully grew their hair down to their backside? He's aware of the risk. His choice.

I agree, it's his own fault.

 

[John Mamula]

It's really not that Complicated. You can tackle players by their hair however you can't remain holding on to the hair then lift the player up by the hair after the play is over.

not sure what the confusion is.

 

[Evilgrin 72]

It was clearly a penalty. First off, the NFL might want to reconsider the whole "hair is part of the uniform" thing. They're supposed to be cracking down on the horse-collar tackles, and calling penalties for tackling a guy by the collar because of the risk of head/neck/spinal injuries, but they're going to allow you to pull a guy down from behind by his hair?If they want to mandate hair kept short enough that a player can't be tackled by it, so be it. Until then, they might want to reconsider that stance though, because someone is going to get seriously hurt. Troy doesn't wear his hair long to be a showboat, he does it because it's a tribute to his Samoan culture and representative of great Samoan warriors, who would not cut their hair, feeling it gave them added strength in battle. You can make fun of that all day long, but that's why he does it, and yes, it puts him at risk of injury. I think he'd be smart to cut it, but it's his choice. Even given that, LJ still would have gotten off if he had just made the tackle and left it with that. he was obviously frustrated and was taking it out on Polamalu's scalp. Troy, to his credit, jogged away as if nothing happened, but given the replay, is Johnson really surprised that Taylor got in his face about it? Johnson can talk all he wants after the fact about what a great guy Troy is, but he sure didn't show a lot of respect there. He's supposed to be a leader of that team.

If Troy's gonna wear hair halfway down her back, she deserves to have it pulled in a PRO FOOTBALL GAME.

I get it.... you said "she" and "her" to insinuate that only women should wear long hair ! Good one !It's PRO FOOTBALL, so we might as well allow helmet-to-helmet tackles, horse collars, free shots on the QB, and everything else, right? I mean, these guys are PRO FOOTBALL players, not women !!!

Dude, I'm just playin'.

Me too.

 

[Evilgrin 72]

It was clearly a penalty. First off, the NFL might want to reconsider the whole "hair is part of the uniform" thing. They're supposed to be cracking down on the horse-collar tackles, and calling penalties for tackling a guy by the collar because of the risk of head/neck/spinal injuries, but they're going to allow you to pull a guy down from behind by his hair?

This is a good point.The NFL could mandate "no hair hanging out of the helmet" without resorting to making guys like Polamalu cut the hair, though. A simple, flexible, flattened vinyl sleeve could cover the hair, and then be tucked under the shoulder pads and jersey.

Sure - that would work.

 

[Evilgrin 72]

It was clearly a penalty.

First off, the NFL might want to reconsider the whole "hair is part of the uniform" thing. They're supposed to be cracking down on the horse-collar tackles, and calling penalties for tackling a guy by the collar because of the risk of head/neck/spinal injuries, but they're going to allow you to pull a guy down from behind by his hair?

If they want to mandate hair kept short enough that a player can't be tackled by it, so be it. Until then, they might want to reconsider that stance though, because someone is going to get seriously hurt. Troy doesn't wear his hair long to be a showboat, he does it because it's a tribute to his Samoan culture and representative of great Samoan warriors, who would not cut their hair, feeling it gave them added strength in battle. You can make fun of that all day long, but that's why he does it, and yes, it puts him at risk of injury. I think he'd be smart to cut it, but it's his choice.

Even given that, LJ still would have gotten off if he had just made the tackle and left it with that. he was obviously frustrated and was taking it out on Polamalu's scalp. Troy, to his credit, jogged away as if nothing happened, but given the replay, is Johnson really surprised that Taylor got in his face about it? Johnson can talk all he wants after the fact about what a great guy Troy is, but he sure didn't show a lot of respect there. He's supposed to be a leader of that team.

I dont agree with this EG. Tacklers may reach or grab at the collar area and make a tackle without being called for a horsecollar tackle.

Sure, but if they grab the collar area and ride the player down from behind holding onto that area solely, they'll be flagged for it. Grabbing someone's hair and leaving your feet, basically causing your weight to be transferred to the other player's neck, is the same thing they're trying to avoid with the horse collar rules, only it's even worse.

 

[Ghost Rider]

I just wish someone would have pulled down Cowher by his chin after he decided to rub the loss in the Chiefs face by going for it on 4th and goal when he was already up 31-7. A field goal puts the game out of reach anyway so why be a jerk and run up the score?

Get real. This is the NFL, not college football. What if KC blocks the FG, returns it for a TD, and gets the two-point conversion? It is then 31-15, and KC is only down by two scores. Pittsburgh went for the kill, and got the score. If the Chiefs had a problem with it, they should have played better defense on the 4th down play.

It was clearly a penalty.

First off, the NFL might want to reconsider the whole "hair is part of the uniform" thing. They're supposed to be cracking down on the horse-collar tackles, and calling penalties for tackling a guy by the collar because of the risk of head/neck/spinal injuries, but they're going to allow you to pull a guy down from behind by his hair?

If they want to mandate hair kept short enough that a player can't be tackled by it, so be it. Until then, they might want to reconsider that stance though, because someone is going to get seriously hurt. Troy doesn't wear his hair long to be a showboat, he does it because it's a tribute to his Samoan culture and representative of great Samoan warriors, who would not cut their hair, feeling it gave them added strength in battle. You can make fun of that all day long, but that's why he does it, and yes, it puts him at risk of injury. I think he'd be smart to cut it, but it's his choice.

Even given that, LJ still would have gotten off if he had just made the tackle and left it with that. he was obviously frustrated and was taking it out on Polamalu's scalp. Troy, to his credit, jogged away as if nothing happened, but given the replay, is Johnson really surprised that Taylor got in his face about it? Johnson can talk all he wants after the fact about what a great guy Troy is, but he sure didn't show a lot of respect there. He's supposed to be a leader of that team.

I dont agree with this EG. Tacklers may reach or grab at the collar area and make a tackle without being called for a horsecollar tackle.

I agree. If you have hair that long, it should be fair game to pull, especially since it covers a good part of the uniform.

 

[MelvinTScupper]

Shouldn't be a penalty but pulling hair is ####. Next thing they'll be scratching and biting...

It was that or a TD. Very good play by LJ.

I agree. But having long hair is something you expect to see in a chick fight.

fixed

 

[Evilgrin 72]

I just wish someone would have pulled down Cowher by his chin after he decided to rub the loss in the Chiefs face by going for it on 4th and goal when he was already up 31-7. A field goal puts the game out of reach anyway so why be a jerk and run up the score?

Get real. This is the NFL, not college football. What if KC blocks the FG, returns it for a TD, and gets the two-point conversion? It is then 31-15, and KC is only down by two scores. Pittsburgh went for the kill, and got the score. If the Chiefs had a problem with it, they should have played better defense on the 4th down play.

It was clearly a penalty.

First off, the NFL might want to reconsider the whole "hair is part of the uniform" thing. They're supposed to be cracking down on the horse-collar tackles, and calling penalties for tackling a guy by the collar because of the risk of head/neck/spinal injuries, but they're going to allow you to pull a guy down from behind by his hair?

If they want to mandate hair kept short enough that a player can't be tackled by it, so be it. Until then, they might want to reconsider that stance though, because someone is going to get seriously hurt. Troy doesn't wear his hair long to be a showboat, he does it because it's a tribute to his Samoan culture and representative of great Samoan warriors, who would not cut their hair, feeling it gave them added strength in battle. You can make fun of that all day long, but that's why he does it, and yes, it puts him at risk of injury. I think he'd be smart to cut it, but it's his choice.

Even given that, LJ still would have gotten off if he had just made the tackle and left it with that. he was obviously frustrated and was taking it out on Polamalu's scalp. Troy, to his credit, jogged away as if nothing happened, but given the replay, is Johnson really surprised that Taylor got in his face about it? Johnson can talk all he wants after the fact about what a great guy Troy is, but he sure didn't show a lot of respect there. He's supposed to be a leader of that team.

I dont agree with this EG. Tacklers may reach or grab at the collar area and make a tackle without being called for a horsecollar tackle.

I agree. If you have hair that long, it should be fair game to pull, especially since it covers a good part of the uniform.

Just for the record, I'm not arguing that LJ was wrong to tackle Polamalu by his hair. Troy wants to wear his hair that way, that's the risk you run, plain and simple. All I'm saying is that the NFL might want to consider either banning long hair or banning tackling by the hair, as it's even MORE likely to cause the kind of injuries they're trying to prevent with the horse-collar rules, that's all.LJ's penalty came because after he made the tackle, he pulled Troy up by the hair, and released him with a flourish. Then, after Taylor took excpetion to it, he hit him in the face twice. He could have gotten away with it had he just made the tackle, but he was frustrated and acted like a pud. He needs to demonstrate better leadership.

 

[Fiddles]

Polamalu said, "It doesn't matter to me if he tackles me by my hair or my ankles."

 

[Frenchy Fuqua]

Hard not to like Polamalu:

Steelers victory had everything, including a bizarre hair tackle

Monday, October 16, 2006

By Robert Dvorchak, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

No matter how you cut it, it was a good hair day for Troy Polamalu and the Steelers.

The free-wheeling safety was dragged down by the long locks that flow out of his helmet during an interception return that will be re-run more often than a Seinfeld episode. And who knows what the fallout would have been if the play had had a direct impact on the team's 45-7 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.

As it was, the tackle and an ensuing unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Kansas City's Larry Johnson turned out to be little more than a conversation piece and a point of levity in the locker room.

"No, it didn't hurt," Polamalu said in the aftermath. "It felt good."

He did concede that he had never been dragged down by his hair before.

"No, but if I got the ball in my hands, they can tackle me all day like that," Polamalu said. "We had a lot of fun out there."

For the record, any part of a player's hair that extends from the helmet is considered part of the uniform and is fair game for a tackler. It's known as the Ricky Williams rule for the running back who favored dreadlocks as his hairstyle. The NFL has instituted a new rule that prevents tacklers from collaring a ball carrier from behind, but that may be splitting hairs.

Although Johnson held onto Polamalu's hair and looked as though he twisted it when Polamalu bounced back up, he later explained that he tried to let go but his fingers got stuck. He thought the penalty was called because he hit defensive back Ike Taylor in an aftermath that could be described as a hairy moment.

"I mean, the dude had hair. What do you want me to do?" Johnson said. "They said that hair is part of the uniform the last time I checked. When I grabbed him, that's the only thing I could get my hands on. It's not like I was trying to jerk him down...If you know anybody who has long hair, you take your hand and run it through somebody's head, it's going to get stuck, and that's what happened. Trying to get my hands out of it was the hard part."

So now everybody knows the shaggy look is not the work of extensions.

Long regarded as the best safety in football by coach Bill Cowher, Polamalu is like a human highlight reel for the way he flits all over the field, running with the speed of a cornerback and hitting with the ferocity of a linebacker to disrupt offenses. Although teammates have nicknamed him The Tasmanian Devil for his appearance and his play, he could also be called The Mane Man in the Steelers secondary. Hey, Samson performed better with long hair too.

The 'do isn't for show, though. His grandparents hail from the island village of Tau, which is part of American Samoa. The long hair is a symbol of his heritage and the Samoan warrior tradition.

If the interception did anything, it showed football fans that Polamula is recovered from a shoulder injury that hampered him during a three-game losing streak.

"He played like a warrior. You can see what happens when he's healthy," said defensive lineman Brett Keisel. "That's one of the risks you take if you grow your hair out. I try to keep my jersey as tight as it can be .... But that's who Troy is. He's got that warrior mentality. It kind of fits the part with his mop. He is incredible."

The play happened during the third quarter after the Chiefs had recovered a fumble. Quarterback Duane Huard's pass was deflected, and Polamalu stepped in to pick it off. He ran to his right and was speeding down the sideline when Johnson caught him from behind. Everybody went down in a whirling furball of tangled bodies.

"Someone did a great job of tipping the ball, and I was just blessed to be in the right spot at the right time," said Polamalu, whose ferocity on the field stands in stark contrast to the soft-spoken demeanor he has off it.

He didn't mind the manner of being hauled down at all.

"It really doesn't matter to me. He can tackle me by my hair or my ankles. It doesn't matter. I understand the nature of the game. A lot of things like that can happen," he said.

Some words were exchanged on the sideline when the opposing players tangled. But Steelers defenders understood what Johnson did.

"He said [the hair] got caught in his fingers, and he apologized," said linebacker Larry Foote. "If I was Larry Johnson, I would have grabbed for the hair, too. It's either grab the hair or give him the touchdown, one or the other, so you have to grab him."

Mid-October is rarely a time for intense scoreboard watching. But the defending Super Bowl champs benefited from losses by Cincinnati and Baltimore earlier yesterday afternoon, making their situation much brighter than it was going in. Plus, one of the folksier cliches in football is that winning is the best deodorant.

"Obviously, we have our backs to the wall still. It's not like we haven't been there before. We'll just keep on working hard, as we have been," Polamalu said. "We played really good football, but we haven't played a whole game. There were times our defense slowed down a little bit [yesterday], which we can't allow to happen. So there's a lot left for us to work on."

When asked if he would be getting a haircut today, Polamalu chuckled softly.

"I lost half of it already," he said.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Robert Dvorchak can be reached at 412-263-1959 or at bdvorchak@post-gazette.com. )

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