What is the NFL thinking? (1 Viewer)

[FunkyPlutos]

Joe Webb was fined $5,000 for his stiff arm facemask in the Vikings/Eagles game, but Asante Samuel was not fined for his hit on Sidney Rice that gave Rice a concussion and will have Rice out for the last game of the season. Samuel gave a helmet to helmet hit. This does not make any sense.

 

[delusional]

Asante did not launch himself. Rice actually lowered his head into Asante's also.

I and most every football fan agree the fine #### is asinine. Next season the refs are just going to throw invoices instead of flags. Funny thing is all those big fines that happened this year...yea they got reduced recently

 

[comfortably numb]

Where does the $ from fines go?

 

[David Yudkin]

Where does the $ from fines go?

Charity.

 

[ScottyFargo]

Webb's facemask seemed pretty accidental to me, as his fingers got caught in the mask as he was trying to stiff arm. Sucks. Sidney lowered in anticipation of the blow, but it sure seemed to be the same principal to me as any of the other fined hits helmet-to-helmets to me.

 

[delusional]

Webb's facemask seemed pretty accidental to me, as his fingers got caught in the mask as he was trying to stiff arm. Sucks. Sidney lowered in anticipation of the blow, but it sure seemed to be the same principal to me as any of the other fined hits helmet-to-helmets to me.

If he didnt lower his head Asante would have hit him in the chest.

 

[NJJets]

Welcome to GODells N(o) F(un) L(eague)

 

[Summer Wheat]

Where does the $ from fines go?

Goodells year end bonus.

 

[FunkyPlutos]

Found this on the Vikings' blog...I guess it answers my question.

Happy New Years everyone. Hope you had a fun and safe night. Judd and I are headed for Detroit later today, but wanted to re-visit an item we had in our notebook today about the hit that left Sidney Rice with a concussion on Tuesday night. We were surprised when the league informed us Friday afternoon that Vikings quarterback Joe Webb had received a $5,000 fine for grabbing the facemask of an Eagles player while scrambling, but that Eagles cornerback Asante Samuel was not fined for his helmet-to-helmet hit that left Rice with a concussion. Samuel drew a personal foul penalty for hitting a defenseless player. It was the kind of play that seemed would result in a significant fine given the league's crackdown on dangerous hits. It's even more puzzling that Samuel didn't receive a fine when you consider Antoine Winfield recently received a $10,000 fine for violating the uniform policy regarding his socks. Profootballtalk got further explanation from a league spokesman on why Samuel's hit didn't result in a fine. Here is the link.Here is how NFL spokesman Randall Liu explained it to PFT:"Because the receiver had completed the catch with two feet down and possession of the ball, he had protection from a hit to the head only from a defender who launches,” Liu said. “Samuel did not ‘launch’ as defined by our current rules because the ball of his right foot was on the ground when contact with the receiver was made. Rule 12, Section 2, Article 8(h) Note states: ‘Launching is defined as springing forward and upward by a player who leaves his feet to make contact on the receiver.’ [NFL executive V.P. of football operations] Ray Anderson confirmed that the NFL Competition Committee will review the rule and the definition of ‘launch’ in the off-season with the anticipation that this type of action will be a foul in future seasons.”Rice was asked about the hit after Friday's practice. “It really doesn’t bother me," Rice said. "It’s football. It was helmet-to-helmet but it’s part of the game. You put it out there on the line, every week you go out there and you play for your teammates and you try to do what’s right. So, I don’t know if it was intentional or what his thought process was, but it’s football.”

 

[treat88]

Webb's facemask seemed pretty accidental to me, as his fingers got caught in the mask as he was trying to stiff arm. Sucks. Sidney lowered in anticipation of the blow, but it sure seemed to be the same principal to me as any of the other fined hits helmet-to-helmets to me.

If he didnt lower his head Asante would have hit him in the chest.

As would have Harrison vs. Massaqoui. 75k reduced to 50k says it doesn't matter.It has been clearly spelled out that the defensive player is 100% culpable for the results of his hit regardless of offensive players movements.It's a big steaming pile of BS, but that's what Goodell's regime has mandated.What has not been mandated is any form of consistency in throwing the flag or determining the fine.

 

[delusional]

Yep. This is why I can't wait until Goodell is gone from the league.

The Merriweather(sp?) hit in the beginning of the season, now that was a legit head hunting hit. That is why the fines & suspensions shoud be for.

Not this tick tack its football hits.

 

[AhrnCityPahnder]

Asante did not launch himself. Rice actually lowered his head into Asante's also.

You can replace Asante and Rice with Harrison and Massaquoi above, and that was a huge fine.

 

[mad sweeney]

Yep. This is why I can't wait until Goodell is gone from the league. The Merriweather(sp?) hit in the beginning of the season, now that was a legit head hunting hit. That is why the fines & suspensions shoud be for. Not this tick tack its football hits.

It's amazing how much they got this wrong. The Dunte Robinson hit shouldn't have been a fine at all and the Merriweather hit was as dirty as dirty can be. They had a chance to differentiate between accidental big hits and deliberate head hunting the first week they levied fines and could've made a statement by not reducing his. Goodell sucks big time.

 

[delusional]

Yep. This is why I can't wait until Goodell is gone from the league. The Merriweather(sp?) hit in the beginning of the season, now that was a legit head hunting hit. That is why the fines & suspensions shoud be for. Not this tick tack its football hits.

It's amazing how much they got this wrong. The Dunte Robinson hit shouldn't have been a fine at all and the Merriweather hit was as dirty as dirty can be. They had a chance to differentiate between accidental big hits and deliberate head hunting the first week they levied fines and could've made a statement by not reducing his. Goodell sucks big time.

Well much like most of what goodell does, it was a gross overreaction and instead of realizing that they kept that overreaction crap going all year until recently when they reduced nearly everyones fines

 

[treat88]

Yep. This is why I can't wait until Goodell is gone from the league. The Merriweather(sp?) hit in the beginning of the season, now that was a legit head hunting hit. That is why the fines & suspensions shoud be for. Not this tick tack its football hits.

It's amazing how much they got this wrong. The Dunte Robinson hit shouldn't have been a fine at all and the Merriweather hit was as dirty as dirty can be. They had a chance to differentiate between accidental big hits and deliberate head hunting the first week they levied fines and could've made a statement by not reducing his. Goodell sucks big time.

Spot on.Meriweather, the one player who actually should have been fined, has his reduced also though.Goodell needs Merton Hanks and Ray Anderson shoved up his money grubbing keester.

 

[mad sweeney]

Yep. This is why I can't wait until Goodell is gone from the league.

The Merriweather(sp?) hit in the beginning of the season, now that was a legit head hunting hit. That is why the fines & suspensions shoud be for.

Not this tick tack its football hits.

It's amazing how much they got this wrong. The Dunte Robinson hit shouldn't have been a fine at all and the Merriweather hit was as dirty as dirty can be. They had a chance to differentiate between accidental big hits and deliberate head hunting the first week they levied fines and could've made a statement by not reducing his. Goodell sucks big time.

Spot on.Meriweather, the one player who actually should have been fined, has his reduced also though.

Goodell needs Merton Hanks and Ray Anderson shoved up his money grubbing keester.

That's what I'm saying, they had another chance to get it right and they failed spectacularly. All their tough talk and the most egregious one gets reduced like the rest. Players get fined more for the wrong socks.

 

[mcnabbmcnow]

Samuel was fined earlier this year for something ridiculous, so I think this kind of makes up for it.

 

[tombonneau]

Yep. This is why I can't wait until Goodell is gone from the league. The Merriweather(sp?) hit in the beginning of the season, now that was a legit head hunting hit. That is why the fines & suspensions shoud be for. Not this tick tack its football hits.

It's amazing how much they got this wrong. The Dunte Robinson hit shouldn't have been a fine at all and the Merriweather hit was as dirty as dirty can be. They had a chance to differentiate between accidental big hits and deliberate head hunting the first week they levied fines and could've made a statement by not reducing his. Goodell sucks big time.

Spot on.Meriweather, the one player who actually should have been fined, has his reduced also though.Goodell needs Merton Hanks and Ray Anderson shoved up his money grubbing keester.

Yet ironically the notoriety Merriweather gained from the hit probably helped launch him (pun intended) to the Pro Bowl. And take it from a Pats fan: the only way he deserves to go to Hawaii is via Expedia.