James Harrison

[Barfo]

At least Harrison doesn't lead with his cleat.

lawl

 

[JohnnyGage]

Yeah at least a two game suspension. Should have been ejected too. Harrison still hasn't learned anything.

 

[rasczak]

All Harrison wants to do is kill someone/anyone legally in the field.

 

[classy]

He plays hard no question. I don't think he was trying drive him with his helmet because he tried to get his hands up into the QB's chest.

 

[rasczak]

He plays hard no question. I don't think he was trying drive him with his helmet because he tried to get his hands up into the QB's chest.

From what it looked like to me, harrison had his arms crossed. That's nottrying to protect the other playe.

 

[MotionMan]

James Harrison was born 15 years too early

So you think he should be 18 years old now?

MotionMan

 

[Possessed Freak]

Yeah, he needs a red card. Oh, wait, is this Football or Soccer?

 

[JD50]

I agree 100% with all above

Not trying to be a dick, but if you agree with what he said then you clearly don't understand the rules.

 

[Analog]

 

[Q]

Not trying to be a dick, but if you agree with what he said then you clearly don't understand the rules.

I'm extremely biased, I'm a Steeler fan.

Also, the above picture of Colt's face is hilarious, I'm sorry

 

[HendrixFan]

I'm extremely biased, I'm a Steeler fan.

Also, the above picture of Colt's face is hilarious, I'm sorry

But you are also a human being.

 

[rasczak]

I'm extremely biased, I'm a Steeler fan.

Also, the above picture of Colt's face is hilarious, I'm sorry

As I have always said, I look forward to the day someone is killed on field due to a hit such as the one by Harrison. Not because I want to see someone die, I want to see how the NFL and the fans would react to such a tragedy. My feeling is the fans and the NFL would be nonchalant about it.

 

[Q]

But you are also a human being.

I'm not.

Truthfully, I don't think he did it on purpose; I certainly believe his tackle style is geared towards getting the biggest hit he can, which is usually as high up on the body as possible, hence him getting a lot of helmet to helmets. Should he adjust this? Of course. He also should be suspended for a game.

Also, if you watched the game, when Colt was back in, after he (Colt) got flagged for the intentional grounding (which was shortly changed to a sack since his knee was down), Harrison was near him a made a nod/acknowledgment towards him as if to say "Sorry about that hit" -- of course that's speculation but the announcers said this as well.

Now, I understand the flag because it WAS a helmet to helmet, but the flag would have been thrown regardless of the way Colt was hit because the NFL is way too protective on the pocket QBs (Brady!) vs the scrambers (Vick, Big Ben). Colt was certainly out of the pocket, and the hit was not late.

Also on that goal-line stand the Browns had, there was a really hard helmet to helmet against Mendenhall, and nothing was called.

Summary, it was a bad hit, I feel for Colt, respect Colt, Harrison hits hard, wouldn't call it intentional though. Still, repeat offenses, should be suspended a game.


PS. I'm kidding about 'not being human', etc. I just think everyone is getting a little worked up. Back 2 years ago, some Steeler hit Willis McGahee really, really hard on a run and McGahee was down, stiff, non moving for about 10 minutes. That really had me frightened and I was/am very happy to see him recover and succeed in the league.

 

[darkswordsman17]

At this point its hard to argue its not on purpose. Fucking awful tackling technique, and if he's not doing anything to improve that now, then it absolutely is intentional. Tackling like that, the only way you're going to get a player down is if you KthemTFO.

Funny thing is, the Steelers seem to take concussions seriously when its their own players (Big Ben in 2009 against the Chiefs, fell and hit his head against a defensive players knee; Polamalu in the Chiefs game a couple of weeks back), they just don't GAF about others.

The NFL is going to need to start staffing medical professionals at games that can check out players away from the team for serious stuff like concussions.

During the Chiefs-Patriots game, Gronkowski landed on his kneck/head flipping over into the end zone, and he was clearly having issues when he stood up (disoriented, stumbling). He played the rest of the game.

 

[Triumph]

I hate the pussification of a lot of the game, such as the pathetic calls for roughing the passer or running into the kicker or whatever, when half of the time it's mostly simple physics. A 275 pound man running full speed at the ball carrier cannot simply stop and change direction at will. But on the other hand, these guys are seriously giving up their bodies and their health for the NFL, the NFL has enough money to provide them with the best healthcare available for life, and they should do that. And the big hits look great when they work, but when they fail miserably, you're left screaming at the TV because the 190 pound receiver just easily sidestepped your stupid out of control flying maneuver and is now heading for the end zone because you wanted a "big hit" rather than a wrap-up.

 

[NeoV]

lot's of mostly good discussion here - good to see.

One great comment - "Defensive players throughout the league don't tackle anymore, they hit. I just watched the Harrison/McCoy play for the first time a second ago, and he wasn't trying to tackle the player. "

That's a great point - Harrison isn't going for tackles, he's going for the hit - and if he doesn't stop leading with the crown of his head - against QB's or anyone else - someone is going to get killed or his own neck is going to get broken.

This isn't about the 'pussification' of the league - and I agree with you that some of the roughing the passer calls are questionable - but hits like the ones Harrison is literally trying to make on every play he's involved in - they have to stop.

Also - not a ton of talk about McCoy - still like to hear from the Browns how he got back into the game.

 

[anxi80]

League just announced Harrison is to be suspended for one game.

 

[rcpratt]

Good.

 

[American Gunner]

What you talking about Willis?

 

[momeNt]

James Harrison was born 15 years too early.

Could you imagine Paul Taglibue trying to regulate Lawrence Taylor, Harry Carson or even Mike Singletary in their prime.

/blegh

LT did not headhunt like Harrison does. Also if you watch LT's hit that broke Theismann's leg he is probably the most worried guy on the field. I just have a feeling that Harrison really doesn't care if he hurts or eventually kills the people he is hitting.

 

[rasczak]

League just announced Harrison is to be suspended for one game.

One game is not enough. 4 games should be his minimum.

 

[waggy]

Ummm, no?

1. Square your shoulders
2. Square your hips
3. Lower your shoulder
4. Make contact with the thigh/quadricep
5. Wrap
6. Lift
7. Plant

That's the proper way to form tackle. All the other methods are to be used only when necessary.

And people wonder why kids get hurt these days...

/this

When you watch a game the on TV announcers will mock a player for missing a tackle. then go on for 5 minutes how nobody tackles right anymore.

Then on the top 10 you see players "lighting them up" or "de-cleating" hits. None of them are proper hits but they are the ones getting the hi-light reals.

So what do kids do? try to copy it. instead of learning and doing proper tackles they want to show off.

 

[Jeffg010]

The NFL claims it was a defenseless quarterback which is BS he was out of the pocket. He did hit him helmet to helmet I'll give them that but he was not defenseless.

 

[BoomerD]

The NFL claims it was a defenseless quarterback which is BS he was out of the pocket. He did hit him helmet to helmet I'll give them that but he was not defenseless.

Agreed. He had become a ball carrier at that point.

Helmet-to-helmet rules generally only apply to "defenseless receivers."
(although it seems like the NFL is trying to change that too)

From the NFL Rule Book:

http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/image/rulebook/pdfs/15_Rule12_Player_Conduct.pdf

(j) if a player illegally launches into a defenseless opponent. It is an illegal launch if a player (1) leaves both feet prior to contact to spring forward and upward into his opponent, and (2) uses any part of his helmet (including the top/crown and forehead/”hairline” parts) to initiate forcible contact against any
part of his opponent’s body.
Note: This does not apply to contact against a runner, unless the runner is still considered to be a defenseless
player, as defined in Rule 12, Section 2, Article 9.

Article 9 It is a foul if a player initiates unnecessary contact against a player who is in a defenseless posture.
(a)�� Players in a defenseless posture are:

(1)�� A player in the act of or just after throwing a pass;
(2)�� A receiver attempting to catch a pass; or who has completed a catch and has not had time to protect himself or has not clearly become a runner. If the receiver/runner is capable of avoiding or
warding off the impending contact of an opponent, he is no longer a defenseless player;
(3)�� A runner already in the grasp of a tackler and whose forward progress has been stopped;
(4)�� A kickoff or punt returner attempting to field a kick in the air;
(5)�� A player on the ground at the end of a play;
(6)�� A kicker/punter during the kick or during the return;
(7)�� A quarterback at any time after a change of possession, and
(8)�� A player who receives a “blindside” block when the blocker is moving toward his own endline and
approaches the opponent from behind or from the side.
(b)�� Prohibited contact against a player who is in a defenseless posture is:
(1)�� Forcibly hitting the defenseless player’s head or neck area with the helmet, facemask, forearm, or shoulder, regardless of whether the defensive player also uses his arms to tackle the defenseless
player by encircling or grasping him; and
(2)�� Lowering the head and making forcible contact with the top/crown or forehead/”hairline” parts of
the helmet against any part of the defenseless player’s body.
Note: The provisions of (2) do not prohibit incidental contact by the mask or helmet in the course of a conventional tackle on an opponent.
Penalty: For unnecessary roughness: Loss of 15 yards. The player may be disqualified if the action is
judged by the official(s) to be flagrant.

PASSER OUT OF THE POCKET
(8)�� When the passer goes outside the pocket area and either continues moving with the ball (without
attempting to advance the ball as a runner) or throws while on the run, he loses the protection of the
one-step rule provided for in (1) above, and the protection against a low hit provided for in (5) above,
but he remains covered by all the other special protections afforded to a passer in the pocket
(numbers 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7), as well as the regular unnecessary-roughness rules applicable to all player
positions. If the passer stops behind the line and clearly establishes a passing posture, he will then be
covered by all of the special protections for passers.

 

[rcpratt]

Agreed. He had become a ball carrier at that point.

Helmet-to-helmet rules generally only apply to "defenseless receivers."
(although it seems like the NFL is trying to change that too)

Quarterbacks have the same protection - as long as they're not acting "as a runner." Colt was running, then threw, then was hit. It is kind of gray.