Harrison roughing penalty

[217014170]

Regardless of whether or not you THINK the hit was cheap why isn't anyone talking about the fact that he got a free release to the QB? The OLine and 14 needs to be pointing out where Harrison is on every play.

[SKRAAPY]

Now, I don't think that the hit was all that bad, but the thing you have to ask yourself, if that was

Tom Brady, would they have called it? No doubt in my mind, that it would have been.

 

If it was Brady, Harrison would have been drawn and quartered.

[Fixxxer]

Harrison is a piece of **** cheap shot artist, in the similar vein of rodney harrison and vince wilfork. His dumb ass doesn't realize that you can't lead with the crown of your helmet when hitting someone. Thats why he's getting flagged. Thats what he did on Fitz, not to mention he lead with the helmet and went high.

 

I wouldn't be shocked to see him get (a well deserved) suspension.

 

Is either that o the guy is stupid. I think he plays trying to make a point, as if changing his way of playing is difficult, which is BS. He could have tackled Fitz by the waist and it would have been a great pla for them.

[CodeMonkey]

I've seen the head-to-chest hits called for penalties. Basically, any hit where the head is leaning forward instead of off to the side allowing for the shoulder to his first gets called. It's ridiculous and he does have the right to be upset but it is consistent with everything else that's been called this year.

I agree with you, it certainly appears to be that way. Is that officially the rule now?

If not, maybe they should clearly state it that way and be done with it.

[LynchMob23]

As a friend pointed out to me, though he deserves the suspension, Steelers vs Ravens is uber hyped for Sun night. Would they really suspend him for that after hitting "the bills?"

[DrDawkinstein]

If you LEAD with your HEAD, you will get penalized/fined.

 

It is POOR tackling technique that NO coach teaches. It has been adopted by players looking to deliver a "knock out blow".

 

He needs to go back to actual tackling, like it is taught from Pop Warner to the Pros, or he will continue to be fined/suspended. Deservedly so.

 

It is not hard to tackle properly. Especially on a play like that where he has a free shot to setup anyway he wants.

 

He could have just as easily delivered a devastating shoulder tackle to Fitz's wide open torso, and probably would have legally knocked him out of the game with some bruised ribs.

 

Instead, he goes high and with his head, and the crown of the helmet goes into Fitz's chin. That is incredibly dangerous and dirty. Harrison should be suspended since he obviously doesnt get it. As should his coach who refuses to enforce proper tackling technique.

[The Big Cat]

Yeah, the facemask might have been in the chest but the crown of his helmet was in Fitz's face - that's going to get a penalty every time. Helmet to helmet (or in this case helmet to face) contact is no longer going to be allowed. It wasn't even a debatable call.

 

+1

[Ramius]

Harrison is the type of cheap douchebag that when he's 42, drooling, doesn't know where he is, and is pissing himself twice a day, i wont shed a tear.

 

Note: i don't wish him harm, but if it does happen, it won't bother me one bit.

Edited November 29, 2010 by Ramius

[cantankerous]

I actually thought he should have been tossed from the game. How many of these illegal hits does it take to actually draw a meaningful consequence? He can cry about being fined, but it really means nothing to a multi-millionaire. I really hope the league actually stands behind their policy and suspends him for his repeated infractions. He met with Roger Goodell earlier this year...and he still doesn't get it? Suspend him. Maybe he'll wake up. I doubt it, but if the NFL really wants to stop these type of hits, they'd do more than just fine the moron.

 

 

"It's not going to change the way I play," said Harrison, who's already been docked $100,000 this season. "There was nothing wrong about the play." - James Harrison

If the NFL doesn't do something... then Goodell is more of a joke than I already thought he was.

Edited November 29, 2010 by cantankerous

[Wayne Cubed]

If you LEAD with your HEAD, you will get penalized/fined.

 

It is POOR tackling technique that NO coach teaches. It has been adopted by players looking to deliver a "knock out blow".

 

He needs to go back to actual tackling, like it is taught from Pop Warner to the Pros, or he will continue to be fined/suspended. Deservedly so.

 

It is not hard to tackle properly. Especially on a play like that where he has a free shot to setup anyway he wants.

 

He could have just as easily delivered a devastating shoulder tackle to Fitz's wide open torso, and probably would have legally knocked him out of the game with some bruised ribs.

 

Instead, he goes high and with his head, and the crown of the helmet goes into Fitz's chin. That is incredibly dangerous and dirty. Harrison should be suspended since he obviously doesnt get it. As should his coach who refuses to enforce proper tackling technique.

 

Not to nit pick, because i actually agree with the rule change, but i played pop warner up through high school. In pop warner it was always lower the head and wrap up taught by my coaches. When i got to high school, it was lead with ur head and go for the knock out blow taught by coaches. Maybe it was because it was legal or whatever, but leading with ur head was most certainly taught by our coaches and others. Makes me wonder with the rule change if high schools have adapted and changed.

Edited November 29, 2010 by Wayne333

[Fan in San Diego]

That was a blatant head shot cheap shot. I would have ejected him from the game. Then fined him $250K and suspend him for 3 games so maybe he would get the point. One more infraction and gone for the year and next year.

[NoSaint]

If you LEAD with your HEAD, you will get penalized/fined.

 

It is POOR tackling technique that NO coach teaches. It has been adopted by players looking to deliver a "knock out blow".

 

He needs to go back to actual tackling, like it is taught from Pop Warner to the Pros, or he will continue to be fined/suspended. Deservedly so.

 

It is not hard to tackle properly. Especially on a play like that where he has a free shot to setup anyway he wants.

 

He could have just as easily delivered a devastating shoulder tackle to Fitz's wide open torso, and probably would have legally knocked him out of the game with some bruised ribs.

 

Instead, he goes high and with his head, and the crown of the helmet goes into Fitz's chin. That is incredibly dangerous and dirty. Harrison should be suspended since he obviously doesnt get it. As should his coach who refuses to enforce proper tackling technique.

 

Honestly, yes.

 

I also havent been a fan of palamalu running his mouth about the appeals process, and just flat making things up.

 

you would think all the backtalk coming out of that organization would be worthy a fine. I know if you criticize a ref publicly its a fine, but if you flat make things up about the league its not?

[Fixxxer]

That was a blatant head shot cheap shot. I would have ejected him from the game. Then fined him $250K and suspend him for 3 games so maybe he would get the point. One more infraction and gone for the year and next year.

 

I think he gets it and he doesn't change to make a point. He's making a fool of himself because the entire league could change how they tackle and he'll become less richer in the process.

If I'm Polamalu I tell him to change his ways because he's really hurting the team and could cost them a playoff game in the future, Tomlin could step up as well, but I think it's best if a peer tells him this.

[NoSaint]

I think he gets it and he doesn't change to make a point. He's making a fool of himself because the entire league could change how they tackle and he'll become less richer in the process.

If I'm Polamalu I tell him to change his ways because he's really hurting the team and could cost them a playoff game in the future, Tomlin could step up as well, but I think it's best if a peer tells him this.

 

those two are going to bat for him publicly saying the league is in the wrong. the look on tomlins face when he saw the replay tells you everything you need to know about his support of that hit.

[McD]

Not to nit pick, because i actually agree with the rule change, but i played pop warner up through high school. In pop warner it was always lower the head and wrap up taught by my coaches. When i got to high school, it was lead with ur head and go for the knock out blow taught by coaches. Maybe it was because it was legal or whatever, but leading with ur head was most certainly taught by our coaches and others. Makes me wonder with the rule change if high schools have adapted and changed.

 

I coach youth football now and we have to be certified through USA Football to even step onto the field. Back when I was a kid playing... it was really about how hard you hit and wrapping... that was about it. These days you're taught to NEVER lower your head to tackle... you are supposed to "break down" and get lower than the guy with the ball, BUT you are taught to keep your head up, wrap the legs, and drive through the player... this is mostly for protection of the "tackler", as opposed to the person being tackled. Now, I understand Harrison has been playing under the way he "learned" to tackle for years, but he knows how to control his body and his tackling technique. Once a rule is changed, it needs to be adhered to, and by him basically spitting in the NFL's face by saying he isn't changing is something that needs to be addressed. The thing is... when has anyone ever been taught to takle someone by the head or chest area? Now... saying all of that, my initial reaction to the hit was that he hit him hard, but I didn't necessarily agree to the call. It's a judgment call by the officials who are sitting there "waiting" for that call to make... Just don't give them the opportunity to throw the hanky.

[Fan in San Diego]

those two are going to bat for him publicly saying the league is in the wrong. the look on tomlins face when he saw the replay tells you everything you need to know about his support of that hit.

 

Maybe Goodell should fine the Steelers then.

[DrDawkinstein]

Not to nit pick, because i actually agree with the rule change, but i played pop warner up through high school. In pop warner it was always lower the head and wrap up taught by my coaches. When i got to high school, it was lead with ur head and go for the knock out blow taught by coaches. Maybe it was because it was legal or whatever, but leading with ur head was most certainly taught by our coaches and others. Makes me wonder with the rule change if high schools have adapted and changed.

 

I played football from age 7 to 18 (1986-1997), and Rugby through college (1997-2001) and the proper technique is:

1. Break Down

2. Keep your head UP, you have to see what you are hitting

3. Lead in with your facemask, and slide to your shoulder

4. Wrap up with your arms and drive.

 

If your High School coaches were indeed teaching the other way of tackling, they should be reported to the authorities ASAP and fired immediately. The only thing they are doing is putting kids at risk of being paralyzed.

 

Anyone saying to lower your head simply does not know what they are talking about, as that is a sure fire way to get the defender paralyzed. It acutally upsets me a bit to hear that there are coaches dumb enough to do this.

 

I've previously made the statement that no coaches were teaching that poor technique, and have heard it echoed by Herm Edwards and other former players during the initial scandal earlier in the year.

 

I guess the proper statement would be: No coach that cares about their players well being, and who knows how to actually coach, would ever teach this technique.

 

It's dangerous. It's irresponsible. And it's wrong. Leading with your helmet has always been illegal and is called spearing. But officials have let it slide because players have been throwing in a shoulder or forearm as well. Lowering your head, so your facemask is facing the ground, WILL get someone paralyzed or killed.

[Nervous Guy]

he got the penalty because of his history, he will never get the benefit of the doubt and that's his doing, not the refs and not the league.

[DrDawkinstein]

Now... saying all of that, my initial reaction to the hit was that he hit him hard, but I didn't necessarily agree to the call. It's a judgment call by the officials who are sitting there "waiting" for that call to make... Just don't give them the opportunity to throw the hanky.

 

It's not a judgement call. The crown of Harrison's helmet went right into the bottom of Fitz's facemask. Penalty. That simple.

 

It's not as if Fitz was a WR who just caught the ball and was falling down. He was totally upright and exposed. Harrison had a free shot on him and CHOSE to hit him that way. He should be suspended, and the Steelers's coach and organization should be fined.

 

 

 

 

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New post:

 

Here is a great, HD clip of the hit. Replay at about 30 seconds.

 

He runs straight into Fitz, helmet first, right in the chin. He had ample opportunity to go just a little lower, and he would have been fine. Only person to blame here is Harrison. Not the league.

 

Scumbag

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwS8Clfp2vM

Edited November 29, 2010 by DrDankenstein

[CardinalScotts]

The replay was pretty obvious to me. He was aiming for Fitz's head. He deserved an ejection on top of a penalty.

 

PTR

 

agree...obviously does not know what crown of helmet means. If your arms are down at the sides your launching with your head leading the way- STOP doing it. Someone on the steelers should break it down for him because by his reaction he's clueless