Harrison fined 25k for helmet to helmet hit on fitzpatrick

[ALP]

its tough to keep tabs on it, but im pretty sure thats the 4th helmet to helmet hit this season

so my question is this, how many does it take for a suspension???

the guy has been fined a total of 125k, which is approx 24% on a GAME CHECK

which means its 24% of 1/16th of this year's salary for him....fines wont enforce sh*t

 

[JFK]

Suspensions might be more effective but do you think he wants to pay fines? Most helmet to helmets are not on purpose. Football is a fast game. Defensive players might ask for little more $$ with they way they get fined.

 

[Aepps85]

Helmet has always been an issue in Football so don't know why the league is trying to make extra money. Oh thats right there is a chance the league will be locked out next season doitttt (Homer simpson voice)

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

correction: The NFL is not claiming it was a helmet to helmet hit (It wasn't).

“James Harrison was fined $25,000 for roughing the passer, specifically he made helmet contact to the chest of the Buffalo quarterback, who was in a defenseless position at the time the contact was made,” the NFL said in an e-mail Tuesday to The Associated Press.

Steelers' Harrison fined $25K for Fitzpatrick hit - NFL - Yahoo! Sports

 

[jmt57]

Yeah, when I saw he was fined again I thought of that too. At some point the NFL is going to say he's not getting the message, and will suspend him in order to get his attention. I don't think the league would fine a player five times in one year without suspending him for a game, regardless of what the offense was.


Regarding the NFL trying to profit from the fines, I doubt that is the reason. All that money goes to charities, plus it's next to nothing in comparison to their operating costs and profits.

 

[condon84]

Mike Tomlin said that all of Harrison's fines are going to affect his kid's schooling:

“I don’t care how much money you make. I take offense at times just in general how all of us talk about the money,” Tomlin told Alex Marvez and Rich Gannon on Sirius NFL Radio. “He’s got two kids. That’s some serious college schooling right there potentially for those kids 16, 18 years from now.”

Mike Tomlin on James Harrison fines: “He’s got two kids” | ProFootballTalk

 

[jmt57]

Mike Tomlin said that all of Harrison's fines are going to affect his kid's schooling:



Mike Tomlin on James Harrison fines: “He’s got two kids” | ProFootballTalk

Yeah, I heard Tomlin say that yesterday and just shook my head. Harrison has been paid about $17 million in bonus and salary in just the last two years. To imply that those fines are going to prevent his kids from being able to go to college has to rank right up there as one of the dumbest comments ever made by a member of the Steeler organization, which really says a lot.

I don't know which was worse, Tomlin's comment, or Harrison saying he was going to retire and walk away from his $51 million contract over a $75k fine.

 

[condon84]

Yeah, I heard Tomlin say that yesterday and just shook my head. Harrison has been paid about $17 million in bonus and salary in just the last two years. To imply that those fines are going to prevent his kids from being able to go to college has to rank right up there as one of the dumbest comments ever made by a member of the Steeler organization, which really says a lot.

I don't know which was worse, Tomlin's comment, or Harrison saying he was going to retire and walk away from his $51 million contract over a $75k fine.

Tomlin doesn't strike me as the sharpest tool in the shed. Maybe that's why his players can relate to him?

That comment told me that he's completely out of touch with reality. To say that is completely ignorant especially in these times where our economy is as bad as it is. This ranks up there with Lattrell Sprewel eschewing a $30 million contract extension because it wasn't enough to feed his family.

 

[sbpatfan]

Meh, I wouldn't be surprised if Harrison really needs the money. There's a difference between being paid lots of money and making smart decisions with lots of money.

 

[lillloyd]

I think the past two hits for which Harrison has been fined are hits that happen in every game in the NFL. (If you haven't actually *seen* these hits, take a look, I'm guessing they're hits you'd be pretty upset about it if it was your team being flagged for them). To some extent Harrison has brought it on himself, with his comments and his play, although he is clearly not the only "repeat offender" out there. The recent hits at least might not have been considered flag- or fine-worthy in a vacuum.

I do *not* think there's any kind of anti-Steelers or even anti-Harrison conspiracy out there. I just think there's a lot of confusion and inconsistency right now on what to call what to fine, and the Steelers have been unfortunate to get several called the other way lately.

This article sums it up nicely; it argues while it's inane to think there's a conspiracy, the seeming arbitrariness of the league's discipline "structure" sure makes it look that way at times...

Starkey: Anti-Steelers conspiracy? - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

 

[lillloyd]

Yeah, when I saw he was fined again I thought of that too. At some point the NFL is going to say he's not getting the message, and will suspend him in order to get his attention. I don't think the league would fine a player five times in one year without suspending him for a game, regardless of what the offense was.


Regarding the NFL trying to profit from the fines, I doubt that is the reason. All that money goes to charities, plus it's next to nothing in comparison to their operating costs and profits.

I certainly don't think the league needs the fine money. I'm glad at least that Harrison's substantial "contributions" will go to charitable causes

That said I think there's real merit to the arguments that 1) the league *will* get huge additional revenue by adding 2 extra games, which will be difficult to pursue without paying some lip service to player safety and 2) the mounting medical data regarding concussions may have the league concerned about costly future liability (lawsuits etc)

 

[jmt57]

I think the past two hits for which Harrison has been fined are hits that happen in every game in the NFL. (If you haven't actually *seen* these hits, take a look, I'm guessing they're hits you'd be pretty upset about it if it was your team being flagged for them). To some extent Harrison has brought it on himself, with his comments and his play, although he is clearly not the only "repeat offender" out there. The recent hits at least might not have been considered flag- or fine-worthy in a vacuum.

I do *not* think there's any kind of anti-Steelers or even anti-Harrison conspiracy out there. I just think there's a lot of confusion and inconsistency right now on what to call what to fine, and the Steelers have been unfortunate to get several called the other way lately.

This article sums it up nicely; it argues while it's inane to think there's a conspiracy, the seeming arbitrariness of the league's discipline "structure" sure makes it look that way at times...

Starkey: Anti-Steelers conspiracy? - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

I think it has been apparent over the years that once a player gets a reputation, the league looks at what you do far more closely than they do other players, and tends to fine that player more frequently and more severely than they do other players that do the same exact thing.

That's nothing new; it's been that way for years. That doesn't make it right; it's just the way it is.

 

[Haley]

well, I'm glad he wasn't suspended yet, they still need to play they jets!

 

[ahmed]

If I he was on the Pats, I would be pissed. That hit clearly does not warrant a fine. Hell, the flag was questionable. He got fined the same amount as Andre Johnson...

 

[lillloyd]

If I he was on the Pats, I would be pissed. That hit clearly does not warrant a fine. Hell, the flag was questionable. He got fined the same amount as Andre Johnson...

There are reports that Michael Oher will be fined $25K for tweeting in game. (That's the same that Ochocinco was fined earlier this year for the same offense).

So in the eyes of the league, Oher's tweet, Finnegan's full-on fight after the play, Seymour's decking Roethlisberger after the play, and Harrison's hit on Fitzpatrick between the whistles are essentially the same offense.

Again I don't see any kind of pattern or prejudice here, just an incredibly disorganized effort. It's like they have a different guy determining the penalty schedule for every type of offense, and none of those guys are talking. You can't some of these major offenses getting the same fine as a tweet!