Chris Harris: "The only way to take Gronk down is by going for his knees"

Deflatemyballs said:

People who think bill will suspend Gronk because of the Welker thing are way off base. Bill was pissed at Welker because he sees Rex as his peer and has respect for him. He didn't want to be seen as the coach who is fine with his players disrespecting other teams head coaches. The whole "foot fetish" thing had nothing to do with Welker and Wes went out of his way to embarrass Rex unprovoked. Gronk had a throwaway tweet responding to players who he knows go after his knees and have intentially tried to hurt him in the past. Apples and oranges.

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BS. It was about WW disrespecting BB. BB gave the team specific instructions not to talk about the issue or provide bulletinbd material. WW directly challenged BB's authority albeit in a sly creative way that took some folks a while to catch onto.

Gumby said:

BS. It was about WW disrespecting BB. BB gave the team specific instructions not to talk about the issue or provide bulletinbd material. WW directly challenged BB's authority albeit in a sly creative way that took some folks a while to catch onto.

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I disagree that is the whole story. Not only do I suspect BB is friendly with the Ryan's behind the scenes, the HC group has a certain brotherhood to it. No way can a HC allow his player to publicly speak in a derogatory way about a HC regarding a highly personal and embarrassing matter that also involves a HC's wife. For a HC allow that (fortunately rare) scenario to go without reprimand?? I suspect that would be counter to BB's steep respect of the profession not to mention his probably cordiality with the Ryans.

It wasn't Ok for WW to do that. He could have rattled off a bunch of barbs at Rex or Jet players that I could live with (though as a Patriot you know the rule is to STFU). But something involving his wife/children was majorly bad form even directed at a loud mouth like Rex.

It would truly be football karma if all the punk-asses talking shiyat on Brady got knocked of the game with nigh-irreparable injuries. Teach them a thing or three about playing to maim the opposition.

TheRazorsEdge said:

That would likely result in a shattered knee cap. No bueno. All Gronk needs to do is keep at his game... Brady needs to be the one who guide Gronk into safety with his passes. That TJ ward hit few years ago..... Wasn't the best placed ball by Brady, he put him right in Wards cross hairs going full Sprint.

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Nah. RB's back in the 80's and 90's used that technique all the time. It does work.

sooo...it should be ok now if Gronk is on harris to slam his shoulder into the ground on a running play? kind of funny that a hobbled player whining to the media about his injury would say this

robertweathers said:

He wears a brace over the right one already.

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Should wear a brace over the left one as well.

This is a lot about nothing. Even Brady has said that is how guys like Gronk have to be tackled.

BradyFTW! said:

If they take out Gronk's knee, someone needs to make sure that Ward gets carted off. Maybe DT for good measure - not because you're trying to hurt him of course, just because... you know, diving at the knees is apparently the only way to stop guys now.

Give as good as you get and maybe they won't be so eager to play that stupid game

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QuantumMechanic said:

I want Sanders and/or Thomas carted off the field crying on their way to IR if anything happens to Gronk.

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That's not right, they don't deserve to pay for Harris and Ward's dirty shots. An eye for an eye, if they take a cheap shot then take one back at them.

XLIX said:

Every single DB in the league - including the ones who play here in Foxboro - are trained and coached in similar techniques for situations where they are so overmatched physically. I am not saying they are all coached to go low with the intent to injure, but they are certainly coached to go low in certain situations with the intent to tackle.

I don't like it and I certainly don't want Gronk or anyone else to get injured but it's smart football, certainly smarter than letting the guy carry you for 10 yards.

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Yup, it's unfortunate. You can certainly make that tackle without going for the knees but, it's easier to go for the knees.

everlong said:

If I was Gronk any time I saw somebody going low I'd try to either bring the knee up and crack them in the helmet full force or do the same with the elbow. If they're going straight for the knees like Ward screw it I'd try to give them a concussion and knock them out.

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Ward's hit came out of his bling spot. Never saw Ward coming....

No way a defender should be allowed to launch at person's most vulnerable area..the knees. It's crazy...should have to wrap them up.

Folks pretending know what BB is/was thinking are just guessing.

Froob said:

That's not right, they don't deserve to pay for Harris and Ward's dirty shots. An eye for an eye, if they take a cheap shot then take one back at them.

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Tough for them. Taking out a DB DB after he takes out a great offensive player on your team doesn't come close to balancing the scales. You take out the analogous player on their team. If Sanders or Thomas doesn't like that, they can tell their azzhole teammates not to go knee-hunting.

Froob said:

That's not right, they don't deserve to pay for Harris and Ward's dirty shots. An eye for an eye, if they take a cheap shot then take one back at them.

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Hockey and baseball already do it, in their own way. I grant you that Bettman is doing his best to ruin hockey by eliminating player policing of behavior.

Media making something out of nothing. If you heard the audio he was more complimenting Gronk than threatening him.

For anyone who hasn't seen, Gronk has weighed in:

Don't make excuses for this guy. Don't say that's the only way to bring Gronk down. Many people have tackled Gronk and never went after his knees. Some go low but don't aim at his knees. If you watch Denver they aim at his knees, and they do it when he is not even looking too. So don't tell us this crap about the only was to bring Gronk down is to take out his knees. He has caught hundreds of balls and has been brought down hundreds of time and most of those tackles aren't low hits. Low hits are fine, go at the feet, shins, or thighs but if you aim at the knees that is just disrespectful to the player and his life and livelihood.

And what is with this scaredy cat syndrome. Other teams talk crap at our team and we make excuses for their insults. But if we say even a whisper we get mad at our player and are afraid the other team is going to run us over. Just so everyone knows if someone is talking about taking out the knees of your best players, they really don't like us in the first place and nothing we do is going to change that, except when we beat them and then they will hate us even more. Or in the case of the Seahawks will respect you in the future.

Nunchucks said:

This is a lot about nothing. Even Brady has said that is how guys like Gronk have to be tackled.

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Plenty of players have said the current rules make you go low or take out the legs to TACKLE the player. Scumbag Ward is the only one i can recall who said :

'You have to hit him in the KNEE; if you want to STOP HIM [aka take him out of the game]'

There are some critical word differences there to go along with the clear intent. Other players said they had to go low and dont like it; Ward said it like he has no problem going low to hurt.

Am I the only one getting annoyed with how Gronks tweet is being covered? I heard on several radio shows yesterday them reading the tweet, saying he's giving the Broncos bulletin board material, and NO mention of what the Broncos said that led to that tweet. Hell even the article scrolling on here from PFT, does the same thing. Guess the media can't resist, even with something as silly as this to paint the Patriots as the bad guys

ANGR89 said:

Am I the only one getting annoyed with how Gronks tweet is being covered? I heard on several radio shows yesterday them reading the tweet, saying he's giving the Broncos bulletin board material, and NO mention of what the Broncos said that led to that tweet. Hell even the article scrolling on here from PFT, does the same thing. Guess the media can't resist, even with something as silly as this to paint the Patriots as the bad guys

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He did give the Broncos bulletin board material, and the Broncos comments have been reported.