Robaire Smith weighs in on head stomping

[Lloyd_Christmas]

This quotes was so incredulous, I felt it deserved a new thread (didn't see this mentioned in the 5 Haynesworth threads)

Titans teammate Robaire Smith said he has had opponents intentionally stick their fingers in his eyes and mouth, among other things, and that fans have no idea what goes on during games.

"Every game you play in this league is dirty," the defensive tackle said. "Just so happened [Haynesworth] got caught. Man, there's so much stuff that goes on in the trenches I'm not even going to get started. He didn't do anything any dirtier than what's been going on for years in the trenches."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/chi-0610030181oct03,1,6528002.story?ctrack=1&cset=true

-I'm starting to wonder if there isn't a play-dirty mindset in TEN. Sounds like they are only sorry one of them got caught.

His comment is moronic anyway. These other incidents didn't require 25-30 stitches and cause blurry vision (Which I consider to be lucky it wasn't worse... could have killed the guy)

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

Since he was caught, he should have been suspended, to set an example.

But what Smith said is completely true, and you are just naive about the NFL if you think he wasn't speaking the absolute truth.

I've heard a player complain that Vrabel grabbed his balls and squeezed as hard as he could so that the player would let go of the football.

Brady said that players always do that to him.

If you think it is otherwise, you are wrong.

Anyone who is caught deserves a fine and a suspension, but let's not kid ourselves that this is anything that never happens in the NFL.

Yeah, the foot to the head after the play is ridiculous and over the top, just like when Romanowski hit a teammate. But so is all the stuff that we don't see, and in a perfect world all the players, including Vrabel, that did this kind of stuff would have been suspended.

But you would end up suspending every player by week two on all the teams.

 

[rusH1023]

Kind of like when Ebenezer Ekuban said, "...there's stuff goes on in the pile you don't go home and tell your mama about," after being punched in the nuts by big Logan Mankins. Agreed, btw, that it's nowhere near a head stomp, but that's the NFL.

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

The head stomp was over the top, and it's a shame that the game will never be close to 'clean' until every player has a mandatory helmet cam so that the refs can see what they are doing in the pile-up.

Even then, players will learn to 'look the other way'.

 

[godef]

Didn't Grand Funk do a song called "Headstompin' Music"?

How do I contact NFL Films?

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Kind of like when Ebenezer Ekuban said, "...there's stuff goes on in the pile you don't go home and tell your mama about," after being punched in the nuts by big Logan Mankins. Agreed, btw, that it's nowhere near a head stomp, but that's the NFL.

And if you watch the tape you see Ekuban grinding Mankins' hand into the turf - Logan just got caught saying "howdy" back. Like holding, there are nasty things like 'hands to the face' that probably could be called on most plays.

 

[Brownfan80]

And if you watch the tape you see Ekuban grinding Mankins' hand into the turf - Logan just got caught saying "howdy" back. Like holding, there are nasty things like 'hands to the face' that probably could be called on most plays.

It's a sport based on aggression and extreme violence, I'm actually surprised that more players don't lose it on the field.

There are days where I feel like I could kill somebody and all I do for a living is type on a computer. If I got paid to beat the crap out of someone all day, I might give into those mood swings on the job. lol

 

[AzPatsFan]

Kind of like when Ebenezer Ekuban said, "...there's stuff goes on in the pile you don't go home and tell your mama about," after being punched in the nuts by big Logan Mankins. Agreed, btw, that it's nowhere near a head stomp, but that's the NFL.

Yes but Mankins did that because Ebenezer was grinding his football cleats into Logan's hand at the time, and wanted him to stop it...:rocker:

 

[Murphys95]

It's a sport based on aggression and extreme violence, I'm actually surprised that more players don't lose it on the field.

There are days where I feel like I could kill somebody and all I do for a living is type on a computer. If I got paid to beat the crap out of someone all day, I might give into those mood swings on the job. lol

I agree.

What's funny about this whole incident is how many pundits puff up their chests in anger and indignation over Haynesworth's actions, yet turn around and revel in segments like ESPN's Jacked Up and CBS' Hard Hits. It's pretty close to hypocrisy to promote (and market) the hard hitting nature of the game, then turn your back on a player when he crosses the line.

And talk about selective enforcement, Trent Green has to be pissed.

 

[zarakotas5]

Combining a previous thread, about guys wearing cups, yes the ball grab is a common tactic. Generally, lineman wear 'em, the runners and the catchers don't. Some say what AH did was criminal, and in the real world it would be. In general, stuff like that doesn't happen, at least not out in the open.

It looked mean and it was. 40 years ago it would have never been noticed. Black players used to get routinely punched in the face. There is a Pulitzer Prize winning photo that did catch it and attests to a particularly heinous event. If said player couldn't continue, he was hauled off and replaced.

So, today, what does it mean? He was caught. Simply, that is it. When you, or anyone, gets caught, they are contrite. Until then, they act as if they are the most important thing. Correction, WE act that way. AH did a horrible thing, but he did not do anything that we don't routinely cheer on or personally propagate.

 

[HAMMERMILL]

It's a sport based on aggression and extreme violence, I'm actually surprised that more players don't lose it on the field.

There are days where I feel like I could kill somebody and all I do for a living is type on a computer. If I got paid to beat the crap out of someone all day, I might give into those mood swings on the job. lol

Think about your computer?
All day long they you are at it(him/her)
tap.tap.tap.
poke.poke.poke.
And you wonder why,It goes down at that ONE moment when you need it the most?-

I do think you have the temperment to be a postal carrier though
(kidding)

 

[Patriotic]

Refs will never call "the nut grab" because the head ref refuses to give the hand signal for "the nut grab" when he announcing the penalty to the fans in the stadium and to the TV viewers.

 

[Lansdowne]

Refs will never call "the nut grab" because the head ref refuses to give the hand signal for "the nut grab" when he announcing the penalty to the fans in the stadium and to the TV viewers.

LOL

Well the ref can always call it unnecessary roughness. It's not called because the only ones that can see it happening are the ones in the trenches.

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

The bottom line is that we as fans support this type behavior just by funding the NFL. We are all somewhat guilty for these actions.

When two Kansas City players got in a fight back in 2002 training camp, and one needed stiches because his face was all busted up and bloody, the only thing Vermeil said to the media was: 'If he was wearing his damn helmet, none of you would be talking about this!'

It's like racing. People watch it, and support it, and then cry when somebody gets badly injuried. We have to accept responsibility for creating this type of enviroment, and not just say that such and such player is crazy. We pay them to play crazy. That's what Ray-Ray is all about, doing his crazy dance, fleeing the scene of a double homicide, and making big hits for ESPN.

The sad part is that we expect these guys to just disappear into normal society after football and act like model citizens. These guys need some therapy and anger management after a lifetime of football and STEROID ABUSE, but they don't get any provided to them.

Until we do something about it, we bear some of the blame when things go wrong. Maybe not in an individual case, like an egregious head stomping, but we are guilty of letting this system stay in place, and letting people like Trent Green get killed in a totally illegal play and looking the other way.

 

[Lloyd_Christmas]

I agree.

What's funny about this whole incident is how many pundits puff up their chests in anger and indignation over Haynesworth's actions, yet turn around and revel in segments like ESPN's Jacked Up and CBS' Hard Hits. It's pretty close to hypocrisy to promote (and market) the hard hitting nature of the game, then turn your back on a player when he crosses the line.

And talk about selective enforcement, Trent Green has to be pissed.

There is a difference between a legal hit (even one that qualifies for a Jacked Up highlight) and stomping on a guy's face with your cleats after the play is blown dead.

If you can't see the difference in that, there is no hope for you in this debate.

PS - Although I disagree with the Trent Green call (should have be a 15yd penalty and a hefty fine), Green should have slid sooner. He was trying to eek out every last inch he could and besides which, QBs should be able to take a hit... that hit was a fluke, just like how the hit on Bledsoe severed an artery... 999 times out of 1000 that doesn't happen.