Ryan Clark...

[PittPatriot]

Exactly (although I won't go so far as to call everyone a hypocrite)! Football was built on hits like that. If he doesn't get fined for that, I really don't care. The only difference with the Welker hit was that Welker didn't have the ball. McGahee did and Clark's job as a safety is to dislodge the ball from the ball carrier. Mission accomplished. I would love to see Ryan Clark back there with BM.

I 100% agree. He is a good safety that plays rough. If another team doesn't like it, then retaliate. Or better, decapitate Hines Ward or a Pittsburgh pass catcher. It's football...it is a crazy, rough, inhumane game. That's why we love to watch highlights of pancake hits. Personally, the Clark hit and the Sweed hit on Ivy were awesome. There were no broken bones, everyone is safe to return to their mansions...it's all good.

And yes...I would welcome Clark to our secondary any day. Most of our DBs can't tackle in the open field and never stop "a guy short." Case and point on 3rd and 15 in OT...also on the helmet catch. There you have it...the 2 most painful plays of the past 2 seasons may have been changed if we had a thumper in the backfield.

 

[Clonamery]

Do you hand wash your panties?

Nice answer. What it took you an hour to think of that? Still waiting on the examples of RH head hunting.....

 

[Deus Irae]

Exactly (although I won't go so far as to call everyone a hypocrite)! Football was built on hits like that. If he doesn't get fined for that, I really don't care. The only difference with the Welker hit was that Welker didn't have the ball. McGahee did and Clark's job as a safety is to dislodge the ball from the ball carrier. Mission accomplished. I would love to see Ryan Clark back there with BM.

Football was built on guys who weren't even wearing helmets, so let's not get ridiculous here. And, since when were blatantly illegal hits "doing the job"? Give Mr. Stingley's family a call and explain to them about how the league was built on idiotic hits and all that stuff.

 

[WhiZa]

Tell me how this hit is different then the Boldin hit earlier this year?

YouTube - Anquan Boldin Knocked Out By Eric Smith - Cardinals vs Jets

Not that I expect this league to be consistent based on past history

 

[Kontradiction]

Fine, you want a POS scumbag.....I'd rather have the guy who plays on the edge that knows how to tackle within the rules of the game. If he's a little late to the pile from time to time like RH, okay. But name the plays where someone was carted off the field on a "dirty" RH play.....

Football's not built on hits like that (Clark)....but that's my Old School opinion.

So I take it you would quit rooting for the Pats if they signed Clark? Can't root for a team with a POS scumbag right? So... you want dirty hits by Rodney. Okay. How about that helmet to helmet on Rice in 2002? How about the Trent Green hit a couple of years later? Would you like me to name more? Rodney is not that different from Clark. Besides, what's the difference between a helmet to helmet and someone that gets to the pile late and sticks his facemask into the back of your neck? Nothing. Both can result in neck and head injuries.

Football was built on guys who weren't even wearing helmets, so let's not get ridiculous here. And, since when were blatantly illegal hits "doing the job"? Give Mr. Stingley's family a call and explain to them about how the league was built on idiotic hits and all that stuff.

I don't think the hit was BLATENTLY illegal. Thanks to the clip provided by that one Chargers troll, we can see that Clark might have been attempting to lead with his shoulder...

... but it didn't happen like that. The helmet made contact and it became a dirty play. I think the hit on Welker was blatently dirty because Welker did not have the ball. McGahee did. These kind of hits are going to happen every so often. When you have guys that can get up to 20 miles per hour on their feet alone flying all over the place and delivering hits, a helmet to helmet is going to happen. Personally, I love vicious hits like that... unless it's against someone on my team. Let's face it, we all love Rodney because he was always a threat to deliver a blow like that. Because of him, opposing receivers feared catching the ball over the middle. It will be the same way for Ryan Clark.

On a side note, McGahee is thankfully okay. He was released from the hospital already and is en route to Baltimore.

 

[Deus Irae]

I don't think the hit was BLATENTLY illegal. Thanks to the clip provided by that one Chargers troll, we can see that Clark might have been attempting to lead with his shoulder...

Not a chance in hell that he was trying to lead with his shoulder.

... but it didn't happen like that. The helmet made contact and it became a dirty play. I think the hit on Welker was blatently dirty because Welker did not have the ball. McGahee did. These kind of hits are going to happen every so often. When you have guys that can get up to 20 miles per hour on their feet alone flying all over the place and delivering hits, a helmet to helmet is going to happen. Personally, I love vicious hits like that... unless it's against someone on my team. Let's face it, we all love Rodney because he was always a threat to deliver a blow like that. Because of him, opposing receivers feared catching the ball over the middle. It will be the same way for Ryan Clark.

On a side note, McGahee is thankfully okay. He was released from the hospital already and is en route to Baltimore.

Vicious hits within the framework of clean play are fine. Once you step outside the bounds of legality to lay out those hits, you become a dirty player. When that out of bounds play involves the possibility of paralysis or death the way head shots do, you need to be suspended, and suspended for life if you insist on making it a habit.

 

[Kontradiction]

Not a chance in hell that he was trying to lead with his shoulder.

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree then. To me, it looked as if he started out leading with his shoulder. In that clip, it looks apparent to me. To you, it does not. The only person that knows for sure is Clark and, judging by how long he stayed on the ground after the hit, I'm not even sure he remembers either. The rest is pure speculation.

Vicious hits within the framework of clean play are fine. Once you step outside the bounds of legality to lay out those hits, you become a dirty player. When that out of bounds play involves the possibility of paralysis or death the way head shots do, you need to be suspended, and suspended for life if you insist on making it a habit.

Not saying this is what happened last night but, in your opinion, at what point should the running back assume some responsibility for injury when he does the FIRST thing that coaches (Hell, even peewee coaches) tell you not to do as the ball carrier... lower his head?

 

[Deus Irae]

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree then. To me, it looked as if he started out leading with his shoulder. In that clip, it looks apparent to me. To you, it does not. The only person that knows for sure is Clark and, judging by how long he stayed on the ground after the hit, I'm not even sure he remembers either. The rest is pure speculation.

Not really. It's obvious that he started by leading with his head. Only the blind can't see that. What his defenders are pointing to is his late turn where he adds his shoulder to the mix and they are claiming that this is somehow "leading". It's not.

Not saying this is what happened last night but, in your opinion, at what point should the running back assume some responsibility for injury when he does the FIRST thing that coaches (Hell, even peewee coaches) tell you not to do as the ball carrier... lower his head?

Stupid is as stupid does, and it applies to both sides of the ball. If you lead with your head, don't complain when it gets taken off. The league actually has this one right with regards to QBs running and diving as opposed to sliding.

P.S. It should be noted that I've played contact and collision sports all of my life, from rugby to basketball to football to lacrosse to hockey, etc..., and I have no problem with one guy beating the hell out of another. I just think that its got to be done within the rules so that nobody is getting hurt doing something they didn't sign up for.

 

[Kontradiction]

Not really. It's obvious that he started by leading with his head. Only the blind can't see that. What his defenders are pointing to is his late turn where he adds his shoulder to the mix and they are claiming that this is somehow "leading". It's not.

I must be blind then. Watch the clip again. McGahee catches the ball and turns around. Clark meets him and right before Clark is about to hit him, you can see that Clark's head is around McGahee's chest. Now, I'm not expert on the human body, but I'm pretty sure a person's head is no around their chest area. Clark's body was also fully turned to the point where his right shoulder is leading toward McGahee. This is why I don't think it was blatent.

 

[Deus Irae]

I must be blind then. Watch the clip again. McGahee catches the ball and turns around. Clark meets him and right before Clark is about to hit him, you can see that Clark's head is around McGahee's chest. Now, I'm not expert on the human body, but I'm pretty sure a person's head is no around their chest area. Clark's body was also fully turned to the point where his right shoulder is leading toward McGahee. This is why I don't think it was blatent.

You posted the clip yourself, so if you can't see the obvious, I don't know what to tell you. Furthermore, there were other, better angles during the game, which showed it even more blatantly.

Here's one where it's clear as day what leads (about the 12 second mark):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQlmBHY-ALY

and you can watch this one at about the 1:45 point:

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

Dude led with the head.

 

[Kontradiction]

You posted the clip yourself, so if you can't see the obvious, I don't know what to tell you. Furthermore, there were other, better angles during the game, which showed it even more blatantly.

Here's one where it's clear as day what leads (about the 12 second mark):

YouTube - Ryan Clark hit on Willis McGahee: Ravens vs. Steelers Game 2009

and you can watch this one at about the 1:45 point:

YouTube - Steelers vs Ravens Ryan Clark hit on Willis McGahee

Dude led with the head.

Aye. Because of security measures, I cannot view YouTube at the office. I'll check it out when I get home.

 

[Deus Irae]

Aye. Because of security measures, I cannot view YouTube at the office. I'll check it out when I get home.

If the NFL doesn't kill them by then.... Not For Long

 

[Kontradiction]

If the NFL doesn't kill them by then....

I hope not. All I saw was when my friend called me inside from a party and by then the hit had already happened and I was pretty hammered. Other than that, just the clip that jc davey posted.

 

[LloydBraun]

Reiss is citing a league source stating that there will be no fine for this hit by Clark.

When will this end? Is it just me, or does Pittsburgh seem to be the leaders in hits to the head? The blindsided blocks need to be stopped as well. Someone will get killed. Hines Ward is the ultimate perp at the blindside block. Funny thing, he got hurt yesterday...karma? By no means am I glad he got hurt, just pointing out the law of averages. This type of defenseless hit is bullying.

 

[Deus Irae]

Reiss is citing a league source stating that there will be no fine for this hit by Clark.

When will this end? Is it just me, or does Pittsburgh seem to be the leaders in hits to the head? The blindsided blocks need to be stopped as well. Someone will get killed. Hines Ward is the ultimate perp at the blindside block. Funny thing, he got hurt yesterday...karma? By no means am I glad he got hurt, just pointing out the law of averages. This type of defenseless hit is bullying.

They are allowing Pittsburgh to circumvent the ownership rules, so no amount of Steelers crotch nuzzling will surprise me.

 

[PAPatsjunkie]

Reiss is citing a league source stating that there will be no fine for this hit by Clark.

When will this end? Is it just me, or does Pittsburgh seem to be the leaders in hits to the head? The blindsided blocks need to be stopped as well. Someone will get killed. Hines Ward is the ultimate perp at the blindside block. Funny thing, he got hurt yesterday...karma? By no means am I glad he got hurt, just pointing out the law of averages. This type of defenseless hit is bullying.

I dont get this. Clark was fined $7500 back in October for a very very similar helmet to helmet hit on Matt Jones of the Jaguars. What is with the inconsistency? Seems like this guy is a headhunter.

 

[madmike77]

Clark did launch himself, but if you look at the hit in slow motion it also looks like McGahee saw him coming at the last second and actually tried to lower his head and shoulders. When he lowered them, it took him right into Clark's helmet.

 

[Scouse Patriot]

Willis said he never saw him coming and blacked out till he woke up when they were taking his facemask off. That was just a natural bodily reaction to something flying right for you.

 

[madmike77]

Maybe, but he did lower his shoulders and head. If he hadn't, it wouldn't have been a helmet to helmet hit.

 

[Scouse Patriot]

Just paused the first video Deus posted as it's a really good angle on the impact. It's certainly debatable but IMO it looks like Clarks helmet goes right into or catches McGahee's facemask if Willis doesn't turn his head because he leads with it.

Either way its another poor one from Clark.