A little justice, I suppose. http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/...omas,0,3716461.story?coll=sfla-dolphins-front Zach Thomas fined $7,500 for hit on Jets' Laveranues Coles By Harvey Fialkov South Florida Sun-Sentinel Posted December 29 2006, 3:18 PM EST DAVIE ? Dolphins Pro Bowl linebacker Zach Thomas was fined $7,500 by the NFL for his punishing hit on Jets receiver Laveranues Coles in the second quarter of Monday night's 13-10 loss. The Jets sent the tape of the hit to the league, claiming it was a helmet-to-helmet blow. Coles dropped the ball and then missed a few series before returning. "I have more respect for that guy than any player around,'' Thomas said. "So I'm not going to take a cheap shot. But when I'm running full speed, how can you slow yourself down?'' Thomas said he would appeal the fine. XX Wide receiver Marty Booker, who missed Monday's game with a sprained ankle, practiced without limitations Friday, setting up his return to the starting lineup against the Colts on Sunday. Conversely, backup safety Travares Tillman (hamstring) remained on the sidelines working on conditioning, and is most likely out.
Is that it $7,500!!! What a cop out, that should have been at least double digits. Well you did tosser.
Personally I hate the fact that the league is putting QB and WR in red shirts. It's a field judegement and if it's a personal foul let the coach challenge it on the field at the time.
you cant challenge a judgement call...ask chris baker. i thought the hit was cheap when i seen him do it. me and my friends couldnt believe he didnt get flagged. they had to stitch up coles chin if i remember right.
I know you don't like the rule, but it is the rule, and the league has a responsibility to enforce it. Helmet to helmet is illegal, and that's it.
....and where would that get you during a game? Whilst I kind of agree with the speed issue that ZT mentions its the nature of the hit , it had intent written all over it. If that had been a qb getting hit it would have been called , so whats the difference?
The fine should have been higher just based on how him and his ram rod coach had a good chuckle on the sideline about it...
They're trying to avoid the first onfield death in an NFL game. All the indications are that they're winning that battle, but not by a lot. If a player was killed by a helmet to helmet hit the NFL would very quickly find that they no longer controlled the field of play. Congress is in an intrusive mood when it comes to sports regulation these days and there are many municipalities around the land that are also taking a very dim view of OSHA violations. What the NFL is doing right now is to demonstrate due diligence in terms of cleaning up the vicious outliers in the broader range of football plays. This will give them some leverage if worst comes to worst.
He went in head first and deserved the fine. $7500 is more than enough as the hit was unintentional. But you cannot lead with your head and the fine is deserved.
Very simple if Mangini thought it was a hit that violated the rules, he should have thrown the red flag and asked for a review. If the refs and coaches don't understand the rules how do you expect the players to understand them? The league reviewing them after the fact and leveling fines after the fact has very little impact. If you want the players to understand the rules and the consequences challenge and apply an imediate penalty. This is the NFL at it's worst. The refs, the coaches and the players don't fully understand the rules and don't apply them evenly. Having the league come down after the fact does nothing to clarify it. The fact is every other player except the QB and the WR are treated differently and it stinks. Thomas's hit violated the helmet rule but he wasn't spearing or leading with his head, it was a clean hit, viscous but clean.
You're instructed how to play the game for your entire life and the rules are changed doesn't mean that since you violated a rule the hit wasn't clean it just violated the rule. For instance if your squared up and running into a moving object and makeing a tackle through the object it is a very natural thing to put your head down on contact. That can result in a head to head completely by accident. That is quite different than bending at the waist and leading with your head. I think Thomas did the former not the later. Technically a penalty but in my book a clean play.
coaches get 2 challenges a game. unless a player was seriously injured on a play there wouldnt be a flag thrown. do you really think that if mangini threw the flag and lost a TO that would have benefitted us, or the league? then if need be we would be out a TO over a play, that while viscious, had no bearing on the game itself. or if it was the last challenge, and then later we needed to challenge a play that was clearly wrong but couldnt and it cost us the game? the challenges should be left the way they are. the league fining after the fact is fine by me. if they reviewed that play on field, and said it was a personal foul, it would be left at that, with no dosciplinary actions after the fact. i think the players get a better understanding of the rules by the NFL doing it this way.
actually, playing football all your life, if you were taught correctly, the natural thing would be to keep your head up, facing the target. if you lead with your head, it isnt a clean hit. thats why the rule is there. there would be no 'spearing' fould if you could just do that. EDIT: its much easier to get injured with your head down.
