Big Lead Sports Bar

10/20/2010

Wednesday Headlines



The major talking points for Wednesday around The Burgh:


1. James Harrison was fined $75,000 for his hit on Mohamed Massaquoi, and plans to appeal. Best of luck with that, James. [Trib]

2. Jordan Staal, Arron Asham, and Brooks Orpik all returned to practice for the Pens on Tuesday. That should be quite a dose of adrenaline for the lineup. [PG]


3. From the "Headline Says It All" Department:  "California University mascot charged in homecoming float arson" [Penn Live]

4. The Pirates are dragging their feet on picking a manager, and the pool of candidates is suddenly shrinking. But if I've learned anything in life, it's to trust the Pirate front office.  Things always fall into place for them. [Trib]


5. Brett Keisel has been ruled out for Sunday's game at Miami, which means Nick Eason  (below, showing proper form in tackling Josh Freeman by the facemask) or Ziggy Hood will get the start for the Steelers. [Trib]


Mondesi's House: The Director's Cut (more links, commentary, etc): twitter.com/mondesishouse

7 comments:

BurressWithButterflywings said...

Well, the NFL is a walking contradiction. They sell pics of the hit on their website but fine Silverback for laying wood on a guy going over the middle bobbling the ball. From now on, I guess he should wait to see that the WR has safely caught the ball, has a first down, and hell, let him make the first move towards the end zone.

Nobody had a problem with TJ Ward leaving his feet to launch his helmet into's Mendy's facemask. That's football, it's a rough go.

The league already does so much to favor the offense and especially certain players ( we didn't see an elimination of knee hits to QB after it happened to Ben in 2005). It is really becoming an enormous joke.

I keep drumming this, and people on the PG comments section of Bouchette's article are echoing this sentiment: If Ray Ray lays that hit on a dude, it would be a highlight reel and people would be saying "that's why you don't go over the middle against Ray Ray".

And then he'd collect his illegal bounty that the league somehow condones.

Borsk said...

The league wrote off the selling of the pictures as an "automatic process, a mistake."

Chances they catch that and take it down if KDKA doesn't report on it to make the story go national? 0%

The NFL makes rules/policy based on public outcry only. #7 is proof of that.

Anonymous said...

Yea, the NFL's excuse for those pics being sold is a bunch of BS. This is the same League that watches everything their logo is associated with.

BurressWithButterflywings said...

You gotta protect the shield.

HomeRunFromBehindTheMeatballs said...

i don't even care about those pics... look at any video games licensed by the NFL and tell me there's no 'hit stick' or 'knockout' or 'big hit' function on there. There NFL FULLY endorses huge hits and now they're acting like they care about player safety purely for PR.

Also can't wait for that fabulous threesome to be back for the Pens. Curious to see who gets sent down though!

HomeRunFromBehindTheMeatballs said...

@Eric... it's national

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/NFL-com-selling-pictures-of-Harrison-and-Meriwea?urn=nfl-278368

Steve said...

This wouldn't be so much an issue, let alone a fineable one, if the NFLPA didn't take the NFL to task over the past several years about the adverse impact the profession football has on a players quality of life after they retire. They are simply trying to keep players as healthy as possible so they can keep the post-career effects and pension benefits to a minimum.

Yes, I believe the NFL has been negligent and short-coming in its treatment and care of ex-NFL players since the very beginning, but the Players Association can't be surprised they are being pro-active in minimizing any injuries that costs them money years later.

That said, I think it's mostly the fault of the metro-sexual, prohibitionist, knee-jerk society we live in that forces everyone to overreact and condemn any action it feels is upsetting to them, even if it takes place in an environment created for that very purpose and endorses with the purchase of every NFL sponsored non-fat, low-carb, low sodium box of peanut-free tofutti ice-cream they eat.

I give the NFL 20 years before it's either outlawed by congress as a barbaric sport unfitting of a progressive society like ours, or they are wearing flags...pink ones of course, because red is a color that causes anger according to scientists who oversee all NFL rule changes.