Ravens head coach John Harbaugh was surprised by the NFL’s $40,000 fine for Jameel McClain’s helmet to helmet hit on Heath Miller according to quotes from his WBAL show on Tuesday night. “I can’t imagine why they fined him so much,” Harbaugh said.
The coach believed that Jameel McClain attempted to hit with the proper technique, but was suspect to Miller going too low. “Jameel tried to go low. He did everything humanly possible to hit the tight end low. You fine a guy $40,000 for trying to apply the rule. He tried to do something that’s against the rule of physics. I say you’re taking someone’s money unfairly.”
Aaron Wilson of NFLFootballPost.com points out that the $40,000 fine is 11.75% of McClain’s $470,000 salary.
“He’s a first-time offender. Jameel, there was nothing he can do. I think the league understands that. I can’t imagine why they fined him so much.”
I tend to agree with Harbaugh’s quotes. If McClain would have ripped off Miller’s helmet and punched him in the face it would have only costed him $25,000. While his hit was dangerous and should have been fineable, Roger Goodell and the NFL’s continued inconsistency in fines is ridiculous. But then again, I think fining a guy five grand for a tweet is stupid as well.
I realize that I spent the better part of last week criticizing James Harrison’s dirty play and fines, but I believe McClain’s hit was not intentional, while Harrison led with the crown of his helmet on all of his fined hits.
Do you think Jameel McClain was attempting to make a clean hit on Heath Miller?
Zach, sounds like you're scared of Harrison and can't take your own medicine. I agree that the NFL is consistently blowing their consistency.
That's actually exactly it. I am scared of Harrison.
Wow, shocking a Baltimore reporter says that the Baltimore Raven player was fined too much for almost snapping a Pittsburgh Steelers head off. Miller is lucky that a concussion is all he has to deal with. That hit was ugly, far uglier than any hit Harrison has given. Harrison is not a dirty player and anyone who says so, obviously doesn't know the game of football very well. He's the beef of the line, he's the one you want protecting your back, he's the one that gonna put the pressure on the QB and cause him to mess up. Yeah everyone hates Harrison because he's the best defensive player today. I agree the fines are inconsistant. Harrison is fined $75,000 for a not so illegal hit, and this dude set to break someones neck gets $40,000. maybe he should be counting his blessings that it wasn't more.
Far uglier than any hit Harrison has given? Gimme a break.
TA,
If you think McClains hit was intended to hurt Miller than you don't know anything about football. Has Harrison been singled out some this year, yes. Get over it and move onto a different subject. The question was about McClain's fine and you turn into a forum to continually b!tch about how unfair the NFL is towards Harrison.
McClain had the time to slow up, turn away, do something to make sure he didn't crush a defenseless player, but he didn't. It's his 3rd season, so it's not some Rookie mistake, he knows better. and yes the article is about McClain's fine… but you have to compare it to something right?! Since it's being considered "unfair", hence the talk of Harrison's fine. And the article brought up Harrison, so yeah I'm gonna make my comment. You can have your opinion and that's fine, I can have mine. You don't have to like mine, and I don't have to like yours.
Harrison was voted the second dirtiest player in the NFL by his fellow players, in a Sporting News survey published last week. Does this mean other NFL players "doesn't know the game of football very well?" Hmm.
Harbaugh needs to STFU. NOTHING good can come out of complaining about the league, fines, bad calls, etc., and LOTS of bad things can come out of hit. Yes, Harrison has a target painted on his back, but he painted it himself, with stupid comments such as "I try to hurt people" and his childish threat to retire. Tomlin and Rooney added to that target with their own paranoid comments. Harbaugh needs to remain silent, let McClain pay his fine, and focus instead on beating a team with a winning record — the whining job is already filled, in a rust belt city five hours west.
Hard to say what his intentions were, but when he started to make the tackle he was not going in high. The recevier ended up falling to the ground and McClain nailed him. It was an ugly hit, should have been a penalty and a fine is justified. $40K is more than a typical first offender. Probably higher because it was a nationally televised game. The NFL looks soft if they do not have a greater fine for a hit everyone saw.
Oh and Ray Lewis and Suggs aren't dirty players; anyone that plays the LB position and is any good hits hard and plays hard; perhaps the NFL should change it's name to the NFFL or the National Flag Football League. I believe in protecting the players but let's do it evenly and consistently across the league; 15k is not consistent; and what about Suggs hit on Rothlisberger when he made that pitch out of bounds; hit to the head but no penalty. I heard Harbough say his players knew how to play within the new rules, guess not.
What is unfair is the lack of a penalty. The hit was not clean and McClain could have avoided it (yes, I am aware of real time). He could have jumped, sidestepped or at least slowed down. He did none of the above, despite the ball bouncing far from Miller's hands. After the ball was out of the picture, Miller was falling with another Raven defender touching his back, his knees were on the ground, and he was hit viciously. Even IF he had the ball, the other defender had the tackle under control. The hit was absolutely unnecessary. I respect the Ravens for their physical play, but that particular play was worthy of the fine and more. They're lucky they got away with it during the game.
I can agree with that. A flag should have been thrown, but 40 grand for a first time offender when you can fight for 25 grand? C'mon man.
THANK YOU!
McClain cannot control PHYSICS. While those guys need to learn to control their anger! I cannot belive they only got fined $25,000 for such a childish, unprofessional display.
If you watch the play, McClain is preparing to hit Miller before Miller starts to go down. He was going in low and Miller ended up falling right into the hit. Very little chance JM could have avoided Miller. That said, because the hit was too the head, I agree with the fine. The amount was too high, but a fine was deserved.
As a neutral party to either team, I feel the amount was too low. Should have been $75K just like Harrison's. Same hit or worse so it should have costed the same at a minimum. Harrison is only a repeat offender because they watch him like a hawk. His "repeat" offense fine of $75K was delivered on the first weekend of fines was it not? I could be mistaken there.. Still, see what happens to Mclain after this.. If he remains physical, his fines ought to increase.
Hit to the head of the quarterback is also a penalty. Period. Apparently the ref said he was just trying to tackle Ben. So what? The rules are the rules. When Harrison's helmet grazes a chin he sure gets penalized and fined both. The inconsistency we all seem to agree upon. Either we going pansy or we're not, the fines should be the same for all. In my opinion though incidental helmet to helmet contact should not be penalized. Leading with the crown however, should indeed be penalized.
Here we go again with the flag football analogies. Give it rest.
Funny, the shoe is now on the other foot. Prior to the game, John Harbaugh said the Ravens had it all figured out, that the rules were clear, and he had no problems with any of it. A mere hours later, his team made a fool out of him, committing two of the more brutal hits of the year on defenseless players.
[youtube fMLEdc_4itI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMLEdc_4itI youtube]
I'm not surprised when you say "I believe McClain’s hit was not intentional, while Harrison led with the crown of his helmet on all of his fined hits." You defend McClain and couldn't possibly believe he could play dirty, but without thought you assume Harrison is. That's a definition of homerism.
Consider this. On Saturday November 27th, my sons attended the Festival of Lights in Baltimore MD. Jameel McClain was there and read "Twas the Night Before Christmas" to the children there. After he entertained questions. One child asked, which team do you dislike most in the NFL. McClain's response – "I won't name names, but I hate the team that wears Black & Yellow." He displayed his hatred Sunday night.
McClain didn't slow up. McClain didn't try to avoid the hit. McClain got what he deserved. And the Ravens? Well now the shoe is on the other foot. Now the Ravens have to sit back, aghast, and wonder about fines and the reasoning behind them and suffer the label of being thugs.
Baltimore's got nothing "figured out" despite Harbaugh's pompous comments.
If you are calling the incidental contact on Ben's nose a brutal hit, then you are as silly as your video. Ngata was trying to wrap Ben up and he ducks his head right into the blow. The NFL has to fine him because it is contact to the head, but it was not a dirty or brutal play.
Apparently you didn't see the play. Clearly Ngata "winds up" before delivering the blow. There's nothing incidental about it at all. As for the video being silly, really the only thing silly about it is Harbaugh righteously claiming that his team plays clean and understands the rules, only to have his players mere hours later make a mockery of him.
Seriously, is this a joke?
No joke at all. Are you telling me you don't see Ngata pull the arm back before swinging it forward? The video's right there. Unless you can edit it out.
He is pulling his arm free of the lineman who is trying to block him and he brings it forward to try and wrap Ben up. When Ben feels the contact he ducks his head in the process of trying to break the tackle. There is not "wind up." Ngata is not delivering a pitch. And he is not tryign to deliver a blow. He is merely trying to tackle a big, strong QB. Not a dirty play.
Jeff, if you look frame by frame at the replay Ngata appears to pull out a pair of brass knuckles and a crow bar to attack Ben Roethlisberger. Clearly this is a conspiracy by the NFL to cover up the attack.
He clearly winds up. His arm was not ensnared with the Ramon Foster. He uses his left arm to push away from Foster's left shoulder, and delivers a clear blow to the head (which you overlook is prohibited). There's nothing incidental at all about it.
As for Ben's head moving, it moves forward no more than 6 inches. Certainly not enough force to even contribute to Ngata's blow.
Breaking a nose isn't easy. Breaking a nose through a face mask is even more difficult to do, assuming that some of the hand and the motion is obstructed by the facemask/brow of the helmet. Yet he generated enough force to do so.
The blow to the head rule's been around since 1996. A rule that Ngata broke. A rule the NFL deemed fit to fine. I don't think JeffPilson's opinion amounts to much on this.
Defend as much as you like. $15,000 says you're wrong.
You, like most other Steeler fans, need a lesson in reading comprehension. I never said that Ngata did not hit Big Jen in the head, or that he did not deserve a fine. All I am arguing is your asinine claim that Ngata somehow intentionally wound up and delivered a blow to Ben's head.
If the NFL thought there was malice or extra force exerted, then why such a small fine. If anything the fine amount indicates the league saw the play the way everyone but you saw, an incidental blow to the head in the process of making the tackle.
My opinion may not amount to much, but your small brain amounts to even less.
Pilson, The Colonel would never talk like that….
No you've insisted consistently there's no wind up (notice Ngata pull the arm back before striking) despite it being right there in the attached video.
It's apropos that you accuse someone else of being unintelligent when your eyes can't decipher what's right in front of you. Like your team's head coach (also fined this year for striking a ref), you're a hypocrite.
Again with the jokes. I thought you said you were not going to do that. John Harbaugh was not fined for "striking" a ref.
And I will consider our discussion over until you can explain why the NFL fined Haloti Ngata so little for making such a blatant attempt on Ben's life?
Wasn't Harrison fined $25K for a late hit on Drew Brees? Surely winding up and intentionally punching a QB in the face, resulting in a bloodied and broken nose, would cost a guy more than $15K.
Please don't bring up a new argument or quotes from 2 years ago. Just anwer that question.
I am asking myself the same question….
I agree with your last statement. The fines in general are out of control and far from logical, particularly in relation with one another. The NFL's only consistency is their lack thereof. But if there were ever a hit worthy of a fine, McClain's hit on Miller is most definitely such.
If you watch the tape, McClain raised his head to avoid going helmet to helmet on Heath Miller. Obviously as a Baltimore fan, it may seem biased, but McClain's hit is far different than the type of hits that started this whole fine-fiasco. Remember Meriwether's hit on Heap? In that case, the defender intentionally launched himself and used his helmet as a weapon to hit a defenseless receiver. Now, do I think McClain should still have gotten fined? Yes, and he should've gotten a flag for the hit as well. But $40k? He just lost nearly 12% of his entire salary from 1 unintentional play as a first-time offender.
And for you James Harrison defenders (pun not intended), I absolutely agree that the NFL has added him to whatever watch list they may have for referees. Some of his fines have been unfair, but in that case, he is a repeat offender. These are different circumstances, and unfortunately for McClain, his hit was on nationally broadcasted television. The NFL and its inconsistent commissioner are out to make an example of McClain and thus levied a $40k fine for a player who went low and hit with his shoulder. What a shame.
Silly homerism, but at least you admit it. There is nothing in the video replays whatsoever to show McClain letting up or trying to avoid contact – at all. As Collinsworth himself stated in the broadcast, that was a text book helmet hit that the NFL is supposed to flag.
Frankly I don't care if it was "dirty" or "intended" – it happened. He caused it. The fine was justified. However, it should have been greater based on past fines. Adam Schefter predicted that as egregious as it was, he was expecting a suspension. Sadly he wasn't suspended.
"I realize that I spent the better part of last week criticizing James Harrison’s dirty play and fines, but I believe McClain’s hit was not intentional"…what a hypocritical statement if I ever read one. So Harrison is obviously a dirty player because he is a Steeler, while McClain is not. Give me a break. I don't think either men are intentionally trying to hurt others, but they are playing tough. Injuries are going to happen. At the lightning speed of the game sometimes people misread others and both guys end up hitting low or high, helmet to helmet. It happens. The fact that you are so biased though…and you work in the "journalism" field where the very definition of the career is to be factual, open and honest, with an UNbiased, objective approach to your stories…pathetic.
You don't get blogs do you?
Writing a blog isn't an excuse to be incorrect.
What points have you proven "incorrect?"
Who said points? I've exposed hypocritical points of view. I've exposed not only the bias of the Head Coach, and his pompous and sanctimonious position, but that of this blog writer as well.
Regardless of one player's past actions, you cannot judge intent in a split second on a field. Zach, nor you, nor anyone can say that they know what James Harrison was thinking when he hit Massaquoi. Nor can Zach et al know what McClain's intent was.
Zach states clearly what he believes (that Harrison plays dirty but McClain was just a victim) and in so doing shows that he's blinded by purple vision (being a homer). Like Harbaugh, it's a hypocritical view.
And as I've stated before, welcome to the club. Prior to Sunday's game, the Steelers and their ans were just "whining" about the fines.
There's a whole lot of Ravens fans (including their head coach) crying this week about "poor" Jameel McClain.
He does read a lovely "Twas the Night Before Christmas" though.
Harrison's hits were dirty because he continues to hit with the crown of his helmet. McClain was a first time offender and a guy who appeared to try to make a clean hit. If he gets fined another 85 grand then we can compare the two. Until then I'm going to stick with my opinion that Harrison plays dirty. He said himself that he doesn't care about the fines.
You sir are incorrect again. First, vs. saying the hits are "illegal" or "wrong" you call them "dirty." When McClain nearly decapitates a person, it's not "dirty", it's a "mistake." Hysterical really.
As for JH leading with the crown of his helmet:
* James Harrison was flagged for sacking Jason Campbell or the Raiders, head tucked to the side, in a text book tackle because he landed with "too much weight" on the QB.
* Harrison was flagged and fined against Drew Brees for his helmet hitting Brees after the ball was released. His face mask hit Brees between the numbers in his back. No crown.
* Harrison was fined against Ryan Fitzpatrick on a textbook sack where the helmet went to the side and his arms reached the QB before the helmet.
Those are the plays in question after the Cleveland game that began the fiasco.
"I try to hurt people." — James Harrison.
Next?
James, you definitely won comment of the day my friend. Welcome to BSR!
Post out of context?
"I don't want to see anyone injured," Harrison said, "but I'm not opposed to hurting anyone. "There's a difference. When you're injured, you can't play. But when you're hurt, you can shake it off and come back. I try to hurt people."
He attempts to define "hurt" for you there. He's trying to rattle them, much like the Steelers and Ravens do with all opponents by using bone crushing plays.
Or we could refer to another quote?
"During the "2 Live Stews" syndicated radio show on Oct. 17, when he was asked, "Did you all put a bounty out on that young man [Mendenhall]," Suggs replied, "Definitely. The bounty was out on him and the bounty was out on [Ward] — we just didn't get him between the whistles."
I don't know you tell me, which team has shown more "intent" to try to hurt a player?
Further evidence: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10343/1109414-66.s…
I remember that play. I remember the false start by the "charging" LT of the Ravens, directly at Harrison's knees. And they're right in the article, no offensive lineman "rush blocks" forward on Extra Point attempts. Looks pretty clear.
As you say….Next?
I think Harrison's 75k fine was too much.I think McClain's 40k fine was too high. I think there needs to be a standard fine for these types of instances. Consistency is important. The last thing we need is for the NFL to be as flaky as NASCAR.
What's interesting is no one in Baltimore cared before. Steelers fans and players were just whining.
Now…well. Join the club.
Hardball is a whiny hypocrite. I dont care about the fines more than that none of those Ravens got a flag!
Monginator – Everyone else is incorrect but you are the correct one? Yeah your the great knowledgeable one… Guess your not going to answer JeffPilson asking for the incorrect points… Typical…
Oh yeah, another thing… If your going to argue with JeffPilson, Sadler, Zach, Expatriate, Pole, MGW… Don't… These guys know their sports and will embarrass you…
You can read above. As for the issues here, it's really all there in black and white and the chronology is hysterical.
* Harbaugh says his team has it figured out
* Harbaugh says "and other teams will figure it out" – in a direct reference to the Steelers
* Harbaugh says there's no confusion on the rules, the Ravens have it all figured out
* The Ravens go out and commit two fine-worthy plays, one a "textbook" (per Collinsworth) helmet-to-helmet hit
* On Monday, Ravens fans and their coaches are "confused" and crying about the penalties – no longer having it all "figured out."
* The remainder of the week, Ravens fans have back pedaled into using the same defenses the Steelers have – he was going low, it was bang-bang, he couldn't have slowed up, his forearm was trying to prevent the blow, not to hit him, and blah blah blah.
Isn't the sudden turn of events just rich? A week ago, Ravens fans were telling Steelers fans they were "crybabies" regarding the NFL fining their players so much. Now…the shoe is indeed on the other foot and you've all resorted to the same behavior this week that a week ago you found deplorable.
we all are familiar with the phrase "If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?"
I have to ask, "if a Pittsburgh apologist types enough on a Ravens blog read by Ravens fans, does anyone really give a crap what you have to say?"
Dude- we get it. You are blinded by your love of your team, just like some Ravens fans are blinded by the love or their team.
There is nothing you can say that is going to convince us that McClain's and Ngata's were malicious in nature. They may have been reckless, but you can't judge by watching someone what their intent was or wasn't. There is no definable proof of that.
And this is my olive branch to you, there is no way for us to say the same thing about Harrison. No matter how many times he gets flagged or fined, no matter what comments he makes, we cannot judge his intent.
"There is nothing you can say that is going to convince us that McClain's and Ngata's were malicious in nature. They may have been reckless, but you can't judge by watching someone what their intent was or wasn't. There is no definable proof of that. "
Thank you thank you thank you. Now contrast your comments with the "bloggers" – "I realize that I spent the better part of last week criticizing James Harrison’s dirty play and fines, but I believe McClain’s hit was not intentional, while Harrison led with the crown of his helmet on all of his fined hits."
As you said "…you can't judge by watching someone what their intent was or wasn't."
Share your wisdom with the blogger.
Honestly, the NFL has become too PC like our lives and politics. I miss the days when DIck Butkus was spitting on the centers hands before he hiked the ball and people beat the crap out of each other on the field. I agree with Jack Lambert that QB's should put on a skirts because they have different rules than other players. And depending on how good your QB is he might have more protection than others (the Brady rule). This fining and illegal hit issue is too subjective to draw a logical conclusion,, especially at real time. You can never draw conclusions about a players intent unless he carries a shank in his pants. We can go on forever but nobody will win the debate. Pandora's box has been opened, how will it ever get closed again.
I heard this was based on a true conversation…lol
[youtube rKEJwbW0OJY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKEJwbW0OJY youtube]
I watched the hit live, and the second I saw it, I knew this would happen. I'm gonna start first by saying that I'm a Browns fan, and if anything, I'm biased against both teams. I saw Miller going up for the pass, dropping it, and falling down into a hit aimed at about waist high. Granted, most of the replays I saw were in slow motion, it looks as though McClain was launching his shoulder as the ball came to Miller.
This whole "he could've stopped, pulled up, not hit him" stuff is just plain stupid. If you try to separate receiver from ball, which was perfectly legal before all of these shenanigans, you're going to launch yourself at them at full speed. McClain tried to accomplish that by launching at WAIST HEIGHT to hit Miller's body. Miller falls (not saying he was or wasn't pushed, just saying he fell) and when they collide, he's on his knees.
The real problem with all of this is two things: #1, McClain (and everyone defensive player in the league including Harrison) is not a psychic, they do not know where these players will be the split second before they hit them. #2, The NFL (and everyone else) is punishing these guys on result, and not intent. Same with Harrison, same with Robinson. McClain tries to make a legal tackle. He doesn't go high, he tries to hit Miller waist high, but Miller falls, and his shoulder hits his head and all of sudden McClain is out of 11% of his salary because of a split second decision? That's madness. If you could lose that much of your pay on a split second decision, would you work there anymore? All of these guys are just trying to make the play they've been taught to make, and we're getting on them for it if they don't do it exactly right. It's atrocious, I'm gonna go watch soccer now