Thread: Burfict fined $25,000

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300...ting-incidents

I thought he should have gotten a few games off. Thoughts?

He definitely should have been suspended for at least 2 games IMHO

The NFL.com video is more explicit, but this sums it up:

"I think instances like that," Olsen said, via Bill Voth of Black and Blue Review, "that are so clearly premeditated that he had in his mind if those opportunities, that he was going to try to attack not only guys' legs, but guys who were coming off ankle problems specifically, there's no room for it."

How long have I been beating this drum: That the NFL should "target targeting" (i.e. INTENT and ENDS) rather than particular acts/body parts (i.e. locations and MEANS)? Because if they just ban certain TYPES of contact to certain AREAS, dirty head hunters will just find new legal ways to deliberately inflict the same injuries? This is Exhibit C for the prosecution.

Exhibit A was James Harrison outright telling Phil Simms (who repeated it on aid during a 2011 Divisional Playoff) he and his teammates were just going low from now on—despite KNOWING it raised injury risks—to satisfy NFL rules, and the fines and suspensions he clearly resented. By halftime, Harrison kneecapped Eric Decker and ended his season with a sprained MCL (which seemed to enrage our whole offense, because the VERY NEXT PLAY was a long pass that started a run of 20 unanswered points in the quarter.)

Exhibit B is Seattls Legion of Dope running practices with every legal area padded so their LBs and secondary learn how to legally and regularly rupture opponents organs.

Meanwhile, a Broncos defensive lineman raises both hands to knock down a pass, exactly has he should and has been coached to do, succeeds—and gives up 15 yds and an automatic first down because on the way down one palm briefly brushes the helmet of a QB who was probably as unaware as Wolfe: Neither intent nor injury matter to the NFL, only contact above a QBs shoulder or below his knees.

The NFL, like many people both administering them and policing those who do, has NO concept of the difference between spankings and beatings. Hopefully, that sorely needed change starts here.

What a joke.

I was just shocked when I watched the replays of those "attacks" as that is what they were - there is no room for that in football - I agree with Joel - a player can inadvertently brush the helmet of a QB and get roughing the passer yet this dude gets a petty fine for TRYING to hurt someone. Then again, what more should we expect from the NFL -

The Cowboys fined their player more than that for stealing underwear and cologne.

what a joke. . . the NFL is alllll about player safety-- just as long as they think it covers their ass from being sued. . . beyond that they don't give a rat's ass. . .

good thing he didn't get caught with weed, or have a beer while he was on probation. . . for that kind of unforgivable behavior they'll bring the hammer down. . .

Ahem, Bruce Arians? Did you happen to see this video?

Originally Posted by OB

I was just shocked when I watched the replays of those "attacks" as that is what they were - there is no room for that in football - I agree with Joel - a player can inadvertently brush the helmet of a QB and get roughing the passer yet this dude gets a petty fine for TRYING to hurt someone. Then again, what more should we expect from the NFL -

Innocent players are crucified for violating the letter of a bad law even if no opponents NOTICES, let alone gets hurt (but heaven help the offender if they ARE hurt.)
Career dirty players just go back to the drawing board and figure out new LEGAL ways to snap bones and crush organs just like they always have and will.

I know it's hard to discern abstractions like intent, especially those often requiring mind-reading, and I GENERALLY support restricting rules to concrete objective facts so the refs burden of judgement calls is reduced as much as possible. But sometimes a judgement call's the lesser of two evils, and this is surely such a case. If they can judge what's "a move common to the game," they can judge deliberate injury.

Originally Posted by dogfish

what a joke. . . the NFL is alllll about player safety-- just as long as they think it covers their ass from being sued. . . beyond that they don't give a rat's ass. . . .

Lotta truth to that, too; the moment the NFL gives the NFLPA a $765 million A/MCL/Achilles settlement to avoid a jury verdict it knows will be many times higher, even accidentally rolling up on a guys ankle will be a $100,000 the first time, a 4 game suspension the second and a season suspension for the third. And cheap shot artists will start targeting opponents kidneys....

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina Panthers rookie wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin suffered a mild concussion when he was illegally hit by Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict during Sunday's 37-37 tie at Paul Brown Stadium.

Benjamin did not practice Wednesday, and his status for Sunday's game at Green Bay is in question.

Burfict also was involved in two other controversial plays against Carolina, twisting the ankles of quarterback Cam Newton and tight end Greg Olsen after each scored a touchdown. Sources told ESPN's Ed Werder earlier in the day that the league fined Burfict $25,000 for those acts.

rest - http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/11...ontaze-burfict

Originally Posted by Denver Native (Carol)

rest - http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/11...ontaze-burfict

Ah, I see: He's using Seattles patented "I'm already in for life...." strategy.

Originally Posted by Denver Native (Carol)

rest - http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/11...ontaze-burfict

Let it be known that Marvin Lewis came out this week and essentially doubted that concussions were a big deal. So that doesn't surprise me.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...t-concussions/

In case you ever wondered why concussions are now handled by independent doctors on the sidelines instead of teams, well, Marvin Lewis is why.

Via the Cincinnati Enquirer, the Bengals coach gave a remarkably insensitive and tone-deaf answer when asked Wednesday if he had concern for linebacker Vontaze Burfict as a human being considering the number of concussions he’s endured.

“Well, he had a concussion against Atlanta,” Lewis said of their Sept. 14 game. “That’s that biggest concern that way. You don’t want him to have, you know, but again I coached defenses and linebackers for a long time and concussions didn’t linger. Now we have found that because of the media and things they seem to linger longer. There’s a lot of attention paid to it. I don’t know why they linger longer. I don’t remember them lingering like they do now.”

...

So to recap, media attention has made head trauma more serious than it used to be. Got it.

Thanks Marvin. Remind me never to let my son play for you.

Actually, his remarks shine some light on the strides made in concussion treatment. In years past — before the media made head trauma more serious than it used to be — people like Lewis would have been in charge of determining whether a player was fit to continue.

Now, having independent neurologists there to take that responsibility away from them has made the players, if not the game, safer.

Yeah. That was ridiculous. Come on Marvin.

Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict will appeal his $25,000 fine for twisting the ankles of Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton and tight end Greg Olsen during last week's game between the teams, a league source told ESPN's Adam Caplan.

Burfict has been warned that he's considered a repeat offender subject to escalating discipline, a league source told ESPN's Ed Werder on Wednesday, adding that any future incidents of this kind will result in his being summoned to the league offices in New York City.

Last season, Burfict led the Bengals in penalties, including eight unnecessary roughness calls. He's tied for the team lead in penalties this season, even though he's played only one full game.

rest - http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/11...-twisting-fine

Originally Posted by Denver Native (Carol)

He's tied for the team lead in penalties this season, even though he's played only one full game.

That's an—no, "accomplishment" is not really the right word. Remember when lots of people were desperate to draft him because his character issues were minor ones good coaching would work out once he hit the NFL? Then again, Lewis' "there's no proof CTE causes man-made mental harming; it's a media lie" schtick doesn't sound like good coaching.