Is it time to just throw James Harrison out of the league?

[Warner2BruceTD]

We are past the point of bitching about the restrictive rules. We all get frustrated by them sometimes, but most of us understand why these rules are in place and now accept them for their purpose. The "this is a MANS GAME RARWR" crowd can not be reasoned with, so we don't even bother with the debates anymore.

Now let's deal Harrison. The flags & fines were flying last season as players adjusted. Harrison was one of those players. But the penalties and fines are down this year, as players have adjusted to the rules and learned how to hit clean. I suggested to the angry mobs here last year that this is exactly what would occur. Ridiculous arguments like "you can't reteach these players how to hit!" held no water. I think we are still seeing a few flags where the player meant no malice, but that is fringe damage and is worth the trade off of largely eliminating the headhunters and dirty hits, and with what we know about head injuries, hitting people in the dome simply can not be tolerated.

steeljake claiming that "the hit was clean" in the chatbox last night was like listening to pouting fans blame the refs after a tough loss. Emotion based nonsense that kills credibility. Harrison lead with his head, and planted his helmet directly into McCoy's face. There is no benefit of the doubt with Harrison, because he's been dirty before. He's had over a year to adjust. He's been in trouble before (rightly or wrongly in some some cases) for this.

Harrison is either dirty, which to me makes him a borderline criminal, or just too stupid to get it. In either case, he seems incapable of playing the game with respect for the other humans on the field, and it might be time to just show him the door.

[Houston]

I was just thinking the same thing.

Didn't he threaten to quit last year? I say they give him enough suspensions and fines to make him really do it

[MmmmBeeeeer]

steeljake was saying that hit was clean? :bowpause:

[KnightNoles]

What I remember correctly from last night:

I don't know if it was "that dirty" of a hit, where ever your head goes your body follows. I don't believe he lead with his helmet and he didn't crown/spear him. Colt was also 2-3 yards from rushing the ball as he let go, Colt head went somewhat forward and he kind of jumped to get the ball over. As Harrison put his head right into his chest his helmet made contact with Colt's. Was it warranted for a flag, yea most likely as it was called.

A fine? Eh I don't know, he was out of the pocket scrambling about to take off and run the ball. If he holds onto it he probably takes even more of a hit and it wouldn't have been flagged.

I'll go either way with it... but just because it is Harrison, oh shit grab the pitchforks!

EDIT: We did see Colt and James exchange words a few plays later, which we don't know what was said...

[Houston]

Steelers fans

[Alfro0925]

Not gonna lie it crossed my mind. Majority of these hits that happen Harrison is involved. Doesn't seem like it would be so hard to just go for the midsection and wrap guys up instead of going helmet to helmet but I'm not on the field so I'll shut up

[Aso]

Anyone who says that James Harrison didn't lead with the crown of his helmet can't be taken seriously.

[DSpydr84]

There's nothing natural about running full speed into a guy that's running full speed at you. I guess this puts me in the "man's game" crowd. I understand your point, but how is that any different than a power running back completely ducking his head and shoulders to gain a yard on 3rd and 1? Should they be penalized?

The league is treading a tight rope trying to prevent these injuries. To go so far as to throw the guy out of the league (especially for that hit last night) would be outrageous. I would hardly consider it a dirty hit.

Harrison is a strong, physical player. He hit a weak, frail quarterback, at full speed, while the QB was stopping to throw the ball. It's gonna look bad. It's not like Harrison launched his helmet into McCoy's; he puts his forearms up, and unloads all his strength into the hit. The result is he hit McCoy in the face, so flag him. That's the rule. It was hardly dirty, though.

For anyone who missed it, here's the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=YDvi5vGsY90

[Obst]

There's nothing natural about running full speed into a guy that's running full speed at you. I guess this puts me in the "man's game" crowd. I understand your point, but how is that any different than a power running back completely ducking his head and shoulders to gain a yard on 3rd and 1? Should they be penalized?

The league is treading a tight rope trying to prevent these injuries. To go so far as to throw the guy out of the league (especially for that hit last night) would be outrageous. I would hardly consider it a dirty hit.

Harrison is a strong, physical player. He hit a weak, frail quarterback, at full speed, while the QB was stopping to throw the ball. It's gonna look bad. It's not like Harrison launched his helmet into McCoy's; he puts his forearms up, and unloads all his strength into the hit. The result is he hit McCoy in the face, so flag him. That's the rule. It was hardly dirty, though.

For anyone who missed it, here's the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=YDvi5vGsY90

Seriously? When in life was he taught to tackle like that?

[Warner2BruceTD]

There's nothing natural about running full speed into a guy that's running full speed at you. I guess this puts me in the "man's game" crowd. I understand your point, but how is that any different than a power running back completely ducking his head and shoulders to gain a yard on 3rd and 1? Should they be penalized?

The league is treading a tight rope trying to prevent these injuries. To go so far as to throw the guy out of the league (especially for that hit last night) would be outrageous. I would hardly consider it a dirty hit.

Harrison is a strong, physical player. He hit a weak, frail quarterback, at full speed, while the QB was stopping to throw the ball. It's gonna look bad. It's not like Harrison launched his helmet into McCoy's; he puts his forearms up, and unloads all his strength into the hit. The result is he hit McCoy in the face, so flag him. That's the rule. It was hardly dirty, though.

For anyone who missed it, here's the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=YDvi5vGsY90

Harrison launched himself head first into McCoy's face.

It was either intentional, or he's too stupid to change his game and aim lower. Either way, he's mental.

[Mogriffjr]

He led with his head, and I don't even see the need to argue it wasn't.

[Obst]

It's really not hard to make a hit like this

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anwgfO9f0_o&feature=related"]Eric Berry huge hit! - YouTube[/ame]

The difference is Berry gets low and makes the correct play. No coach probably ever told Harrison he was doing the right thing when aiming high. That's what all of these fines and flags were for, to teach Harrison to use the proper technique but he refuses to do so. That's where this argument is coming from, if Harrison is blatantly disregarding the safety of players then he shouldn't be playing. On that player with McCoy it would of been easy for him to just drive right through his body and make a great play, but instead he wanted to lay "the big hit" which was staying up high and even if he didn't mean it, when you stay up high like that you most likely are going to hit with the helmet.

[KnightNoles]

Lol... Your suppose to put your facemask in the chest or on the football.. he hit mccoy with the part of his helmet at the top where the facemask is fastened.

Another player in the wrong era
Raiders basis of your groan, that was an unbiased Steeler fan talking

Jakey is dumb. It was a violent hit, if he goes another few yards he is a ball carrier and it wouldn't have mattered.. it was just one of those bang bang plays that Harrison had to make a decision.. when I watched it I thought he was run all the way then he makes a last second to dump it off..

Colt is lucky that James is one of the smaller backers because if someone was bigger like Suggs he would have been lights out

[KnightNoles]

Head across body towards football or chest, wrap arms and explode up/drive your legs

[NAHSTE]

There's nothing natural about running full speed into a guy that's running full speed at you. I guess this puts me in the "man's game" crowd. I understand your point, but how is that any different than a power running back completely ducking his head and shoulders to gain a yard on 3rd and 1? Should they be penalized?

The league is treading a tight rope trying to prevent these injuries. To go so far as to throw the guy out of the league (especially for that hit last night) would be outrageous. I would hardly consider it a dirty hit.

Harrison is a strong, physical player. He hit a weak, frail quarterback, at full speed, while the QB was stopping to throw the ball. It's gonna look bad. It's not like Harrison launched his helmet into McCoy's; he puts his forearms up, and unloads all his strength into the hit. The result is he hit McCoy in the face, so flag him. That's the rule. It was hardly dirty, though.

For anyone who missed it, here's the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=YDvi5vGsY90

Stop. This is a quarterback. Harrison had PLENTY of time to line up his hit, and he chose to go high. He is scum. Oh and this:

he puts his forearms up,

Is the complete opposite of a proper form tackle.