Troy Polamalu Questions Fines
October 16, 2008 by David Kindervater
Filed under Pittsburgh Steelers
National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast
Pittsburgh Steelers four-time Pro Bowl safety Troy Polamalu has a point. The increasing number of fines for plays that weren’t even penalized is increasing and could be turning the National Football League, as we have known it, into a kinder, gentler game:
“It’s becoming more and more flag football, two-hand touch. We’ve really lost the essence of what real American football is about. They’re not really concerned about safety, because people have been doing this for… quite a few decades ….. You’ve got to figure out how to tackle people a new way. It’s too much ….. These guys (referring to retired NFL greats Dick Butkus, Jack Lambert, “Mean” Joe Greene, Ronnie Lott and Jack Tatum) really went after people. They were that way because the game was physical. Now, they couldn’t survive in this type of game. They wouldn’t have enough money. They’d be paying fines all the time, and then they’d be suspended for the year after they do it two games in a row. It’s kind of ridiculous ….. I didn’t mean being cheap, but (those who) don’t take anything from anybody. Know what I mean? Joe Greene wouldn’t take anything from anybody. Joey Porter wouldn’t. When people came to our field, they knew this was our home field. Nobody was going to mess with us. That’s the type of attitude I think is really awesome.”
The Steelers believe the $15,000 fines issued to receiver Hines Ward for non-penalized plays on successive weeks were unwarranted. And team chairman Dan Rooney and head coach Mike Tomlin contacted the league about them this week. Troy has not been fined this season.
I can see both sides of the argument. The league is concerned that the ever-increasing size and strength of players may be increasing the risk of serious injuries. And they’re strictly enforcing all contact rules, especially those involving quarterbacks and helmet-to-helmet hits. They want to protect their players. But are they doing so at a price of what made them popular in the first place?
Source: NFL.com, Photo: Newscom
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s response to Troy today:
“I have a great deal of respect for him as a player, and obviously he has a right to his own views. But to say that this is about money and not the health of our players, I think is extremely disappointing when we spend as much time as we do with active players, reviewing our rules, reviewing techniques and making sure we make the game as safe as possible.”
Source: USA Today