Harrison fined for hit on Miller
In a move that is sure to convince Steelers fans that the NFL is targeting their team, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has announced that Steelers’ linebacker James Harrison will be fined $75,000 for the helmet-to-helmet hit on Steelers’ tight end Heath Miller.
The tapes clearly showed that Harrison was nowhere near the play. He’s on the same team as Heath Miller, and was clearly standing on the sidelines when Miller was hit by a Baltimore Ravens player. Nevertheless, the NFL has decided to fine Harrison anyway.
“I know that James Harrison doesn’t appear to be involved with the play”, said Roger Goodell. “But it was a helmet-to-helmet hit. Harrison HAD TO BE involved”.
Steelers' LB James Harrison
“It’s clear that the referees blew the call. Harrison should have been flagged for the play”, Goodell explained. “Despite the referees’ error, Harrison will not be able to avoid the fine that my office will be issuing on Tuesday”.
Goodell further explained that he considered fining Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for striking Ravens’ lineman Haloti Ngata’s hand with his face. However, Ngata’s hand was not injured on the play, so Goodell refrained from issuing a fine.
(Editor’s note: This “article” is just another good-natured jab at NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. No actual fines have been issued……..yet.)
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The above commentary was funny but what took place on the field between Pittsburgh and Baltimore was not funny! The NFL has recently fined James Harrison $125,000 for “illegal” hits and NFL refs allowed Heath Miller to be hammered by Jameel McClain without a penalty! What a joke! In fact, there were many obvious penalties that could have been called against Baltimore during that game but I guess all the refs were keeping their eyes on Harrison just in case he lept from the sidelines and torpedoed somebody! That game would have been over much sooner if the refs had called all the facemask, horsecollar and spearing penalties Baltimore committed! The Steelers not only had to beat the Ravens, but they had to beat the referees also! Well, they did! There’s usually nothing pretty about Steelers football but somehow or another they get the job done! I’m looking forward to another Steeler’s Superbowl Win! #7!
1I read this; thought it was real..laughed at myself when i realized it wasnt but thats beside the point. Its plainly obvious that the steelers on a list for bull ref calls. When you have an entire stadium screaming “BULL****” to the refs more the three times somethings gotta give, eh? Oh yea; GO STEELERS!
2This was some funny stuff and seems poetic considering there were at least two 15 yard penalties which were not called against the ravens, plus what should be a healthy fine issued against them as well.
3Oh, but you know the NFL will have some excuse for not fining the Ravens even though they played dirty and intentionally tried to injure players. The best thing about last night’s game was that the Steelers did their best to keep it clean on their part instead of sinking to Baltimore’s level. Gotta love those Steelers!
4This article is HILARIOUS!!!! I will make sure to print it out and put it in the breakroom here where I work for all the Bengal fans to see!! LOL!! However, BOTH of those hits should have been penalties and Ravens players should be fined that was absolutely HORRIBLE on the refs part!!
5Funny stuff, but that hit on Heath was not funny. We said more than a few prayers during that commercial break! And not a flag on the field. And I guess Ben just spontaneously started to bleed from the nose? C’mon refs, at least make an effort to LOOK like you’re trying to be fair!
6And Harbaugh was interviewed before the game and commented about how the Ravens have “adjusted’ to the rules and that he was sure “others” (understood: Harrison) will be able to “figure it out.” What a JOKE!!! GO STEELERS!!!!!!
7I am not from Pitt, but did watch game. BUT THAT GOODALLFOROTHER PEOPLE IS NOT A REAL COMMISSIONER FOR ANY PRO SPORTS. HE SHOULD BE DUMPED, REAL QUICK.. HE IS ALO OBVIOUSLY BLIND, IF HE CAN.T SEE THE SIDE LINES. REF/UMP SHOULD ALSO LOOSE JOBS OR MADE TO PAY STIFF FINES FOR THEIR PAIDOFF BAD CALLS/ DUMP GOODFORNOTHINGELL BEFORE HE GETS MORE OUT OF HAND
8This is the way I see it..Let Goodell do what he’s gonna do, and let the referees do what they are or are not gonna do, and let the Steelers do what they gotta do. go get that 7th trophy!!!!…..ROCK ON STEELERS!!!!!!
9Obviously, Goodell believes the only effective way to do something is through fines and suspensions. It’s been his only solution to …well, everything.
Too many concussions due to helmet to helmet hits?
Mandate anti-concussion helmets? No!
Mandate full size, professional mouth guards? No!
Mandate that helmets are worn properly? No!
The solution is obviously to fine players in a somewhat random manner so no one knows what is a legal hit anymore!
I mean, as Ken Anderson (NFL executive for football operations) said a few weeks ago, it makes no point to mandate better helmets because they are not 100% effective. (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=5797046) What???? The NFL won’t take action unless it’s 100% effective? So, I guess this means both he and Goodell believe fines are 100% effective.
So I propose the following - A group of retired players and officials meet each week and levy fines against Goodell, Anderson, and the Head of Officials for any disparate calls by the officials. Since the League is in charge of officials, they should be held responsible for the overwhelming lack of consistency.
Maybe they should argue for this in the next CBA?
10This blog is dumb, and I love the Steelers. That is how dumb it is.
Mocking a play in which Heath was injured. GTFO
11Lifelong Steelers Fan,
Sorry to hear that you didn’t enjoy the article. I learned a long time ago that I can’t please everybody. But please stop by again sometime. Perhaps another article will be more to your liking.
I wasn’t really making fun of Heath Miller getting hurt. I was making fun of Roger Goodell’s ridiculous fines, and the lack of flags on teams not named Steelers.
Did you notice that in my game recap article, I even mentioned that I was praying for Heath after that play?
That was a scary play, and I thought Heath was seriously hurt. I would never joke his injury. But his injury was not the point of the article. I guess you missed that.
12John,
13You nailed it! I agree completely.
hey there, mr. admin……please don’t feel the need to explain yourself to “lifelong steelers fan”.
he/she needs to step out of their parents basement, ask for some money from mom and dad and go out to buy a sense of humor.
14When a commentator who does not like us says it should be a helmet to helmet hit then that should say something.
15OK, so yeah this is surreal. But please remember my dear dear Steeler Fans. The last time the NFL and their paid refs crapped all over us like this we became the 40th Superbowl champs in Detroit! I say BRING IT ON MF’s.
16You failed to also mention the fines and future attaching of Harrisons Pension for the Refs workmans compensation claims of carppel tunnel syndrome created by having to reach for the flags and throw them before harrison even hits the qb , and the Post tramattic stress called by not calling the holding calls on the linemen trying to block harrison. Guilt you know.
17The Steelers and every other Non wussified team should threaten to create their own league Probably only 6 or 8 teams, then we could have merger and all years later and get someone like rozelles grand kids to be the commisioner to show Goodell how it should be done. Nothing else will work, there has to be competition, the NFL has started to really screw this up.
Loved this article by the way, it made my day
When I first saw the link to this from a friend’s facebook page I couldn’t read it I was on my phone. I stood out in the snow in shock.. thinking to myself “SERIOUSLYYY??”
But I needed a good laugh after one of my favorite players laid helpless on the field. I am also glad to see that fines were issued against the Ravens’ players.
Thank you for the good laugh.
18Cry me a river, Steelers fans. Remember how the referees virtually gift-wrapped you Super Bowl 40 over the Seahawks, or how the refs conveniently turned away when Santonio Holmes dis his mock LeBron James-celebration after his game-winning touchdown, which should have been a 15-yard penalty for excessive celebration, which would have given Kurt Warner a short field to work with? But, the NFL is against you. Bullshit. Most controvercial calls in NFL history go in favor of the Steelers (Immaculate Reception, perfect example). Whine all you want, but turnaround is fair play for all the shit your franchise has gotten away with over the years. I’ll now resume playing the world’s smallest violin playing just for you. Oh yeah, GO BROWNS!!!
19Al,
I was about to point out how each of your protests were a bunch of BS devoid of context. Instead, I’ll show just one - the Holmes celebration wasn’t called because it happened a good minute or two after the play when NO ONE was looking - the refs were off reviewing the play - so its not surprising it wasn’t called. On the other hand, the Heath Miller hit was right out there in the open in front of everyone - after a month long emphasis on those type of hits.
I won’t bother going further because no context or facts are going to make a difference. Your a browns fan so your bitter and you hate the Steelers. As a browns fan, you have every right to be bitter. Heck, as a brown fan, you could probably use some therapy.
20Al,
The Steelers deserved a couple calls going their way against the Seahawks after the refs tried their best to make sure the Colts beat us in the AFC final.
21I feel for you Al being a browns fan and all. Hang in there
22Harrison being singled out or not , Al , thats what we are talking about, When they are done with Him they will go for another, Perhaps even the browns has an impact player on defense, ( it could happen ) But glad to see you drawn to the Steeler talk, I am sure you are taking notes and hoping your browns can reclaim their glory days with Jim Brown.
When I read this I got a good laugh and I thank you for that. I think James Harrison stated it correctly after the game that he would have been flagged if it was him making the same hit . Football is supposd to be a contact sport, but it seems that if the Steelers make the contact then they are chastised. Harrison hits the quarterback who has the ball in play and gets a $75,000 fine. Ben gets punched in the face after a play is over and the player gets a $40,000 fine….that is justice? Lets go STEELERS we love you
23@Al
I seem to remember a roughing the kicker penalty costing the Steelers a playoff game against the Titans in early 2003, and Troy Polamalu’s interception in Indy in early ’06 being overturned-which the NFL admitted was a mistake…
24Let us remember one thing! Penalties are supposed to be applied fairly. You can’t seriously say its ok to fine Harrison and then not fine or even flag the hit on Heath. Steeler fans aren’t wwhinning (we are winning; despite the lack of calls). You know things are shady when the announcers barely say anything on an illegal hit or when they immediately go to a commercial and then come back to the game and don’t say anything. John Madden needs to come back because he called it as he saw it. Its funny how Ben can get clotheslined in the middle of the field after he threw the ball and: 1) no flag, 2) no fines, and 3) even the announcers say nothing even when it was replayed. But then Harrison gets a fine AND a suspension on a quarterback who ran out of the pocket and all the way to the line (making him a runningback and fair game). The HATERS need to stop. Pittsburgh is entitled to success like any other team. You didn’t see Steeler Nation, Big Ben, or the Steelers crying when Ben got his nose broke during the game and no flags or fines. We played on and kicked butt!!! Fine everyone or fine nobody.
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