Spitting Fined but Hitting OK?

Only in the NFL

Published on January 12, 2006 By singrdave In Football

The NFL is the only place in the world where you spit at another person and he responds with a right hook to the face... that you are penalized, ejected, fined, and maybe suspended. But the guy who threw the punch is seen as the 'victim' and is not even reprimanded?

From today's Washington Post:
Since the NFL fined Redskins safety Sean Taylor only $17,000 yesterday for spitting in the face of Tampa Bay running back Michael Pittman, the only thing we can conclude is that the league is more offended by mismatched socks than having one of its players ejected during a playoff game for doing something truly vile and detestable.

Taylor and the Redskins are lucky they found a judge who was more lenient than I would have been. At best, Taylor should have been fined $100,000. This isn't his first offense; Taylor is in just his second season but already is developing a reputation for hitting late and headhunting.

The spitter did bring it on the retaliatory punch himself, by spitting in the face of a successful run by the Tampa star. But to inadequately fine Taylor and then turn around and completely absolve Pittman for the thrown right hook?

Two wrongs don't make a right.

Comments

singrdave

on Jan 12, 2006

The case can be made for the "heat of the game" but this is ridiculous. Inexcusable behavior from both sides.
Bump.

Dr Guy

on Jan 12, 2006

2 wrongs dont make a right, but playoffs seem to excuse some behavior. Or so it seems.

greywar

on Jan 12, 2006

Two rights can make for two black eyes though.

uDigItTheMost

on Jan 13, 2006

It's a tough call to me. If someone spit in my face my first reaction would be to punch back.

I agree the NFL fines people more money for things that seem like they lack common sense. Like fining Jake Plummer for wanting to wear Pat Tillman's number on his shoes.

But if you were to say suspend Michael Pittman one game for punching Sean Taylor after Taylor spat on him or say kick him out of that game for punching. I think you would be inviting more trouble. I could send in a 4th string player to go spit on the other team's star player hoping both get kicked out, and so what, I lose a player who won't see action anyway and the other team loses a vital part of their team.

I think it was OK they didn't fine or suspend the puncher. Now players know if they spit in someone's face not only will they be kicked out of the game and fined, but they also might get punched on without any repercussion to the person spat on.

If anything Taylor should be fined for lying right to Joe Gibb's face when he told him, he didn't spit at all. The new video they played yesterday clearly shows him spitting.

Taylor should consider himself lucky he is so talented a player. So he will continue to get chance after chance after chance no matter how much of a jerk he is on or off the field. It's the same in every sport if your talented you get numerous opportunities. You have to be a super jerk to mess it up. See Maurice Clarett or Marcus Vick.

singrdave

on Jan 13, 2006

According to Boomer Esiason on DC101 this morning, apparently the ref was miked and it didn't come across. But the ref caught it perfectly:

He said Taylor spit in Pittman's face. What would you do?

If anything Taylor should be fined for lying right to Joe Gibb's face when he told him, he didn't spit at all. The new video they played yesterday clearly shows him spitting.

I think Taylor figures the spitting wasn't visible on camera. Or that no one was looking at him at the time?

It's the same in every sport if your talented you get numerous opportunities. You have to be a super jerk to mess it up.

Yup. It's all about the Benjamins, baby.

See Maurice Clarett or Marcus Vick.

Or Randy Moss. Or Allen Iverson. Or Charles Barkley. Or just about any pro athlete who pulls his weight but has controversy surrounding him.

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