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Tennessee's Haynesworth suspended 5 games for stomping on lineman's head
Yahoo - AP ^ | 10/02/06 | TERESA M. WALKER

Posted on 10/02/2006 2:38:38 PM PDT by Borges

Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth was given a five-game suspension -- the longest for on-field behavior in NFL history -- for stomping on Dallas Cowboys center Andre Gurode's head and kicking him in the face Sunday.

The NFL said Monday that Haynesworth was suspended for flagrant unnecessary roughness. The suspension, which is without pay, is effective immediately. Haynesworth will be eligible to return Nov. 19 for the Titans' game at Philadelphia.

"There is absolutely no place in the game, or anywhere else, for the inexcusable action that occurred in yesterday's Titans-Cowboys game," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said.

Haynesworth was penalized and ejected from the game early in the third quarter after stomped on Gurode's head, causing his helmet to pop off, then kicking him again following a 5-yard touchdown run by Julius Jones of the Cowboys.

Gurode received stitches above his forehead and beneath his eye.

"What I did out there was disgusting," Haynesworth said Sunday. "It doesn't matter what the league does to me. The way I feel right now, you just can't describe it."

Titans coach Jeff Fisher said Haynesworth's actions were unacceptable.

"I felt there needed to be some serious action taken from a discipline standpoint, and I believe that what the league has done right now is adequate," Fisher said.

Jones had just scored on a 5-yard run, putting Dallas up 20-6 in what wound up as a 45-14 victory. Gurode said they hadn't been talking or having any exchanges that led to Haynesworth kicking him twice.

"In all my years of football, this has never happened to me. I've never been kicked in the face like this, and I've never seen anybody kick nobody else in the face," Gurode said.

Before Monday, the longest suspension for on-field behavior was two games for Green Bay defensive lineman Charles Martin for throwing Chicago quarterback Jim McMahon to the ground during a game on Nov. 23, 1986. McMahon landed on his shoulder.

It's the first suspension since 2002 Rodney Harrison, then with San Diego, was suspended one game for hitting Oakland's Jerry Rice with his helmet. Earlier that season, Denver's Kenoy Kennedy was suspended for a game for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Chris Chambers of Miami.


TOPICS: Sports
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To: thinkthenpost

"You can argue the severity of the punishment but the talk of criminal charges starts a slippery slope no one wants to go down..."

That is false. It's a slope I would like to go down. I don't believe sports should be exempt from the law. If you fight in sports you should expect the same consequences as if you fight in a bar.


41 posted on 10/02/2006 3:23:57 PM PDT by Moral Hazard ("That's why I vetoed the 'Johny can't read so let's get Johny laid' bill" - Mr. President)
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To: free from tyranny

The difference here is the NFL does a pretty good job with it's substance abuse policy. Do they catch everyone who cheats? No, but at least they have a testing policy. The other Pro leagues don't. MLB and the NBA don't test due to their players union refusing. Say what you want about the NFL, but they do more than MLB and the NBA to protect the integrity of the game. The NFL also punishes players for their off-field behavior, and once again MLB and the NBA don't. Can the NFL improve? Hell yes it can, but they are making an effort to do so. The same cannot be said of MLB and the NBA.


42 posted on 10/02/2006 3:24:14 PM PDT by sean327 (God created all men equal, then some become Marines!)
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To: thinkthenpost

I'd been the guy who got the cleats to the face, you better believe I'd have been down at the magistrates filing charges... Have the fool frog marched right out of the stadium.

Sorry, but your making excuses is even more repugnant that this a$$clowns actions.

I play many different sports, and there is a huge difference between incidental contact, and intentional malace, your attempt to morally equate the two if disgusting.


43 posted on 10/02/2006 3:24:22 PM PDT by HamiltonJay
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To: Borges

5 game suspension? That is woefully inadequate! He should be permanently expelled from the league! These thugs have been babied for far too long.


44 posted on 10/02/2006 3:25:33 PM PDT by jude24 ("I will oppose the sword if it's not wielded well, because my enemies are men like me.")
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To: Borges

Oh, please!!!! The NFL sells violence for crying out loud!! Has anyone ever watched those idiots on ESPN ooh and aah when a good hit is made? While this guy's actions were beyond the pale, asking such a mental midget to turn it off and on is asking too much. The bitching and crying over this guy's actions is just as hypocritical as the NFL's decrying gambling and then posting game statistics for fantasy league gamblers.
As a matter of fact, athletes, in general, get away with WAY too much. Does anyone remember Latrell Spreewell? How about Kermit Washington? How about Roger Clemens throwing at Mike Piazza's head? How about Juan Marichal hitting Johnny Roseboro in the head with a bat? The list goes on and on and will continue to do so as long as morons like these are tolerated, even promoted.
Enjoy the games. Pretty soon, it will be all Rollerball, anyway.


45 posted on 10/02/2006 3:26:02 PM PDT by Smber (The smallest minority is the individual. Get the government off my back.)
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To: HamiltonJay

Please what?


46 posted on 10/02/2006 3:27:07 PM PDT by justche (If you're afraid of the future, then get out of the way, stand aside. - Ronald Reagan)
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To: Borges

Dang - what does this guy think he is, a Democratic politician?


47 posted on 10/02/2006 3:27:08 PM PDT by Billthedrill
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To: thinkthenpost

and your opinion counts more than anyone else's because????


48 posted on 10/02/2006 3:28:02 PM PDT by justche (If you're afraid of the future, then get out of the way, stand aside. - Ronald Reagan)
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To: Smber
They seem to be able to play by the rules quite well considering how rare this sort of thing is.
49 posted on 10/02/2006 3:28:04 PM PDT by Borges
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To: Rippin

"he should be penalized based on what COULD HAVE happened"

That's ridiculous.


50 posted on 10/02/2006 3:30:23 PM PDT by jwh_Denver (I can't beat em but I ain't joining them either.)
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To: free from tyranny

The NFL has a very steriod testing regimen in place already (Lyle Alzado, anyone?) Basebeall has...congressional hearings.

I'm a Titans season ticket holder. I've always held out much hope for Fat Albert. Now, I hope he never suits up in a Titans uniform again. It's bad enough that we suck as bad as he Raiders - we don't need that kind of person on our team. We're not the Bengals!


51 posted on 10/02/2006 3:30:40 PM PDT by Warren_Piece (Smart is easy. Good is hard.)
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To: HamiltonJay
I play many different sports, and there is a huge difference between incidental contact, and intentional malace, your attempt to morally equate the two if disgusting.

In a first year torts class in law school, they teach you about "risks inherent to the sport" (e.g. getting injured during plays) versus risks due to the negligence or intentional malice of the actor. It isn't as though Haynesworth accidentally stepped on Gurode in the course of play. That'd be one thing. Here, he intentionally stomped on Gurode after the play was over. It is inexcusble.

I kinda want to see what happens to Mr. Haynesworth when he gets back into the field of play. There's gonna be some defensive tackles aiming for him. Hopefully the refs will give them a little leeway.

52 posted on 10/02/2006 3:33:34 PM PDT by jude24 ("I will oppose the sword if it's not wielded well, because my enemies are men like me.")
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To: jwh_Denver
"he should be penalized based on what COULD HAVE happened"

That's ridiculous.

No it's not. The threat of blinding Guaron is not insignificant. Stomping on his face is never acceptable. He should be ejected from the league, and made to give back every penny he ever earned from the NFL.

53 posted on 10/02/2006 3:35:16 PM PDT by jude24 ("I will oppose the sword if it's not wielded well, because my enemies are men like me.")
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To: Borges

When he comes back, he should not be allowed to wear cleats...ever again.


54 posted on 10/02/2006 3:36:14 PM PDT by Ancient_Pistoll
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To: HamiltonJay
I'm not talking about someone inadvertently stepping on your hand, I'm talking about intentionally stepping on you trying to break a finger, deep bruise a thigh or calf, I'm taking about getting raked as you try to turn two as the runner slides into second. Accidents happen, I understand that, but there are also plenty of dirty players out there, by the way in case you missed it, Haynesworth was caught flagged twice, disqualified, kicked out of the game, and is serving a five game suspension.

Let's try a little roleplaying:
Let's see you play soccer, watch soccer, you ever been on the wrong side as you are ganged when the opposing team figures out you're the opposing team's scoring option, you don't think that's intentional? Every go to the cops??? How bout they rough you up so's you can't play after intermission, or they do it to your kid?

How about basketball, you're the board king, until the other team's lard ass rotates on to you and starts undercutting you while you're in the air. How many times you going to bounce off the court before you visit Johny Law?

I'm not equating anything, I'm saying I think a six game would have been better, and don't involve the law.
55 posted on 10/02/2006 3:37:47 PM PDT by thinkthenpost
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To: Smber

"Oh, please!!!! The NFL sells violence for crying out loud!! Has anyone ever watched those idiots on ESPN ooh and aah when a good hit is made? While this guy's actions were beyond the pale, asking such a mental midget to turn it off and on is asking too much."

There is a huge distinction between a legal bone jarring hit and the crap that Haynesworth pulled. Yes the NFL sells a violent game, but that violence is controled by rules, rules that get updated every season to protect the game. And no it's not to much to ask players to turn it off and on. The friggin rules are the rules. Haynesworth knew what he was doing, and now he will pay the price. If you don't like the NFL don't watch it.


56 posted on 10/02/2006 3:38:09 PM PDT by sean327 (God created all men equal, then some become Marines!)
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To: Smber
The NFL sells violence for crying out loud!! Has anyone ever watched those idiots on ESPN ooh and aah when a good hit is made?

That's part of the sport. They wear pads, and knowingly take their chances. There is an objective difference between a good hit made in the course of play and an intentional stomp in the face after the play is dead. You play the game, you take some chances that those "good hits" could injure you. No one, however, expects to get a cleat in the eye after the play is over.

57 posted on 10/02/2006 3:39:49 PM PDT by jude24 ("I will oppose the sword if it's not wielded well, because my enemies are men like me.")
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To: Borges
Haynesworth is the type of players that Tennessee Alumni have had to put up with for the past five years. I have been embarrassed to be from UTK the past five years the way our college has been represented by these thugs like Haynesworth. It was a former UTK player that killed the fellow while DUI in Dallas; Al Wilson DUI'd also. This last year Fulmer and Cutcliff cleaned house finally and Tennessee have re-instilled a little decorum and sportsmanlike conduct. It shows too.
58 posted on 10/02/2006 3:41:14 PM PDT by vetvetdoug
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To: Borges

He thought he was playing rugby! Almost had my left ear torn off when I got the ball in my first game. It was legal back then. Army plastic surgeons made it presentable again. Go Army!


59 posted on 10/02/2006 3:41:38 PM PDT by darth
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To: BIGZ
Ht: 6' 6" Wt: 320 Age: 25
Born: 6/17/1981, Hartsville, SC
College: Tennessee
NFL Experience: 5th season
Drafted: 2002 - Rd 1 (15th overall) by the Titans
2005 Salary: $604,620

Looks like that stunt is going to cost Fat Albert a cool $188,944.00.

60 posted on 10/02/2006 3:42:09 PM PDT by Michael.SF. (Those who do not know Islam pretend that Islam counsels against war. They are the witless." –Khomeni)
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