Violence in the N F L

[Sikander]

I agree with Reds that generally there should be a strong bias to letting the league handle things (ie in-house). There are some actions which of course are beyond the pale and for which no possible league action could be stringent enough to deal with, and these are things that are generally actionable by the district attorney and should be prosecuted. The league should always keep in mind that they'd prefer to handle most incidents themselves though, and in that spirit should police their sport diligently.

[Mrs. Tuberski]

While i see that everyone agrees that what this player did was insane and wrong. But to simply address this as an assault and battery is something im not grasping. Take for instance the philly kicker that threw himself at a coach two weeks ago, and two players attacked him for a fight, does he have a right to file crimminal charges for the fight that ensued? I dont understand, all this stuff fights and **** happen in a game and when one gets punched in the face they want to call the DA knowing that it is heat of the game and emotions going on when they themselves know that they have been one to throw a punch beforehand. I mean this is not liek a barroom brawl we are talking about a football game where emotions flare and tempers get out of control. What do u think will happen if on the field antics lead to the arrests of the players? My guess is we will be watching just the cheerleaders dancing on the sidelines

[Sava]

BURN HIM!

[Imran Siddiqui]

we are talking about a football game where emotions flare and tempers get out of control

Uh... this isn't just your garden variety fight which can be explained by, oh, emotions and tempers. After the play he kicked the guy's helmet off, then stomped on his HEAD with his cleat, barely missing his eyes. That's a bit more premeditated than heat of the moment, especially since he kicked the helmet off.

[Sava]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
premeditated

Clearly, he planned to kick the guy's helmet off and stomp on his head... clearly.

[Japher]

Football players a bred to be competitive, conditioned to be competitive, and are raging with testoterone when they play... the good ones more than others. And, the good ones play in the NFL. It is to be expected that at that level of competition such "acts of violence" will, while be it rare, happen. All those who play know this.

IMO, the punishment for such acts should be very, very harsh. Yearly suspension, huge fines, etc. However criminal charges should be addressed on an individual basis. If I were to get in a cage with a lion should I blame the lion if it attacks me? Or sue whatever zoo let me in there? No...

[Imran Siddiqui]

I think we are basing it on an individual basis. Saying this individual act is so beyond the pale, that charges should be something considered. You don't forsee that happening to you on a football field.

[Mrs. Tuberski]

My question is what do u forsee to happen on the football field? Im not trying to say what this guy did was right but im sure that when these guys step on that field they know the game isnt gonna be a tiptoe thru the tulips. I mean come on fights enue all the time, this guy stomped on the guys head and was cleary bounds for suspension and heavly fined which he was. But to actually think of making this game a bounds for legal action outside the league is just asking for probems that wont be fixed if allowed. Cause you and i both know that the next guy that breaks a nail will start cryng im suing and want this monster in jail. These players know the risks going in and they make more money in one year then u will in a lifetime. To bring the legal system in this is like why dont u let me hold ur hand and see if u can tackle that guy, if he hurts you then we will sue.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Do you really forsee a guy ripping off your helmet after a play is whistled dead and then stomping on your head with his cleats? Do you? Really? Can you ever? There is a reason there was such outrage over those actions. Because they were so foriegn to the game.

This is totally beyond the pale and something that the legal system should handle in addition to the NFL. Just because you are playing sports doesn't mean you are not subject to the law.

After McSorly was prosecuted, I didn't see hockey players who broke a nail crying they want the guy jailed, did you?

[SlowwHand]

Sava, I'm just stopping by long enough to tell you to go pet your stuffed bear.

[Ben Kenobi]

Sava, come on dude.

We all know you just watch for the cheerleaders.

[Mrs. Tuberski]

Imran I dont watch hockey i dont know what the deal is there. Im just saying i think these players dont forseeanything when going into a game. they should however expect some things as being a contact sport they are playing. Now if u ask me should the 500,000 thousnad dollar fine this guy got should go to the hurt player id say hell ya. But to get the courts involved is different.

[Imran Siddiqui]

You don't expect that in a contact sport though. Sports exist within the law, not outside of it. If something is so egregiously out of the sport's sphere, then the law should step in or augment whatever the sport has done for punishment.

I mean what if during a baseball brawl, a player pulls out a bat and starts beating another player with it visciously and puts him into a coma and ends his career. Is a lifetime ban enough?! No, the courts need to intervene. Obviously that is well beyond what went on here, but the principle is the same. Sometimes the courts need to be involved when things go well beyond the scope of the game.

[Lord Avalon]

I would vote No, but for the "heavy hand" part. Punishment, yes, but let it fit the incident. I am fine with the 5-game suspension to Haynesworth, which is going to take about $190K out of his paycheck. I think the NFL goes overboard on some of the helmet-to-helmet hit fines: they punish some players for their rep. If the ball carrier ducks his head, he might be putting himself into a situation that the tackler can't avoid.

As far a legal actions, if Gurode wants to press charges, I'm OK with that. He was down on the ground, helmetless, and got raked above and below the eye. If there's no eye damage, then I don't think that warrants any civil suit - stick to criminal court.

[reds4ever]

I've just seen it on YouTube, that sort of thing happens every game in international rugby.