James Harrison Defends His Right To Play Physical Ball

James Harrison Defends His Right To Be:

The NFL sent a shot across the bow when it levied a hefty $75,000 dollar fine on Pittsburgh Steeler linebacker James Harrison. Harrison shot back! His statement that he is contemplating retirement over the NFL's new policy is not, as many have proclaimed, a statement that should be interpreted as the words of a “Dirty Player” who refuses to change.

Harrison plays football, in a league full of men that defend that line of scrimmage on both sides with full knowledge that injuries are part of the game. There have been discussions in the NFL locker rooms since the rules began to change in the late 1970's. The offense always claims the rules are to protect the players, while the defenders cry foul at the NFL's attempt to eliminate the physicality required to play in the trenches.

You ask Jack Lambert or Rocky Bleier what they think of this new rule and I am sure they would have a laundry list of what is wrong with the NFL today. The late great Lyle Alzado would openly laugh in your face if you told him to stop hitting so hard.

The hit that Dunta Robinson laid on DeSean Jackson last Sunday was far more physical, and appeared intentional in many football fans' eyes. Yet the league chooses to incur a much lesser penalty. It isn't James Harrison, or Hines Ward, it is the way the Steelers play ball that seems to draw the attention of the media and the NFL.

Over the years, the NFL has taken a game that requires hard hits and changed the rules. It appears now that any receiver in the NFL just has to lower his head at the last second and the defender will get a fine. One of the points commentators have made about Joshua Cribbs is that he runs through defenders, but let him get hit by one of those defenders and suddenly he isn't a power running back, but a mamsy pamsy receiver who got hit by a defender and got hurt.

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin stated; “I’m a proponent of it. I’m all for player safety,” said Tomlin. “I think it’s a proper initiative that the NFL has. We need to safeguard the men who play this game to the best of our abilities, and make it as safe as we possibly can. But I also think we have an obligation to those who look at the NFL to provide the safest game we can.

Tomlin defended Harrison's hit on Cribbs to the media stating: “Cribbs was the wildcat quarterback. He was the runner. Those guys are not protected. That’s why a few weeks ago when you guys were asking me why Dennis Dixon doesn’t run – the NFL is dangerous for non-running backs running in close quarters.”

MAN UP!!!!!!! The NFL is taking things too far. They are refusing to let players play the same brand of football that they grew up with. On the gridiron, people will get hurt and let me be clear here, NO player in the NFL on either side of the ball wants to see a fellow warrior get injured.

It will be a statement that resounds throughout the NFL if Harrison retires. It will be the sad commentary on what the NFL has become. Soon NFL will stand for National Flag League!