Sal Alosi: What Is the Appropriate Punishment for the Jets Coach?

On Sunday afternoon a side of sports you never like to see reared its ugly head in New York. 

Sal Alosi, a strength coach with the New York Jets, tripped Dolphins player Nolan Carroll as he ran down the sideline on punt return coverage. 

There was immediate outrage, and the Jets were forced to identify the coach involved in the incident.

So what will be the fallout from the incident? 

Nolan Carroll

One reason Alosi may escape severe punishment is Carroll himself.

It's hard to really bring the hammer down when the victim is apathetic. 

Carroll told reporters that he wasn't upset with the Jets coach and wasn't sure how he ended up on the ground but felt contact during the play.

Would Carroll be so forgiving if he had torn an ACL?

Sal Alosi

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EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - 2009: Sal Alosi of the New York Jets poses for his 2009 NFL headshot at photo day in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by NFL Photos)

For his part, Alosi has done all the right things since the incident.

But thats what happens when the Jets public relations team suddenly becomes in charge of every word you say. 

Alosi reportedly apologized to Carroll and Dolphins coach Tony Sparano following the game. A ballsy move considering I'd half expect Sparano to knock Alosi to the ground after seeing what he did. 

Alosi's quick accepting of his guilt and subsequent apology will likely save his job, but he won't escape punishment all together. 

Reactions

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MINNEAPOLIS - SEPTEMBER 19: Karlos Dansby #58 of the Miami Dolphins celebrates with Yeremiah Bell #37 after the Dolphins defense recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown during the game on September 19, 2010 at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in M

"They're cheaters -- they do what they do," Channing Crowder said. "They cheat and talk junk and they do all that stuff but we beat the hell out of them today. I tell you the truth, I would have broke that old man's leg." -CBSSports.com

"...Suspend him, man. Get him up out of there. He's got to go, bringing down a whole organization like that. That's sad. You don't do a man like that." Dolphins linebacker Karlos Dansby said. -USAToday.com 

"The only thing I know ... is that my guys were screaming up there at the time," Tony Sparano said. "When Nolan was down on the ground and they showed the thing, somebody from that sideline stuck a foot out. I talked to the referee. I didn't see it at that particular time. I told him at that point that it was on tape and the people upstairs are telling me that's what they see." -Huffington Post

"Well this is just uncalled for in the NFL...Not sure who that person is but they should be ashamed of themselves," said the CBS announcer during the game.

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NEW ORLEANS - SEPTEMBER 08: NFL commissioner Roger Goodell plays on the field during the NFL�s Play 60 campaign to fight childhood obesity at Brock Elementary School September 8, 2010 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Obama joined NFL Commissioner Roger Goodel

Now the matter will go to the strict disciplinarian Roger Goodell's office.    

Goodell is unlikely to terminate Alosi, and I'm not even sure he has the power to.

But, here's what I think will happen, or at least should.

A season long ban from the sideline.

Everyone would be happy, and the guy wouldn't lose his job.

To be honest, what it looked like to me was a former Hofstra linebacker who couldn't make it in the NFL making his first tackle in the big leagues.

The guy wanted to contribute, but went about it in the dumbest way possible.

Now he'll have to pay for that.