Expect Ward To Get Hit

If the NFL has any sense whatsoever they’ll let that stand, it was a perfectly clean hit, if not then there should be a strike (god forbid) between the league and all the teams, and the team’s fans.

Ending a first round draft pick’s rookie season isn’t really that cool. The hit was playside and looked pretty clean, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he at least got fined. Welcome to the NFL, Keith Rivers.

Why all this fines are comming after the dead of Gene Upshaw? where is the NFLPA taking car of their players? all around the league the players are getting fine for clean and legal hits. maybe Godell need a new car.

Duke say something that it would be interesting putting in practice, fine the reff for bad callings. If you would fine players lets fine also refs. they are hving the worst seasson i remember.

I hope Ward dowsnt get fine for this hit, it has an awesome block and legal.

I think part of the Rivers’ hit was Ward telling the NFL front office that he is going to do it his way, no matter the cost. The other part is that he was trying to spring Spaeth on a big play, obviously. And I’m not trying to suggest that Hines lined up to hurt someone to get back at the NFL FO, but that he had a mindset going in to blow a coupld of Bengals’ up, sort of to rub some salt in the Commish’s eye.

But Goodell is partially culpable in this, for inciting Ward. He should send Rivers a card.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXxc9OxIJyc

seems legit to me, though I never want to see a guy get injured no matter how much I dislike him/his team

really that it was a first round rookie’s season that got ended really. If there is anyone to blame that he got injured it starts with Rivers himself. His first responsibitiyt should be to make sure he takes care of himself. You cant expect a wide receiver to do nothing but bring it full speed when engaging a 250lb linebacker or else he risks his own health. There was nothing illegal about the hits that Hines dishes out! The NFL or No Fun League is getting ridiculous about levying out these crazy fines because its not common to see a wide out knocking out linebackers!

It’s not good for my health, but I read the Ed Bouchette chat every week over at the PPG (http://www.pittsburghpost-gazette.com/pg/08295/921609-66.stm) and he pointed out a terrific Q&A by Jaguars.com columnist Vic Ketchman including a question that covers this topic so close to home.

Q: Kevin from Orange Park, FL:
What’s your reaction to Hines Ward breaking rookie LB Keith Rivers’ jaw? I, for one, think Hines Ward is a dirty player. Seems to me most games he purposely stirs up trouble and takes cheap hits.

A: Vic: I’ve watched the hit up close and in slow motion several times. I’ve even stopped the action at the point of impact. The block is clearly made with his right shoulder and there are no signs of using the helmet as a weapon. Ward’s feet are on the ground and he is in no way guilty of launching. At first I thought the block might be unnecessary but, on further review, it clearly springs the ball-carrier around the corner and denies Rivers the ability to make the tackle. Dirty? What’s dirty about it? There was no flag thrown. Fine him? They should pin a medal on him. In my time covering this game, I have seen head-hunting defensive backs try to cripple defenseless receivers. I saw Jack Tatum and George Atkinson target Lynn Swann; head-shot him repeatedly and even attack him from behind and karate chop him in the back of the neck. I saw Tatum cripple Daryl Stingley for life in a preseason game. I saw Thom Darden hit a receiver over the middle so hard I thought the guy was dead. I remember seeing Jaguars cornerback Dave Thomas crush Jerry Rice in a preseason game and celebrate as though it was the play that won the Super Bowl. In the preseason? How about the launch job on Anquan Boldin a few weeks ago? Well, finally, a wide receiver has come along who has decided to hit back. Ward is striking a blow for all the defenseless receivers over the years who’ve been targeted by defensive players with an intent to punish. All of a sudden, the hunters have become the hunted. I think everyone in the league is waiting to see what the league does about the Rivers hit. It’s going to define what the game has become and where it’s going.

quoted from http://www.jaguars.com/news/article.aspx?id=7357

The hunters have indeed become the hunted, and defenders are upset because they have never needed to worry about this before, and they think it’s unfair that it start now.

Of course Rivers’ could have prevented this whole thing by actually anticipating that Hines was going to make a play and try and block him. Was it poor judgment, poor awareness, or simple laziness that allowed him to be blocked by someone shorter and lighter? In any case he should be embarrassed.