LB James Harrison Considering Retirement

[DraftBoy]

http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2010-10-20/james-harrison-mulling-retirement-in-wake-of-hit-fines

In the wake of new rules regarding hits to the head, Steelers linebacker James Harrison said he might have to give up playing football during an interview with Fox Sports Radio.

Harrison was fined $75,000 for a hit against Browns receiver Mohamed Massaquoi during the Steelers' Week 6 game. Massaquoi sustained a concussion on the play. Harrison also delivered a shot to Cleveland return specialist Joshua Cribbs that resulted in a concussion, but that play was not part of the NFL's fine and review.

What a complete load of bull****. What a baby, he should be ashamed for the way he plays football.

[Nighthawk]

Re: LB James Harrison Considering Retirement

Ummm, sure he'll give up the millions. He's just throwing a fit like a little kid who didn't get his way. He needs to shut the **** up and play!

[Mahdi]

Re: LB James Harrison Considering Retirement

Ashamed for what? Playing lights out every time he steps on the field? Massaquoi lowered his head and Harrison hit him with his shoulder.

The guy plays great football and plays football the way it was meant to be played and he gets fined 75k. THAT is BS.

They might as well play touch football.

[Dujek]

Re: LB James Harrison Considering Retirement

Bull****, there was nothing wrong with what Harrison did on Sunday. Hard hits that make the receiver or RB think twice about coming into your area of the field are exactly what you want from your LBs.

Harrison wasn't headhunting, unlike Merriweather who delivered the only dirty hit of the weekend.

[DraftBoy]

Re: LB James Harrison Considering Retirement

Ashamed for what? Playing lights out every time he steps on the field? Massaquoi lowered his head and Harrison hit him with his shoulder.

The guy plays great football and plays football the way it was meant to be played and he gets fined 75k. THAT is BS.

They might as well play touch football.

He hit helmet to helmet and the shot on Cribbs was just as bad. Watch the alternative angle, rather than the game feed angle on the Massaquoi hit.

[DraftBoy]

Re: LB James Harrison Considering Retirement

Bull****, there was nothing wrong with what Harrison did on Sunday. Hard hits that make the receiver or RB think twice about coming into your area of the field are exactly what you want from your LBs.

Harrison wasn't headhunting, unlike Merriweather who delivered the only dirty hit of the weekend.

I disagree, Harrison was clearly head hunting and has done it numerous times before. I hope he retires, dont need players like him in the game.

His quotes post game show he was doing it, just read the transcripts.

[Mahdi]

Re: LB James Harrison Considering Retirement

He hit helmet to helmet and the shot on Cribbs was just as bad. Watch the alternative angle, rather than the game feed angle on the Massaquoi hit.

I'll check it out... But really, these guys don't even want to make helmet to helmet hits. It's just as dangerous for them. It's football though, and sometimes you're going to hit a guy hard and it's not going to look good. How can you possibly regulate that. Make Harrison slow down and think before hitting?

How can you ask a defensive player to be defensive before hitting? It just makes no sense and they are really pussifying the game.

[Nighthawk]

Re: LB James Harrison Considering Retirement

Wow, people...Harrison was 100% headhunting on the Massoquoi hit...what game were you guys watching? He launches himself right at his head...he WAS going for the knockout blow.

[Mahdi]

Re: LB James Harrison Considering Retirement

I disagree, Harrison was clearly head hunting and has done it numerous times before. I hope he retires, dont need players like him in the game.

His quotes post game show he was doing it, just read the transcripts.

He echoed those comments to Sirius' Mad Dog Radio:

"Even if you want to say is was helmet-to-helmet, it really wasn't helmet-to-helmet. His helmet hit my shoulder pad if you slow everything down and look at it. We didn't actually hit helmets. It was the shoulder pad. And he lowered his target area by a good three feet. I mean, there's nothing really else I can do and that's why I'm so frustrated."

Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger said Wednesday that he knows it will be difficult for Harrison to adjust to the league's emphasis against dangerous.

"But ... he'll find a way," Roethlisberger said.

The NFL's stiff fine came as it began stringent enforcement of rules against violent and flagrant hits -- especially those to the head and neck areas.

Harrison, a former Defensive Player of the Year, said he was concerned the league was going to far to legislate defensive players' technique:

"How can I continue to play this game the way that I've been taught to play this game since I was 10 years old? And now you're telling me that everything that they've taught me from that time on, for the last 20-plus years, is not the way you're supposed to play the game anymore. If that's the case I can't play by those rules. You're handicapping me."


I like his comments.

[DraftBoy]

Re: LB James Harrison Considering Retirement

He echoed those comments to Sirius' Mad Dog Radio:

"Even if you want to say is was helmet-to-helmet, it really wasn't helmet-to-helmet. His helmet hit my shoulder pad if you slow everything down and look at it. We didn't actually hit helmets. It was the shoulder pad. And he lowered his target area by a good three feet. I mean, there's nothing really else I can do and that's why I'm so frustrated."

Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger said Wednesday that he knows it will be difficult for Harrison to adjust to the league's emphasis against dangerous.

"But ... he'll find a way," Roethlisberger said.

The NFL's stiff fine came as it began stringent enforcement of rules against violent and flagrant hits -- especially those to the head and neck areas.

Harrison, a former Defensive Player of the Year, said he was concerned the league was going to far to legislate defensive players' technique:

"How can I continue to play this game the way that I've been taught to play this game since I was 10 years old? And now you're telling me that everything that they've taught me from that time on, for the last 20-plus years, is not the way you're supposed to play the game anymore. If that's the case I can't play by those rules. You're handicapping me."


I like his comments.

I think he's telling his side of the story and the tape I saw does not show his helmet making no contact for Harrison.

As Ive said from the beginning a change to the way players hit must start at the pee-wee level with better and more porperly trained coaches, coaching proper technique. It must continue through HS and college as well.

[Nighthawk]

Re: LB James Harrison Considering Retirement

He echoed those comments to Sirius' Mad Dog Radio:

"Even if you want to say is was helmet-to-helmet, it really wasn't helmet-to-helmet. His helmet hit my shoulder pad if you slow everything down and look at it. We didn't actually hit helmets. It was the shoulder pad. And he lowered his target area by a good three feet. I mean, there's nothing really else I can do and that's why I'm so frustrated."

Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger said Wednesday that he knows it will be difficult for Harrison to adjust to the league's emphasis against dangerous.

"But ... he'll find a way," Roethlisberger said.

The NFL's stiff fine came as it began stringent enforcement of rules against violent and flagrant hits -- especially those to the head and neck areas.

Harrison, a former Defensive Player of the Year, said he was concerned the league was going to far to legislate defensive players' technique:

"How can I continue to play this game the way that I've been taught to play this game since I was 10 years old? And now you're telling me that everything that they've taught me from that time on, for the last 20-plus years, is not the way you're supposed to play the game anymore. If that's the case I can't play by those rules. You're handicapping me."


I like his comments.

Really??? They teach kids to launch themselves at players heads??? Really??? Stupid comment and very untrue.

[madness]

Re: LB James Harrison Considering Retirement

Players like Harrison could start by actually trying to tackle somebody instead of trying to dislodge their head.

[Mahdi]

Re: LB James Harrison Considering Retirement

I think he's telling his side of the story and the tape I saw does not show his helmet making no contact for Harrison.

As Ive said from the beginning a change to the way players hit must start at the pee-wee level with better and more porperly trained coaches, coaching proper technique. It must continue through HS and college as well.

How does a guy remove his head from the equation exactly? The head is the upper most part of the body, so, it will always be there and making some sort of contact. I think the point is that the force of the hit came from the shoulder.

[Nighthawk]

Re: LB James Harrison Considering Retirement

How does a guy remove his head from the equation exactly? The head is the upper most part of the body, so, it will always be there and making some sort of contact. I think the point is that the force of the hit came from the shoulder.

Have you ever heard of "see what you hit"??? That's what kids are taught...not to launch themselves at the opponents heads.

[HAMMER]

Re: LB James Harrison Considering Retirement

NFL is getting sissified. When I was a kid we didn't have helmets, we wrapped a tube sock around our head.