James Harrison Would Like To Serve You A Large Helping Of Douche

He may be good. He may be intense.  He may be intimidating.  But he's also now a douche.  And possibly emo.  Says James Harrison in this article:

I'm going to sit down and have a serious conversation with my coach tomorrow and see if I can actually play by NFL rules and still be effective," Harrison said. "If not, I may have to give up playing football.

Oh Jesus Christ.  There is literally no tackle or defensive play that a player ever made by launching with their helmet as part of the tackle that could not also have been made without launching their helmet.  But let us know how that conversation goes. Douche.

Now I think the NFL enforces all these rules poorly and ambiguously.  For example, watch the video in that article and you will see that all the "analysts" agree Harrison's helmet-to-helmet knock out of Cribbs fits within the rules...yet those types of intentional helmet-to-helmet shots have the most potential to permanently injure a player and it seemed no less dirty to me than the Massaquoi hit.  So they need to make the rules a little clearer and then do the best to enforce them even though there will always be a gray area.

And I'm also aware Harrison clearly has no intention of retiring.  But still.  What a douchey thing to say.  He somehow managed to go from being terrifying to being Jimmy Clausen.

Again, all this tough talk rings hollow to me coming from players who hit with intent to hurt without fear of having anyone do the same to them.  As mentioned earlier, until the NFL figures all this out, I think offenses should retaliate with some of their own tactics.  Design plays that give the offense a chance to lay blind crackblocks on the tough guys who hit them with impunity.  Fuck it, teach them to lead with their helmet and then just call it "toughness".  Maybe these defenders will start to understand what bitches they all sound like.

Update:  for best discussion on these issues check out the Fifth Down Blog posts here, here, and here. For the best discussion of why Steelers players are huge douche bags, stick with us at WDR.

Comments

[Major Payne]

What a drama queen.

[WhoDeyFans]

I am glad you did this, what a fucking pussy.

[Sleeping With Bieniemy]

I rarely root for anyone to get hurt but I am now rooting for James Harrison to get hurt.

[Wyatt]

Not to mention that when a linebacker or safety is doing the hitting, 90+% of the time, they're the larger guy in the collision (the exception being a safety lighting up a tight end). It's essentially bullying, and I'm all for the promulgation of crackback blocking in retaliation.

[Mockenrue]

Even Brandon Meriweather came back to a reasonable place:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d81b79b2a/article/contrite-meriweather-on-big-hits-ill-play-within-the-rules?module=HP_headlines

It's unclear whether he's just giving the canned response to stop addressing the issue under the pressure of his coach, or whether he actually realizes that he was being a total moron. Either way, I assure you you'll never see James Harrison coming out with any apology, forced or not. That whole city is a blight.

[kotw65]

Who cares about peeburgh. We have the Ocho starting to run his mouth and the TO hiring a dating service and twittering 1 hour before the game so with this much football focus the rest of the season will be a slam dunk finish.

Zimmer has thrown the gauntlet by taking the professional veteran defense back to the basics of professional football while smack dab in the middle of a professional football season, no need to be worried here I suppose.

This Sunday the Bengals go to Atlanta where Matt Ryan has started only 16 games but has won 15 of them and they will be focused and favored for a win. The Bengals next four games are critical yet we see no urgency to win from anyone involved. Just correct things and try harder.

I predict a big loss this week maybe by 20 or more points

[Michael]

Who Cares...Leave Harrison...The NFL will still live on...Idiot.

[some guy]

So I like how everyone is all about WR's taking shots at defenses, but when Wines Hard took a shot at Rivers and cracked his jaw we all got pissed. The players know what they are getting themselves into. They get paid unreal amounts of money knowing they are going to get hurt and have a high risk high reward situation. I think all of this is a bunch of crap. Let them play football the way it has been. If a guy has an illegal hit then flag him and let's move on. We all love big hits. That's what most people like about football over other sports. The CONTACT.If a player doesn't want to risk his health then leave the sport. If Harrison feels he can't play without trying to break someone's neck - see ya d-bag. Either accept you're in a violent sport and come to play or get a desk job. The NFL needs to stop meddling in stuff like this as they will eventually lose some popularity and then what, they'll lessen penalties on violence to increase popularity? I'm sure that'll go over well with the Players Union.

[Sleeping With Bieniemy]

Maybe you watch for the contact and big hits but that's a really small part of the game I don't particularly give a shit about. I prefer to watch because football is by far the best sport for the combination of atheticism, cerebral strategy, and level competition (any team can win). Big hits, while clearly entertaining to a majority, are not crucial at all to why the NFL has become so popular.

I actually dislike the really violent, awkard hits. When I see Harrison literally launch his helmet directly at Cribbs earhole with his hands at his side I find it appalling and like the game less. He literally tackles without his hands. That is fucking insane. With Cribbs and Massaquoi out then all fans got treated to a shitty blowout game where one team had no chance. You can have fun watching an unnecessarily injury riddled NFL.

[Sleeping With Bieniemy]

And for the record, Himes Ward, while a superdouche for other reasons...actually does what I wish more offensive players would do...punish the defense and give them a taste. We just happened to be on the wrong end of it. Which sucks.

[Major Payne]

some guy, you sound like you think we are being hypocritical. To me, it is no different when Hiney leads with his helmet and breaks Rivers' jaw than it is when Harrison leads with his helmet and knocks guys out of the game. Both are shitty plays, no matter what side of the ball it comes from.

I like a good hard hit as much as anybody. But I want everyone to walk back to the huddle at the end of the play. And I have no interest in seeing the league devolve into a bunch of headhunting vigilantes on defense looking to get themselves on SportsCenter by literally knocking out as much of the offense as possible.

I know I've heard defensive players bitch after games because they felt someone was going after their knees. (Polomalu maybe? I can't remember.) But yet Harrison and other roid-infested, Joey Porter wannabes feel entitled to turn their helmets into weapons? Child, please.

[some guy]

I'm not saying I enjoy seeing a player lying motionless after getting hit. I dont think anyone does (except Harrison?) but I'd be lying if I dont like the physical nature of the sport. Obviously it's not the only part of the game I enjoy, but I feel it's a big part of the game. I'm just concerned you're going to see a lot of bad calls and fines coming down right now due to all of this. For example the Robinson hit on Jackson was one of the biggest I've seen, but I dont think it was illegal. From what I saw he put his shoulder into his chest. But, when you come across the middle like that it's all too easy for QB to leave the WR out to dry and bad things can happen. I just want to let them play football. But yes, Harrison should learn how to tackle using his arms - or at least make an attempt. That hit was bullshit. I don't know. Maybe i just tend to agree with some defensive players when they complain about the league making rules keeping them from doing their jobs.

[Sleeping With Bieniemy]

Yeah - the Robinson hit seemed legal to me too. It's why I haven't mentioned it at all. The question is if you can allow that type of hit yet disallow the types like Harrison's hit on Cribbs without making this whole thing confusing for defenders. My argument is yes. Yes you can.

For the reasoning read some of the stuff on the Fifth Down Blog I linked to above.

[Mockenrue]

Unrelated except as it pertains to the Bengals' own lack of defensive prowess on the line:

"But with the Bengals next to last in sacks per pass, Antwan Odom suspended, second-rounder Carlos Dunlap not impressing in practice, and the Falcons ranked fifth in converting third downs, Fanene suddenly looks like Deacon Jones."

"As for Dunlap, the rookie pass rusher out of Florida, Zimmer has indicated he’d like to see more passion in practice."

So much for another second round of the NFL Draft for the Bengals.

[Major Payne]

It seems to me that players need to follow the old rule of tackling: "See what you hit." If the head is down, flag 'em on the spot, and later see if it looks worthy of a fine or suspension. If the head is up, guys can still hit hard but won't hard enough to knock people out because they won't risk injuring their own neck. And fans will get to see better tackling every week. I don't see how that is bad for the NFL.

Nice link to the story of the self-admitted headhunter recognizing Harrison's tactics. Guilty of douchieness as charged. I'm not saying I want someone to injure Harrison. But I'm not opposed to someone hurting him. (See SWB's 3rd link to Fifth Down Blog for the context on that comment.)

[Wyatt]

My biggest issue with all of this is the bullshit line that "they can't play the game like it's always been played" or "how they were taught to play". BULLSHIT. PLAIN AND SIMPLE.

From the time you start playing football, you're taught to form tackle, which consists of three parts.

1. Breakdown (lower your stance for better leverage).
2. Hit (put your shoulder into the opposing player's midsection, because, as my coach always said, "they can't go anywhere their hips don't go")
3. Wrap (wrap your arms around the opposing player and make sure he can't get away).

I know some programs also use "4. Drive" to drive through your opponent with your legs and force them to the ground, but if you follow the first three steps there's a very strong possibility you're going to do just that.

Nowhere in that list does it say "leave your feet and use your head a weapon with your hands at your sides".

[Neutered Bengal]

Mike Zimmer loooves Bobby Petrino....

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Mike-Zimmer-rips-Bobby-Petrino-calls-him-a-gutless-bastard.html

[Big Gay Mike's Big Gay Football Ride]

Wyatt and Major: Exactly. See what you hit and wrap your arms around them. THAT is a tackle, not helmet-to-helmet. That seems like such a cheap shot every time with the intention to injure. I haven't watched the replay of the hits extensively but I'm wondering where Harrison's arms were? It can't be that difficult to wrap them around the ball carrier.

These hits belong in the XFL not the NFL.

[Wyatt]

Big Gay Mike's Big Gay Football Ride:

On one hit (can't remember if it was Cribbs or Massaquoi) he had his arms at his side, and on the other one he drove BOTH forearms into the target's neck (which is also a dirty tactic).

[Hofbraunow]

Harrison looks like a fool when he 'tackles' without his arms, i.e. with them instead at his sides...it's like he's playing a weird, delusional version of soccer...which is even more sad

[Hofbraunow]

Harrison (including other clowns with similar antics) is like a 'boss' in a video game, that will zone in on you, moving really fast...his schtick is to hit you with his head, and then just stand there...or, maybe move around some more, and pretend like he's hitting other "you"s with his head...he's quite a character

[Supra TK Society]

MO MO MO MO.....I WANT IT THAT WAY......NO MATTER THE DISTANCE.....YOU ARE MY FIRE.....

[true religion outlet]

At 9 or 10 on the scale, the anger has led to major problems/crime. Maybe they are in prison for some crime committed during an outburst of anger. They may need major deliverance from an obvious demonic problem.