MVN - Most Valuable Network

Rodney Still Has The Rep

If I might be allowed to diverge a bit, how many of us took notice that Rodney Harrison was voted by a coaches poll as the league’s dirtiest player?

It’s a story that has had legs since he was a Charger. And it was never, in my opinion, true. The Hit Man has always played the game hard and has always kept playing right to the whistle. But his reputation was largely built on two incidents, neither of which comes close to living up to the hype and both of which took place while Rodney was wearing lightning bolts.

The first was the pre-season injury to Trent Green that still may rank as the best thing to ever happen to the St. Louis Rams. Rodney took out Green, Kurt Warner stepped in and the Rams threatened to become a dynasty. That is well-known. But the worst I can remember anyone faulting Rodney for prior to all the later hate-mongering was that he was “playing too hard for a pre-season game.”

Huh?

I’ll take that anyday, people. Especially from a defensive player. Especially from one that plays the intimidation card as part of his hand. The hit on Green was legal. If it had happened in the first game of the regular season, would it have been any different? Other than giving Warner less time to adapt to the lead role, I mean?

The second was a hit in the end zone against Jerry Rice while Rice was a Raider. Honestly, it was a hit that I felt should not have even generated a penalty. Instead, it garnered a suspension and a fine. And why?

C’mon. If the hit had been on Gerald Reiss, it wouldn’t have even drawn a second glance. It was a football version of the Jordan rules, and everyone knew it, even the Raider fans that could not quite keep a straight face when they were complaining about what a cheap shot artist we had playing Safety. It was especially silly to hear that coming from Raider fans, the same ones who used to laugh under their breath about the mysterious injury to John Jefferson’s hand in the AFC Championship game, the Holy Roller and who were heavy financial investors in stick-um. The ones who all had signed copies of “They Call Me Assassin” on their bookshelves (unread, of course, only bought so they could get Mr. Tatum to sign.) They all were expressing a very clear “How’s it feel to be the ones being called dirty” attitude.

The difference, of course, is that Harrison didn’t stomp on anybody’s hand to break fingers.He hit a man coming across the middle in a manner that used to be called “good football.” A manner that sent Ronnie Lott to the Hall of Fame.

Personally, I always liked Rodney, even though I did get upset with his tendency to pass up interceptions while going for the hit. I’ve seen plenty of examples of dirty play. Most of the ones I remember, of course, happened against us… like rolling up the back of Jamal Williams leg, right Denver? But that is the nature of being a fan. We root for our team and we take their side.

Besides, Rodney probably secretly loves this.  He can’t hit like he used to, ya know… he can use every bit of intimidation he can get.

Confessions Of A Dangerous Chargers Fan–June 27, 2008

 

Once again, I’ve begun my post with a picture of my daughter, Sarah. Hopefully this will distract you from the pop-culture centrifuge that spins in my head 24 hours a day. You haven’t heard much from me lately since there hasn’t been too much going on in Chargerland. I did, however, spot a nice piece on ESPN’swebsite regarding the long-term dividends of Philip Rivers’ courageous performance in Foxboro earlier this year. The fact that he even played that game was insanely impressive. But when it was revealed after the fact that he had a stealth surgery just to get on the field is legendary. Read the rest of this entry »

Confessions Of A Dangerous Chargers Fan–May 10, 2008

When I see Charger fans and Patriot fans going back and forth with the trash talk, I know a new football season is coming. I also know it’s time to jump into the fray with my own thoughts and perspective. If you’ve read anything I’ve written over the last thirteen seasons, you know that no one had a tougher time with Eli Manning winning the Super Bowl than I did. However, when you hear people defending the possible taping of opponents, it’s hard not to join the majority of fans who were happy to see New England lose the Super Bowl in the most heartbreaking fashion. When this whole “Spygate” business broke, didn’t LaDainian Tomlinson suggest that for the Patriots, “If you’re not cheating you’re not trying?” When he said those words right before we got blown off the field in Foxboro, it was construed as sour grapes because the Chargers have lost to the Patriots the last three times out. I can accept that. If last season in the NFL taught us anything, it’s that you can say and do whatever you want as long as you win. Plaxico Burress would have been yet another self-promoting loudmouth if he didn’t catch the winning touchdown in the Super Bowl. Until the Chargers can beat the Patriots when it matters, words won’t mean anything. Read the rest of this entry »

Tapes Turned Over To NFL Include Bolts

Former New England Patriot video assistant Matt Walsh has turned over eight new tapes to the National football league, and according to The New York Times, video of the San Diego Chargers is among them.

The tapes were allegedly made between 2000 and 2003 and show offensive and defensive coaches signals in regular season games. According to the New York Times, the teams include the San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers (including the 2002 AFC Championship game) and the Cleveland Browns.

Contrary to some published reports, tape of the St. Louis Rams pre-Super Bowl walk-through is apparently not included.

Sources indicate that Commissioner Roger Goodell’s office is eager, if not desperate, to move past the Spygate matter and that they believe Goodell will claim that this new evidence only confirms already existing knowledge. No teams or media were notified of whom the evidence previously destroyed by the NFL showed being taped.

I say that the existence and proof that the New England Patriots were breaking these rules as far back as 2000 and continued the practice for at least seven years indicates that the previous punishment was still not enough. Especially because of the proof that the Patriots and head coach Bill Belichick were taping not only future playoff opponents, but actual playoff games.

Obviously, I am someone who considers this far worse because of his loyalty to a team greatly affected. It is absolutely true that I am heavily biased due to the fact that the Patriots have now eliminated my beloved Bolts from the dance two years running. This truth does not invalidate the fact that the cheating occurred or that the punishment previously handed out has proven to be far too lenient.

When I consider the great possibility that these dishonorable and illegal actions may have and probably did contribute to the upset of the number one seeded Chargers in January 2007, I am greatly saddened that the league may consider this matter to have already been concluded. I am confident that Pittsburgh Steeler fans will feel the same, especially in light of the taping of the AFC Championship game. Indeed, although the other teams involved have not been as recently active in the post-season, it has to be considered that those teams, especially the division rival Dolphins, Bills and Jets, have been as badly damaged by this since their twice-yearly contests with New England have obvious playoff implications.

I call upon the league to send a far stronger statement. Suspend Bill Belichick for a minimum of one year. A player caught abusing the legal substance alcohol can be subject to such a ban. A player caught cheating pharmaceutically can be suspended for a full year. A coach, whose behavior will permeate his entire organization, certainly should face no less of a consequence.

Leadership starts at the top and the culture established by a leader thrives. Bill Belichick is a cheater. He should face consequences similar to those the players employed under his supervision would if they were caught cheating.