View Full Version : Can anyone justify this?
With some of the dirty incidents that have taken place on the field this year, can Igor Olshansky justify hitting Tom Nalen, after it appeared that Nalen dove at Igors knees on a spike?
For those who haven't seen it, you can see the video here. (http://nfl.aolsportsblog.com/2006/11/20/nalen-cheap-shots-olshansky-then-pays-the-price/)
Thoughts? I'll post mine at a later stage.
redlegsfan21
11-20-2006, 07:21 PM
It looked like Nalen just fell down but whatever he did, Olshansky had no right to do what he did. You just don't hit people (except in Boxing and Hockey). I wouldn't be surprised to see a suspension.
racosun
11-20-2006, 07:53 PM
I didn't think it was terribly bad. It deserved the penalty it drew, and he'll probably catch a fine, but I doubt it's enough to warrant a suspension. The other guy either fell, or he really tried to cut his knees. Either way, the Ohio State fan is right, he shouldn't have reacted to it like he did. It just made matters worse. The coach really chewed him out, and I'm sure he got chewed out some more after the game, and he'll get it again when watching the film during team meetings.
If anything, it could be a double-fine, like the one with the guy that went after Jerremy Stevens of Seattle. Stevens didn't get penalized, but the league saw what he did to provoke the penalty, and he paid for it. IF the league thinks Nalen dove at his knees on purpose, he'll draw a fine as well, if not a suspension for trying to injure another player intentionally.
brady_branch
11-21-2006, 05:49 AM
I agree with the above. Neither player was in the right. I'm not going to say both were in the wrong, though.
racosun
11-21-2006, 05:54 PM
This is from FOXSports.com:
"The Denver Broncos are screaming mad after the NFL weighed in on an altercation between Broncos center Tom Nalen and Chargers DT Igor Olshansky.
FOXSports.com has learned that the league fined Nalen a whopping $25,000 for going down after Olshansky below the knees on a simple spike play in the waning minutes of Sunday night's game. Olshansky, who retaliated with a punch and was ejected from the game, was fined less than half that -- $10,000. Even though Nalen's fine was much more significant than Olshansky's, Nalen's action drew no flag.
Denver officials are furious with the fine and it's expected that Nalen will appeal such a move. After Olshansky was kicked out of the game his head coach Marty Schottenheimer was seen lambasting the young defensive lineman for the infraction."
efin98
11-21-2006, 06:13 PM
This is from FOXSports.com:
"The Denver Broncos are screaming mad after the NFL weighed in on an altercation between Broncos center Tom Nalen and Chargers DT Igor Olshansky.
FOXSports.com has learned that the league fined Nalen a whopping $25,000 for going down after Olshansky below the knees on a simple spike play in the waning minutes of Sunday night's game. Olshansky, who retaliated with a punch and was ejected from the game, was fined less than half that -- $10,000. Even though Nalen's fine was much more significant than Olshansky's, Nalen's action drew no flag.
Denver officials are furious with the fine and it's expected that Nalen will appeal such a move. After Olshansky was kicked out of the game his head coach Marty Schottenheimer was seen lambasting the young defensive lineman for the infraction."
The league did what the officials didn't do- penalized both.
Denver can complain all they want, but going after a guy's knee is a hell of a lot worse than throwing a punch at another player. One can knock a guy out for a few minutes, the other can knock a guy out of the league for a lifetime- their guy comitted the worse act.
racosun
11-21-2006, 09:15 PM
Denver can complain all they want, but going after a guy's knee is a hell of a lot worse than throwing a punch at another player. One can knock a guy out for a few minutes, the other can knock a guy out of the league for a lifetime- their guy comitted the worse act.
I agree. But actually, there was no way Nalen could have been knocked out. One of the dumbest things NFL players do is punch each other in the helmet. Why? You won't hurt nothing but your hand, plus you'll draw a penalty and get tossed out. I really don't see how Nalen wasn't penalized during the game for that play. It seemed fairly clear (especially to the NFL big cheeses) that Nalen went out of his way to go after Olshansky. Probably alot of smack exchanged between the two throughout the game, and it ended up like this. Identical to the Seattle situation a few weeks ago.
Snake
11-21-2006, 09:52 PM
I am with efin on this one. Nalen was clearly in the wrong, diving at Olshansky's knees. That could have cut his career short. You don't think you would have tried to hit someone that did that to you? Though Olshansky wasn't in thew right, I can see why he did it. Nalen deserved the bigger fine. He has been in the league a long time, and knows what he did was wrong.
efin98
11-22-2006, 03:06 AM
I agree. But actually, there was no way Nalen could have been knocked out. One of the dumbest things NFL players do is punch each other in the helmet. Why? You won't hurt nothing but your hand, plus you'll draw a penalty and get tossed out.
I agree he wouldn't have been knocked out by a simple fist but it would have knocked him out of the game due to a concussion.
I've had one caused that way by an errant fist in a multi-player tackle, it only takes a little force on the helmet in one spot and it hurts like hell for a while.
I really don't see how Nalen wasn't penalized during the game for that play. It seemed fairly clear (especially to the NFL big cheeses) that Nalen went out of his way to go after Olshansky. Probably alot of smack exchanged between the two throughout the game, and it ended up like this. Identical to the Seattle situation a few weeks ago.
They likely didn't see it when it happened or else he would have been given a 15 yard penalty for it. The league has the benefit of watching it from multiple angles and at different speeds, the officials only have what their own eyes see.
I am with efin on this one. Nalen was clearly in the wrong, diving at Olshansky's knees. That could have cut his career short. You don't think you would have tried to hit someone that did that to you? Though Olshansky wasn't in thew right, I can see why he did it. Nalen deserved the bigger fine. He has been in the league a long time, and knows what he did was wrong.
Exactly, I would be annoyed if I knew that someone was going for my knees in an effort to injure me. Would I then punch the guy in the helmet? I'd like to think I'm not that stupid to puch someone in the helmet but I'd get him another time.
Did anyone notice ow even after replays Madden acted like what Olshansky was akin to Haynesworths actions and Nalen did seemingly nothing?