For those who can’t bear to subject themselves to the NBC studio shows, what with Football Night in America being so overproduced it makes T-Pain seem “gritty” by comparison, you probably missed Rodney Harrison continuing his crusade to turn himself into the court jester of today’s crop of NFL television analysts*.
(”Plus, dude, purple totally clashes with the uniform.”)
In this instance, Tom Brady had just thrown a pass in the pocket when he was hit in the knee by Terrell Suggs (and rather lightly at that), prompting a 15-yard roughing the passer flag at Brady’s demonstrative request. Afterward, Harrison took what should have been an interesting debate about the new NFL rules protecting the quarterback in the pocket and instead turned into an OMG controversy about just Harrison, Brady, and “manhood.” Oh, great. Awesome. Video of the play in question and Harrison’s “controversial” remark after the break.
(via NEWSDAY.COM)
Here’s the problem. As Jeffrey Lebowski might say, “You’re not wrong, Rodney, you’re just an a$$hole.” That rule is ridiculous and has been since its inception, something Harrison has been correct in pointing out multiple times. After all, it sure didn’t seem like Suggs was going for a cheap shot or trying to injure Brady in any way, and it was hardly the type of hit that would draw a post-game fine from the commissioner’s office. He made contact with a dude’s leg at a low speed. Harrison could have framed it that way. He didn’t.
Another thing Harrison could have pointed out is that with the helmet rules and now the leg rules, it’s getting harder and harder to find a place to hit a quarterback “cleanly” without earning a roughing penalty. Even a hit to the midsection can be a roughing call if the ref thinks the player drove the QB into the turf. This is football, where people get crushed all the time, and where the pocket is full of violent hand-to-hand combat. To put someone in the middle of that pocket and declare them hands-off is ridiculous. Ray Lewis brought this aspect up (in his own way, of course). Harrison could have framed it that way. He didn’t.
No, even though we don’t think Harrison actually thinks Tom Brady is a girl or otherwise girlish (fellow NBC studio member Mike Florio interpreted it as a joke at PRO FOOTBALL TALK, and we’re inclined to agree), Harrison expressed his opinion in a stupid, outdated, Neanderthal fashion.
Furthermore, Tom Brady’s still out there playing football and is married to one of the hottest chicks in the world. Rodney Harrison is retired and wears makeup while talking about football in some insulated studio. Who sounds less manly now? You see how this insidious cycle of questioning someone’s manhood ends? In people not talking about the original issue at hand, which is that the NFL has completely overprotected its quarterbacks, and that it negatively affects how the game is played. The rule is bad enough on its own merits, Mr. Harrison. Make that fact central to your argument, and don’t wander into bigoted comments, even as a joke.
*We’ve seen comparisons made to Jay Mariotti and Skip Bayless, but those don’t exactly ring true, if only because we think Harrison actually believes the points he makes; he just makes them inartfully. Mariotti and Bayless, however, are contrarian chuckleheads who know no other way to get attention.
12:46 pm on October 5th, 2009
Adam, it seems to me that Harrison’s comment had more to do with Brady lobbying the official for the call instead of the merits of the rule.
2:19 pm on October 5th, 2009
replay shows suggs bending at the waist, lowering his head and raising his arms towards brady and just happens to hit him in the knees before he goes down?
good call by the officials. thats why the rule is in place. not severe, but does not have to be severe for it to be a penalty.
players are bigger and stronger than ever, so you do need these rules or it would be too easy to injure an opponent by “accident”.
harrison’s comments are weak. more proof that todays announcers and journalist have little talent. no professional but the networks do not care. they just want ratings.
brady did what he was suppose to do, get the officials attention and lobby for the flag.
i actually agree with this adam j
3:34 pm on October 5th, 2009
bad: Do you happen to be a patriots fan. what a pussy, just like Brady and then you sign the post bad take your skirt off bad
3:55 pm on October 5th, 2009
Brady was only being Brady. The cry baby crap needs to end, and the Pats are the league’s biggest babies, and always have been under B squared. Pats fans, like most New Englanders, are blind to the facts. It’s nothing new, not only to football, but to all pro sports…the higher profile players and teams get preferential treatment by the officials. Period.
4:23 pm on October 5th, 2009
Hey BigBob. I think someone’s just jealous they have a sad sack of sh*t football program where they’re from. Suggs was facing up when he saw the ball thrown, THEN decided to dive down at the knees. Please. EVERYONE’S GAME PLAN AGAINST THE PATS IS TO GET TO BRADY ALL DAY AND KEEP IT THAT WAY. You’re an idiot if you don’t realize the D’s plan is to make Brady uncomfortable. This is how they do it. Good call. Period. Super Bowl win #4 comin to ya! The Dynasty Lives!
4:25 pm on October 5th, 2009
“the higher profile players and teams get preferential treatment by the officials. Period.”
Whatever helps you sleep at night BigBabyBob
6:45 pm on October 5th, 2009
Man now you cant brush against the quarterbacks legs either. What a crock of sh*t the NFL is turning into.
8:48 am on October 6th, 2009
What you all missed, and sadly so is that Harrison’s comment was a joke, and planned. He had already told Brady he was going to rip him before it happened.
Now to all of you imbeciles who talk about Brady being a pussy. Not one of you would or could take the hits any pro football player takes, never mind this particular quarterback, standing prone, after releasing the football, totally exposed and unprepared for a 350 pound lineman to hit him below the knees. Especially one that is just coming back from the exact same injury which resulted from that particular hit.
Any team’s most important player is usually the QB. And any QB takes punishment in every game. The D’lineman, are bigger, faster, stronger than in years past. Believe me, the owners, the league wants those huge investments protected from deliberate, or even accidental injury.
To some teams it doesn’t much matter if their starting QB get’s hurt…..they’re not that good anyway, and the second guy is close to the first. But get the Manning’s, Brady, Ryan, or other top flight QB’s and the season is pretty much over.
It’s called protecting your investment, and your $50 game day ticket isn’t paying the freight.
12:11 pm on October 6th, 2009
SEEMS LIKE YOUR KINDA UPSET THAT AN EX PATRIOT WOULD BE TALKIN THAT WAY ABOUT HIS EX QB….HARRISON IS TRYIN TO MAKE A CAREER, NO MORE LOYALTY TO THE GAME BEING PLAYED AND IN COMES THE LOYALTY TO THE BULLSH#& MEDIA.