Andre Johnson and Cortland Finnegan fight each other, they get 25K fines....

[MadBadger]

James Harrison makes what the NFL has now said are illegal hits, and he is fined 75K. Apparently in the eyes of the NFL, Fighting is much better than James Harrison making questionable hits.

I'm actually shocked Johnson and Finnegan werent suspended.

Ochocinco was fined 30K for wearing a sombrero on the sidelines after scoring a TD Last year.

[JonLP24]

1. I loved Teddy Atlas' view of this

He said Finnegan made himself vulnerable by going for Johnson's helmet. He suggested an upper cut because all there is, is a chinstrap.

[Goblinmonger]

2. Finnegan is a douchebag.

I wish the ref had waiting a little while longer to get there so that Johnson could have beat on him a little more. I think Finnegan is one of the dirtiest players in the NFL. Finnegan should have been suspended but not Johnson.

[MadBadger]

3. But what do you think about Finnegan and Johnson getting fined less than Ocho and Harrison?

[JonLP24]

4. You reminded me of something

Last season, Tommie Harris punched a lineman laying on the ground. He was subsequently ejected. He was fined around the same amount as Finnegan. I don't recall a suspension, but it was the same week Ocho got fined a much higher amount for giving a dollar to a ref.

[Goblinmonger]

5. Ocho bothers me more than Harrison.

And Johnson bothers me more than Finnegan.

Harrison's fines have been going up as he continues to make the hits they fine him for. Finnegan should have had a more strict penalty for being a long-time douche.

The Ocho fines are way too high for what he is doing, imho.

[bluedigger]

7. Ocho had it coming.

You can't be wearing Dolphins colors in a Bengals uni - that's a fashion no-no!

[flvegan]

6. Cortland "I aspire to be the dirtiest player in the NFL" Finnegan?

Hell you say.

Agreed. Johnson was on him like a modern day Terry O'Reilly.

[trotsky]

8. It's not that fighting is "better" than illegal hits.

Illegal hits are far more dangerous than fighting.

I agree that both players should have been suspended, though.

[HuckleB]

11. +1

[TZ]

9. Apparantly track record is taken into account

Harrison has a LONG record of being a dirty player.
Andre Johnson not so much. From what I've heard about Finnegan, he won't get off so lightly if (and probably when) he does something like this again. It also seems like they really don't want to suspend if they don't have to. I have to think the lack of a CBA right now is factoring in this.
I actually like enforcement of the rules that isn't one size fits all...

[Awsi Dooger]

10. That's exactly what happened

It's ridiculous the media hasn't recognized it. Johnson is considered a good guy, soft spoken and dedicated. Finnegan is a known instigator. If Johnson had initiated the fight, both would have been suspended. But since Finnegan opened with the blow to the head the league essentially sided with Johnson and his right to respond. The league probably would prefer to suspend only Finnegan but they know they can't get away with that, given the realities of the fight.

[Bluzmann57]

12. Johnny Jolly was indefnitely suspended

for being a druggie. I have said for a few months (at least) that there is something wrong with the NFL's discinplary system.
More examples. Roethlisberger gets a four game suspension for raping a woman (two). Jolly gets an indefinite suspension for being a druggie. Cedric Benson got a four game suspension and cut from his team because he was alleged to have had drugs and gave water cops a hard time. Jolly is a convicted criminal, worked out a deal with the prosecutor and will do no time. Apparently the deal didn't include anything about having a job. Vick has a job. I am tired of Goodell. He needs to be fired and he will be after the lockout of 2011 is settled. That will cost the league too much money and especially pr. The NFL will absolutely not stand for bad pr.

[MadBadger]

13. Not sure why you use the word allege for Benson but not for Roethlisberger

Big Ben is pretty scummy sure, but in reality he was never charged with anything.