Wednesday night, FanHouse's Michael David Smith shared the news that NFL VP of Officiating Mike Pereira believed that the crew working Monday night's Ravens-Patriots game acted properly. The league backed up that affirmation today by fining four members of the Ravens for violating rules "prohibiting the abuse of game officials." Bart Scott will take the biggest hit to the wallet, $25,000 for verbal abuse and for throwing a penalty flag into the stands after the Patriots scored the winning touchdown. He spoke with the Ray Anderson, the league's executive VP of football operations, on Thursday, and seemed contrite in comments today.
"We both came to the conclusion that I made a bad decision, but he understood the emotion and took that into consideration the emotion and the moment. It's definitely something for me to learn from and grow from and be an advocate speaker for great conduct."Derrick Mason, Chris McAlister and Samari Rolle were each slapped with $15,000 fines for "publicly questioning the integrity of the officiating." Mason and McAlister went out of their way to promote the notion that the league and the officials were working to ensure a win for the Patriots. Rolle's fine is more interesting, as his major complaint was that Phil McKinnley called him "boy" several times during the game. Regardless of the merit of his allegations, it would seem the league felt he went too far too publicly in making them.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
12-07-2007 @ 4:26PM
Brett said...
Good. Maybe next time they'll think before trying to blame everyone but themselves for blowing a game they easily should have won. Players should know better than to put forward dumb conspiracy theories that only serve to get the morons on the world riled up. The Ravens played a better game than to cheapen it by suggesting the fix was in.
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12-07-2007 @ 7:13PM
riboy said...
Easily won,hey Brett wake up and smell the coffee those thugs in Baltimore didn't play a game that was a mugging.That so called team should be in cell blocks.
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12-07-2007 @ 8:22PM
JFCJR said...
I am NOT a Ravens fan at all and usually pull for them to loose but I don't blame the players one bit. Baltimore played an incredible game only to have the refs literally take over the game in the final minutes to give pretty boy Brady a victory with a bunch of BS calls. The 4th down holding call in the end zone was a joke. Pereira's opinion every week is a comedy act and charade! Who cares? What else would you expect him to say? Those fines don't have any more meaning than getting a parking ticket......
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12-08-2007 @ 2:00AM
Desides said...
So where's the fine for Mike Vrabel's shouting obscenities at the referees, as well as the post-game comments of Tom Brady and Randy Moss?
Oh, wait... yeah, looks like the Ravens may just have a point.
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12-08-2007 @ 10:15AM
myra said...
What happened to the fine on Harrison for going to the sidelines to say something to Billick. I guess that is ok and it is ok for the refs to talk in a demeaning way to the players...if they are Ravens. The NFL administrators are a joke!
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12-08-2007 @ 10:16AM
myra said...
Riboy, you are nuts! It was a good game and the Ravens played with their heart and soul.
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12-08-2007 @ 11:35AM
mel said...
Riboy, you must not have watched the same game as I did. The Patriots did not have that game easily won. They barely won, and in my opionion they should not have won. As of fines, what about fining the referees behavior. Since there fining the Ravens players $15,000 dollars or more for there behavior, why only $5,000 dollars for Harrison's behavior. For that matter, Harrison should have had an unsportsman like conduct penalty in the game for it....I believe taunting is considered unsportsman like conduct...but who the hell am I. Not a Ravens fan, but I will give them credit for an almost win. They played a great game until the end.
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