Yesterday, Steelers linebacker James Harrison learned a $20,000 lesson, courtesy of the NFL Collections Department: please don't criticize officials publicly, no matter how blatantly obvious it is that they blew a call. Oh, and also don't suggest they wager on the games -- this isn't the NBA. So while the league office frowns on such behavior, Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has Harrison's metaphorical back.
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who has been on the other side of many such hits, did not think Harrison should have been penalized.Although I don't disagree that "it's hard to stop a guy who is that strong, powerful and fast," like I mentioned at the time, none of that matters because, well, IT WASN'T A LATE HIT. Harrison didn't lead with his helmet, or drive Garrard to the ground.
"It is hard to stop a guy who is that strong, powerful and fast. It's hard to comment on it because you have to be careful of what you say. My personal opinion: I didn't think it was a late hit and I usually stand up for quarterbacks. I think if you ask David Garrard, I don't think he would tell you it was a late hit. But they called it, and that is what it is."
Whatever, he message received; when the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Ed Bouchette asked Harrison about the fine, the Pro Bowl linebacker refused to comment. This makes Commissar Goodell very happy.
As for Mike Pereira, the head of officials, he might have to either cancel his weekly "see, this is what happened" mea culpas on NFL Total Access, or bring on staff to handle the additional workload.
