Yeah, but the Texans have to stay much more politically correct than we do. We have the luxury of calling 'em like we see 'em and the Texans don't.
I don't think that's an analogous situation - RBs go low in pass protection all the time, but they're facing the pass-rusher instead of coming in from another direction.
Politically correct has nothing to do with it. What Travis Johnson did on the field was unfortunate. What he did after the game was classless and stupid. He had plenty of time to compose himself and he went off on a stupid rant. Travis Johnson could have cost us the ballgame because he could not keep his composure. That was a legal block. I wouldn't have liked it either but the play is legal. Johnson gets paid to play football not run his stupid mouth. I have no doubt that you called it like you saw it. I suggest you take the rose colored sunglasses off though.
I don't think that folks who don't see it this way are "idiots" or wearing "rose-colored glasses", but I agree with your take here completely. It's for babies and toddlers to throw fits. Men know how to keep their composure.
it also cost us. instead of a negative yard play they ended up with a personal foul and 15 yards. stupid. if memory serves right, the dolphins ended up scoring a TD on that drive. i'm fairly certain they at least got points out of it.
i understand why the penalty was thrown, but players jaw at each other like that all the time when they hit someone and they hardly get flagged. if Green had gotten up to walk away and TJ went after him, refs are more than likely to let it go, assuming TJ doesn't touch Green. i don't blame TJ for reacting the way he did on the field. off the field, that's a different matter. all he had to say was, "i didn't like the way Green went for my legs, and i got upset. i hope he recovers to the fullest."
actually i think the flag was thrown because you can't taunt a person directly and i think the ref thought he was taunting instead of angry.
Here we go again, for the 100th time. Trent Green blocked TJ straight on...he did not come in from the side or from an angle. One guy was running in one direction, the other guy attempted a block in exactly the opposite direction. Sure, TJ's eye's were fixed on a different target, but the block was straight on. TJ's little tirade was completely uncalled for. He has reason to be upset, but after the play, when it turns out that he is okay and the other guy is hurting, he needs to control himself and not act like a thug. That doesnt mean he has to be okay with what happened, but he needs to act like a man.
Rezdawg exactly what video have you been watching? Every video of the play I have seen has shown Green being downfield of Johnson running back towards him at an angle. When he goes into his dive he isn't infront of Johnson at all. He is sorta off to the side of him at an angle. Infact the only part of Green that appears to impact Johnson at all are his head and sholder. Here is a video of the play: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQhsrpAZ_a8 The way you make it sound is as if they were traveling in polar opposite directions towards each other when in fact Green actually tries to cut straight through the path Johnson is taking at almost a perpendicular angle which is why Green is facing almost straight dead ahead in the video when he gets earholed.
Green is on the ground not moving in any direction at the time of the block - TJ ran straight into him. He certainly came from the side, but he managed to get directly in front of TJ. I assume that's rezdawg's point. If TJ is looking forward when he's running, it's a straight-on block just like a running back that goes low. The only reason it wasn't is that TJ was looking sideways at the time. I'm not sure what a blocker is supposed to do if a person is coming at him but looking away.
He does ultimately hit the front of Johnson's legs, not the side, which would have been more damaging. If Johnson's head was turned the direction he was running instead of watching the ball carrier, he would have been prepared. I just see it as playing football, if you aren't prepared to get injured, than go get a regular job and pass on the millions of dollars.
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What I'm saying is that... Even if the Texans agreed with TJ and felt like "Yeah - that was a really dirty tackle. Very dangerous. That was a lousy thing to do." The Texans don't have the luxury of saying that. We do. That's all I was saying.
I stand by what I said. Anyone who supports Johnson after Johnson saw Green carried away on a stretcher, then 2 hours later says "F" Trent Green is an idiot homer.
You're standing by a logical error known as ad hominem. Enjoy. As far the rest of your take, I still agree.
Had TJ been looking in the direction he was running, he would have seen Green. The only reason he didnt see Green and was caught by surprise was because his eyes were fixated elsewhere. If blockers could only block people that see them, then I would be ripping on Green right now.
Injuries are part of the game, but I would bet that 95% of NFL players would be extremely pissed if they took a shot like that. Anytime it seems like someone is going for your knee...it looks like a cheap shot. Not sure what your point about not watching the direction he was running instead of the ball carrier has anything to do with it. It was a blindside hit which is fine, but going for low block (especially one that puts your helmet on someones knee) like that can result in a career ending injury. But I see what you're getting at. Here is an interesting conversation between Peter King from SI and Green after the game... King to Green, 5:14 p.m.: "peter king here. just texting to wish you well and to say hope you come out of this okay.'' Green to King, 9:06 p.m.: "Will b ok. Not like lst yr. TG.'' King to Green: 9:08 p.m.: "hey -- how about johnson calling your block a malicious hit? feel better. peter.'' Green to King, 9:12 p.m.: "He outweighs me by over 100 lbs. Where shld I blk him? TG.'' http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/peter_king/10/07/mmqb.week5/1.html
Which is perfectly legal as long as you're in front of the guy when you actually make the block. The vast majority of blocks are not made with two people running in exactly 180 degree opposite directions. Green came in from the side and got in front of TJ before they made contact - that's a block from the front. The problem was that TJ was looking in an entirely different direction than he was running.
