In 1986, (Los Angeles) Raiders Defensive End Greg Townsend, in the middle of a typical Chiefs/Raiders melee, grabbed a Chiefs player by the helmet and ripped it off. He then tried to beat said player with his own helmet before a referee grabbed his arms, WWE style, and doused Townsend's raging torrent.
Townsend, who was clearly guilty, was hit with a one game suspension. The Raiders were furious, they were in a Playoff Chase. The ferocity of the NFL in the 70's, and 80's is what built the sport of football to be America's Pastime today. Football is a sport of violence and sometimes lines get crossed. In Greg Townsend's case it was a 1 game suspension.....
Fast Forward to last night. Miles Garrett went crazy and ripped Mason Rudolph's helmet off and tried to beat him with it. And the Browns were winning. The talking heads on 92.3 The Fan were still furious at 2 in the morning. What are they still bitching about? I've got to go to bed. Listen, give Garrett a one or two game suspension and we'll all be fine.
Then I remembered what year it was:
That's a great picture. Since 1999, the "New" Browns are 6-34-1 and against the Steelers. I'm glad Myles Garrett showed some fight. But after watching the video again (and again), he probably deserves a 2-game suspension.
I wonder what ESPN thinks?
Kevin Seifert calling for an Unprecedented Suspension? Seifert is not a student of the game. I remember the Raiders doing crap like this all the time. You can watch the below 3 minute video and see the 70's Raiders committing all sorts of hits that would be considered illegal today. And that is a highlight real.
But today? Listen, I don't blame Rudolph for being pissed, he nearly got his head ripped off. And of course Garrett is full of regret, he's going to get suspended, but ESPN's narrative of 'assault on the football field?' That is flat out dangerous. An 8 game suspension? Not for that fracas.
Again, Garrett deserves a suspension and a fine. Kevin Seifert saying "the outburst left grizzled football veterans gasping at its sheer violence, a throwback matched by only a handful -- if any -- of intentional acts in 100 years of league play" is irresponsible. You know how long it took me to find that Raiders/Chiefs clip on YouTube? Literally 10 seconds.
What does Hall of Famer Chris Carter say?
Yeah, not something he's never seen before. Just nothing he's seen in a game before. Because even I have read of incidents like this in Training Camp.
Here's what should happen so I can go to sleep. (It is 3:39 AM. Up due to ribs again.)
Myles Garrett: 2 game suspension. Hefty Fine.
The guy who kicked Garrett in the head: 1 game suspension. Has to run gassers.
Kevin Seifert: Suspended from ESPN for not knowing the history of the sport he covers.
I don't think that's what's going to happen.
To be continued.....