Rudolph wasn't blameless. I don't think it was necessarily worth a suspension though. It was borderline. Borderline never gets a QB suspended.
Rudolph didn’t do anything that would get anyone suspended no matter what position they played. Tugging on another player’s helmet while on the ground definitely isn’t a suspendable offense. . Rudolph never touched Garret once they got off the ground. So Garret was just fucking stupid to swing the dam helmet
Expanding on this. Behavior I, as a coach, would personally discourage: Sack dances. The chances that 10 other players did their job on a play that resulted in a sack are pretty high. Posing after a good play. You're paid (quite handsomely) to have good plays. There were 10 other guys that contributed on that play. You want to pose? Go be a photoshoot model then compare your paychecks. Signaling a first down. That's a referee's job. You do your job, let him do his. Acting like a bunch of fools in the endzone after a TD. Granted, the league now allows group celebrations but, at least act like you've been there before and deserve to be there now. I'm mostly referring to the "photo shoot", "bowling pin", "leap frog" and other celebrations that just have childish optics. Behavior I, as a coach, would personally encourage; Extend a hand to help an opponent up off the ground. Finish every play and return to the huddle the exact same way - every play. (See: Jim Brown). (Warning, this next one will probably trigger @dlinebass5 ) Hand the ball to the official after every play. Say what you want about Urban Meyers, his players typically just hand the ball to the official. They don't spike it, spin it like a top, flip it in the general direction of an official - sometimes they actually go out of their way to hand it to him. This is especially important during a 2 minute drill or hurry up offense. The statute of limitations for an opponent's action is the whistle that blows the play dead. Move on to the next play.
Partially true. Garrett was on his feet and Rudolph was still on the ground when he kicked Garrett in the nuts. Totally true.
Never got to see Jim Brown play but I remember Franco Harris always gave the ball to the official even on TDS. WRs are the ones who started the crazy celebrations
Jim Brown was always very deliberate in getting up and returning to the huddle in the same manner after every play. When asked why, he explained if he got dinged on a given play, he didn't want the defense to know it. And they wonder why they're called divas.
I don't post much anymore, but I do still read quite a bit around here. Would just like to get one thing off my chest, as I've been disturbed by a few of the comments in this thread. A guy goes into a bar, has a couple of drinks, bumps into another guy. Words are exchanged. Pushing and shoving ensues. A couple of swings happen. One of the guys, under no immediate serious physical threat, pulls a gun and fires. Is the dead guy to blame for his death? He may have said some things he shouldn't have. He may have done some things he shouldn't have, but he shouldn't be dead and he certainly didn't deserve to be dead. It's easy to dismiss because he's fine, but Mason Rudolph (or "Princess" as some of you have taken to calling him in the most ridiculously idiotic example of just why I rarely post here anymore) could be dead today. Whatever part he played in the debacle that was the end of that game, it doesn't excuse or justify Garrett's assault. It doesn't matter in the slightest what he did or said prior to that point. He deserves whatever fine he gets for trying to rip Garrett's helmet off while they were on the ground. I wouldn't have even had a problem with a 1 or 2 game suspension if the league deemed it worthy. However, Garrett deserves to miss the rest of this season and he should have to prove to the league he can be trusted back on a football field before they reinstate him, whether that be through counselling, interviews, remorse or whatever. He may be a great guy, but even great guys may not have the temperament for this violent and aggressive sport. If he can't control an impulse to swing what could have easily been a deadly weapon at an opponent, he shouldn't be allowed back on the field in my opinion. I'll crawl back under my rock now.
