Posted on 25 April 2012. Tags: Admitted, Carolina Panthers, Gregg Williams, player', Saints, Smith, Steve, Steve Smith, Targeted, the Saints
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith wasn’t surprised at all when the New Orleans Saints’ bounty plan came to light this offseason. The longtime NFC South rival stated he’s “always known” Gregg Williams’ defenses attempt to hurt opposing players.
“I actually had an altercation with a guy who told me firsthand,” Smith said Tuesday on NFL.com’s “Dave Dameshek Football Program,” although he didn’t name the Saints player. “I was going out of bounds, and the guy went for my ankle. I mentioned, ‘Hey, man, cut that out.’ He’s like, ‘Well, we get fined if we don’t go following your legs when you go out of bounds.’ … And really this past year, this last game when we played them, I had a tiny conversation with Gregg Williams. … He took responsibility, he was saying it wasn’t right, but that’s who he was.”
We’re past the point of becoming shocked by the Saints’ activities at this point. Would it seem out of character for Williams to have his players pay small fines if they didn’t play with an edge?
The Carolina-New Orleans rivalry was re-ignited last season by a scuffle following a Smith touchdown celebration (not to mention a late hit by Saints safety Roman Harper). We won’t have to wait extended to see if Smith’s words additional inflame the matchup: The Saints head to Carolina in Week two next season.
The Saints just have to hope they have enough non-suspended players to field a defense that day.
(About:) This post was distributed by Syndicated Sports news wire and aggregation service, For far more NFL news see: Steve Smith: Saints player admitted he targeted me.
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Posted on 01 March 2012. Tags: Gameday, isn't, Lions', Ndamukong Suh, Nfl, NFL referee, Referee, says, Targeted
Ndamukong Suh has accumulated nine personal fouls and 1 extremely high-profile suspension in his first two seasons in the NFL, a résumé that tends to make you wonder if his reputation proceeds him among NFL game officials.
John Parry, who served as a referee at Super Bowl XLVI, said the Lions’ star defensive tackle does not get targeted.
“No, he does not,” Parry said in an interview with 110SportsPodcast.com (via the Detroit Cost-free Press). “Our keys in mechanics remain the exact same from week to week, game to game. I have the exact same assignments from Week 1 to the Super Bowl as far what my keys are and exactly where I’m focused.”
Parry is saying the things you’d anticipate him to, but place yourself in the shoes of an NFL ref heading to Ford Field. Wouldn’t it be human nature to survey the field, lock in on No. 90 and say to yourself, “You know what? I think I need to preserve an eye out for that guy. He stomps men and women and tries to rip heads off.”
“We do watch film to prepare for formations and tendencies with the teams that we’re about to officiate,” Parry mentioned. “But we do not watch film to have any preconceived ideas or thoughts regarding any 1 player.”
We suppose, and we surely aren’t questioning the integrity of Parry or any other official. But these guys aren’t sequestered in a hotel area six days a week. They watch the replays, hear the press conferences, read the stories. It’s challenging to envision it doesn’t effect their mindset just a bit come Sunday.
(About:) This article was distributed by Syndicated Sports news wire and aggregation service, For far more NFL news see: NFL referee says Lions’ Suh isn’t targeted on gameday.
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