Boldin weighs in on Bountygate

[Raven Maniac]

This is the crux of the issue. Billick and Dungy argue that it doesn't happen ... has NEVER happened on any team they've been with for decades. A guy like Brad Jackson is out there saying it is par for the course.

As for whether it's against the rules, that's probably a gray area. There are plenty of guys who don't get flagged each week but who end up with fines for hits the commissioner doesn't like. Goodell, it seems, can make up the rules as he goes along.

This kind of thing has been going on for years to one degree or another and it will be hard to stop in toto because of the physical nature of the sport, regardless of what RG does or doesn't do. Also at its heart, most fans love the violent aspect of football. Take the violence away and sanitize the sport to the point where the game is nothing more than a glorified flag football game and people will eventually stop watching. Goodell may talk a good game, but it is all about the $$$$ in the end.
I remember watching the Ravens / Titans playoff game in 08, Chris Johnson was running wild in his rookie season and was near impossible to stop once he hit his groove. He beat the D for 72 yrds and a TD before he left the game with an ankle injury late in the 1st half. Johnson would later contended that the Ravens tried to hurt him.
His allegations were never proven of course, but I agreed with him when he said it. I saw Ray and Suggs wrap him all up on the bottom and Reed come flying in on the top, bending him back like a pretzel. It was a scary looking play, but I doubt there were any bounties placed on Johnson's head. Probably just the realization that a healthy CJ was only going to get better as the D wore down. And I'll wager that at some point during that game Lewis, Suggs and Reed had a little talk about how to put an end to Chris Johnson's "good day" against the Raven defense. I'll also bet that most of the Raven fans that were watching that game were happy with the result.

Billick may never had paid or endorsed the method of bounties, but he did encourage violence (at least according to the book "The Next Man Up") with inspirational videos like this one. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AI-VY...eature=related

I miss Billick!

[Terpsfan82]

This kind of thing has been going on for years to one degree or another and it will be hard to stop in toto because of the physical nature of the sport, regardless of what RG does or doesn't do. Also at its heart, most fans love the violent aspect of football. Take the violence away and sanitize the sport to the point where the game is nothing more than a glorified flag football game and people will eventually stop watching. Goodell may talk a good game, but it is all about the $$$$ in the end.
I remember watching the Ravens / Titans playoff game in 08, Chris Johnson was running wild in his rookie season and was near impossible to stop once he hit his groove. He beat the D for 72 yrds and a TD before he left the game with an ankle injury late in the 1st half. Johnson would later contended that the Ravens tried to hurt him.
His allegations were never proven of course, but I agreed with him when he said it. I saw Ray and Suggs wrap him all up on the bottom and Reed come flying in on the top, bending him back like a pretzel. It was a scary looking play, but I doubt there were any bounties placed on Johnson's head. Probably just the realization that a healthy CJ was only going to get better as the D wore down. And I'll wager that at some point during that game Lewis, Suggs and Reed had a little talk about how to put an end to Chris Johnson's "good day" against the Raven defense. I'll also bet that most of the Raven fans that were watching that game were happy with the result.

Billick may never had paid or endorsed the method of bounties, but he did encourage violence (at least according to the book "The Next Man Up") with inspirational videos like this one. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AI-VY...eature=related

I miss Billick!

This is it in a nutshell.

[HoustonRaven]

Every coach encourages violence.

What they don't all do is encourage blowing out a knee, targeting a concussion or otherwise look for ways to permanently disable another player.

That's the line that was crossed.

[leachisabeast]

Every coach encourages violence.

What they don't all do is encourage blowing out a knee, targeting a concussion or otherwise look for ways to permanently disable another player.

That's the line that was crossed.

Agreed.

I'm pretty sure other coaches have done the bounty thing before. However what I do think is that it has never existed or came close to existing in the Ravens locker room while Ray Lewis has been running it. Whether that be Harbaugh, Rex Ryan, or Billick in charge, Ray Lewis would never let anything like that happen.

[BcRaven]

Originally Posted by Raven Maniac
"This kind of thing has been going on for years to one degree or another and it will be hard to stop in toto because of the physical nature of the sport ... also at its heart, most fans love the violent aspect of football. Take the violence away and sanitize the sport to the point where the game is nothing more than a glorified flag football game and people will eventually stop watching" ...

REPLY : You're so right. I just wanted to add that's why many people like NASCAR. Looking at speed, crashes, the violent nature of that sport as well... Bc

[Xave]

An utterly unfathomable scandal for the Shield to get caught up in. Truth is always stranger than fiction. I understand Boldin's sentiments, but let's face it, who's crazy enough to place a bounty on that burly receiver?

[Ravenswintitle]

Originally Posted by Raven Maniac
"This kind of thing has been going on for years to one degree or another and it will be hard to stop in toto because of the physical nature of the sport ... also at its heart, most fans love the violent aspect of football. Take the violence away and sanitize the sport to the point where the game is nothing more than a glorified flag football game and people will eventually stop watching" ...

REPLY : You're so right. I just wanted to add that's why many people like NASCAR. Looking at speed, crashes, the violent nature of that sport as well... Bc

It would be better if they would randomly release deer onto the track

[Terpsfan82]

It would be better if they would randomly release deer onto the track

After they slick down random spots on the track with cooking oil.

[downside52]

Of course every coach and most current players are distancing themselves from the scandal - coaches on TV (Billick, Dungy, et al) know its bad for their reputation, and current players are worried about getting fined.

It is somewhat hard to believe that this was an isolated incident on one team.