21K fine for first hit on Percy

[jeremiah]

I thought the hit in the endzone was worse, the guy left his feet and was the second guy on the scene AFTER the ball was incomplete.

 

[SDHawk]

I was alright with the play when it initially happened, but when I saw the shots of the coaching staff going up to Bush afterwards on the sideline and congratulating him, that really got to me.

Yeah and the fact that it netted a penalty... yet they were high fiving him and patting him on the back. Theres your proof of intent, sammyc.

 

[SDHawk]

I thought the hit in the endzone was worse, the guy left his feet and was the second guy on the scene AFTER the ball was incomplete.

No, I felt the first was intentional. Especially in light of the congratulations he received on the sidelines.

The one in the endzone, he dove and would have had no way of knowing that he would end up hitting Harvin in the back of the head. The contact is first made to Harvin's back before momentum had him riding up to the neck. I actually put that one on Harvin... he mistimed his jump on that ball.

 

[hannibalking]

Not surprisingly, at least one Saints forum is crying foul on the fine and basically saying they're glad they gave Harvin a concussion and that injuring him was worth the fine.

 

[TestMo1337]

I was alright with the play when it initially happened, but when I saw the shots of the coaching staff going up to Bush afterwards on the sideline and congratulating him, that really got to me.

Yeah and the fact that it netted a penalty... yet they were high fiving him and patting him on the back. Theres your proof of intent, sammyc.

I agree that we as fans view that he did it intentionally but there is no way to prove that their tasteless actions on the side line show otherwise. Its no different when in the game a player/coach says after the fact that they don't intend to harm. The player/coach could have said they were celebrating a defensive stop and how could you prove otherwise.

The fact that this team is only 2 years removed from their bounty scandal is what makes their actions on the field and on the sideline so offensive. It would be interesting to see how many personal fouls they've been assessed throughout the year and fines they've been handed and see how they compare.

The NFL is not a court system and there have been cases where fines are assessed after the game has been reviewed like in the SF-Car game due to unsportsmanlike conduct or personal fouls (regardless of whether or not they were flagged).

 

[sutz]

IIRC, the penalty wasn't for the hit, was it?

 

[hawksfansinceday1]

Brandon Marshall wears green cleats twice, gets fined $25k.

Beastmode is media-shy, gets fined $50k.

Rafael Bush intentionally tries to knock out Percy Harvin, gets fined $21k.

This. Screw Roger Goodell and his BS player safety campaign.

It's all show to try to reduce the payout to retired players and stave off any further lawsuits. That's how Rog rolls. If it was anything more, the fine on this guy would've been much, much higher.

 

[Evil_Shenanigans]

Worthless sack of crap. Peyton likely paid it out of petty cash!

 

[Pandion Haliaetus]

http://www.tigerdroppings.com/rant/p/47711247/Rafael-Bush-fined-21k-for-hit-on-Harvin.aspx

Saints fans are odd, after all that ISH about Brooks and Brees, the majority of them don't believe the first hit on Harvin was even illegal stating that Harvin initiated contact first.

There is a GIF of the play on the 2nd page, which also might be the page I linked to.

Not only did the Saints defender #30, hold Harvin's right arm down before the ball got their forcing Harvin to use only one arm and his body to make the catch, #30 then proceeds to almost facemask Harvin, in the very least he covered Harvin's eyes.

In that simultaneous moment #25 Rafael Bush comes barrelling in and delivers the kill shot to Harvin who is not only falling to the ground but also had his vision briefly blocked to even see Bush coming.

And the stupid thing is that had Bush been playing the ball and not the player, that could have been an easy interception rather than giving the Seahawks 15 yards on an unnecessary hit that put a Seahawks FG on the board.