We’ve already shared a gallery of depressing pictures from Thursday’s Browns/Steelers game and an even more depressing set about their fans, so it’s no surprise that game’s head-to-softer-head collision that concussed Browns quarterback Colt McCoy would lead somewhere depressing, no matter what side you’re on — the league has decided to celebrate James Harrison’s fifth illegal hit against a quarterback in the past three seasons by making him the first player suspended for helmet-to-helmet since the rule’s emphasis.

“We’re disappointed, we’re disappointed for James,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said Monday. “Because we know, quite frankly, how hard he’s worked to play within the rules. He’s worked extremely hard to adjust his game. Unfortunately, the incident did happen, it was a penalty, we have to be accountable for that. He has to be accountable for that.”

The suspension is effective immediately, but Harrison has requested an expedited hearing and they’ve set a date for his appeal. Oh, and in case you wonder how he feels about the whole thing:

I guess rolling on the floor would’ve been seen as insincere.

If you missed the hit, you can check out the video below.

Read the rest of this entry »

This is the goalie mask of Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price, and I’m saddened that it’s not the tribute to The Texas Chainsaw Masscre for which we were all hoping. It’s actually a tribute to Jacques Plante, the inventor of the goalie mask and the first one to wear it in regulation play. Yes, there were days when goalies didn’t wear masks or helmets. And you thought hockey players were ugly now.

More looks at Arrigo’s functional art here, via Deadspin. This could only be topped by Jessica Biel running away from Price, screaming. Read the rest of this entry »

Yes, yes, we know that it’s Carl Johnson and Merton Hanks that handle the NFL’s “disciplinary” issues; we know our way around the 17th floor of 280 Park better than most. But we needed a headline, and so here we are. This is NFL kommisar Roger Goodell in the midst of his Cincinnati trip, enjoying Skyline Chili for lunch (If I had to guess, I’d say that they were at the Vine Street location near the stadium). Commence with the jokes about Cincinnati-style chili resembling liquid feces and the implications of Herr Goodell partaking in a “three-way.”

Anyway, I guess we should probably discuss the plight of Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Austin Collie; after taking a brutal hit against Philadelphia that left him incapacitated on the field for more than 10 minutes, he was reportedly “alert” and “sitting upright.” The collaborators on the hit, Eagles safeties Quintin Mikell and Kurt Coleman, hit Collie from opposite sides. Coleman was flagged for a helmet-to-helmet hit and the pass was ruled incomplete.

Both calls were wrong. Read the rest of this entry »

Oregon “alum” LeGarrette Blount is more famous for punching out a Boise State football player than anything he’s ever done on the football field. Apparently the Titan’s undrafted free agent has continued training for his MMA future, the rookie running back punched a teammate in the helmet, which probably hurt his hand more than the other guy’s head.

The rookie running back capped a feisty night practice for the Tennessee Titans with a short punch to the helmet of defensive end Eric Bakhtiari a few moments after having his own helmet ripped off for the second time in as many plays.Blount had just returned to the Titans on Wednesday night after being excused since Sunday for personal reasons. He was carrying the ball in a drill near the goal line when his helmet came off, and he kept his feet moving toward the end zone.

The play ended with some pushing and shoving, and then Blount threw a right into Bakhtiari’s facemask. Blount quickly talked to coach Jeff Fisher before leaving the field. “He apologized, and I said he didn’t have to apologize,” Fisher said. “It’s football. It’s training camp.”
–ESPN

As we learned from Rex Ryan on last night’s Hard Knocks, fights are an integral part of training camp. Nothing shows coaches you have the ‘want to’ needed to play in the NFL like punching a guy in the skull. Video after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »

There's long been a "tastes great / less filling" sort of argument surrounding the beautiful subculture of rollerblading injury enthusiasts:  What's better, a face plant or a nut shot?  The pain of the groin injury is certainly unmatched, but the visual of a head snapping back (and the ensuing bleeding) can often be more rewarding.  "Face plant!"  "Nut shot!"  "FACE PLANT!"  "NUT SHOT!" — The battle rages on.

Well lemme tell ya something: here in America, we don't put harnesses on our dreams.  It doesn't have to be either/or.  You can have both.  Do you want a rollerblader to suffer a nut shot and then endure a face plant into the railing?  Baby, all you gotta do is ask.