Ho, hum: Trueblood fined -- again

RT Jeremy Trueblood has been fined by the NFL again, this time a $7,500 penalty for unnecessary roughness against the Lions on Sunday.

Trueblood grabbed an opponent's face mask and held on past the whistle at Detroit, an infraction that wasn't flagged during the game, leaving many scratching their heads.

Trueblood has been fined at least four times this season for on-field conduct and is gaining a reputation -- fairly or unfairly -- for being a dirty player.

Comments

[Jay]

Yeah, we all kinda saw that one coming. He pretty much ragdolled the guy after the phantom fumble recovery, and a penalty, which there wasn't one, was well deserved. The fines are just stupid. I mean, the NFL fined Jim Haslett for venting his frustrations about TERRIBLE officiating, DURING THE GAME and gets hit for 20k. Why? Because he used naughty words. Ok, so why didn't Phil Savage, (an NFL representative as GM of the Browns)get fined for actually telling an emailer, not a fellow employee, to go f- himself? I guess that means that profanity is ok as long as it's directed towards the actual opinionated fans, but not the opinionated employees. There's such a disparity in thinking here. On one hand, the NFL is saying you can whip another player around by the face mask and nearly snap his head off without a penalty and pay a fine of $7,500, or you can complain that the people whose job it is to officiate a game, and who often screw up, are worth $25,000? Freedom of speech is constitutionally protected, but battery is not - yet which one carries the harsher penalty?

Here's another question - where does the money from the fines go? Charity? The Swear Jar on Gene Upshaw's old desk? Maybe the retiree's medical pension fund (sorry, I know that doesn't really exist). Roger Goddell's personal sex slave chamber? (it's located in the Lawrence Taylor Suite at the Waldorf Astoria in NY) Can you think of any other job where they can dip into your paycheck for speaking your mind in public?

[WS]

They should fine people for typing "'Nuff said". That is way worse than grabbing a little face mask!

[Dave]

I have an idea... why don't they just start fining the officiating crew for each blown call. Maybe then we wouldn't have crap like Garcia's non fumble getting reviewed and upheld as a fumble when he was clearly down by contact... or like when Sabby shoved Calvin Johnson right in front of a ref on a pass route... they should be subject to fines like everyone else.

[shane]

dv the only problem with that idea, and by the way I completely agree with it, is some refs (see miami(fl) vs. ohio state 2002 national title game or the 1st half of the bucs vs cowboys game or the bucs vs saints game on the drive reggie "Mr. Overrated" bush scored a receiving TD) are in it to make a profit, gambling for example, or the owners, see Jerry Jones, pay refs to make non calls. Great idea but some refs have no integrity.

[Valrico Rick]

Ouch!

[Steven Fink]

WS - outstanding! I took the time to join this just to tell you that. I'm still laughing. Nuf...oopsdon't have the money for that.

[Big Pat]

WS - I second that motion! Also, read this morning on SI.com truth&rumors/profootballtalk that Lane Kiffin will attempt to lure Monte away from us. Stephen, have you heard anything about this potential tragedy?

[Miami Vex]

What we have here is a failure to communicate! You comments are comical at best! Refs being paid off Ha I scoff at the Idea... Now wait there might be something to this... Just ask the Whinny moaning Seattle Seachicken fans from their OH SO WONDEFUL loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Super Bowl some years ago . Maybe the N.F.L. (Which means Not for long if you keep making those kinda calls according to a certain former coach)should be looking into Referee tampering like they were all over Bellachick and spy gate

[DR]

First, Haslett was fined for going onto the field to argue the call. Second, to say there is a scandal that the refs are getting paid off is beyond stupid. You guys cry about every call against the Bucs but seem to forget the calls that went their way. For example, the horrible unsportsmanlike against the Bears in OT that gave the Bucs the win.
Now, I do agree that the refs suck this year, the worst I have ever seen, but I would argue that the sissy rules the NFL has installed are the main reason. The roughing the passer calls have been terrible and the incomplete pass call for Cutler was made because the refs are overly protective of the QBs. The refs are also depending too much on instant replay.
I'm still laughing at the Jerry Jones paying the NFL comment. Obviously, you haven't watched any football and know nothing about football making that stupid comment.

[Larry]

I guess we need to look at Elbert Mack's 1 game suspension for his hit on Matt Ryan in game 2. OK quesionable - how many games was the Vikings Edwards suspended for that horribly late hit on Garcia? I can't recall who hit Ike Hilliard with a helmet to helmet and didn't even get a fine. No consistency on fines and suspensions this year. My wife thinks the Commissioner is a jerk.