How many game suspension is deserved here?

[MorseMoose]

YouTube - Dante Wesley Jacks Up Clifton Smith..Dirty Hit..Panthers vs.Buccaneers Brawl

Even pretending that it was clean is a crock...I'd give him more because he pretended there was nothing wrong with it. I'm all for big hits, but this is a pathetic excuse for a player. Vote for your minimum length.

[NYY #23]

Wow, that was pretty pathetic. No excuse to hit someone on a play like that. I voted 5, but it wouldn't sadden me to see him get more and for them to make an example that these types of hits won't be tolerated. There are enough opportunities to get a good "clean" hit in.

[MorseMoose]

Originally Posted by NYY #23

Wow, that was pretty pathetic. No excuse to hit someone on a play like that. I voted 5, but it wouldn't sadden me to see him get more and for them to make an example that these types of hits won't be tolerated. There are enough opportunities to get a good "clean" hit in.

I voted six, but am hoping for something much larger - I'd love to see season.

[NYY #23]

Originally Posted by MorseMoose

I voted six, but am hoping for something much larger - I'd love to see season.

A season would be nice. I didn't see the game or the hit until you posted, but I love the fact that the guy that got hurt's replacement ran back a kickoff 97 yards. Nice karma.

[MorseMoose]

Originally Posted by NYY #23

A season would be nice. I didn't see the game or the hit until you posted, but I love the fact that the guy that got hurt's replacement ran back a kickoff 97 yards. Nice karma.

Hah...nice. I missed that part of the story .

[Left-handed Badger]

I cant use youtube (computer too primitive) could you describe it.

[MorseMoose]

Originally Posted by Left-handed Badger

I cant use youtube (computer too primitive) could you describe it.

Clifton Smith is waiting for a punt return (clearly looking up).

Dante Wesley comes flying down the field and goes full body in to the chest/neck area of Clifton Smith.

Second or so later the ball drops where Smith was waiting.

Scuffle starts...no real hits/punches thrown...just lots of people standing around pushing and lots of people holding people back.

Wesley gets the 15-yard penalty and is thrown out of the game. He complains about it being "bull****" or something along those lines.

[MorseMoose]

hit...you can see the ball's shadow below the 2.

[MorseMoose]

ball, later. you can see the ball over #27's shoulder. Shows you (sorta) how far the ball was away from being caught - not that it matters.

[MorseMoose]

4real, Jax? 4joke?

[jbergey22]

4 games. Seems like a good number since that is what roids are these days.

[Left-handed Badger]

I'll have to think on this. One thing that is likely to occur is that Wesley will likely be very sore after these teams next game against each other.

[Goody]

It was a cheap shot. The penalty and throwing him out of the game was good enough though. Players make overzealous hits often though...before or right after the whistle.

If the returner wasn't laying on his back looking unconscious after the play not much would have been thought of it. Happens all the time.

I think the 15 yard penalty and the removal from the game in progress is sufficient.

[bababui]

Originally Posted by Goody

It was a cheap shot. The penalty and throwing him out of the game was good enough though. Players make overzealous hits often though...before or right after the whistle.

If the returner wasn't laying on his back looking unconscious after the play not much would have been thought of it. Happens all the time.

I think the 15 yard penalty and the removal from the game in progress is sufficient.

What???

An overzealous hit is one where the tackler mistimes the arrival of the punt by a fraction of a second. In this instance, the ball wasnt even in the tacklers eyesight. It was a viscous premeditated act of violence. It was also a hit that is far outside the rules of the game of football; so far outside of the rules that if I were the local prosecutor I might take it to a grand jury and try to get an aggravated assault indictment against the tackler.

[Big Willis 16]

Originally Posted by Goody

It was a cheap shot. The penalty and throwing him out of the game was good enough though. Players make overzealous hits often though...before or right after the whistle.

If the returner wasn't laying on his back looking unconscious after the play not much would have been thought of it. Happens all the time.

I think the 15 yard penalty and the removal from the game in progress is sufficient.

The fact that he ran around after acting like what he did wasn't wrong just rubs me the wrong way. I haven't seen post game interviews from him, but he seems to think it was a-okay.

[jazzrack]

1 game, & a large chunk of change.

this is the NFL after all

it's not like this hasn't happened before and i don't remember any long suspensions

[Skipaway]

Originally Posted by Goody

It was a cheap shot. The penalty and throwing him out of the game was good enough though. Players make overzealous hits often though...before or right after the whistle.

If the returner wasn't laying on his back looking unconscious after the play not much would have been thought of it. Happens all the time.

I think the 15 yard penalty and the removal from the game in progress is sufficient.

This kind of hit is very dangerous and could be prevented. I think that's enough ground to give him a severe punishment just to set an example and keep the league safer.

He caused a concussion, and surely concussion is something on the league's mind now too.

[BaseballMan]

Originally Posted by bababui

What???

An overzealous hit is one where the tackler mistimes the arrival of the punt by a fraction of a second. In this instance, the ball wasnt even in the tacklers eyesight. It was a viscous premeditated act of violence. It was also a hit that is far outside the rules of the game of football; so far outside of the rules that if I were the local prosecutor I might take it to a grand jury and try to get an aggravated assault indictment against the tackler.

I do agree that he should be suspended for up to 5 games but im not so sure it was premeditated. I dont think he was thinking that he was going to level smith even if he signaled fair catch. As you said he was unaware of where the ball was. All he saw was the guy getting ready to catch it. I did not see smith signal for a fair catch or did he?

Seems to me that Wesley seemed to hesitate for a sec as he puts his arms down. As if he was unsure of whether he could hit the guy or not. Yes he should know but players dont know every rule you would think they should know. So maybe he figured if he let up the guy would break one.
Its hard to just turn off the aggressiveness. Like when Tatum hit Stingly with a clean hit in preseason and people wonder why he hit Stingly. But preseason or regular preseason i think players are taught to play aggressive.

Now having said that i am not saying Wesley was not at fault. Clearly he was and deserves to be suspended. I just dont agree that he did it on purpose in that he planned it or intended to hurt Smith.

[Skipaway]

Originally Posted by jazzrack

1 game, & a large chunk of change.

this is the NFL after all

it's not like this hasn't happened before and i don't remember any long suspensions

One game seems to be the usual penalty for dangerous hits.

[BaseballMan]

Originally Posted by Big Willis 16

The fact that he ran around after acting like what he did wasn't wrong just rubs me the wrong way. I haven't seen post game interviews from him, but he seems to think it was a-okay.

I saw him go for the ball after the hit which leads me to beleive that he may have beleived he had the right to hit Smith. I saw Wesley upset on the sidelines but most players are gonna be upset at getting a penalty or thrown out. If he thought he had done wrong im not sure he would have done it. I dont think he was celebrating that he made a cheap shot but that in his mind that he had made a clean legal hit. Its easy for us to say but we gotta put ourselves in his shoes at that moment. Am i allowed to hit the guy or not?
Sometimes players just react whether its wrong or right.