What should his punishment be? - Titans' Haynesworth ejected for stomping

[imagirliegirl]

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Tennessee defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth was ejected early in the third quarter after he stomped on Dallas center Andre Gurode's face.

Julius Jones had just scored on a 5-yard touchdown run, putting Dallas up 20-6. Gurode's helmet came off, and Haynesworth, standing over him, used his right foot and stomped Gurode's head.
A flag was thrown, and Haynesworth followed an official toward the Titans' sideline, protesting.

Haynesworth had pulled off his helmet and slammed it to the ground, prompting another flag. Referee Jerome Boger disqualified Haynesworth, and the player walked off the field after talking briefly with Titans coach Jeff Fisher.

Gurode walked off the field with ice held to his cheek. Dallas officials said Gurode had an injury to his face and was taken to the locker room to be examined. His return was questionable.


:eek:

Okay, we were watching this game and thanks to DVR were able to rewind and see just what happened. And this Titan literally stopmed on Gurode's head with his cleat on purpose. There is no way he can claim it was an accident. He actually stepped back to do it. It looked so bad, blood was dripping from Gurode's face. He's so lucky it didn't hit his eye! He could have been seriously injured.

I'm curious what you think Haynesworth's punishment should be?

I say there is NO place for his behavior in the league. He could have blinded Gurode or otherwise seriously injured him. I think they need to make an example out of this incident. If I were in the Titan's franchise I would not want this guy to wear my jersey again. I don't care who he his. No way. I'd like to see him out of the league, or at the very least, suspended for the rest of this year.

My BF thinks that's a little extreme. But I think the commentators were right. You have to have respect for the game, and your opponent. There is not room for deliberate, harmful actions in this game. I will be very sad if he's just allowed back in after a fine.

[mrs_pell]

:eek: :eek:

We've been watching football all afternoon, and we were flipping back and forth to that game, but this is the first I've heard of that! I can't believe believe that we haven't heard about it/seen it on replays! That is inexcusable, and I honestly think he should be suspended for several games (if not the entire season), and fined a TON of money. If I were Jeff Fisher, he'd also be benched for whatever games he isn't suspended for. What a jackass!

[imagirliegirl]

Yeah you should have seen it! Gurode's helmet came off. Haynesworth sort of kicked him when he was walking past which he probably could pass off as an accident. But then he stopped, picked his foot up and stomped on his head.

The absurd part was that he acted like he'd done nothing wrong! He was yelling at the refs and his coach was literally up in his face telling him to sit the hell down.

He got two flags, one for unsportsmanlike conduct for kicking Gurode's helmet (I don't think they realized how bad the incident was) and the other for throwing his own helmet. He was thrown out of the game but I still don't think the officials saw what really happened.

[t3h_wookiee]

I just heard about it. I'm furious about it!! :mad: He better have more than just a fine, but that fine had better be substantial too. I hope he isn't allowed to suit up again at least this season. There's no doubt that this was on purpose. :mad:

[mrs_pell]

I finally saw a replay before the night game. :eek: What a f-stick! I really, really think that his penalty will be substantial, but I doubt that he'll be suspended for the rest of the season. That said, I think that the Titans may choose to add additional penalties on top of what the league does, possibly more games suspended.

eta: Here's an ESPN article with some quotes from Haynesworth:

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth was ejected early in the third quarter Sunday after he kicked Dallas center Andre Gurode in the face. Now the tackle expects to be punished, and knows he deserves it.

"I apologize to Andre," Haynesworth said. "What I did was disgusting. It's something that should never happen. I mean, I'm not a dirty player. I don't play dirty. I have respect for the game. What I feel like is I disgraced the game, disgraced my team and disgraced my last name."

Julius Jones had just scored on a 5-yard run, putting Dallas up 20-6 in what wound up as a 45-14 victory. Gurode's helmet came off, and Haynesworth, standing over him, used his right foot to kick Gurode in the head.

Albert Haynesworth
AP Photo/ John Russell
"What I did was disgusting," the Titans' Albert Haynesworth said of his stomp on Cowboys center Andre Gurode's face.

Gurode said they hadn't been talking or having any exchanges that led to Haynesworth kicking him twice. He received stitches above his forehead and beneath his eye.

Rest of the story here: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2609563

[msnicolea]

Horrible--one of the most malicious things I've seen in an often malicious game. You could kill someone like that!!!!!!!

[greenbunny]

Forget what his football punishment should be, how about being charged with assault?

[t3h_wookiee]

Exactly!

[mrs_pell]

I just heard that he has been suspended by the NFL for 5 games, which is actually an unprecedented punishment. Previously, the longest suspension ever handed down for an on-field incident was in 86 and was two games when Charles Martin body slammed Jim McMahon.

Also, as for the charges, police have stated that if Andre Gurode wants to press criminal charges, he can. So, that's totally up to Gurode.

There's still no word on a fine, other than the fact that he's losing 5 games worth of pay.

[bookworm]

I believe the Titans coach is planning on adding on to that.

Haynesworth called his behavior "disgusting" and say he wasn't a dirty player (all evidence to the contrary). He said he has apologized.

[mrs_pell]

I believe the Titans coach is planning on adding on to that.
Haynesworth called his behavior "disgusting" and say he wasn't a dirty player (all evidence to the contrary). He said he has apologized.

I get the feeling from the ESPN article that Fisher believes that this punishment is adequate and that he won't be adding on to it. But, he definitely could!

The coach indicated that Haynesworth would not appeal the decision; however, ESPN's Chris Mortensen spoke with NFL Players Association president Gene Upshaw who said he would challenge the penalty because of its unprecedented length.

"I felt there needed to be some serious action taken from a discipline standpoint, and I think what the league has done now is adequate," Fisher said.

And here is Haynesworth's statement after the decision:
"I apologize to Andre," he said Sunday. "What I did was disgusting. It's something that should never happen. I mean, I'm not a dirty player. I don't play dirty. I have respect for the game. What I feel like is I disgraced the game, disgraced my team and disgraced my last name."

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2610577

I must say that when I saw his statement today I was shocked that I actually thought he seemed sincere. Certainly it's not enough to just "be sorry," but I was glad to see that he did offer up a sincere apology, unlike someone like TO may have done.

[ejs]

IMO, 5 games is nothing! What he did is inexcusable.

Did anyone see Cris Collinsworth talk about it? He thinks there should be criminal charges against the guy.

Didn't Bill Romanowski get taken to court for breaking another player's eye socket? I can't remember if it was civil or criminal court.

[imagirliegirl]

I heard somewhere that Gurode is considering filing charges. I hope he does.

What if Haynesworth would have blinded him?! He easily could have. Gurode's career would have been over. I think that just because it isn't doesn't mean this shouldn't be pursued further.