Ward crossed a line – a line he has crossed many times before.

“The repeated manner in which Ward blindsides players leads one to believe that he understands what will happen when he commits such an act, and if this is so, it is cowardly, unconscionable, and not in the spirit of the game.”

I don’t recall any of those other hits linked being injuries. So I think that ward understands that “what will happen”historically is that defensive backs get laid out, not that their jaws get broken and are out for a year. It’s not like he is a perennial bone-breaker or anything.

He does like to hit viciously though. And I’d be wearing some pretty serious blinders if I didn’t think they were cheap and even sometimes dirty. As a steelers fan though they are fun to watch. Watching players get hurt is not though, and we’ve been watching ours go down one by one.

Maybe our two 1st rounders can get together and hang out. Mendenhall will have to carry the conversation though.

fn steeler trolls…

I’m sure Mendenhall’s dance card is full. I’ve heard Kimo doesn’t have anything else going on…

Kevin from Orange Park, FL
What’s your reaction to Hines Ward breaking rookie LB Keith Rivers’ jaw? I, for one, think Hines Ward is a dirty player. Seems to me most games he purposely stirs up trouble and takes cheap hits.

Vic: I’ve watched the hit up close and in slow motion several times. I’ve even stopped the action at the point of impact. The block is clearly made with his right shoulder and there are no signs of using the helmet as a weapon. Ward’s feet are on the ground and he is in no way guilty of launching. At first I thought the block might be unnecessary but, on further review, it clearly springs the ball-carrier around the corner and denies Rivers the ability to make the tackle. Dirty? What’s dirty about it? There was no flag thrown. Fine him? They should pin a medal on him. In my time covering this game, I have seen head-hunting defensive backs try to cripple defenseless receivers. I saw Jack Tatum and George Atkinson target Lynn Swann; head-shot him repeatedly and even attack him from behind and karate chop him in the back of the neck. I saw Tatum cripple Daryl Stingley for life in a preseason game. I saw Thom Darden hit a receiver over the middle so hard I thought the guy was dead. I remember seeing Jaguars cornerback Dave Thomas crush Jerry Rice in a preseason game and celebrate as though it was the play that won the Super Bowl. In the preseason? How about the launch job on Anquan Boldin a few weeks ago? Well, finally, a wide receiver has come along who has decided to hit back. Ward is striking a blow for all the defenseless receivers over the years who’ve been targeted by defensive players with an intent to punish. All of a sudden, the hunters have become the hunted. I think everyone in the league is waiting to see what the league does about the Rivers hit. It’s going to define what the game has become and where it’s going.

quoted from http://www.jaguars.com/news/article.aspx?id=7357

Rivers should be embarrassed to have been blocked that way by a receiver.

BOSTONWAHOO loves little boys. Like a priest. Bostonwahoo is a sick B..a..s..t..a..r..d

The bung-holes cant even win at smack talk. It must suck to be you! Crappy team, crappy uniforms, crappy ownership, crappy coaching, and a crappy fan ban. Just face it, Pittsburgh owns you on the field and your stadium off it. I know it hurts when u show up at a Steeler/Bengal game and theres more Steeler fan in the house than Bengal, u must feel sick. Hehe! When our wide receiver knocks out your best defender, that is just embarrassing! U suck. Lol! It must suck as well to know that you arent even the best football team in Cincinnati. You gotta take a backseat to the BEARCATS! You guys are a big joke!