Ejected Darius says he will appeal any fine

[oddcrap]

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Green Bay Packers wide receiver Robert Ferguson temporarily lost feeling in his legs Sunday night after a vicious clothesline hit by Jacksonville safety Donovin Darius. Ferguson temporarily lost feeling in his legs after this clothesline from Darius. Ferguson regained feeling on the way to a hospital after being taken from Lambeau Field in an ambulance. Ferguson was diagnosed with a sprained neck, and team trainer Pepper Burruss said the receiver had movement and sensation in his arms and legs Sunday night. Ferguson was admitted to Bellin Hospital for observation overnight. In a scene right out of the leather helmet days of the NFL more than a half-century ago, Darius swept in after Ferguson's leaping 31-yard grab of Brett Favre's pass at midfield. Darius hit the defenseless Ferguson across the neck, stunning the crowd and infuriating the Packers with 4:41 left in their 28-25 loss to the Jaguars. Darius was ejected. Ferguson, according to teammates, was knocked unconscious. He gave a thumbs-up as he left the field on a stretcher, but didn't regain feeling in his legs until he'd left for a hospital for X-rays and further evaluation, coach Mike Sherman said. "I thought it was a cheap shot," Sherman said.

Referee Ed Hochuli ejected Darius and tagged on 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct. "It's part of the game," Darius said. "Brett threw the ball and Ferguson was wide open. I was just running over trying to make a play, trying to separate him from the ball. I never intentionally try to hurt someone. I love to play the game and I play it 100 mph. Unfortunately, he got hurt. I pray for him. Everybody that saw it from our standpoint said it looked clean." Packers tight end Bubba Franks said ejecting Darius was a good call because "I'm pretty sure it would have gotten out of hand if he'd have stayed in the game." When Favre saw Ferguson wasn't getting up, he started yelling to the officials that it was a cheap shot. Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio said he was looking at the pass rush and didn't see the hit, so he declined comment. But Packers receiver Antonio Chatman said it was clearly a dirty hit "because he got hit on the chin when he couldn't protect himself. I was just praying he was all right. We (receivers) don't go out to hurt nobody, or we'd be cutting them (defensive backs) every time. We block 'em like a man." Darius said he's seen players stay in the game for hits worse than his. "It was not intentional, I was just trying to make a play," he said. "I've done that in the past when I know I couldn't get an interception, I swung up, trying to get the ball. That's a technique." Darius said he would appeal any fine the league hands down.

[Aaron Veteran]

It looked like an illegal hit to me. I agree with the ejection and any fines that come his way.

[....]

Yep. Completely illegal.

[shakey]

its football. what do you expect to happen when a 250lb+ giant is charging you. people are trying to make this game to safe. you know what can happen, and you should deal with it. thats why they get paid the big bucks.

[Aaron Veteran]

its football. what do you expect to happen when a 250lb+ giant is charging you. people are trying to make this game to safe. you know what can happen, and you should deal with it. thats why they get paid the big bucks.

585134687[/snapback]

Did you see the hit? Close lining is not legal.

[....]

You aren't allowed to go after the head or neck. The body is big enough to tackle without using the head or neck.

[shakey]

didnt see the hit, and i know a close line is illegal. i think people crying about a tackle need to quite up unless the guy who tackled him then took out a bat and beat him with it, or jumped on him after he was down. but if he was making the play, or stopping the play, its all fair. football has gone down a notch every year with more "safety" rules. guess thats why i watch colledge football more now.

[IceDogg]

disagree. I think injurys will happen no matter how "safe" they try to make it, But they can help stop the unnecessary injurys. I for one feel he should be fined big, and sit the rest of the season. That was just totally unnecessary!!! And you wouldn't think that way if you watched many of the games where that was a legal hit and if it was you getting hit like that.

[shakey]

if i was in the game, i would be like, ya, bad hit, but owell. i would be getting paid millions, and i would know the dangers of playing a game with people whos job it is to run full speed at me and tackle me. its a game of big men against big men. stuff will happen, and you shouldnt cry about it all. its like a guy in a destruction derby contest who crys about getting hit on his driver side to hard, losing feeling in his legs, and saying, omg this is wrong! what do u expect to happen? there are dangers in something like that, and trying to make a example out of people isnt always the best way to go about things.

[IceDogg]

So if someone said I'll pay you a couple of million dollars if I can beat you as hard and as often as I want with a bat, you'd go for that? I think not! It's risky yes, I agree with that part. Driving a car is risky, but if someone is going 200MPH and runs into me and I can't walk for life.. I should just except that?? again, I think not!! If you hurt someone while breaking the rules of driving you are going to be fined (to say the least). same thing here! Simple as that.

[shakey]

So if someone said I'll pay you a couple of million dollars if I can beat you as hard and as often as I want with a bat, you'd go for that? I think not! It's risky yes, I agree with that part. Driving a car is risky, but if someone is going 200MPH and runs into me and I can't walk for life.. I should just except that?? again, I think not!! If you hurt someone while breaking the rules of driving you are going to be fined (to say the least). same thing here! Simple as that.

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first of all, ur example has nothing to do with that. maybe if you paid me acouple millions of dollars to play a game that has been in history for some centuries where everyone got bats and beat each other up, yes. cuase that is all part of the game. if i was driving, and while driving, the object of driving was to see who could stop the other person, then yes. its all part of what it is. but luckly not everyone drives like that hehe. in football, let me get this to ya as straight as possible, people are paid to stop the ball runners, and people are paid to run the ball, and people are paid to guard the ball runner, and people are paid to do other things. now the guy who was tackeling was doing his job, as was the guy who had the ball. when they both signed their contracts, they both knew, or atleast i sure hope they did, that they were in a game, where 250+lb giants will try and get you as good as possible. now, there only job isnt to get the ball, they also must caiter to the fans and media. they try and make the game entertaining for everyone. and with that, accidents happen. and to go about crying about something that is bound to happen some time is just not right. people in this country cry to much about things they shouldnt. this is one of them. its a game, where accidents are bound to happen.

[kak]

I don't care what you think should be and should not be right in football. It has rules and the rules clearly define hitting the helmet in any fashion an illegal action. He deserves what he gets, it looks dirty from that picture. Hell, he knocked his helmet off with one arm. Clean? HAH!

[IceDogg]

Dude! It was no accident! that's my point. He broke a rule intentionaly. If he had fallin and hit his leg and injuryed him.. ok. But that is not what this guy did. Or if he had and somehow hit him in the head with his leg as he was falling. No one would have been "crying" (I wouldn't call it crying). If your whole thing is he was just doing his job, then why not carry a gun out there and shoot the guy to stop him?? why? because it's not legal right? that's the Point, and nether was what he did... you need to get a clue dude.

[Aaron Veteran]

didnt see the hit, and i know a close line is illegal. i think people crying about a tackle need to quite up unless the guy who tackled him then took out a bat and beat him with it, or jumped on him after he was down. but if he was making the play, or stopping the play, its all fair. football has gone down a notch every year with more "safety" rules. guess thats why i watch colledge football more now.

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Honestly, if you haven't yet seen the hit, then you really can't comment on it. Unless, of course, you feel that no hit is too bad to be illegal? He came across the guys neck with his arm straight out, there was no attmept to tackle at all. I agree some rules are very wimpy, but this guy could have suffered a broken neck or damaged to his throat. There is no need for that in the game, it does nothing to enhance the overall game.

[BroChaos Veteran]

seriously, put your shoulder in his chest, and lay him out, but don't go for the head...

[outbreak33]

Hey guys, I'm new to this forum, been visiting it for about a week when i was searching for jacked up clips :)

bottom line -- illegal hit, very blatant....he's lucky he didn't break his damn neck. i've played high school and youth for about 12 years now, and there's a huge gap, and it doesnt even take a "250+" big man running in2 another to cause injury, if you're going to throw your arm across ANYONES neck, you're gonna do some damage -- that's exactly why it's illegal, it's a severe weak point. i know a kid who 2 years ago in a high school game threw his arm across a WRs throat on a seam and now the kid is in a wheelchair....for life

yea, theyre getting paid millions and they should know the risk, but its still illegal and i wouldnt say theyre "crying" about it...just being rational

[oddcrap]

agreed

[BroChaos Veteran]

Hey guys, I'm new to this forum, been visiting it for about a week when i was searching for jacked up clips :)

bottom line -- illegal hit, very blatant....he's lucky he didn't break his damn neck.  i've played high school and youth for about 12 years now, and there's a huge gap, and it doesnt even take a "250+" big man running in2 another to cause injury, if you're going to throw your arm across ANYONES neck, you're gonna do some damage -- that's exactly why it's illegal, it's a severe weak point.  i know a kid who 2 years ago in a high school game threw his arm across a WRs throat on a seam and now the kid is in a wheelchair....for life

yea, theyre getting paid millions and they should know the risk, but its still illegal and i wouldnt say theyre "crying" about it...just being rational

585137552[/snapback]

welcome! our jacked up clips worked! :)

very nice first post. looking forward to hearing more.

[IceDogg]

Hey guys, I'm new to this forum, been visiting it for about a week when i was searching for jacked up clips :)

bottom line -- illegal hit, very blatant....he's lucky he didn't break his damn neck.  i've played high school and youth for about 12 years now, and there's a huge gap, and it doesnt even take a "250+" big man running in2 another to cause injury, if you're going to throw your arm across ANYONES neck, you're gonna do some damage -- that's exactly why it's illegal, it's a severe weak point.  i know a kid who 2 years ago in a high school game threw his arm across a WRs throat on a seam and now the kid is in a wheelchair....for life

yea, theyre getting paid millions and they should know the risk, but its still illegal and i wouldnt say theyre "crying" about it...just being rational

585137552[/snapback]

Glad to have you with us. Welcome aboard. This is a great bunch of folks we have here! And I like the points you make already :D

[oddcrap]

Yes, that was impressive lol. I agree with him 110 percent, =p

[Steffan]

the NFL has fined him $75,000 for the hit.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=1951069

[IceDogg]

Is he going to miss any games?

[Steffan]

Is he going to miss any games?

585142984[/snapback]

no. he was fined and nothing else.

[BroChaos Veteran]

damn, thats quite a fine. it's cool the guy went to see him at the hospital though.

[emo]

i think we need to go to the video replay!!!