NFL Player Pushes Ref, Gets Tossed

[oudavid1]

Does anyone disagree with the actions taken be the officials?


Linkage (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Video-49ers-defender-ejected-for-shoving-offici?urn=nfl-297385)


By Chris Chase

Player ejected for shoving official! It sounds so sordid, so dirty. Did he throw him to the ground in a fit of rage? Push him from behind after a bad call? Pull an Earl Weaver and go nose-to-nose while arguing?

Sadly, no. In fact, it was a tame, routine incident that got San Francisco 49ers defender Justin Smith(notes) tossed from Thursday night's game against the San Diego Chargers:

That was a little too flag-happy, if you ask me. The official puts his hands on Smith first to clear him away and then Smith gives a little "get off of me" shove. It wasn't malicious, it was frustration. There was no malice in the shove. Watch any NFL game this Sunday and I guarantee you see the same thing. Smith didn't push the umpire, he moved his arms to get away. There are far worse things that go unpunished on a football field.

After the game, Smith said he didn't realize he was pushing an official. "It was me and the tight end," he said to reporters, "and next thing you know it was an arm and it was just a reaction. But a rule's a rule."

Smith may not have minded watching the game from the locker room. The San Diego offense rolled over the 49ers en route to an easy 34-7 victory.

[badger]

Refs gotta have some protection - they don't wear helmets or shoulder pads like the big, burly, tall guys surrounding them on the field.

It wasn't flag-happy. The play was over and there was still some slappy/shoviness going on. Throw a flag and put an end to it.

As for ejection? Might be excessive.

[rainiersooner]

I think this rule should take intent into account.

[ThatGuy65]

I was watching live. I think he should have been flagged but to throw him out was ridiculous.

[fossil]

I was watching live. I think he should have been flagged but to throw him out was ridiculous.

:confused: You do understand that if you flag him for pushing the official, by rule, he is disqualified, right?

[pappy]

stupid rule...agree with rainiersooner they should take intent into account on this rule...he wasn't mad at the official and trying to hit/hurt the official. there are a lot of stupid rules in the nfl and this is 1 of them. should not have been ejected.

[oudavid1]

I think as a player or coach, you never, ever, ever touch an official.

In my opinion, correct call. Refs are put in a tough spot. They have to be protected.

[47straight]

Ref put his hands on another grown man twice.

Sounds like the ref needs a suspension.

**** the ref.

[Frozen Sooner]

You shove an official, you get tossed. There's a reason why it's not a judgment call, so as to avoid dumbassed articles like this one. The ref has no discretion in the matter. By rule, you shove the guy, you're gone.

I watched the game. He probably didn't intend to shove a ref, but he damn sure intended to shove someone. Here's a great suggestion for Justin Smith: if your team is fighting for a playoff spot, keep your emotions and hands to yourself.

[47straight]

I think as a player or coach, you never, ever, ever touch an official.

In my opinion, correct call. Refs are put in a tough spot. They have to be protected.

Second time the ref put his hands on the player, it was for no better reason than the ref's pride had been hurt. Ref needs to be suspended. If he has to retaliate, go get another job.

**** the ref.

[47straight]

You shove an official, you get tossed. There's a reason why it's not a judgment call, so as to avoid dumbassed articles like this one. The ref has no discretion in the matter. By rule, you shove the guy, you're gone.

I watched the game. He probably didn't intend to shove a ref, but he damn sure intended to shove someone. Here's a great suggestion for Justin Smith: if your team is fighting for a playoff spot, keep your emotions and hands to yourself.

If you shove a player, you should get tossed too. What's good for the goose is good for the chicken**** ref.

**** the ref.

[Frozen Sooner]

If you shove a player, you should get tossed too. What's good for the goose is good for the chicken**** ref.

**** the ref.

OK. Of course, initially, the ref was trying to break up a confrontation before it turned into a fight. You know, his job.

Agreed on pushing the player post-shove.

[47straight]

OK. Of course, initially, the ref was trying to break up a confrontation before it turned into a fight. You know, his job.

Agreed on pushing the player post-shove.

You left out "**** the ref."

Also, you failed to correctly the ID the ref as a "chicken**** ref."

[oudavid1]

Second time the ref put his hands on the player, it was for no better reason than the ref's pride had been hurt. Ref needs to be suspended. If he has to retaliate, go get another job.

**** the ref.

Agreed, the referee does not need to touch the player the second time. He should be disciplined as well.

[cccasooner2]

I think this rule should take intent into account.

LOL, by all means, bring the attorneys and "expert" psycologists on to the field. Oh, and don't forget all the character witnesses to "vouch" for the players intent.


As an aside, when was the last time you used transgression in a sentence? :)

[badger]

Remember the 2008 Tech game? At halftime, a ref was trying to hold back Tech players as they criss-crossed with our players to their lockerrooms. The offensive lineman known as "Mankind" in all those lame features on the Tech squad shoved a ref because he was the only one getting held back and the game was going crappily.

It is probably a huge design flaw that teams have to cross each other to get to their lockerrrooms at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium :D

[oudavid1]

Remember the 2008 Tech game? At halftime, a ref was trying to hold back Tech players as they criss-crossed with our players to their lockerrooms. The offensive lineman known as "Mankind" in all those lame features on the Tech squad shoved a ref because he was the only one getting held back and the game was going crappily.

It is probably a huge design flaw that teams have to cross each other to get to their lockerrrooms at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium :D

I never liked it. I think our guys should always wait.

[47straight]

I never liked it. I think our guys should always wait.

Yes.

[Aries]

I saw Walter Payton get ejected from a game once because he ran up to an official to protest a call, lost his balance, and put his hand on the official to keep from falling into him. There has never been a more meek individual to play the game than Walter Payton, but the rule applies to him as much as anyone. You can't touch the officials.

I didn't see this particular incident, but in general I think there has to be severe consequences for any physical contact with an official. It would be way too easy to push the envelope to try to intimidate them and influence their calls if you allow it to any degree. Officials in some circumstances have to be allowed to touch players, and it's not an even situation, so not a two way street. That's not to say officials shouldn't be held accountable if they do something unreasonable.

[King Barry's Back]

I think as a player or coach, you never, ever, ever touch an official.

In my opinion, correct call. Refs are put in a tough spot. They have to be protected.

I'm not saying this incident was intentional at all. (I haven't even seen the video yet.)

But if the NFL ever decided to make "intent" a part of the penalty, how long do you think it would take for players to learn how to mask intentional "pokes" as incidental contact?

"Don't push the officials." Seems like a good rule. It will occasionally be violated unintentionally. Having ejection as a part of the penalty means that players/coaches will make it a priority.

I guess I'm saying I like it the way it is.

[King Barry's Back]

Second time the ref put his hands on the player, it was for no better reason than the ref's pride had been hurt. Ref needs to be suspended. If he has to retaliate, go get another job.

**** the ref.

Saying the official should be penalized (and perhaps he will be?) doesn't mean the player is not guilty.

[King Barry's Back]

If you shove a player, you should get tossed too. What's good for the goose is good for the chicken**** ref.

**** the ref.

There will never be a rule like this. You want to stop the game til some idle official somewhere can get to the stadium?

[Leroy Lizard]

There will never be a rule like this. You want to stop the game til some idle official somewhere can get to the stadium?

Depends. What's the score?

[bluedogok]

Remember the 2008 Tech game? At halftime, a ref was trying to hold back Tech players as they criss-crossed with our players to their lockerrooms. The offensive lineman known as "Mankind" in all those lame features on the Tech squad shoved a ref because he was the only one getting held back and the game was going crappily.

It is probably a huge design flaw that teams have to cross each other to get to their lockerrrooms at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium :D
It was different in the past, I think the Big 8 had some type of rule that bands could only be on the home teams sideline so OU was always on the east side....of course at one time both locker rooms were under the west stands so they went up/down the same ramp anyway.

[SCOUT]

I saw Walter Payton get ejected from a game once because he ran up to an official to protest a call, lost his balance, and put his hand on the official to keep from falling into him. There has never been a more meek individual to play the game than Walter Payton, but the rule applies to him as much as anyone. You can't touch the officials.

I didn't see this particular incident, but in general I think there has to be severe consequences for any physical contact with an official. It would be way too easy to push the envelope to try to intimidate them and influence their calls if you allow it to any degree. Officials in some circumstances have to be allowed to touch players, and it's not an even situation, so not a two way street. That's not to say officials shouldn't be held accountable if they do something unreasonable.
This summarizes my thoughts pretty well. It also makes think of something else. How great would Walter have been if he could keep his balance? Oh what could have been.

[47straight]

Saying the official should be penalized (and perhaps he will be?) doesn't mean the player is not guilty.

Saying the player should be penalized, and he was, doesn't mean the referee is not guilty.

[47straight]

There will never be a rule like this. You want to stop the game til some idle official somewhere can get to the stadium?

There are backups on-hand, you don't think that there's a plan in case a ref gets hurt? But normally, you have to have the league police the ref's so I'd expect it to be a N-game no-pay suspension from the league.

[MeMyself&Me]

You shove an official, you get tossed. There's a reason why it's not a judgment call, so as to avoid dumbassed articles like this one. The ref has no discretion in the matter. By rule, you shove the guy, you're gone.

I watched the game. He probably didn't intend to shove a ref, but he damn sure intended to shove someone. Here's a great suggestion for Justin Smith: if your team is fighting for a playoff spot, keep your emotions and hands to yourself.

This. I have no pity on the players that get ejected for the extra curricular stuff. Should not be a part of the game and you damn sure shouldn't shove a ref, even by accident.

[OUChampsBig12]

It was a 49ers defensive end, and after he pushed the shoving official out of his way he looked back at the official and realized what he had done - he knew it was a mistake and what the end result was going to be. I do not think the player was being disrespectful to the official, becuase he did not realize it was an official. But it is the rule, and the rules and displine where followed!

[StoopTroup]

I think it should be OK as long as he gives the Ref $10,000 in cash as an on-field fine or maybe the refs could have credit card readers on their belts.

[CrimsonRez]

When you bring intent in as a factor you bring in the people who say "oh he didn't mean to do it" and "theres no way you can prove he meant to do it" if you shove a ref your *** is gone, sorry bud