Tomlin comes to Harrisons defense!!!

[Whodis]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...-got-two-kids/

On the same day that Steelers linebacker James Harrison was fined another $25,000, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said he wants fans to think of Harrison’s children, and how they could be affected by how much money Harrison has lost in fines this year.

“I don’t care how much money you make. I take offense at times just in general how all of us talk about the money,” Tomlin told Alex Marvez and Rich Gannon on Sirius NFL Radio. “He’s got two kids. That’s some serious college schooling right there potentially for those kids 16, 18 years from now.”

Tomlin is going to have a hard time drumming up sympathy for Harrison on that front. Just with the money Harrison has made so far in his NFL career, he could have set aside enough to pay for both of his kids to get doctorates from Harvard and still have many millions of dollars left over. If the money Harrison has been fined this year is the difference between Harrison paying for his kids’ college education and his kids not being able to afford college, then Harrison has seriously mismanaged his money.

But Tomlin has been steadfast in his support of Harrison, who has now drawn $125,000 in fines this year.

“In regards to the penalties and fines, there’s no question it’s been troubling for him on a number of fronts,” Tomlin said. “This is a very disciplined and regimented guy. He doesn’t like the perception of being a dirty player. He’s not by any stretch.”

[Whodis]

I wish he would say nothing at all instead of saying something so damn stupid. How can anyone stick up for a guy that has a coach this ignorant?

[BGSU A Dub]

I think this was Tomlin's sly way of saying "Goodell, you are a moron. Let us play football."

[ZoneBlitzer]

Originally Posted by Whodis

I wish he would say nothing at all instead of saying something so damn stupid. How can anyone stick up for a guy that has a coach this ignorant?

Ya, um like a lot of people are out of work right now...um, his kids are going to be just fine. That's a pretty dumb thing to bring up. Talk about the wealthy class being completely out of touch with reality.

[SCMom]

It's probably worth mentioning that PFT likes to skew quotes. Is it something you or I should be worried about? No, not at all...and I'm sure Tomlin knows that. He's just listing it as the one (of many) reasons why Harrison would be upset about it. From what I understand, Harrison comes from a very large, poor family. I'm sure with the mindset he has, losing over 100k isn't peanuts to him.

Here's the entire quote from the article PFT linked.

“We talk about the money like it’s Monopoly money sometimes just because these guys happen to be professional athletes,” Tomlin said. “($100,000) is ($100,000), I don’t care how much money you make. I take offense at times just in general how all of us talk about the money. ... He’s got two kids. That’s some serious college schooling right there potentially for those kids 16, 18 years from now.”

“He’s been a catalyst when we’ve needed him at just about every turn,” said Tomlin, whose team fields the NFL’s fifth-ranked defense. “He’s playing really good football.

“In regards to the penalties and fines, there’s no question it’s been troubling for him on a number of fronts. This is a very disciplined and regimented guy. He doesn’t like the perception of being a dirty player. He’s not by any stretch. He’s a football purist. But also, he’s concerned about hurting our team."

“He’s trying to play within the rules,” Tomlin said. “There’s just a lot of things that happen fast on an NFL field. Sometimes things get interpreted differently.

“We’re going to do the very best we can to try and play within the rules, play hard and play fair. That’s all we can control. We’re not going to get too out of whack when it comes to dealing with these things as long as I’m seeing guys doing everything within their power to play within the rules.”

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/m...nes-nfl-113010

Put it this way. We don't know where his money goes. He could be blowing it all on useless crap and then certainly nobody would or should feel sympathetic. Or he could be using a good portion of it to help out family and friends and/or his community as well as putting money away for the (now) two children he has. Some of it could be tied up in other stuff as well. Who knows.

I agree with Tomlin's quote though. 100k is a 100k and sometimes when you look at someone who makes a lot of money, you don't think about where it potentially goes. You just have a vision in your head of someone sitting on a mountain of (monopoly) money. I'm not the least bit concerned for his childrens financial future...I just understand where he's coming from with this statement.

[MDSteel15]

Originally Posted by SCMom

It's probably worth mentioning that PFT likes to skew quotes. Is it something you or I should be worried about? No, not at all...and I'm sure Tomlin knows that. He's just listing it as the one (of many) reasons why Harrison would be upset about it. From what I understand, Harrison comes from a very large, poor family. I'm sure with the mindset he has, losing over 100k isn't peanuts to him.

Here's the entire quote from the article PFT linked.







http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/m...nes-nfl-113010

Put it this way. We don't know where his money goes. He could be blowing it all on useless crap and then certainly nobody would or should feel sympathetic. Or he could be using a good portion of it to help out family and friends and/or his community as well as putting money away for the (now) two children he has. Some of it could be tied up in other stuff as well. Who knows.

I agree with Tomlin's quote though. 100k is a 100k and sometimes when you look at someone who makes a lot of money, you don't think about where it potentially goes. You just have a vision in your head of someone sitting on a mountain of (monopoly) money. I'm not the least bit concerned for his childrens financial future...I just understand where he's coming from with this statement.

Good job MOM!

[TRH]

Originally Posted by BGSU A Dub

I think this was Tomlin's sly way of saying "Goodell, you are a moron. Let us play football."

Yeah, unfortunately its going to take a lot more than that. Goodell could care less if Tomlin says "just let us play football". He won't.
As for the "college" comment.....i think Tomlin misspoke on that one and yes, there's going to be very little support out there for that kind of comment.

Consider this : If someone out there works a job and makes 50K a year, it would take them twenty years to make one million dollars. James makes many, many times over that in just one year, let alone subsequent years and the life of his contracts.
I'm usually on Tomlin's side but that was just a dumb thing to say, pure and simple. As a Harrison fan, i myself even find zero sympathy in an analogy like that. Wish Mike would have worded that differently.

[TailgateMel]

*I don't think he should have been fined*

That is my disclaimer.. that being said.

I read someplace that the fines go to charity.....

If that is true... Does the player that gets fined get to claim that fine as a charitable donation on their taxes? If so, top tax bracket for 2010 is 35%.. so... at least that is a silver lining.

I am speaking pretty much just in regard to Tomlins thing about hitting him hard financially..

[Whodis]

Maybe I don't see the cleverness in all of this. If your not going to stick up for your players especially when they are in the right. Don't say anything at all!

The NFL has already said it was a hit to the chest, it's quoted. We have a dog in the fight, but I thought #7 getting worked over after the play was a little more "endangering" then Harrison's hit.

[austinfrench76]

HUH? Tomlin went the money route??? Not smart, especially considering that he has a great case to make here. With this economy, old James aint gonna gather much sympathy this way. He is being red-flagged and everyone knows it. Go that route Mike T!!!!