Briggs MAC East Def. POY

[BGFootball]

The hit was late.....dirty........NO.........the only reason that would make it dirty was if he was trying to harm the man intentionally...HE WASNT!! he was playing FOOTBALL!! He has one of the biggest hearts on the team and he just loves to play football!! I cant believe people are comparing him to a Marshall player because he hit someone hard.....he didnt wanna hurt the guy, but i guarentee it made him think twice about running the ball the rest of the game.....I have watched posts on this board for awhile, and I agree with most posters on here, but when people attack the players saying they deserve this or they deserve that, it really gets to me.......

I know I really havent identified myself on this board but I am fairly close with many of the players and I just cant stand some of the comments I read...


People comparing our players to marshall players? UNBELIEVEABLE!

You should be happy as hell you have a player like Antonio on your team.......I mean, in all actuality, who else do you think could cover Teddy Ginn better next week besides him?

Dont get me wrong, I love our YOUNG team....but antonio is our best bet next weekend......no question.....

I have alot of pride in BG, and I respect everyones opinion, but come on guys.....it was a late hit...it happens when you play agressive.....no need to accuse the man of playin dirty football.....I dont really have much else to say....GO FALCONS!!

[hammb]

but there is a very, very big difference between intent to harm and intent to tackle. I think a lot of you are simply assuming the motives of a player when you really have no foundation upon which to base your opinions on that the actual motives of said player.
.

You are correct that we cannot know the exact motives of a player when he does what he does. You're also correct in saying that there is a difference between intent to harm & intent to tackle.

I don't know Antonio, but as BGFootball has told us repeatedly in this thread, he's a good kid. I'm inclined to take his/her word on that, since I have no evidence to the contrary. I doubt very seriously if Antonio's intent is ever to harm...it rarely is for most decent football players.

However, I do think there is a third intent that appears to be more what's on Antonio's mind and that's blowing up the player with a big hit to make him think twice and/or get himself on sportscenter. Now when this works it's a fantastic thing, and it looks sweet. Antonio has definitely laid some big hits in his days and they all look sweet. My problem is that for every big hit there are times when he tries to make that same hit and the guy makes a move or bounces off. I would like him a lot more if he were willing to break down and make a form tackle. You can still make the big hit, but wrapping up and driving through the ball carrier give you a much better shot of bringing him down if he somehow makes your hit miss.

[Dayons_Den]

BGFootball,

I don't have problem with you providing your point of view, but I feel you have called me out with my description of the play.

First of all, if you read what I originally posted I did not compare Antonio to a Marshall player, I compared the play/his actions. I feel there is a difference. I also feel that I was justified in that comparison because of the bizarre angle he took to the play and the fact he led with his helmet and went up and under towards the QB's head. Have you seen the tape? Perhaps if I saw it today in regular motion it wouldn't bother me but seeing it over and over in slow-motion left a lasting impression in my head. I saw about 5 replays during the webcast, and I can say the play made me feel sick, especially the way Antonio stood over Everson and celebrated with hand movements that looked like he was indicated a catch (you know how the linesman motions catch rather than juggle). Not sure what that was about. . .

You mention he was just playing football and making a tackle. If he had led with his arms, wrapped him up, and driven him back, slamming him down this would be a credible statement. It appears, again I am not claiming to know his motives, but it appears he was driving at him head first with no intent to tackle. I did not say it was intent to hurt or that it was dirty, but that it indeed was an ugly play.

You say that the hit was late, but not dirty. Yes it was late, but also look at how the play was made- head first, crown of his head towards Everson's face mask, a real filling-loosener.

I am not demonizing Antonio as a person or player, just that that specific play was ugly. Yes it fired the d up and the guys on the sideline and yes Everson was a bit more tentative when tucking and running.

You are a fairly new poster, have been around lurking a bit, and are close to the program so you may think that we are a bunch of crumudgeons (sp?) who bash coaches and players at will, and a lot of times that is the attitude that is portrayed here. I will never personally attack a player or coach and I also don't want to drag this specific issue on any more. I gave a pretty in-depth description of how the play was portrayed during the webcast. It was corroborated by others. I backed up my assesment of the play in a well thought out manner, as oppossed to calling him a goon and a bad person. I'll respect the fact that you are close to the team/players and in turn I would hope you respect the fact that I am relaying what was seen by many as an ugly play.

Thanks for registering and posting, your unique insight is and will definitely be appreciated around here.

[BGFootball]

BGFootball,

I don't have problem with you providing your point of view, but I feel you have called me out with my description of the play.

First of all, if you read what I originally posted I did not compare Antonio to a Marshall player, I compared the play/his actions. I feel there is a difference. I also feel that I was justified in that comparison because of the bizarre angle he took to the play and the fact he led with his helmet and went up and under towards the QB's head. Have you seen the tape? Perhaps if I saw it today in regular motion it wouldn't bother me but seeing it over and over in slow-motion left a lasting impression in my head. I saw about 5 replays during the webcast, and I can say the play made me feel sick, especially the way Antonio stood over Everson and celebrated with hand movements that looked like he was indicated a catch (you know how the linesman motions catch rather than juggle). Not sure what that was about. . .

You mention he was just playing football and making a tackle. If he had led with his arms, wrapped him up, and driven him back, slamming him down this would be a credible statement. It appears, again I am not claiming to know his motives, but it appears he was driving at him head first with no intent to tackle. I did not say it was intent to hurt or that it was dirty, but that it indeed was an ugly play.

You say that the hit was late, but not dirty. Yes it was late, but also look at how the play was made- head first, crown of his head towards Everson's face mask, a real filling-loosener.

I am not demonizing Antonio as a person or player, just that that specific play was ugly. Yes it fired the d up and the guys on the sideline and yes Everson was a bit more tentative when tucking and running.

You are a fairly new poster, have been around lurking a bit, and are close to the program so you may think that we are a bunch of crumudgeons (sp?) who bash coaches and players at will, and a lot of times that is the attitude that is portrayed here. I will never personally attack a player or coach and I also don't want to drag this specific issue on any more. I gave a pretty in-depth description of how the play was portrayed during the webcast. It was corroborated by others. I backed up my assesment of the play in a well thought out manner, as oppossed to calling him a goon and a bad person. I'll respect the fact that you are close to the team/players and in turn I would hope you respect the fact that I am relaying what was seen by many as an ugly play.

Thanks for registering and posting, your unique insight is and will definitely be appreciated around here.

I appologize for attacking and calling out anyone. I am close to the program but in no way do I feel like you all intentionally try to call players out. I enjoy reading the posts on here and have been reading them long before I ever posted. If I took the statement the wrong way then I applogize for the way I reacted.

[Jacobs4Heisman]

There's a huge difference between a dirty player and a player making a dirty hit.

When most people use the word dirty in a football sense, they aren't referring to intention, but rather the outcome.

Having said that, again, it was a dirty hit. I think Antonio just let his emotions and intentions get the better of him this time. I'm sure he'll learn from the situation and I hope one of the coaches had a little chat with him.