Skip to main content

NFL suspends Jets coach rest of Season for Tripping Player

The NFL suspended New York Jets strength coach Sal Alosi for the rest of the regular season and the playoffs without pay for his intentional tripping of Miami Dolphins cornerback Nolan Carroll(notes) on Sunday. He was also fined $25,000. The announcement, first reported by Jay Glazer, came hours after an apologetic Alosi met with the New York media to reiterate his regret for the incident.
In a brief statement at Jets headquarters in New Jersey, Alosi told reporters that he had apologized to Carroll, Dolphins coach Tony Sparano, Jets owner Woody Johnson, team general manager Mike Tannenbaum and head coach Rex Ryan. He said he didn't offer his resignation and would be accepting of any punishment that was handed down.
That ended up being three games, and any potential Jets playoff games, without salary, an essential ban for the rest of the season. The decision was jointly decided upon by the Jets and the NFL. That, plus the fine, is a severe penalty for a coach who makes a working-man's salary, not the millions of dollars earned by the players he trains.
The 33-year-old coach looked nervous in front of the assembled media earlier on Monday, but his words and mannerisms seemed sincere.
There were calls to fire the coach for the bush-league maneuver, but the league was wise to resist that mob mentality. A severe sanction was in order and this punishment was justified. A termination was not. How could Roger Goodell rationalize getting rid of a coach while giving players repeated chances to come back from far more heinous offenses? The biggest story in the NFL this year involves a player given a second chance. Alosi deserved the same chance.
This is no defense of Alosi; the tripping was a heinous offense. The NFL has a hard enough time keeping players safe from other players, let alone from coaches standing on the sideline. But it was a momentary lapse in judgment and one that isn't apt to be repeated by anyone else. There isn't going to be a rash of assistant coaches with happy feet trying to tangle up opponents. It was an isolated incident, which means Alosi's punishment didn't need to send a message to anyone else but Alosi.
Rex Ryan acknowledged that his assistant messed up but defended him. "Sal made a huge mistake," he said. "I can't remember anything like this."
He's right. The scene late in the third quarter was one of the most bizarre sequences you'll see on a football field:
If anything, the NFL might have gone too far. Players who pocket millions every year get $25,000 in fines for potentially paralyzing hits. Carroll get suspended for three games, losing almost one-fifth of his yearly salary and gets fined 25 grand? That's stunning. He just stuck his foot out! I guess that's what happens when you're the low man on the totem pole in Roger Goodell's NFL. It's easier to play tough with someone who isn't in a position of power.
The sincerity of Alosi's apology should have affected his eventual punishment and at least allowed him to coach in any Jets playoff games (although, at this rate, who knows if the Jets will have any playoff games). The coach got out in front of the story, acknowledged his mistake and made the appropriate calls to everyone involved. That didn't absolve him of his actions, but it deserved to make the penalty for them a bit less severe. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Payroll tax cut worries Social Security advocates

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama's plan to cut payroll taxes for a year would provide big savings for many workers, but makes Social Security advocates nervous that it could jeopardize the retirement program's finances. The plan is part of a package of tax cuts and extended unemployment benefits that Obama negotiated with Senate Republican leaders. It would cut workers' share of Social Security taxes by nearly one-third for 2011. Workers making $50,000 in wages would get a $1,000 tax cut; those making $100,000 would get a $2,000 tax cut. The government would borrow about $112 billion to make Social Security whole. Advocates and some lawmakers worry that relying on borrowed money to fund Social Security could eventually force it to compete with other federal programs for scarce dollars, leading to cuts. Social Security taxes "ought to be held sacrosanct," said Rep. Earl Pomeroy, D-N.D., chairman of the House Ways and Means subco...

Blake Griffin with his head at the rim

After knocking himself out of the 2009-10 season after hurting his knee during a dunk attempt, it's still OK to cringe a bit every time you see Blake Griffin (notes) readying a launch. And apparently, now we have to worry about his head knocking the rim just as much as his knees handling the descent. It speaks to the level of credibility that the Dunk Contest owns these days that when word hit Wednesday that Blake Griffin was open to the idea of entering the NBA's annual stuffing show, we were actually more concerned than excited. Would Griffin, clearly the master of the in-game dunk just two months into his NBA career, be able to in any way match his prowess in an exhibition setting? Was there a risk of him needlessly hurting himself in the process? About 11 minutes into Wednesday's Rockets/Clippers matchup, the worries became outright fears. Because Blake went and did this. That's a 6-9 guy jumping off a surgically repaired kneecap with his head at th...

New Dishes for this Week

MONDAY Stroganoff-Style Beef with Broccoli TUESDAY Chicken Alfredo and Rice Casserole WEDNESDAY Slow-Cooker Flemish Beef Stew THURSDAY Vegetarian Chili FRIDAY Slow-Cooked Chicken with Sourdough-Mushroom Stuffing SATURDAY Easy Marinated Pork Tenderloin SUNDAY Lamb Chops with Red Onion, Grape Tomatoes, and Feta (...AND sign up for Yahoo! Shine's weekly recipe newsletter) MONDAY Stroganoff-Style Beef with Broccoli Provided by Better Homes and Gardens For more stroganoff recipes, try these delicious dishes. Here is a dinner idea that can be ready in 30 minutes. If you are a fan of beef and broccoli, this is a recipe you must try. Serve it on top of cooked wide noodles and enjoy. Share this recipe with friends who also have busy schedules and are looking for a quick and delicious main dish...