The hottest trends for winter 2010 are prints, jungle themes, chambray and bashing Roger Goodell. One day after Hines Ward(notes) ripped Goodell's NFL for hypocrisy on a number of issues including player safety, Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs(notes) said the league plays favorites with Tom Brady(notes) and Peyton Manning(notes), and doesn't care about other quarterbacks.
He made the comments after being asked about the fines levied this season against James Harrison(notes), who will take the field opposite Suggs and the Ravens on "Sunday Night Football":
He made the comments after being asked about the fines levied this season against James Harrison(notes), who will take the field opposite Suggs and the Ravens on "Sunday Night Football":
"I think they are looking at [Harrison] more closely than they are everybody else in the league. In the referee world, they kind of red-flagged him.
"The league has their favorites. One being in Indy and one being with that other team up north. Besides those two, everybody is fair game. Some quarterbacks are getting the calls right away. Some quarterbacks they don't care.
"Like I always said, Carson Palmer(notes) got hit in his knee in 2005 but there was no rule made. Then Tom Brady got hit in his knee and all of a sudden there is a rule and possible suspensions, excessive fines -- it's just getting ridiculous."
Goodell has barred dirty hits on the field, but has yet to exert control over dirty hits off of it. Like we said Wednesday with Ward's comments, it's about time players spoke up about the NFL's two-faced treatment of its workforce. I suspect Goodell has a thick skin and will let this slide, mainly because he's smart enough to know that fining players for criticizing him will only increase the perception that he's playing Big Brother. But this growing unrest isn't a good thing for him and NFL owners, especially with a labor negotiation and 18-game schedule discussions on the horizon."The league has their favorites. One being in Indy and one being with that other team up north. Besides those two, everybody is fair game. Some quarterbacks are getting the calls right away. Some quarterbacks they don't care.
"Like I always said, Carson Palmer(notes) got hit in his knee in 2005 but there was no rule made. Then Tom Brady got hit in his knee and all of a sudden there is a rule and possible suspensions, excessive fines -- it's just getting ridiculous."