Video: Navy WR cheap shot on Notre Dame defender

2009-12-01T20:17:50-05:00

2009-11-12T17:08:08-05:00

2009-11-12T22:12:27-05:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/694/531/thumb/-university-of-florida_-uf-logo.jpg 3313 NC

MountainGator

In the Mountains 695171

8 Dude, I don't agree with everything Andy writes, but there is no defense for Spike's actions. A real fan can admit when one of their players screwed up. This video - again, no excuse. Cheap shot by the Navy player. And I don't think Staples is attempting a vendetta against the Gators. He may....but that would really be a cheap shot since he is a Gator. 7640670

2009-11-17T23:32:55-05:00

533

beachgator

Lucedale 174427

Dude, I don't agree with everything Andy writes, but there is no defense for Spike's actions. A real fan can admit when one of their players screwed up. This video - again, no excuse. Cheap shot by the Navy player. And I don't think Staples is attempting a vendetta against the Gators. He may....but that would really be a cheap shot since he is a Gator.

18 I'm not defending Spikes (although even Staples found an even uglier eye-gouging the very next weekend from another team/division - see the last thread, it really does happen all the time). No, I'm pissed because there are a multitude of cheap shots and unseemly behavior on any given Saturday, witnessed by millions of fans, yet the manufactured "fan outrage thru social networks" that you see here covers only those calculated to draw traffic. For instance - LSU QB Jarrett Lee took an incredibly late and ugly spear towards the end of the second quarter - the network commentators saw it, the network showed it in SloMo, yet no outrage here...why not? Because we care more about Navy/ND? No. B/c ND draws traffic. That's what this is all about - not policing the game (which, BTW, sportswriters have NO right to do), not about fairness, not about anything but drawing traffic and self-aggrandizement. To that end, Stapes, a former wannabe starter for the Gators, has sold his team out, and indeed his sport. Amazing what people will do when you put a little money on the table. And don't tell me what "real" fans should or should not do. You don't get to make that call. 7690515

2009-11-12T19:42:42-05:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/408/624/thumb/ND_Leprachaun6.jpg 858 CA

The Irish

Irishville 409064

4 Navy is a classy program...that was not a classy hit. 7639350

2009-11-16T11:43:58-05:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/502/153/thumb/Photo_081008_002_1_.jpg 2 NY

pastor Bob

Attica 502593

Navy is a classy program...that was not a classy hit.

17 Best comment in the whole string. 7671173

2009-11-14T23:31:42-05:00

Stop Beating the Dead Horse

No City 917735

16 Pretty interesting watching the Irish get called for Personal Foul Chop Blocks against Pitt. 7660483

2009-11-14T00:56:18-05:00

533

beachgator

Lucedale 174427

15 Is self-interested, I mean, not objective....YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN, DAMMIT!!!!! 7655470

2009-11-13T11:35:16-05:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/234/159/thumb/Ralph_Leprechaun.jpg 364 TX

The_Guvnah

Austin 234479

12 For an opposing viewpoint, let me say that I appreciate the fact that we now have the technology available for fans to catch infractions and then disseminate them to a wide audience. I also appreciate Andy Staples writing about it. The cliche is true: sunlight is the best disinfectant. Sports are, among other things, supposed to instill in players a higher level of character. Perhaps as people continue to expose and write about players' wrongdoing, and as those players are punished, it will sink in to these players that regardless of whether they get caught THIS time, cheap shots are wrong, and "getting away with it" is beside the point. It doesn't MATTER whether you're at the bottom of a pile and can't be seen by others. You shouldn't be eye gouging or face-washing people because its a dirty, unethical thing to do. Likewise, you shouldn't be targeting players knees because its a dirty, unethical thing to do. People who want others to shut up because "this stuff happens all the time" are doing nothing less than actively encouraging illegal, dangerous, unethical conduct that has NOTHING to do with the way the game is supposed to be played. People like them are the REASON that "this stuff happens all the time." I think true sports fans would thank these folks very much to go satisfy their apparent appreciation for cheating and dirty play by watching pro wrestling or dog fighting. And yes, I'm talking to you, Beachgator. 7645899

2009-11-14T00:55:27-05:00

533

beachgator

Lucedale 174427

For an opposing viewpoint, let me say that I appreciate the fact that we now have the technology available for fans to catch infractions and then disseminate them to a wide audience. I also appreciate Andy Staples writing about it.The cliche is true: sunlight is the best disinfectant.Sports are, among other things, supposed to instill in players a higher level of character. Perhaps as people continue to expose and write about players' wrongdoing, and as those players are punished, it will sink in to these players that regardless of whether they get caught THIS time, cheap shots are wrong, and "getting away with it" is beside the point. It doesn't MATTER whether you're at the bottom of a pile and can't be seen by others. You shouldn't be eye gouging or face-washing people because its a dirty, unethical thing to do.Likewise, you shouldn't be targeting players knees because its a dirty, unethical thing to do.People who want others to shut up because "this stuff happens all the time" are doing nothing less than actively encouraging illegal, dangerous, unethical conduct that has NOTHING to do with the way the game is supposed to be played. People like them are the REASON that "this stuff happens all the time." I think true sports fans would thank these folks very much to go satisfy their apparent appreciation for cheating and dirty play by watching pro wrestling or dog fighting. And yes, I'm talking to you, Beachgator.

14 Howdy Guvh!!! The turnaround-thing doesn't really work unless someone is insulting you, but it's an excellent tool in the never-ending blog war against stupidity. Speaking thereof, you seem to have missed the point of my comment - I don't deny these things go on; I believe that they go on in almost every game right down to JV and in some cases below. I just think that the folks with the bully-pulpit are being strategically selective about which infractions they want to "shine sunlight" on. I think Staples is acting unethically by using what used to be his national forum (now nobody but you and I bother to comment on it) to try to set himself up as the new NCAA football-officiating-fact-checker-and-monday-morning-quarterback-in-cheif. To this end, I think he's ignoring certain infractions and highlighting others in an attempt to win sympathy from the widest possible audience. Officials are supposed to be objective in thier play-calling, not self-interested. Andy Staples obviously is. 7655418

2009-11-13T14:18:21-05:00

AB2008

Milford 916817

13 I have to aggree on most parts but not all. Was it cheap? Absolutely. I would add Sneaky and Cowardly. All that the Midshipmen stand against. But what I will say from watching it over and over is it was not going after knees. Mid to upper thighs. It would have looked like a key block a few yards away from a big play if it broke a big one. In this situation though, it becomes nothing but garbage and trash. It was called a late hit. If he knocked above the waist, he probably would have just been warned. If he hit his knees he would of most likley been ejected. The fact that the play was over and the defender was relaxed and not preparred made it look much worse. No excuses. Absolute trash but lets not insunate the Midshipment are looking to mame all their opponents. 7649053

2009-11-13T11:35:16-05:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/234/159/thumb/Ralph_Leprechaun.jpg 364 TX

The_Guvnah

Austin 234479

2009-11-12T21:23:20-05:00

533

beachgator

Lucedale 174427

5 So now Staples is the self-styled youtube avenger. Nobody likes a tattletale, Staples. Especially not one so ridiculously selective about which particular vendetta he's attempting. Last week - FL basterds! It was his first time out of the box, so taking a swipe at the NC was practically a given. Always a popular thing to do. This week - NAVY basterds! It has an ND slant to it, so it must draw hits, right? Wrong. this comment alone is 20% of the commentary thus far, after the post being up FOUR HOURS!! You posted a Notre Dame thread FOUR HOURS ago, and have a grand total of 5 COMMENTS - one of which is just to call you an a_hole for reviewing youtube for dirty hits by strategically selected teams in order to paper over your own lack of thin sports-writing as-of-late (I used to be a fan, but you ain't quite what you used to be). So you want to huff-and-puff righteous indignation every week now? That's your new schtick? I liked your old one (sportswriting) better. BTW: I'm sure you caught the TN story.......where's the outrage? TN = Kiffin = hits. C'mon Staples, if you're going to do this thing at least do it right. A_hole. 7640050

2009-11-13T11:16:56-05:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/234/159/thumb/Ralph_Leprechaun.jpg 364 TX

The_Guvnah

Austin 234479

So now Staples is the self-styled youtube avenger. Nobody likes a tattletale, Staples. Especially not one so ridiculously selective about which particular vendetta he's attempting.Last week - FL basterds! It was his first time out of the box, so taking a swipe at the NC was practically a given. Always a popular thing to do.This week - NAVY basterds! It has an ND slant to it, so it must draw hits, right? Wrong. this comment alone is 20% of the commentary thus far, after the post being up FOUR HOURS!!You posted a Notre Dame thread FOUR HOURS ago, and have a grand total of 5 COMMENTS - one of which is just to call you an a_hole for reviewing youtube for dirty hits by strategically selected teams in order to paper over your own lack of thin sports-writing as-of-late (I used to be a fan, but you ain't quite what you used to be).So you want to huff-and-puff righteous indignation every week now? That's your new schtick? I liked your old one (sportswriting) better.BTW: I'm sure you caught the TN story.......where's the outrage? TN = Kiffin = hits. C'mon Staples, if you're going to do this thing at least do it right.A_hole.

11 So now Beachgator is the self-styled fannation avenger. Nobody likes a tattletale, Beachgator. Especially not one so ridiculously selective about which particular vendetta he's attempting. Last week - you were up in arms over the Spikes article! It was your first time out of the box, so taking a swipe at the Staples was practically a given. Always a popular thing to do. This week - the NAVY article! It has a CNNSI slant to it, so it must draw hits, right? Wrong. This comment alone is only the second response to your posts so far, after your first response being up for THIRTEEN HOURS!! You posted a COMPLAINT a grand total of THIRTEEN HOURS ago, and have a grand total of 2 COMMENTS - one of which is just to make fun of you for not seeing the irony in being selectively outraged against one sportswriter for his supposed sin of being selectively outraged against dirty hits (by three separate teams now) in order to paper over your own lack of self-awareness (I never was a fan, but I always chuckle when Florida fans be-clown themselves). So you want to huff-and-puff righteous indignation every Staples post now? That's your new schtick? I liked your old one (wearing jean shorts) better. BTW: I'm sure you caught the ESPN story.......where's the outrage? ESPN = reporting = outrage. C'mon Beachgator, if you're going to do this thing at least do it right. J_ackass. 7645536

2009-11-13T10:16:51-05:00

GoalieLax

Atlanta 581795

10 ok, so now throw up a video of claussen throwing a late hit on a navy defender after he was picked off. what? that one's not as abhorrent? they both were late hits...they both got flagged. both ND's and Navy's players walked away fine. just because this one looked worse makes it worse? get the heck over it ps - your "The occasional stray punch in a pile is illegal but expected" line is absolute garbage and shows what is wrong with sports. how are you going to rain hell on spikes one week and say the next week that cheap shots are to be expected? the standard is a double standard 7644141

2009-11-13T10:00:23-05:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/519/787/thumb/avatar_2028.jpg 2753 GA

Georgia Tech Ramblin' Wreck

Rome 520227

9 There's no place for play like that on any team, much less Navy. 7643838

Andy Staples

246219 85981 In an <a href="/si_blogs/from_scrimmage/posts/85941-notre-dame-assistants-complaint-rings-hollow" target="_blank">earlier post about the whining coming from South Bend</a>, I told you one of Notre Dame assistant Corwin Brown's complaints was legit. When he said Navy receiver Nick Henderson's below-the-belt hit on Notre Dame's Robert Blanton was malicious, he wasn't kidding. Have a look for yourself.