Steelers Team MVP charged with assault
March 9th, 2008 by Neal CoolongSteelers OLB James Harrison put together one of the better defensive seasons in team history in 2007.
That may all be forgotten now.
Harrison was charged with simple assault and criminal mischief Saturday in Ohio Township. According to an affidavit filed in conjunction with the arrest, Harrison broke into the room of his girlfriend, Beth Tibbott, after she locked herself in as the result of an argument between the two.
Harrison broke the door open, and broke in half her cell phone, which she was using to call police.
Harrison left the scene, and was arrested later. The affidavit says Harrison corroborated the Tibbott told police.
Harrison was voted a starter in the 2008 Pro Bowl in Honolulu after his first season as the full-time starter. His season was lauded as a success story, given Harrison was undrafted, and was cut by the Steelers and the Ravens before returning to Pittsburgh. He replaced All-Time OLB Joey Porter, who had left via free agency in 2007.
He became the only player in NFL history to log three sacks, three forced fumbles and one interception in one game, highlighting a 38-7 thrashing of the Ravens on Monday Night Football.
Harrison is seen as the anchor of a traditionally outstanding group of linebackers in Pittsburgh. Veteran OLB Clark Haggans is a free agent, and is certain to play somewhere else in 2008. Second-year OLB LaMarr Woodley is slated to replace him, with the Steelers’ first draft choice in 2007, Lawrence Timmons, currently scheduled to provide depth at that position.
Posted in Steelers News |
March 9th, 2008 at 10:39 am
Great. Just what we need from our supposed MVP. We’re the Steelers. We don’t stand for that crap. RELEASE HIM NOW!
Cut our ties with a woman beater or get risk becoming the Dallas Cowboys of the east.
The great thing about being a Steeler fan is that we could always be proud of our guys off the field and laugh at all the thugs around the league. Let’s not start a bad trend. Get rid of the idiot.
Off the ledge, Tony! We can’t go releasing players for one incident. While I agree completely, this behavior should not be at all condoned, and the team should take it upon themselves to suspend him without pay for a game, I don’t think releasing him is the correct solution.
A one-game suspension without pay is equal to 1/16th of his yearly salary. Plus, it’s one less game he has to hit any performance bonuses his contract provides, and it’s one start given to a young guy who’s anxious to take Harrison’s spot on the team. Add all of that together, it’s a pretty significant penalty, one that I feel fits the crime in this case.
I know that’s not going to be a popular opinion, and I’ll bet just about everyone is either going to be for no punishment at all, or kicking the guy out of the league for life, but ultimately, the players are responsible for their actions, not the Steelers. The organization can do the best job they can do, which is show the consequences of failing to obey the laws of decent society.
March 9th, 2008 at 11:08 am
I thought in this great conservative country of ours that we were innocent until proven guilty! By the way I do not think there are many choir boys in professional sports. If they find him guilty than so be it however let the process work itself out!!!
Not that you are wrong, but the report is simply that he was arrested. That’s a fact. Plus, the affidavit that the officers provided along with their report says Harrison corroborated with the victim’s entire story. There is also physical evidence on the face of the victim.
Now, I’m not saying he’s guilty, but do you think this is looking good for him, or what?
March 9th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
I find some of the Steelers fans’ rush to judge and deal harshly with Harrison (who obviously made a very “public” mistake)bothersome. No, it is NEVER right to harrass, intimidate, threaten, or hit a woman. But, pls. keep these pts. in mind:
1) Who are u to judge? You’ve never made any mistakes before?
And if u did, would u want others to forgive u if u promise to get yourself back on track? Have other athletes (NFL, NBA) done worse (drugs/drunk driving etc…) & been given lots more chances?
2) Professional athletes (esp. football players) are trained to be aggressive w/a killer instinct. So if someone gets them upset, they are liable to explode (if they have trouble controlling their tempers & will need anger management). What was done is not condoned but understandable (how it could happen).
3) Where the hell are they gonna pick up a “Pro Bowl” linebacker with a mean streak we have not seen since the days of Greg Lloyd? So just “relase him now” is NOT the smartest business move you can make.
Don’t think with your emotions…use your head. Let’s analyze the situation & make the best decision for the team. Saying “We are the Steelers & we don’t condone this crap” makes u look holier-than-thou. Let’s instead use reason, understanding, & forgiveness. Some form of penalty would be appropriate…just not “canning” the guy for his 1st “public” mistake. Nuff said!!
It’s debatable at best to suggest that a drug charge or a DUI bust is on the same level of what Harrison is accused of. I can’t say that assault is a lesser crime, but the point you’re making is ultimately right. I don’t feel I need to “understand” anything, but I do believe in forgiveness, and I hope Harrison is man enough to admit his mistake. If he does, and he takes the appropriate punishment humbly, he should be forgiven.
Hopefully more of us have this mindset, and we should all remember whatever punishment he may face from the team or from the judge, it won’t compare to the massive amount of abuse he will take for the rest of his career.
March 9th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
Let me clarify why I think “simple assault” is not as big a crime (in the eyes of judicial system or not) as drug possession or DUI’s. 1st, Harrison slapped/punched (whatever) his girlfriend in the face. He also broke down her door (to get at her) & broke her cell phone…things done in the moment of anger. Domestic disputes between husband & wife (girlfriend/boyfriend) happen all the time & play out similarly to this situation.
Assault could also mean simply that somenone twists your arm, pushes you in the back, or kicks you in the butt (does it make it seem worse cause he did it to a woman vs. a man?). Is THAT as bad as a person high or intoxicated by drugs/alcohol who goes on the road & kills/cripples either him/herself or others? How many instances have athletes lost control of their vehicle & killed themselves/passengers/others on the road?
I don’t know the number of athletes who have killed people while high on the road, but I do know that’s not a DUI. That’s vehicular manslaughter. That is worse than simple assault, yes.
Becoming “addicted” to drugs/alcohol is much more dangerous than anger managment issues.
Here’s an interesting parallel…that dude who ran onto the field in Cleveland was clearly intoxicated. Harrison seems to have at least some issue controlling his anger. So…because that guy drank too much, it angered Silverback, and it was the drunk guy who ended up paying for it. So yes! In a roundabout way, that proves your statement.
Addiction often leads to other crimes (stealing/robbery/murder)to support the habit. We DO NOT know if Harrison is a chronic “woman beater”…it is not an “addiction” in the way it is with drugs/alcohol. You CAN’T really control addiction (it controls you). But, you CAN control your emotions. Harrison just lost it in this instance. He should be penalized (one game/no pay sounds fair). I wasn’t trying to make light of it…hitting a woman is wrong…just the point that we should not make it a bigger offense than what is it.
You can control addiction the same way you control your emotions; everyone’s got their hurdles to clear in life. Agreed completely with not making it bigger than it is, and I didn’t take your comment to suggest beating a woman is in any way acceptable. He screwed up, he should pay the price and his life should go on. Unfortunately, we’ll never hear the end of it from both Steelers fans and Anti-Steelers fans.
And then for other Steelers fans to say “just cut him” & that “We are the Steelers & do not tolerate this!” (Great! I’m proud & happy we don’t have the track record of the Raiders/Cowboys/Bengals/Dolphins/Falcons etc…) is jumping the gun & being a bit harsh. THAT was my point.
Again, agreed. I’m sure he will be told of his employer’s disapproval of such things, and his contract extension and time in the league will depend largely on how he handles himself in light of his decisions. If he’s willing to act like a man who gets a second extension from the Steelers (VERY few starters are able to do this), then I’m ok with the team giving him one. We all make mistakes. But the impetus is on him to do it.
Thanks for your replies & I DO respect your opinion(s). Hope to hear more from everyone. Peace!! Alex
Thanks for the comments! Keep reading!
March 9th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
This blog stinks more than Cowher’s efforts in AFCC’s at home.
Ya spelled my name wrong, Jackhole. NEAL’s blog stinks.
March 9th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
I do not see how breaking a door and a cell phone makes someone a woman abuser. Not that what James Harrison has done is acceptable, but I see a lot of people forming unfounded opinions. As far as guilty until proven innocent, he is guilty once he “corroborated” the victims story. I just don’t see how what appears to be disordely conduct become assault. Maybe the cops are Browns fans.
It was reported that he hit her across the face, along with breaking into the room and breaking the cell phone. From the P-G: “…Ms. Tibbott said he then hit her with an open hand in the face, knocking off her glasses. Township police said her left cheek showed ‘red marks.’”
March 9th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
Hey Neal,
What’s with the guy in message #5? He doesn’t have the balls to leave his name & then mispells your name. We need more thoughtful bloggers & posters…definitely NOT this guy! Or, could be a girl?
I dunno man, he’s been doing that all over, though. He went off on Wexell and on Lolley earlier, and another guy said he was doing it on Stillers.com. What a tool…
Back to my point: I read the discussion board (regularly though have never posted) on SteelersLive & some “fans” were quick to say stuff like “Harrison should be cut” or “he’ll be gone by Monday…the Rooneys won’t tolerate this!!” and such. Cutting Harrison will hurt the team more than it will help. Heck, the Dolphins took Ricky Williams back & now these so called Steelers fans want to pull the hook on Silverback so quickly. That’s what gets my goat!!
Alex
Yeah, it’s a tad extreme to say to just cut him. Why don’t we just drag him out back and shoot him while we’re at it? To my knowledge (and I may be wrong), he has an otherwise clean record of misdemeanors. It’s not patterned behavior, and he was respected enough by the Steelers to have been named a captain. Let him take his medicine, and earn back our trust.
March 9th, 2008 at 6:00 pm
I think James needs to tune into good ‘ol Tom Leykis on Thurdays for some Leykis 101. If he’s not on the air in Pittsburgh or Ohio, James could always stream it from Tom’s web page.
March 9th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
The bitch probably deserved it
Thank you, Ike Turner!
March 9th, 2008 at 9:26 pm
Who cares.
Neal’s site stinks worse than the dumptrucks - shit in wordrobes.
Neal = stinky Dumptrucks poo!
You again, huh? Still ridin’ the magic wave of Ecstacy?
March 10th, 2008 at 6:47 am
After reading through all the responses, most of which are moronic, I stand by my original post. Most of you weren’t smart enough to read through the story and see that he “admitted” he hit her. I doubt that he was under any duress when he admitted that.
I think my favorite response was the “give him a 1 game suspension”. Brilliant. Those penalties have shown to work so well in the past. (I’m guessing that if this girl was your daughter, you’d ask for at least 2 games).
Well, it WASN’T my daughter, and since I’d prefer to base my opinions in the world of objectivity (unless we’re talking about Phil Collins, he sucks), I still say that is the punishment that best fits the crime. None of us have the pleasure of applying our own personal bias into the laws of civilized society. Considering that fine would equate to approximately $150,000, not to mention giving free exposure for a game to someone like Lawrence Timmons (the 15th overall draft pick, and a guy the team is pressured to get on the field to justify their choice of him) and one less game to reach other performance incentives, that figure could grow to be quite a bit higher than that.
As far as those penalties working so well in the past…I didn’t realize the Pittsburgh Steelers were in charge of the rehabilitation of its employees. Seems to be a governmental thing. They can apply punishment under the code of conduct section of the CBA, and I will again pull the punishment fitting the crime card.
I still have yet to see you offer your opinion of the proper punishment though. Feel free to share, if your high horse is equipped with Internet access.
My second favorite is the stupidity of mentioning this guy in the same breath with Greg Lloyd. Please. My final point is this. In the past year it seems like Steeler players have found themselves in the police blotter a little more than we’re used to. If you let it snowball, you end up being the Bengals. You can count on one hand the amount of teams in pro sports whose fans can root for AND be proud of. We have one and I wouldn’t mind keeping it that way. Now leave me alone, I’ve got a ledge to get back on.
March 10th, 2008 at 10:47 am
WE SHOULD NOT LET ACTIONS LIKE THIS GO UNATTENDED. THIS WILL COME BACK TO HAUNT US IN THE LONG RUN. STEELERS PLAYERS SHOULD HOLD THEMSELVES TO A HIGHER LEVEL OF OBEDIENCE. FORGET TRYING TO BE A ROLE MODEL. A PERSON WHO CARRIES THEMSELVES WITH PRIDE, DIGNITY, AND RESPECT, WILL FIND THIER OWN WORLDS WILL TREAT THEM THE SAME.
March 10th, 2008 at 10:51 am
YOU GUYS ARE SONDING LIKE A BUNCH OF DEMOCRATIC MISFITTS. QUIET THE NAME CALLING, AND GET BACK ON TRACK SOILDIER.
March 10th, 2008 at 10:51 am
YOU GUYS ARE SOUNDING LIKE A BUNCH OF DEMOCRATIC MISFITTS. QUIET THE NAME CALLING, AND GET BACK ON TRACK SOILDIER.
Democratic Misfits sounds like a college alt band.
March 10th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
GD right I’m democratic. We live in a republic with a democratic system of government, albeit a representative one versus a directly democratic one. But what’s wrong with being democratic?
OH WAIT!! I SEE NOW. You were attempting to be clever and use the word “Democrat” (someone who belongs to the political party) in a pejorative sense.
Oops. Being “democratic” is different than being a “Democrat”.
Oh, and “misfit” has one “t”.
Sorry, had to tease a little there. ;o) Go Stillers.
Steeler Bro
Wait, were YOU in the Democratic Misfits? Or was that Hendo…maybe it was one of the names the band in PCU tried to come up with before settling on “Everybody Gets Laid.” Someone help me out here.
March 11th, 2008 at 10:14 am
WAIT A MINUTE. I AM A DEMOCRAT MYSELF, AND AS FAR AS THE SPELLING, WELL, MISFITTS IS HOW YOU SPELL IT IN THE TEXT I WAS USING IT IN. NO HARM DONE.OH, AND STEELERS IS SPELLED WITH 2 E’S AND NOT ONE I. IT GOES LIKE THIS COMRAD! ” GO STEELERS ”
YOU SEE THE 2e’s in there. have a great day, and i can’t wait 4opening kick off.
March 11th, 2008 at 11:33 am
CAN ANYONE TALK ME OUT OF WHAT I THINK WILL BE A DISATROUS 2008 FOR THE STEELERS. THAY HAVE A HECK OF A SCHEDULE, AND IF THE OLINE ISN’T FIXED, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS BAD GOING INTO THE 07 SEASON, AND NOW THE FAN-MAN IS GONE. NOT THAT HE WAS GREAT, BUT HE WAS AWESOME! IN RUN BLOCKING. BUT I DON’T SEE THEM WINNING NO MORE THAN 5-6-7 GAMES AT BEST. AND I DO THINK IT IS TIME FOR CLEVELAND TO DO SOMETHING. THEY COULD WIN THE NORTH! NOT OUT OF THE RELM OF POSSIBILITIES! COMMENTS ANYONE!
March 11th, 2008 at 7:51 pm
James, you silly, channel your anger on the field. Be nice to your girlfriend or they won’t let you play football.
March 20th, 2008 at 5:44 am
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