OT: Ravens go full-pads in rookie camp, get disciplined by NFL; John Harbaugh fined

Submitted by Mr. Elbel on
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/05/26/nfl-fines-john-harbaugh… Apparently the Ravens practiced in full-pads in rookie camp, which is a no-no. It's only supposed to be no pads and no contact. The Ravens have been fined $343k and Harbaugh himself fined $127k. In addition, the Ravens lose their OTAs, which were supposed to take place at the beginning of June. To me, the ironic part is... leave it to a Harbaugh to get in trouble for making his players be too physical.

trueblueintexas

May 27th, 2016 at 1:23 PM ^

"My answer is I don't have the first damn clue. Maybe he was an early morning riser and he liked to pack in the morning. And maybe he didn't have any friends. I'm an educated man, but I'm afraid I can't speak intelligently about the travel habits of William Santiago."

TheRonimal

May 26th, 2016 at 10:10 PM ^

I'm really curious as well. This is a real head scratcher. It's just such a blatant thing that I feel like they must've had a good reason (in their minds at least). Other than making some kind of statement about their disapproval of the rules, I don't know what they could've been thinking.




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Cranky Dave

May 26th, 2016 at 8:15 PM ^

To get negged but I think John and the Ravens deserved to be punished. There's no way they forgot that you can't have pads on in rookie camp. Why blatantly break the rules?

LSAClassOf2000

May 26th, 2016 at 8:59 PM ^

Some of the comments on that article are pretty funny:

hey look, a bunch of pats fans equating a practice violation 2 months before the preseason to deflating balls during playoff games

There do seem to be a fair number of Patriots fans taking it out on everyone in the comments, from the look of things, even wondering how this is somehow their fault and what the fine might be for New England. 

SBo

May 26th, 2016 at 9:31 PM ^

I'd love to defend a Harbaugh, but if another coach did it we'd be ragging on him. Good thing it was shut down before any injuries happening, after 5-6 months of no contact, it's not easy or safe jumping right back in.

djmagic

May 26th, 2016 at 10:42 PM ^

We'd be ragging on them?   speak for yourself.  last I checked, the NFL is a full contact, tackle-football league.  the only way to get better at tackle football is by playing tackle football.  Harbaugh knows this, and that's why he made his decision, rule be damned.

PopeLando

May 26th, 2016 at 11:49 PM ^

I don't often downvote, but you don't see the potential downside of going full contact on day 1, with the rookies, prior to any kind of slow-motion walkthrough?

I used to be a martial arts instructor. How would you like to learn to fight? Oh, and your first lesson will be full contact, against a bigger/stronger/faster opponent, in violation of the rules which were intended to keep you safe.

djmagic

May 27th, 2016 at 3:19 PM ^

that i didn't see a potential downside.  the intent of my post was to illustrate that at least some coaches feel it's a questionable rule, and that not all of us would  be critiquing every single one of them.  

  and while i respect where you're coming from with your martial combat analogy, I think it's rather misplaced.  the NFL rookies showing up at camp aren't nearly as unconditioned and unprepared with base knowledge as your hypothetical guy walking into your gym to learn how to fight.  These guys know how to fight, have been doing it in smaller leagues for years, and now, they've spent the last 5 months working out full time with specialized trainers, getting ready for this promotion to the big League.  They're not exactly minnows being thrown in the shark tank.

 

Acedpar3

May 27th, 2016 at 7:32 AM ^

that is a lot of money.  i sure hope he learned something. i am sure he knew about the rule. seems kind of stupid or well planned?

csmhowitzer

May 27th, 2016 at 8:27 AM ^

I don't think Harbaugh felt he was breaking the rule, so there has to be more to the story than "the players had a full pads practice". There are a lot of assumptions that come with using that terminology. Can players dress in full gear and not hit? Is that against the rules? Maybe only part of the practice they did walk throughs in full gear? I don't know, but I would agree that if it was full pads and hitting then it wasn't a smart move.