Ndamukong Suh is a tough dude. He kicks ass and takes names. It’s the type of personality that has changed the way people think about Detroit Lions football.
His toughness has also gotten him some fines from the NFL – $42,500 in total. But no one ever said winning comes cheap. It’s the price you pay to help change a culture.
But Suh has also been called a dirty player, which is why he requested a meeting with Roger Goodell to discuss what he can do to improve his game (aka quit getting fined).
In Suh’s words, ”I have gained a better understanding how I need to continue to play the game to help my team win. “I look forward to the rest of the season and doing everything we can to bring the Lombardi Trophy to Detroit.”
When I first heard Suh requested this meeting, I assumed it was more of a smartass way to ask how he is supposed to “take it easy” while playing the most dangerous game on the planet (Well, 2nd most dangerous game).
What ended up happening, is Suh and the Lions took a step back in their quest for being considered a “scary” team. Playing nice does not win championships. If you play defense in the NFL, you should have the personality of a murderer. And last time I checked, most murderers wouldn’t go ask the cops for advice on how to kill people.
The Lions fans need a dirty, scary defense in order to be relevant. At 6-2, this has to be the best they have felt in years! Why change anything?
Personally, if I was Suh, I would make the dirtiest play possible their next game just to prove he will continue to play the way he has always played. And if that means being called a dirty player, so be it. Better than not being called anything at all, which is what Lions fans are use to.
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Not that I agree with the fines for playing football the way me and everyone else who ever played at any level were taught, but…… There’s inequity in how these fines are levied by Roger “General Zod” Goodell. Make it proportional to salary, General Zod! If a player making $500,000 a year can be fined $10,000 for a hit (2% of salary), then fine the player making $6 million a year $120,000. That seems like it should garner the desired results, no?
Or you could just let ‘em play football.
PS Defenseless receiver my ass. What about when Hines Ward blindsides a safety on a well executed block? Why don’t I ever see fines for that? Huh General Zod?
I say let ‘em play.
I hate to use the term “they know what they signed up for”, but they know what they signed up for. Oh yeah, and they get paid pretty well to do it.