Losing ugly
Williams a victim of a dirty play, not an accident
Rick Cranford of Seattle is my E-mailer of the Week for sending me back to my tape for something I'd originally overlooked. Rick points out that on the play that Ricky Williams was injured Monday night, OLB Lawrence Timmons, subbing for Clark Haggans, came down on Williams' back with his cleated shoe. He said it looked deliberate. He was surprised that neither the announcing crew nor Sports Illustrated's game notes made any mention of the play.
I remember seeing it at the time, but the idea of something like that is just so alien to what I'm used to that I glossed right over it. After I read his e-mail I ran the play back, both at regular speed and slow motion. It looked as if Timmons, in hurdling No. 70, Dolphin tackle L.J. Shelton, inadvertently came down on Williams' back. But then the replay, close up, showed Timmons deliberately veering off and coming down hard with his left foot to pin Williams to the ground and keep him from recovering his fumble. An absolutely filthy play, and I'm glad Rick pointed it out to me and annoyed that it didn't strike home right away. Wonder how the league is going to handle this one -- if at all.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/dr_z/11/29/williams/index.html?eref=mostpop
Williams a victim of a dirty play, not an accident
Rick Cranford of Seattle is my E-mailer of the Week for sending me back to my tape for something I'd originally overlooked. Rick points out that on the play that Ricky Williams was injured Monday night, OLB Lawrence Timmons, subbing for Clark Haggans, came down on Williams' back with his cleated shoe. He said it looked deliberate. He was surprised that neither the announcing crew nor Sports Illustrated's game notes made any mention of the play.
I remember seeing it at the time, but the idea of something like that is just so alien to what I'm used to that I glossed right over it. After I read his e-mail I ran the play back, both at regular speed and slow motion. It looked as if Timmons, in hurdling No. 70, Dolphin tackle L.J. Shelton, inadvertently came down on Williams' back. But then the replay, close up, showed Timmons deliberately veering off and coming down hard with his left foot to pin Williams to the ground and keep him from recovering his fumble. An absolutely filthy play, and I'm glad Rick pointed it out to me and annoyed that it didn't strike home right away. Wonder how the league is going to handle this one -- if at all.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/dr_z/11/29/williams/index.html?eref=mostpop
