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Steelers' Hines Ward talks about feud with Ravens and bounties

Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward had quite a bit to say this week on a Pittsburgh radio show about the Ravens, including his feud with players like Bart Scott and the purported bounty that Baltimore has out on him.  Ward called in to a morning radio show (on KISS 96.1) yesterday, the day after an NFL official met with the Steelers to discuss the flurry of fines that the league has slapped on Pittsburgh.  Ward has gotten a couple of fines for unnecessary roughness that were not called during the game, including one on the Ravens' Corey Ivy.

Here's the interview.  Below the photo of Ward, there is the instruction: "Click here to see what Hines had to say."  That's the link that will bring up an audio player. Click onto the Open button and voila, hopefully through the magic of the Internet you will hear Ward complaining that the league treats him unfairly and saying the Ravens are crybabies.

A sample from Ward:

"I've been having a bounty on me there since Rod Woodson was there.  I put the same kind of hit on Rod Woodson and all I heard was 'Oh we're going to get you back next game.' ... Well, Bart Scott got hit last year when we played them and the last game of the year we didn't have to play (starters), we were already in the playoffs and all we heard was, 'You ought to be glad you didn't play, we got a bounty out on you.'"

Ward went on about his confrontations with the Ravens and contended that former running back Jamal Lewis also told him that the Ravens had a bounty on him.

Ward also said that he was interested in seeing whether the league fines, presumably Terrell Suggs, for talking about having a bounty, also on a radio show.

Comments

Perhaps if the Raven's were more interested in making tackles than in talking about them there wouldn't be a need to worry about bounty's.
Thinking the Raven's should have a reverse bounty for any team that doesnt know that on 3rd down with more than 6 yards to go there are always 2 plays that the Ravens cannot defend: a quick slant and a 20 yard pass in the middle of the field.

http://kissnation.961kiss.com/freakshow/blog/2008/10/23/hines_calls_the_show_about_nfl_refs_and_fines

Here's a direct link to the story so you don't have to scroll through the page.
------------------------------------------
Tim,
Thanks. And good interview.
-- Bill O.

Bill,

I think in addition to this, on Sept 8th, Bart Scott was on the Jim Rome show and repeatedly claimed he was "gonna kill Hines Ward." Jim Rome repeatedly asked him if he meant "kill." He did
---------------------------------------
Biff,
There is a lot of plain words between these teams, I'll say that.
-- Bill O.

You are obviously extremely clueless when it come to football. Who are you, anyway? I've never heard of you.

Hines Ward plays footabll the way it is supposed to be played. What game have you been watching?

To make the ignorant statements that you made about Hines shows that you no nothing about football.

Geesh, your's was a poor article, bub.

This is football right? In football, there's an unwritten rule to 'keep your head on a swivel' until the whistle blows. I'm a Ravens fan...and first and foremost a football fan. Hines Ward is a true football player and plays the game the right way. If there wasn't so many primadonna's at the professional level, we'd have a chance to witness more hard nose football on a regular basis.

The reason people are upset at Hines Ward is one moment he says he's not trying to hurt people and the next he is taking people out, and they end up injured for the rest of the season. It's messing with people lives and their health. Football is a violent sport as it is. It doesn't require this nut trying to blind side people, and that's exactly what he does. Looking for the big crack back, or blind side hit.,, sometimes far away from the play.

Now I know people are gonna say its part of football, but doing it that way, is the wrong way. You can make the same block and be just as effective preventing a player from making a tackle, with a normal block or even just getting in the way. Instead he goes for the big blow every chance he gets. The big blindsides, knocking people out, causing concussions, or even breaking someone's jaw isn't necessary. You would think he would have a conscience, and wanna stop hurting other players. Instead he defends it. Maybe after he finally gives someone a serious neck injury, he'll stop and think about it.

By continually going for these hits, in essence, Ward takes a bounty out on any player, not looking his way, when he is in the area. He has brought the attention upon his self.

Oh my god people are taking this too seriously. Who cares if there is or there isn't a reward for getting a good clean shot on Ward? It is called self-motivation. How would any boss like it if all their sales staff got together and said, "Alright, this other company's rep is getting stolen sales, cheap shots, whatever from/on companies all around the county/league. Whoever gives this clown a taste of his own medicine gets a set of steak knives."? Answer: They'd love it.

It isn't like the Ravens are going out onto the field with guns a la Billy Blanks at the beginning of The Last Boyscout.

The problem isn't bounties or who's hitting too hard or too late. Bounties seem to be a "don't ask, don't tell" standard in the NFL. The other issues, the NFL deals with. The problem here is Suggs' mouth. He should keep it shut and play the game. I hope Ray, who's surely under scrutiny now, and the rest of the team dresse Suggs down for flapping his gums when he should be keeping his head down. Of course, in the radio interview, he kept running his big mouth and trying to generate controversy about Flacco and Smith.

Terrell, you're a great player. You are not a politician and as you admitted, you're not an offensive coordinator either. Focus on what you're great at and forget the rest.

Bliff,

youre a steelers fan arent you

Lets see the replays of Ward's hits so everyone can see them and why he was fined. Myself I thougth he should have been fined for breaking Rivers Jaw, how is it clean when you hit a guy in the jaw? But somebody post the replay of the hits so we all can see them and judge for ourselves, otherwise its all just talk, if you didn't see em!
-------------------------------------------------------
Harry,
I did take a look. One that you can see on YouTube was the one on Ed Reed.
-- Bill O.

ummm Scott... Mr. Ordine is the one with the article in the Baltimore sun, so i think the more appropriate question is who are you???? And anyone who thinks that Ward plays the game the way it's supposed to be played...WATCH THIS...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NJYruxZ4Zg

Sure, it's a clean hit. But when you blindsided someone and put him out and possibly put this person's career then that's different. Hines and fans might be laughing. But Im sure one of these days, someone or somebody will light (him up!!! Hines) and hit Hines Ward and just take the fine and wipe the smile off of Hines. If a player knows he is going to get fined anyways, why not do it to Hines Ward!

Sure, it's a clean hit. But when you blindsided someone and put him out and possibly put this person's career then that's different. Hines and fans might be laughing. But Im sure one of these days, someone or somebody will light (him up!!! Hines) and hit Hines Ward and just take the fine and wipe the smile off of Hines. If a player knows he is going to get fined anyways, why not do it to Hines Ward!

Budafinguz,
I couldn't understand the link, it appeared to be in another language.

So what anyway...maybe he shouldn't have hit that guy. How many times do we see players take a shot near the ball, when it might not be necessary?

In any event, if you watch that whole game. Shortly before that play, Ward was hit out of bounds, was it a little retaliation, maybe?

Bill O.
I agree there are some words between these two ball clubs, some of it makes the rivalry much more fun. But I think when we get into words like "Bounty" and "Kill," it gets to another level. To me, that is showing some intent, rather than just playing ball and hitting hard. A little jawing never hurts, but hmmm...."Bounty" and then the continual reference to "kill" by Bart Scott on the Rome show...? Maybe the Steelers have said some stuff too to that extent, I haven't heard though.
I still don't follow what Ray Lewis meant by saying "he's done" concerning rookie RB Mendenhall. He will be back next year, its a shoulder, not a knee or anything. I am not going to sit here and talk trash for the Steelers, but I would venture to say, the Ravens haven't seen the last of Mendenhall.
The odd thing is to me, I didn't hear too much whining about the Raven 'Bannan' taking a play out of bounds in the last meeting between the two clubs (actually I think the Steelers should thank them, as it kind of got Pittsburgh out of a funk). Or in last November's meeting at Heinz Field when Suggs threw Roethlisberger to the ground, the QB clearly released the ball and Suggs had two steps and then hit him, it wasn't overly egregious, but it was enough to knock him down (he was out of the game for a few series with an ankle). Suggs could have stopped or tried to stop him from falling as some LB's do when they realize they got there slightly tardy. But alas, Suggs didn't.
In any event, Ward makes some tough hits...the hit on Rivers of the Bengals was legal, the ball carrier was near the play (Spaeth). If Ward doesn't block him, he makes the tackle or at least has a chance. The play went for a good gain...Ward doesn't block Rivers, its a loss. Its a shame his jaw broke, but clearly a broken jaw wasn't the intent.

Bill O. Here is a better link to the Ward v Reed hit. Some have said that was dirty too. Not sure why...Reed and Ward meet head on. The real question should be why did #27 Raven basically escort Ward right through...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3uM3d42b6M&feature=related

Bill O. Here is a better link to the Ward v Reed hit. Some have said that was dirty too. Not sure why...Reed and Ward meet head on. The real question should be why did #27 Raven basically escort Ward right through...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3uM3d42b6M&feature=related
------------------------------------
It is odd because they are facing each other. Its almost as if Reed thinks the play is over but it is clearly in progress. At least Ward seems to wave for the training staff.
-- Bill O.

Man what a buncha sniviling winers you guys are.
have any of you even ever really played in a football game? I love when people run their mouths about something they have never done before and think they are experts. Stuff happens on the field all the time that dosnt get cought on camera and all players get even and its not always the guy that deserves it but sometimes a team mate. Ward is a tough hardnose player and just like all football players that play (hard) ... they sometimes do things that arent the best decision they could make but who here always makes the right decision. I bet if you looked hard enough you could find almost everybody in the league making some controversial or questionable hits and of course teams like the Steelers and Ravens who are tough hard hitting teams are gonna be right in the middle of all that under a mag-glass. Get over it and play football like real men and leave whinny ... players that cry about getting hit on the sidelines so they dont get hurt and if youve never played the sport in a real forum then keep your cryin to yourself.

Look, over the years I've seen Ward do a lot of dirty little antics like hands up in the face or stepping on a player when he's on the ground, to get goofs like Chris McAlister to over-react and get penalized. The worst I've seen was the sneaky dirty hit he laid on Ed Reed last year when he suddenly did a 180 and nailed Reed in the throat with his helmet. I wonder if Reed's current neck issues are related? He did miss time for that hit last year. There's playing hard like the good hit/block he gave Bart Scott last year and then there's dirty play to intentionally try to hurt guys, or finger sticking in the eye ... when the ref's not looking. I don't know about this bounty jazz but I do believe Ward deserves to be "jacked-up" hard whenever he gets the ball. Hell, he dares guys to do it anyway, why not oblige him? This was how the players have traditionally policed themselves before the fine system. I'm still waiting Bart for that payback!

Come on guys. Stop the crying. I'll say it again, this is football. You watch every single punt return, every kick return, every interception return, it happens all the time. 10 times a game.

Think about it. Think back to the "jacked up" segment that use to be on the Monday Night Pregame show. The NFL celebrates, promotes, and advertises these kinds of play. "Tough" defensive players just don't like showing up on the highlight reel.

The difference with ward is that it is a receiver embarrassing defensive plays, safeties, and linebackers. They are crying "hey, you are not suppose to be hitting, me... I'm suppose to be hitting you".

Part of winning a football game is imposing your will on the other players, make them think about things, get in their head, distract them.

Now I will agree about the hit against Cleveland earlier this year. It was a late hit. But if you watch it in full speed, it wasn't even a second late. And it was right around the ball carrier. These guys are playing fast, it wasn't that bad of a play. A late hit, sure. Worth a penalty, ok. But dirty... no. If you scrutinize any NFL player, you are going to find these moments a couple times a year, easily.

That play is not why players hate Hines. It's because they constantly get embarrassed by good physical football

Was this dirty or the same type of block you see on every kick/punt return?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFuFTwLaufE

Was this block for bush so different?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8aRh2WUz18

Was this a blind side?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MM-rI8YhtHc&feature=related

Or since the defenders can't do their job properly and be aware of, and shed, potential blockers, then the blockers shouldn't play so hard. Please. Give me a break.

The only reason anyone cares about he hit on Keith Rivers is because his jaw was broken. If his jaw wouldn't have been broken, no one would have cared. It's foot ball, accidents do happen. And they happen all the time, even on clean plays. And if the fine and penalty happy NFL doesn't think it was a dirty play, then it definitely wasn't.

Hines has said that he felt bad about his jaw being broken, he never intended to hurt him. But simply that he wasn't going to feel bad about doing his job and blocking for the runner.


I would agree that Reed probably thought (or maybe could see) the play was winding down, Ward has his back to the play...it was an aggressive hit in hindsight, but certainly well within the rules. I don't think Reed complained, so I'll tip a cap to him.

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About the blogger
Bill Ordine has been a reporter and editor for more than 25 years and during that time has covered Super Bowls, major murder trials, township zoning board meetings and bat mitzvahs. In his time with The Baltimore Sun, he has been an assistant city editor, pro football writer, poker columnist, enterprise sports reporter and now blogger -- which may indicate his editors have yet to find a job he can get right.
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