Second quarter, three Saturdays ago now, West Virginia driving. Auburn catches a break: there’s a flag. Chop block, on the Mountaineers. And the ears prick up, because they always do these days when chop blocks and Auburn are in the same sentence.
A couple days later I rewatch the game and pay special attention to see what kind of infraction we’re talking about here. Coleman is the victim: he comes tearing around left end with the WVU tackle slow to react. Noel Devine has been assigned to help on that side; with Coleman untouched and Devine apparently one-on-one, he rolls for a legal cut block. Unfortunately for both Coleman and the ‘Eers, the tackle has recovered and engages Coleman high an instant before Devine makes contact with Coleman’s legs. It was dangerous, illegal, worth every bit of 15 yards–but also very obviously an accident.
As soon as the referee last Saturday announced that the Auburn player responsible for the first-quarter chop block against Tennessee was Ryan Pugh, I was praying that when I came back to this game and watched this play again, I’d see something similar. Something I could excuse.
I have watched the play a dozen times. I have watched it in real-time, slow-motion, and frame-by-frame. And this is what happens: the entire Auburn line stands up in standard pass protection. Tennessee rushes four and does not slant: the two DTs on Auburn’s right are picked up by Bart Eddins and Andrew McCain, the two left DTs, including Wes Brown, picked up by Mike Berry and Lee Zimeba. There is a beat, a moment in which Pugh is unengaged and free to double-team one of the tackles to either side. What Pugh does–as the other four Auburn linemen remain perfectly upright throughout the play–is fall, leading with the left shoulder, into the side/back of Brown’s left leg.
What we can say with absolute certainty about this play is this: this is a horrible, horrible football play. It couldn’t be more obviously illegal, and was committed in full view of an official not three or four yards away. It was the offensive line equivalent of a wild defensive end going helmet-to-helmet with a quarterback four seconds after the ball has been thrown. Equally obvious was that the line call was not to cut-block: it makes no sense for four of Auburn’s linemen to protect straight-up, including on the defensive ends, but for one of the tackles to get cut. Either Pugh was inexcusably confused about the call (as the center, I think the odds of this are low) or he simply ignored it. Either way: he singlehandedly ended a promising drive that would have given Auburn the lead.
(In the interest of complete disclosure: there is also the slim, slim possibility that Pugh tripped. It’s impossible to keep track of interior linemen’s feet from the only angle provided–no replay. But I can’t believe that Pugh managed to trip himself into Brown, at the perfect angle to bring him to the ground. We’re talking bad movie-script levels of coincidence there.)
What we can’t say with any kind of certainty is what Pugh was thinking. Maybe he was confused about the call. Maybe he knew Brown was carrying an injury into the game and had coldly decided beforehand to try and exacerbate the injury*. Maybe it was what the British soccer press (or Coldplay) would call “a rush of blood to the head.” Maybe he was just trying to make a block and forgot everything he knew about proper technique for a second. It was stupid, no debating that, but was it malicious? “Dirty?” Just a poor decision? No one knows. Vol fans don’t know, Auburn fans don’t know, you don’t know, I don’t know.
Here, however, is a list of things we do know:
— The week before, against Ball St., an Auburn ball-carrier had been swarmed under along the sideline and the play was effectively over. A Ball St. defensive lineman was jogging halfheartedly towards the play, and just before the whistle blew, Pugh lowered his shoulder forcefully into the BSU player and knocked him to the turf. The BSU player did not get up immediately, required the attention of the training staff, and was forced to leave the game for a period of time. (Brown, you may know, also left the game for a time, meaning that two opposing players in two weeks have been forced to leave the field after plays by Pugh. This is a fact.)
Because the play was live and the “block” was from the front, the play was technically legal. It was also unnecessarily violent, unsportsmanlike, at risk for drawing a flag under the “unnecessary roughness” statute, and–to sum–the sort of play that would have had Auburn fans roaring for blood if it had been committed by an opposing player. (As an aside: I find it much less defensible than the chop block against Tennessee.)
— In last year’s Iron Bowl (with the game long since decided), as a play commenced downfield, Alabama defensive lineman Luther Davis began to stand up with his back to the Auburn line. Pugh then dove into the back of his legs. I wrote at the time:
If Pugh wanted him blocked, it would have been the easiest thing in the world to run over and give him a shove. He doesn’t. It’s as filthy a play as you can see on a football field. Whatever condemnatory adjective you’d like to use here–unacceptable, inexcusable, unjustifiable, reprehensible–is appropriate. To borrow a phrase from election season, the JCCW rejects and denounces this kind of filth. There’s no place for it at Auburn.
Harsh as it is, I stand by every word of that.
— Pugh was also called for a chop block in the 2007 Chick-Fil-A Bowl that forced a Clemson defensive lineman from the game for the duration. I feel that this play (as with the infamous Glenn Dorsey chop block committed by Chaz Ramsey earlier that season) could be reasonably explained as an accident, but facts is facts: this is another opposing player we’ve seen sent to the sidelines after a play made by Pugh.
I list all this information to say this: I repeat that I do not know why Ryan Pugh chop blocked Wes Brown. No one does. But I will not blame anyone who does not give Pugh the benefit of the doubt–because I do not feel that Pugh has earned it. We don’t know enough about who Ryan Pugh is or why he has done the things he has done in an Auburn uniform to call him “a dirty player” or a “thug” or any other of the various epithets that have been attached to him by rival fans. But we do know this: Pugh has been a violent player whose actions have directly caused Auburn’s opponents an abnormally high number of injuries. That much is not up for debate.
I cannot tell you how much I wish this wasn’t the case. I despise having to write a post like this. But it has to be written, because I cannot in good conscience ignore a problem like this. Ryan Pugh cannot continue to commit dangerous penalties, display unsportsmanlike behavior, and endanger the well-being of our opponents while he represents Auburn University. Cannot, cannot, cannot.
So, how do we fix this problem? I don’t know. Teach Pugh proper blocking technique? Punish him with suspensions or other team-imposed sanctions? Combination of both? Neither? Not only does it not matter what I suggest, I genuinely do not care what Jeff Grimes and Gene Chizik do about it**–just so long as it works and we do not have this conversation again. I am not angry as much, I am not disappointed as much as I am just sick to death of it. I just want it to stop.
I am an Auburn fan. This means I root for all of Auburn players to play well, outperform their opponents, and win. I will be rooting as hard for Ryan Pugh this Saturday as I always have, and will. But I am the sort of fan who roots just as hard (well … I can be honest, almost as hard) for Auburn’s players to play with honor, respect for their opponents, and sportsmanship. Those things matter at Auburn, and it hurts when our players perform as if they don’t.
* For the record: I cannot believe that this is the case.
** Something public and forceful to combat the growing “Auburn is dirty” sentiment would be nice, sure, but we all know this staff doesn’t do “public and forceful,” and that’s fine. I don’t care, so long as it works.
Photo via al.com.
If one of his penalties loses a game for us, in this miraculous year, I will eat his babies.
Pugh’s excuse can’t be bad technique from teaching. His dad is an offensive line coach…
“Hey son. Here’s the correct way to do a chop block. Win at all costs.”
We can always blame it on parents trying to live vicariously through their children?
Agreed. Well put.
It would be nice if the Bammers had a 100% lock on all the sleaze instead of 99%.
Nice write up. Does anyone know if Chizik has been asked about this by members of the press? I’d be interested to hear his response.
Thanks for this post. A lot of class went into this. I didn’t give Pugh the benefit of the doubt on anything — and won’t. But I commend you for your handling of this situation.
I hope AU goes undefeated the rest of the way. Congrats on beating us last weekend.
Hey, this is FOOTBALL. It is not high tea at 4.
Hey, Ghost of Neyland… I anxiously await with bated breath your first post condemning any thuggish act by a Vol player.
And wait.
And wait.
And wait.
(Gosh… all Vols must REALLY come from heaven, you freakin’ crybaby.)
tiger7: C’mon, man, he just wished us an undefeated season and congratulated us. If I don’t blame Ghost for what he’s written I of course don’t blame you for not enjoying it very much, but if you have a problem with it please take it up over there or via e-mail rather than in this space, where Ghost has been nothing but cordial. Thanks. (But where you been? I need someone to keep me on my toes around here.)
Junky, I don’t remember seeing you comment before, so thanks for reading. But I’m also a little uncomfortable accusing anyone of teaching Pugh to chop block. I realize you’re very likely just joking around and not meaning it seriously, but this is a sensitive issue and we should probably treat it that way. Thanks again.
This type of block is illegal for a reason: it results in injury. Not your garden variety bruise or sprain, but a knee-tearing-career-ending-likely-walk-with-a-limp-the-rest-of-your-life type of injury. No game is worth that, and neither is any player, be he the oldest veteran or youngest rookie.
It should be corrected and soon by the current coaching staff. The players are all aware of this infraction. It is not a mistake, a case of overenthusiasm, or ‘gametime aggression’. It is a deliberate action that is entirely preventable.
Failure to do so will result in no less than three things: a perception that it is condoned and therefore draw increased scrutiny from officials, an increase in reciprocal actions by opposing players placing our own players at increased risk of career ending injury, or poor disciplined players who will find other ‘tricks’ to pull.
Both are lose-lose conditions for our team.
Sullivan013
Thank you for putting into words exactly what I’ve felt about Ryan Pugh since the first time he stepped on the field for Auburn. Jonesy is right in saying that he doesn’t have the excuse of poor teaching. As a matter of fact, Pugh’s dad coached at my former high school. The year after he left to start the program at a brand new high school, our football team won the 6A State Championship… but most of the players from that team credit Toney Pugh’s coaching for getting them to that level.
I digress. Ryan’s overly-aggressive tendencies (that’s putting it nicely) are something that should have been dealt with when he was a freshman, or before he even made it to Auburn. I’m proud of the kid because I know the area from which he came, but he represents something much bigger than that now. I sincerely hope that Coach Grimes or Coach Chizik handles this matter – and SOON.
Simple solution – treat interior line blocking like change of possesion – block below the waste is a penalty. Cut block is legal now, chop block is not. Only difference is whether the defender is engaged. The offender cannot be called for a chop block by himself – if he’s acting alone, it is a cut block and legal. Take the judgement out of it and prohibit interior line blocks below the waist. Then you will know the intent of the offender. Too simple right?
I agree with you WarBlogEagle. It is a shameful way that Pugh has been playing lately. I would imagine, he is an excitable player that reacts to the constant smack talk that happens there in the trenches. But this is no excuse for unfair play (with or without intent) and it should be addressed–if not by the coaches, then by us pundits. I would rather we lose games playing fair instead of winning games due to injuring opposing teams’ players. Yes, this is a violent sport, but it is not a late afternoon Chinese Karate movie (though it would be cool if Adams could jump 20 feet in the air to catch a pass and then lightly run on defenders’ shoulders to the end zone)
IIRC….it wasn’t Ziemba on Dorsey, It was another freshman lineman whose back prevents him from playing for the Tigers anymore.
Jerry, sorry but I’ve been keeping my eye on GoN’s site ever since you’ve been referring to it. Don’t remember a single time he’s been critical of a Vol player OUTSIDE of it effecting his precious win-total. Never a single call out for a cheap shot. And you know what? Berry’s been in the league for a while, I remember a couple of time where he’s come in for the “big shot” high when he probably could have easily made the tackle lower. Is he a “thug”? Of course not. It is a FAST and VIOLENT game and sometimes in the pace of the game you do FAST and VIOLENT things. And which conference is the FASTEST and most VIOLENT in the country? The SEC.
You have been totally fair and unbiased in criticizing Auburn players when you have your suspicions. Good for you. I may disagree with you, but even if I do you are not forming your opinion after a hefty glass of orange-and-blue koolaid. I can’t say as much about GoN.
So is Pugh a “thug”? No.
Is Berry a “thug”? Of course not.
Is GoN a homer hypocrite? Why yes… yes he is.
(You may delete this now if you wish.)
Okay, Just trying to bring some levity to the situation.
I don’t feel like he is being much of an Auburn man, if it is intentional. If not, then he needs some serious coaching.
I’ve been lurking on the board since about 2 years ago. Just started to feel compelled to chime in. Sorry if I offended anyone with my antics. I’m kinda known for being that way, in the circles I usually frequent.
AJ
Jerry, excellent post. This is a problem that I hope Chizik will address. I hope one of the beat writers have the balls to ask him about this issue specifically.
I think we’re all a fan of our offensive line’s tenacity and play this year. Those are some big mean mofos and are probably the best unit in the league. But ever since Chaz Ramsey chop-blocked Dorsey and Ryan Pugh has garned his rep as a dirty player we’ve gotten a bit of reputation as a “dirty” team. I think this goes against everything Auburn stands for and in truth actually is. However, I wouldn’t call Ryan a dirty player. Just made a couple mistakes, and I really don’t think you can punish him for playing hard till the wistle blows.
Thanks for the correction on the Dorsey block. I should have double-checked.
tiger7, deletion’s not my style. I just don’t want flame wars in my comment sections. That’s it.
AJ, no biggie. Just sayin we should all handle this kind of thing with care.
Thanks to everyone for their comments.
“Pugh’s excuse can’t be bad technique from teaching. His dad is an offensive line coach.”
Well, maybe it could. His dad was his o-line coach under Rush Propst. Hoover was known for very dirty play under him (just ask Caudle). Old habits are hard to break.
Now, my question is this…Why does no one make this big of a deal out of late hits, intentional facemasks, and/or headhunting? They’re all usually the result of one thing, a player trying to hurt someone. A flag is thrown, 15 yards are lost, and we don’t hear about it again. I’m sure there are a lot more repeat offenders on the defensive side of the ball. I guess chop block calls are more of a rarity so they get more attention.
Berry has never been flagged for an illegal hit. Not one time in his UT career. IF you think I’ve never been critical about any Vols, you must re-read the site, looking for negatives on Jonathan Crompton, Brandon Warren, Gerald Jones, and dating back to last year, Demonte Bolden and others.
The reason I’ve never been “critical” about any hits/blocks/plays as they pertain to UT is because not one time since we’ve been running the site has UT been flagged for a chop-block. There was a personal foul instance, late hit on the quarterback, where the QB was not injured but I LIT INTO Dan Williams for it.
It happens. Occasionally. But three illegal chop blocks flagged in three years is more than that. It’s a trend that needs to be punished. You can see through your orange-and-blue tinted glasses if it gets you through the day, but facts are facts.
As for me being cordial, I will always be. This post was written with a lot of class, and I’ll now make this site a regular stop. I really enjoy watching Auburn and pull for them because they are — like us — the furthest thing from Bama.
Am I a homer? Yes I am. As are you all. Am I blinded by my allegiance? Not at all and have never been when it comes to issues like this. I will always speak (and write) my mind.
Again, I wish AU the best the rest of the way. Thanks for putting a face on the Classy Auburn Fan. There have been a few not-so-classy come by the site in the past few days.
that should have read ***Not one time THAT I CAN REMEMBER that UT has been called for a chop-block …. like, in my life. And I never miss a play of a Vols game.
Keep it up Pugh. Its football and bring your fist everyday. I wish I had a 100 players with the heart and determination of Ryan Pugh.
Wow, the author of his is an idiot.
Scub, no one’s questioning his heart or his determination.
Someone call the WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMBULANCE!
As someone above aptly stated, this is football, not knitting class.
No, you’re basically defaming the kid on an Auburn blog, of all things. Ridiculous.
I do not understand you folks getting your panties in a wad over what was, until a few years ago, a perfectly legal and accepted method of blocking. When I played, many years ago, it was called a “post block”. One player would post the opponent low and another player would knock the hell out of the player being posted, because his legs were tied up and he couldn’t avoid the block. I don’t recall any players on my team or the opposing team being injured in this manner. Maybe we were tougher.
Ryan Pugh most definitely aims at injuring people by attacking the knees directly. You mentioned the attack at Luther Davis, where Pugh attacks Davis from behind (the coward!) when a block on Luther would have made no difference as the play was all but over. His attack on the Clemson player was due to frustration. He absolutely did not need to attack the stood up Clemson player. He might have helped by pushing him a little and moving on to a LB, but instead Ryan “ChopBlocka” Pugh attacks him at the knee intent on causing injury. He doesn’t do these things and it flow seamlessly as if the assignments are mixed up; he does this when the other blocker is engaged. He notices the engagement and proceeds to attack the knee in order to injure. The kid doesn’t deserve to be involved in sports for this type of behavior. His intent is to injure folks on illegal behavior and deserves pity for being such a lowlife. Dixit Deus.
Dixit: Neither you nor anyone other than Pugh knows what his motivations on the field are. There’s no evidence his intent has been specifically to injure. Chill.
Sounds the author of this article has a real solid football background.
I fully expect Pugh to be brought up in court on the “malicious” actions he has committed on these poor defensive linemen.
Thanks Jerry for exposing this injustice. I am on top of it.
“The week before, against Ball St., an Auburn ball-carrier had been swarmed under along the sideline and the play was effectively over. A Ball St. defensive lineman was jogging halfheartedly towards the play, and just before the whistle blew, Pugh lowered his shoulder forcefully into the BSU player and knocked him to the turf. The BSU player did not get up immediately, required the attention of the training staff, and was forced to leave the game for a period of time.”
We all could stop reading right there. This tells one everything they need to know. You are a ridiculous imbecile with an agenda.
JUST BEFORE the whistle, huh? Horrors! The play was EFFECTIVELY over, you say? HALF HEARTEDLY jogging toward the play, indeed?
How dare that mean ole Ryan Pugh hit somebody with his shoulder (an illegal weapon if there ever was one) from the FRONT, JUST BEFORE the whistle blows! I NEVER! It’s not like the ballcarrier could have continued running if he had broken lose, or the halfhearted jogger might have wandered near the ball carrier and stopped the play for realsies or piled on and injured the ballcarrier by accident.
No, blocking with your shoulder from the front before the whistle blows must be outlawed!
This, kids, is why histrionics can ruin an otherwise debatable point.
Mr. Quarter, do you actually remember the play in question? Do you?
Because if you do and you genuinely believe that what Pugh did on that play was necessary, fair, or sportsmanlike, or that (assuming you’re an Auburn fan) you would be perfectly fine with one of our opponents doing that to one of our players … well, I wouldn’t even know what to say to you.
Trust me: if one of our opponents makes a play like that against one of Auburn’s players, you will hear about it.
I trust that the Auburn coaches can and will handle any problem with Pugh without any help from War Blog Eagle. But thanks for trying to make a story out of a non-story just to see your words in print. Get a life!
Not only would I be OK with an opponent blocking an AU defender before the whistle blows, I would be:
a) mad at the DL for halfheartedly jogging to the play
b) disappointed for him not keeping his head on a swivel or being alert to what is happening in front of him
c) hopeful that our OL would finish every play, as they are taught, and play thru the whistle, as they are taught. No football coach anywhere has ever taught “play til ‘just before’ the whistle blows, son. ”
You have obviously never played competitive sports of any kind. I guess runners should look over their shoulders halfway between 3rd and home to see if the throw will be close, before deciding to run over the catcher blocking the plate. I guess the forwards should determine ahead of time if a free throw is going in before they aggressively block out their opponent.
Lord help any youngsters ever taught your philosophy. They would be eaten alive. And likely injured themselves.
So you don’t remember the play, then. You should have just said so.
You said yourself that
a) the play was not over
b) the whistle had not blown
c) the defender was running towards our ballcarrier
d) Pugh hit him with his shoulder from the front
And, yes, I remember it now.
The Ball St defender is a big boy, a scholarship D-1 lineman. He should be ready for what happens before the whistle blows.
Your hatred for Pugh blinds you to how ridiculous you sound.
If I read an article critical of George W Bush, criticizing his expansion of Medicaid and The Education Dept thru NCLB, and questioning the wisdom of the Iraq War, but it also included a rant on how he was in on 9-11, I would dismiss the writer as a loon. Just as if I read something criticizing Obama for the massive deficits, his choice of “czars”, and his plan to take over Healthcare, but also his secret Kenyan birthplace, I would dismiss that writer as well.
Hey, WBE. Have you ever played organized football? You call out 4 of this young mans 1200 or so snaps in his career and act like he is some sort of monster out to rape and pillage. I think you need to take a step back, forget about the overblown coverage ESPN gave to Dorsey’s “injury” (the knee was already injured from a previous game) and remember that this is football. Sometimes people get hurt. Sometimes kids are overly aggressive. You’re more than likely an armchair QB who has the time in his day to rip apart a student athlete who gives everything he has for your school of choice.
I support this article. Auburn should avoid even hints of dirty play. Leave that crap to Bama.
Blogger……all i’m going to say is please review some of your “facts”.
Maybe this guy should watch every game that is played and he can then become the chop block or nasty ball player police chief….no one should do that in any sport and I do not want any one hurt , But you could have said all that in a shorter write up friend it got the cry baby effect after a zillion words to describe it…got your point fellow. Harping and hammering…….??? Writing a book on it?
Did you graduate from Auburn? If so, why in the world do you see it fit to publish this on the internet? Pugh has no forum to defend himself or explain the situation.
You have simply watched film and have even admitted to judging players actions before a whistle. Based on your comments, actions, and the way you have deemed them appropriate, it’s clear that you have ZERO experience regarding DIV I football. It’s clear that you have ZERO journalistic integrity because it’s quite clear you have written a hit piece.
4 plays. 4 plays, one even before the whistle, as you test basis out of nearly 1,200+ snaps in his DIV I football career.
This article, as much as you don’t want to admit it, is simply your opinion. You try to cover your tracks with “benefits of doubts” as a failed attempt at factual and unbiased reporting. This “article” is utter character assassination based on pure opinion.
As an Auburn fan, alumni, and a scholarship donor, it never ceases to amaze me at the utter stupidity and lack of intelligent THOUGHT a small majority, which you clearly fall into, of our fan base shows. Pugh is our guy. He’s a student. He’s an AUBURN ATHLETE. Yet you, a columnist on an Auburn blog site, sees it fit to write this based upon 4 plays of his career? You should be ashamed.
For Ray and Wut:
The writer has obviously fallen prey to an unprecedented media hype machine. The block on Dorsey, clearly explained by the xOLC, was a result of the zone blocking scheme employed, and a missed assignment, not by the player who cut Dorsey, but by the player who engaged him high. The fact that neither of the players was Pugh seems irrelevant to many.
Chop blocks do occur outside of AU games. They just don’t get replayed endlessly, commented on breathlessly, and discussed ad infinitum for weeks and months afterwards. You have the original “broadcast” crew to thank for that. That same crew breezed right over a chop block on Dorsey a few weeks later, when it was committed by ALABAMA. Yes, Bama chop blocked Dorsey, too. It didn’t get any play, and seemed only to serve as an excuse to bring up the AU block again.
The writer must also understand that AU is racist for not hiring Turner Gill. ESPN has told us so twice in the last week bt devoting OTL segments to that “fact”. Gill finished 2nd in the HC derby at AU, and at Syracuse, so obviously AU is racist. Much more racist than UT, who wouldn’t interview him, or Nebraska, his alma mater, which didn’t either.
I give up. I am so ashamed of AU, I am switching my allegiance to USC, and I’m prepared to jump on board with Notre Dame, as soon s ESPN tells me to. You should all do the same.
Pugh is a dirty player. That’s the bottom line. Anybody that says different is just a blind homer. I am not saying he should be suspended…yet, but if it happens in another game then the film should be looked at and appropriate action should be taken.
Football is a contact sport but this kind of play is not accpetable and should not be tolerated. I do feel that the rules on protecting QB’s (especially NFL) might be the most absurd rules ever in football.
I wasn’t planning on wading back in here, but I’ll make a couple of short statements before getting on with my life:
1. Which of the following is “pure opinion”:
a) A Tennessee player was forced from the game through injury after a Pugh chop-blocking infraction
b) A BSU player was forced from the game through injury after a play by Pugh
c) Pugh rolled into the back of an Alabama player’s legs while the Alabama player’s back was turned
d) A Clemson player was forced from the game through injury after a Pugh chop-blocking infraction.
None of these are opinions.
2. I do not hate Ryan Pugh. I do not have some sort of vendetta against him. I have specifically pointed out that you _cannot_ assign malice to his actions, that you _cannot_ call him “dirty” or a “thug.” I am well aware that Ryan Pugh will contribute a thousand times more to the Auburn football program than I ever will.
I just want him to stop making plays that injure opponents, could potentially injure opponents, and that hurt our football team. That’s all. End of story.
3. I am a lifelong fan and an alumnus. As the Creed goes, I believe in Auburn and love it. This is why this issue matters to me: I don’t want, as Auburn Elvis says, “even a hint” of foul play or poor sportsmanship. We are Auburn. Our athletes should not do these things. And even if we cannot call Pugh’s actions malicious or unsportsmanlike, to pretend they don’t have that _appearance_ — especially after the Dorsey incident–is to have one’s head in the sand. Should Auburn have been treated the way they were by the media after the Dorsey incident? Of course not. But is there anything Auburn can do about it? Only make sure that such an incident doesn’t happen again, and Auburn and Pugh have not done that.
4. For those of you who are new here: this post is not typical of the typically upbeat (I would say) and lighter content we have here at WBE and TWER. I know some of you will not want to look around, but I would encourage you to do so all the same.
“I just want him to stop making plays that ijure opponents, could potentially injure opponents, and that hurt our football team. That’s all. End of story.”
OK, one more attempt…..
a) he has yet to make a play that has injured an opponent. None of the players mentioned lost significant playing time. 2 of the examples involved players who were already injured before the blocks in question, but returned to action nonetheless.
b) ALL plays could ‘potentially injure’ an opponent. I agree, going for the knees is more likely to injure. So is leading with your helmet on a tackle, hitting a QB in the pocket, “decleating” someone on a kick return, hitting the prone WR on an incomplete crossing route, repeatedly “blocking” the QB on an interception return, and any number of other plays, legal or illegal, that happen every Saturday, but are not discussed at such length and volume. I’ not sure why you need to feed into the mindset and talking points of the typical Finebaum listener with your jihad against Pugh.
c) You lose all credibility by continuing to bring up the Ball St play as an example. It was a good football play. Far from “hurting the team”, it helps the team. Like it or not, the OL is involved in trench warfare, and a test of wills. Legally hitting your opponent between the whistles is to be congratulated. The OL’s job is to demoralize the DL, so that they can impose their will, move the DL, and control the line of scrimmage. Hitting them, hard, is what that is all about. I’m sure the DLineman spent the game praying for Pugh, congratulating him after each successful play, engaging him in conversation about the campus architecture, and otherwise wishing him well, and only used the minimal amount of force required on each snap to move Mr Pugh aside, or to bring Misters Todd, Tate, and McCalebb to the ground as gently as humanly possible.
I agree with the chop blocking part of the article, but as far as hitting between the whistles, it’s perfectly legal. I watched Bammer Trent Richardson break about 10 tackles earlier this season and his offensive lineman where downfield still getting after folks. I played college ball as a DB and was told to never let your guard down and to keep your head on a swivel….even after the whistle blows…there were many times a big o-lineman would try and find the guy standng around not paying attention.
As for you guys that don’t like the whining about the chop-blocks…I bet you would be whining if a Bama/Georgia/Florida lineman puts out one of our AU defensive lineman.
WDE
This piece is nothing more than a character assasination on one of the best players on this years team. Despite your protests otherwise, you clearly do not like Ryan Pugh and are out to injury him in the only way a small man like yourself can, through an uneducated opinion based blog.
The following excerpts from your column are opinion, not fact.
“Whatever condemnatory adjective you’d like to use here–unacceptable, inexcusable, unjustifiable, reprehensible–is appropriate.”
I would not use any of those words…you would…twice now. I would say that our best technique blocker committed a penalty. Period. Next play…do better.
Do you even understand the mental, physical, and emotional intensity it takes to play on the line of scrimmage in the SEC? You are a small man trying to defame, with derogatory superlatives, a kid who defines the prototypical interior lineman.
“I cannot tell you how much I wish this wasn’t the case. I despise having to write a post like this. But it has to be written, because I cannot in good conscience ignore a problem like this. Ryan Pugh cannot continue to commit dangerous penalties, display unsportsmanlike behavior, and endanger the well-being of our opponents while he represents Auburn University. Cannot, cannot, cannot.”
You did not despise writing this piece, you relished every word. You lack of good conscience is plainly seen through the writing of this article. Ryan Pugh and every other Auburn player will commit all variety of penalties, including chop blocks and other flagrant fouls every game, every year. It is the SEC. It is war every Saturday. Get over yourself, Nancy.
“So, how do we fix this problem? I don’t know”
I know a solution, why don’t you take your holier than thou, sactimonious character assasinations to BYU, Baylor, Notre Dame, SMU or Boston College. You are not an Auburn man. You are not an Auburn fan. You should be ashamed of yourself, and if football is too rough and violent a sport for you, may I suggest golf.
Jerry, have you ever played a down of football or any other competitive sport for that matter? Clearly not, so you’re out of the club, and the rest of us are in. Seriously, this is the most inane logic applied to sports and sports reporting today. The Joe Morgan Principle, (from Joe Morgan’s denouncing of Billy Beane and his practices) requires two things:
1)Delusional self-image.
2)Appropriate ego to match said self-image.
Clearly, you that are calling Mr. Hinnen’s character, motives, and writing into question possess both of these characteristics in spades.
Look, I’m not agreeing with all of what Jerry wrote. On the field, it’s essentially hit or be hit. That alone excuses Mr. Pugh’s Ball State incident. However, that does not alter the possibility of it being perceived as dirty especially considering the source. That being said, the chop block is a dirty, dirty play. Some of you harken back to your days in the trenches when this form of blocking was not only legal, but taught. Fair enough, but they also used to play football without facemasks and in leather helmets. So please, take your irrelevant points somewhere else.
As Auburn supporters and members of the Auburn family, it is our responsibility to question one another and hold each other accountable. I know that’s what many of you think you are doing, but you’re not. I know you see this piece as slander, but it’s not. It is an honest look at a man (and a damn good football player), his actions and the question if this represents a trend. The conclusion of this article? Well it’s not the guilty verdict all of you seem to think it is. As quickly as you all are to exonerate Mr. Pugh, I have to counter with this: I cannot recall Marcus McNeill, Ben Grubbs, or Kendall Simmons repeatedly committing this infraction. I know, football is dirty and if we don’t like it maybe we should play mixed doubles on Saturday afternoons. That statement is trite and deliberately ignorant. Also, as others have, I would wager your opinions would differ if this was a ‘bammer’ chop blocking Antonio Coleman or Nick Fairley.
In defense of Jerry; he is the best blogger of Auburn sports and it is not even close. (this does not include beat writers as comparing their sites and this one is equal to comparing apples to oranges) As an Auburn alum, he represents everything an education from our great university should. He is bright, thorough, opinionated, intelligent, and informed. If you want broad generalizations, gross stereotyping, and only occasional good pieces, please head to Track Em’ Tigers. But if you want funny, interesting, and solid writing come back here and read Jerry’s archives and the other stellar writers they have at this site.
To the ITAT readers that stumbled onto this page and (most likely) have contributed to the degradation of this comment thread, please return from whence you came. Whether it be your shanty or your trailer I implore you to go back there to continue this garbage.
Thanks to Jeremy, J.M., Jerry, Ben, Thor, and Dr. Jolley for putting out and contributing to this great resource for the Auburn family.