Player Behavior & Penalties

[stormie]

What caught my attention was the info about Jones. Yes football is tough and we don't hear or see half the stuff that goes on during a game. And yes camp tends to bring out heated exchanges. But that doesn't excuse cheap shots that could end up costing penalties for the team. I like to see that toughness in our players but I don't like the penalties. When does it become a real problem?

[b] [i]I'm just curious about comments on this from fellow fans. No bashing of players intended.[/b][/i]

source:
[url="http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/blog/2010/08/newsome_interested_in_trading_to_upgrade_entire_team.html"]My link[/url]

[quote]Rein in E. Jones, Mason now
Ravens coach John Harbaugh might want to have a little talk with TE/OLB/DE Edgar Jones. This guy was involved in a couple of fights in training camp, and then took a cheap shot at one of the Giants on the sidelines. That kind of behavior can cost a team, so Harbaugh might as well nip it now. Ditto for receiver Derrick Mason, who not only drew a penalty, but needed a GPS system to find his way to the field Saturday night after he failed to post for pre-game introductions.[/quote]

[Alexir]

Derrick Mason [b][u][i]is[/i][/u][/b] our leader on offense. He has every right to get mad and get into it with Refs or even players. He has been playing forever. He will cause more big plays than big penalties.

As for Edger Jones, the coaches love his work ethic. I can't even think of a player who has switched around so many times. He is very Versatile. None of the fights in training camp are ever serious. It happens every year. They are Men. That's what we do.

But realistically, I don't care what penalties they get in Pre season. But you're right, if it's a close game and we need all the field positioning we can get and we lose 10 or 15 for pushing or talking smack on the field, then we need to chill out. But if we are destroying a team like the Steelers, I say we get all the penalties we can.
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[img]http://boards.baltimoreravens.com/public/style_emoticons/default/argdancingravensblueonwkk8.gif[/img]

[bce086]

Have you ever watched the Hardknocks on HBO? I suggest you watch it and see what happpens in practice. Players are in each others face all day - exhausted, its more then common for a fight or 2 to break out. Even more so because they are often lined up from the same player day in and day out. It sparks a friendly rivalry. No one is actually beating the other players *** during practice - its called competition.

The Jets are on this year, go watch their preseason - these are men working hard in the hot heat, of course they get irritated quite often.

[stormie]

I watch it every year. I see how it goes and it's expected. What I don't want to see is cheap shots causing penalties or even worse, injuries.

Not such a good topic to post huh? Nobody wants to think about it. Hope we manage to keep the penalties down this season.

[darklight1216]

I think behavior becomes a problem when it costs the team in a game that actually matters, lol.

I could be in the minority again, but I didn't think that Jones's play was cheap at all. The Giants player was barely out of bounds and Edgar probably just made a mistake. It's not like he stepped on the guy's head or anything like that.

Now, if Jones was the player that had multiple special teams penalties toward the end of last season (and I'm not 100% percent certain that he was) then "off with his head." If he can't stop hurting the team and hasn't proven himself to be a valuable asset, he probably shouldn't make the team.

Mason, like many Ravens, is an emotional player, but he does need to control himself.

[funky141]

[quote]Mason, like many Ravens, is an emotional player, but he does need to control himself.
[/quote]
Bingo, he seems have at least one meltdown a season where he gets flagged for a personal foul.