Ed: NFL Falls Short of Calling Steelers 'Cheaters'

Monday, 12 November 2012 08:08

Written by Ed Bouchette

Good morning,
    Someone called what Emmanuel Sanders did in faking an injury against the Bengals “gamesmanship.’’ Others would call it “cheating.’’
      Sanders was fined $15,000 and the Steelers $35,000 for that poor job of faking an injury. Sanders says he will appeal and instead of video, this time the NFL should use a lie detector test. If Sanders believes in his innocence that much, he should be willing to take one.
   I take no sides on this other than if indeed it was faked, that wasn’t Sanders’ idea to do it. Someone – like a coach – had to suggest it. The NFL said it found no evidence that a coach ordered it, but unless Sanders confessed, how could they determine that?
    Here is what Ray Anders, the NFL’s vice president of operations, wrote to Sanders and the Steelers:
"Despite the account given by Sanders during our November 2nd meeting, neither the video sequence of the pertinent plays nor the observations of the on-field official support Sanders's contention that he was in severe pain, either before, while falling to the ground, lying on the ground, or when he was being assisted in leaving the field," Anderson wrote in a letter to Sanders and Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert.
"Moreover, after missing the one play that is mandatory pursuant to the playing rules, and receiving no apparent treatment, Sanders returned to the game for a fourth down punt, on which he out-sprinted all of his teammates 26 yards down the field, arriving at the ball ahead of all other Pittsburgh players, and then downing the ball.
"The video of the play shows Sanders running swiftly and effortlessly toward the punted ball, and then leaving the field with no sign of discomfort. Sanders also played the rest of the game without difficulty. Finally, there is no indication that Sanders has had prior cramping issues while in the NFL, and no Steelers' medical records or information of any kind were presented that would support a finding that he incurred a cramp that was both as serious and as transient as Sanders suggests."
  And here is what Anderson said about whether they thought someone told Sanders to do it:
"If I believed that to be the case, the discipline would be substantially more. Instead, it reflects the commissioner's strong view that it is the responsibility of the club to insure that its players are familiar with and in compliance with the league's competitive rules."

Some stuff:
-- A pretty good look at the difference in the two organizations, Steelers and Chiefs, from Kansas City:

http://www.kansascity.com/2012/11/11/3912202/steelers-have-forged-a-foundation.html  

--- And a KC prediction, sweep all the way around.
http://www.kansascity.com/2012/11/11/3912285/chiefs-steelers-scouting-report.html


--- The Steelers say they won’t look ahead to the Baltimore Ravens, but that won’t stop us here.
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/Baltimore-Ravens-Oakland-Raiders-blowout-builds-confidence-for-matchup-with-Pittsburgh-Steelers-111112

--- A look at tonight’s game from another source:

http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2012/11/11/steelers-searching-for-hot-hand-in-backfield-while-chiefs-rely-on-charles-for/

--- Forgot one failed Belichick protégé, as a reader points out: “You left out Eric Mangini, the most unctuously supercilious of the bunch.”

--- If you missed this story on the couple who named the Immaculate Reception in Sunday’s Post-Gazette, read it now.

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/steelers/couple-who-coined-name-for-immaculate-reception-never-sought-credit-661602/

--- Some nuts and bolts stuff on tonight’s game:
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/nfl-rapidreports/20922299/steelers-game-preview-vs-chiefs-analysis-prediction-tv-info




--- I will answer some of your questions before tonight’s game from the ballpark. Send them to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it