DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum NFLs dirtiest players

Good and nasty: Dahl tops list of NFL's meanest players
May 27, 2009
By Pete Prisco
CBSSports.com Senior Writer
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/11793612




FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- As if on cue, the NFL's meanest player, and some might say the league's dirtiest, livened up a ho-hum May practice a few weeks back by doing something he does a lot, which is to brawl.

Atlanta Falcons guard Harvey Dahl is a nasty player who pushes the whistle on almost every play, so it wasn't surprising to see him in the middle of a violent practice fight that ended with Dahl getting eight stitches across his nose, courtesy of a helmet to the face.

The helmet to the face came when defensive end Kroy Bierman, Dahl's combatant, lunged at Dahl after his helmet came off. It was an accident, not a head-butt you would see in some fake wrestling ring, but it didn't stop Dahl.

Face cut, helmet off, blood rushing down his nose, Dahl kept swinging. And swinging. And swinging.

"You roll with the punches," Dahl said the next day, a bandage covering his stitches, his forehead purple with bruises. "No big deal. Just a practice fight."

Dahl has his share of them, so many that when the fight started, those on the sidelines without a clear view of the number of the offensive player pretty much knew who it was right away.

The chorus was easy to hear: "Harvey."

Dahl is the modern-day Conrad Dobler. Back in the 1970s, Dobler was a mean offensive guard who was considered dirty by many of those who played against him.

Dahl has the same characteristics. Players don't like playing against him. In discussing him with some league personnel, all mentioned that he pushes the limits -- sometimes too far.

Dahl sheepishly admitted it, and thanked me for the comparison to Dobler.

"I push the whistle," he said. "Yeah, definitely. It frustrates guys. But I'm going to go hard all the time. It gets under guy's skin. But I just try and stay focused."

It's how Dahl earned his job in the league. He's not going to change now. He's the classic self-made player. He played at the University of Nevada, but he wasn't drafted. The Dallas Cowboys signed him as a free agent, but he got cut on June 3, 2005 -- several weeks before training camp.

The San Francisco 49ers signed him and he spent most of the next three seasons on their practice squad, although he was activated for a few games. It was there that his brutish style got him noticed.

"I remember I fought [49ers linebacker] Derek Smith in practice one day," Dahl said. "He had just signed a new contract and I was a practice-squad guy, so that was kind of a big deal."

The Falcons signed him to their active roster off the 49ers practice squad in October 2007 and he won a starting job last season. His play last season helped put running back Michael Turner into the Pro Bowl.


"That's my man," Turner said. "He's one of the nasty boys. He's tough, hard-nosed and plays hard. He came from the bottom, so he plays hard all the time. Don't make him mad. That elevates his game even more."

Dahl's teammates say you can see the rage in his face in the huddle when he gets set off. It makes him play better, they say.

"I wouldn't want to line up against him," Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan said. "He's nasty. He's relentless. He plays through the whistle. That's what you want from those guys. He keeps making blocks late in the play."

Is he dirty? The Falcons players all backed their teammate and said no. Opponents might differ.

It was Dahl's tactics in a preseason game last summer against the Tennessee Titans that led to some nasty, chippy stuff that had Titans coach Jeff Fisher screaming across the field at Atlanta coach Mike Smith. Several players from another team agreed that Dahl pushes the limits, and might cross the line. The league office thought he did so three times last season and fined him all three times for it.

"Most of the time I don't go over the line," Dahl said. "Those times, I guess I did."

Dahl isn't just a nasty player -- he's also a good one. His ability to drive block in the run game makes him one of the best guards in the league. His pass protection needs improvement in part because he is so aggressive. The Atlanta coaching staff is trying to get him to improve his footwork in pass protection and keep him from merely attacking on every play. If he does that, this self-made player just might be on his way to the Pro Bowl.

For now, he seems to accept being one of the league's nastiest players as a badge of honor, even if it brings up questions about going too far.

"That's OK by me," he said.

As he said that, Falcons line coach Paul Boudreau walked by to ask what was going on.


Ravens enforcer Ray Lewis remains a lock for nasty lists. (Getty Images)
"Just doing on a column on the league's nastiest player," I said.

"Glad we got something," Boudreau said. "We'll take it."

Memo to anybody lining up against the Falcons this year: Keep an eye out for No. 73, even if the play is over.

You might hate him, but the Falcons love their brutish guard.

Here are nine other nasty boys who play the game with ferocity, some who even cross the line on an occasion or two.

Ray Lewis, LB, Baltimore Ravens: He is a violent player who never backs down. Of all the nasty boys, he's by far the best football player. I would take 11 of him on my defense all day long.

Hines Ward, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers: Some say he's dirty -- I say he's close -- but he plays with a passion. If he's on your team, you love him. If he's not, you hate him. He does take his share of cheap shots.

Troy Polamalu, S, Pittsburgh Steelers: He's a big hitter who always seems to take the big shot. He flies to the football. Receivers and runners have to keep their eyes open for him.

Richie Incognito, G, St. Louis Rams: He's a candidate for the league's dirtiest player. He goes nuts on the field, too much in fact. But he insists he will be calmer this season. When he's focused, he can be a good player.

Cortland Finnegan, CB, Tennessee Titans: He's a Pro Bowl corner, but he's also a feisty player whom opponents hate. Watch him as the whistle blows -- he's usually in some kind of fracas. For a 5-foot-9 corner, he sure doesn't back down.

Joey Porter, LB, Miami Dolphins: Some say his bark is bigger than his bite, but he has a heck of a bite. Porter plays the game relentlessly and won't back down from a scuffle. Count on him to be in the middle of most scrums when the Dolphins are playing.

Adrian Wilson, S, Arizona Cardinals: He's a fierce tackler who doesn't back down from anyone. Two years ago, he got flagged for eight personal fouls. Did you see him getting into it with Ward in the Super Bowl? I love the way he plays.

James Harrison, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers: He's meaner than his pit bull, and that's saying something. This guy plays all out all the time. Even some of his teammates are scared of him. In Steelers lore, he is right up there with the meanest, including Mean Joe Greene, Greg Lloyd and Jack Lambert.

Bob Sanders, S, Indianapolis Colts: He's a missile playing safety. He has no regard for his body and none for those he plays against. That's why he's hurt a lot. He's small, but never backs down from a fight or a tackle. It's too bad he has missed so much time in his career.

Runners-up: Chris Snee, G, Giants; David Stewart, T, Titans; Olin Kreutz, C, Bears; Atari Bigby, S, Packers; Marcus Stroud, DT, Bills; Marc Colombo, T, Cowboys; Shawne Merriman, OLB, Chargers; Darnell Dockett, DT, Cardinals; Shaun Rogers, DT, Browns; Andrew Whitworth, G, Bengals; Vince Wilfork, NT, Patriots; Logan Mankins, G, Patriots; Steve Smith, WR, Panthers.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Prisco has Shaun Rogers on the list for runners-up and not the DT Albert haynsworth that spiked an oppsosing player in the face while he was on the ground with his helmet off? Shaun Rogers is big and nasty but Ive never seen him do anything dirty. I never saw him hit someone at the knees, in the back, or after a whistle.

He vascillated between dirty and hard hitting. Hard hitting is great. Like how is Polamalu on this list? He's as clean as they come IMO. But he plays like a terror on the field and is a fierce hitter because of how he attacks with such speed.

On the flip side there's Hines Ward who seems to live for cheap shots off the play when opponents aren't looking. He's put many players out. Rivers last year, Bart Scott, and plenty of Browns including Davin Holly and Earl Little.

He's a dirty player who needs to be put in check. A cheap one on Ward would IMO have an effect on young players coming up through the ranks emulating him.

Yeah, I never thought of Polamalu as being dirty. Nagata more than him because when I think of Nagata, I think of him hitting Joe Thomas in the back of the head after a play, when he was laying on top of him after being frusterated from being blocked. The Ravens always get away with hitting a player late around the sidelines and the opposing player gets flagged for retaliating.

Hines Ward also took out Safty Robert Griffin with a high hit to the head. Ward always gets away with those high helmet to helmet hits. Even when the ball is over his head and not cathable, he is looking to put a helmet to helmet hit on the closest defender. The defender will usually get hit with a flag later in the game for retaliating.

Did they pass that rule this year about blocking a player in the helmet? I know they were looking at it but didnt hear if it was passed or not. I think that play is dirtier and needs enforced more than the rule where you cant hit a QB in the knees after being blocked to the ground. It was OK when it happened to Palmer in the playoffs against Pittsburgh, which was a huge momentum swing, but its not OK against Tom Brady.

Yea it passed as the "Hines Ward rule"

I can't stand Hines Ward. I hope Veikune tears his head off this season.

I find it ironic that every coach that these guys have ever played for has told them to play til the whistle and the few that do that in the NFL are considered dirty.
Boo-hoo,don't like it,go play tennis.

Ward and Polamalu take their best shots after the whistle. That's the difference between playing hard and playing dirty.

Ward's calling card is hitting a guy away from the play blindsiding him. I used to like him, but over the years his BS is getting old. He gets away with spiking the ball in front of other teams benches, he loves to talk smack while a guy he blindsides is on the ground, and his taunting is let go by most officials.
The thing that bothers me the most, is how the announcers praise him after he blindsides a player. Many of those hits are the type that can injure a player. Then when retalliation is had, the flag is thrown.
Ward IMO is a cheap shot artist and a POS, I don't care how good he is.

It's disrespect for the game and its players. His cheap shots get people hurt and they're more often than not completely unnecessary.

Can't wait for karma to find its way back to him.

Next to his cheap shots, his constant jawing at the opponents bench, and his taunting are what I hate. I see just about all the Steeler's games, and I can't even count how many times he has been knocked out of bounds by the opposing teams bench and spikes the ball in front of them while running his mouth.
His day will come, but as it goes now, if you hit him, you will get the flag. I really liked him as a player, even though I hate the Steelers, but the way they praise him for his blindside shots is sickening.
I recall last year Lewis was pounding the ball up the middle when Edwards comes across the middle and levels the LB, blinddiding him. The hit was clean, I watched it in slow motion many times, yet he is flagged for a personal foul. The announcers start talking about how it was a dumb move and pretty much bad mouth Edwards. The exact same weekend Ward clocks a guy with his back turned on the opposite side of the field from the action and the play is show from many angles while the announcers gush over him.
There will always be favoritism, but the message Ward sends to young players is not a good one in my opinion. It's one thing to be a good downfield blocker, which he is, and another to enjoy blindsiding players away from the play. He often gloats on radio shows the next day as the DJ's praise him for cold cocking someone.
I never wish injury on any player, but I wish he would get hit cheaply, like he hits others, and has to sit on the bench and think about it while he gets his marbles back.

I'm surprised that Vince Wilfork only got "runner up" status. That dude's a straight up scumbag.

I'm also surprised that Polamalu is on it. To me he isn't a dirty player at all. He is a big hitter. Ray Lewis is a scumbag as a person IMO, but I don't see him as a dirty player, again a big hitter.

Pete Prisco is a hack of a writer, and it doesn't surprise me that he is confusing "dirty" players with big hitters. I read his column once and a while and the guy is clueless.

Yeah, I didn't agree with Ray Ray being on that list. I don't think he's a dirty player at all.

Yeah, Im not a big Prisco fan myself. I do like the site and his headlines usually catch my eye. But Priscos football knowledge is suspect. How do you write an article on "dirty players" but list guys that are hard hitters? Does he not know the diffeance or is he just trying to put together an article and name dropping big name players? It might make the younger fans see who is the "bad guys" on the other teams and build onto their legacys. Like when I read about the scarry Ed "Too Tall" Jones when I was younger. I never saw him play but read about him being a big dude that you didnt want to mess with. To the hard core football fans, Priscos headlines will catch your eye but his points and opinions can be hit or miss. Maybe he writes more towards the younger or generic football fans.

But he does make some good points. Whether they could happen or not is a differant story. Prisco likes to feed on the fans sentiment. Here is an article that would be nice of the NFL if it were to happen, but lets see if the owners can be creative enough to sell tickets in tough times or not care if the locals can afford to see their product.

In this economy, NFL should alter blackout rules
May 29, 2009
By Pete Prisco
CBSSports.com Senior Writer
Tell Pete your opinion!




The bad economy is hurting NFL ticket sales.

In a recent sideline chat with Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank during one of his team's practices, he expressed concern to me about his team's ticket sales, although he said they aren't as bad as some teams. What's concerning is that Blank has a hot team with a young star in the making in Matt Ryan and the Falcons are coming off a playoff season.

He is not alone in his concern.


NFL teams may see less fans this season. (Getty Images)
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who had a waiting list thousands long a few years ago -- or so they said -- are now selling season tickets in half-season packages to drum up interest.

The waiting list doesn't exist anymore.

In Jacksonville, where I live, the Jaguars have sold roughly 35,000 season tickets. That's behind the pace of last season, and could lead to all 10 home games being blacked out.

It's the same in a lot of other cities.

That's why I think the NFL needs to revise the blackout rules for a year.

Do the fans a favor. Show some goodwill.

Too bad it won't happen.

I understand why the blackout rules are there, and I do believe in them, but for this one season it wouldn't hurt to amend them some.

Maybe lower the number of tickets that need to be sold each week, or something along those lines. The blackout rules don't apply to luxury seating -- which is a good thing because those are even tougher to sell in a tough economy -- but it could be revised down to a different percentage of the general seating.

I asked Greg Aiello, the league's senior vice president of public relations, if the league was giving any thought to changing the policy.

In an e-mail response, he replied: "There is no consideration being given to it. The policy is important in supporting the ability of the clubs to see tickets and keeping our games attractive as television programming with large crowds so we can keep all our games on free TV."

Aiello pointed out that teams are focusing on new strategies to sell tickets, and that three-fourths of the league's teams did not raise prices.

That is to be lauded. But is it enough?

Let's say you're a 12-year-old kid who has been lucky enough to have a family who has had season tickets the past two years. You're a huge fan. You love your team. But your dad lost his job. The tickets have to go.

A lot of kids will understand. That's life. It's not easy, but kids are resilient.

What will make it tough to handle is that kid not seeing his team on television each week. Local blackouts will make that happen.

That could lead to the loss of fans. It can also hurt bringing in new ones.

Out of sight, out of mind.

This coming season will test the NFL on all levels. The economy went in the tank last year, but the tickets had already been sold and paid for by that time. This year is different.

At the league's winter meetings in March, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said the NFL would be bracing for a challenge it has never seen before.

"We obviously work hard to avoid any blackouts and sell out our tickets," Goodell said. "It's clear we're going to have to work harder, we're going to have to be more creative, and we're going to have to respond to our fans' needs, not only this year, but probably going forward for some considerable amount of time."

Two words jump out there: Fans needs. What is best for the fans? I say it's to amend the blackout rules for 2009, adjust on the fly. Make it a one-year thing. Let the hometown games get to the local markets, provided the ticket sales are reasonable.

What's reasonable? Hard to say, but there are enough smart people running the NFL, including Goodell, who can figure out a way to allow the games to be shown locally.

The blackout rule has been in place for decades, dating back to the 1960s. Back then, even home games that were sold out were blacked out. That was changed in 1973 by a law passed by Congress that said the blackout would be lifted if a game were sold out 72 hours before kickoff.

The NFL lifted the blackout rule for the New Orleans Saints in 2005 because Hurricane Katrina forced the Saints to play games in three other stadiums in three other cities, rather than in the Superdome.

It was the right move at the time. There were catastrophic circumstances involved.

Some say this weakened economy has the same feel. The NFL can be an escape for a lot of people who are in the midst of the most-trying times of their lives. Those Sundays on the couch watching football can be cathartic.

That's why the NFL should at least consider a reprieve from its stringent blackout rules.

Too many 9-year-old kids with laid-off fathers deserve that. Heck, too many laid-off fathers deserve that.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/11800373

Interesting that article is about the Falcons. I get TBS out of Atlanta, and this spring they've run TV ads, trying to sell tickets. That NEVER happened on TBS before... that I recall.... ever.