Olin Kreutz is one of the dirtiest players in the NFL

by JimmyMack on Nov 5, 2009 2:06 AM CST

Well, despite all of the critcism about the soft and ineffective play of the offensive line this year, at least one member of the unit is taking a different approach...

SI did a poll of some 296 NFL players back in September. The poll asked them to rate the dirtiest players in the league. Our starting center came in 12th on the list. Well, if you can't block your guy legally... Actually, maybe Olin's on to something. It seems that overall, our offensive lineman are just too damn nice and polite to those opposing D-lineman and linebackers. Maybe a little extra pushing and hitting when the refs aren't looking is just what we need. lol

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I added a hyperlink

to your post, linking up to the SI.com story. Although you didn’t use any direct quotes, it’s always a good idea to provide a link to your source or point of reference.

Thanks!

You are all gentlemen (and ladies) and good judges of cheap whiskey.

by Dane Noble on Nov 5, 2009 8:25 AM CST reply actions

Look who's talking, Dane!

Maybe you should change your avatar too. Wouldn’t want people thinking you’re Les Miles.

Camp ifuwanna, we hold you in our heart...

by ifuwannacrownem on Nov 5, 2009 8:40 AM CST up reply actions

This is really hard on you, huh?

You are all gentlemen (and ladies) and good judges of cheap whiskey.

by Dane Noble on Nov 5, 2009 9:08 AM CST up reply actions

too much change makes me uncomfortable

Thanks to you and the new SBN layout, I’m gonna have a bad day at work today.

Camp ifuwanna, we hold you in our heart...

by ifuwannacrownem on Nov 5, 2009 10:16 AM CST up reply actions

By the way...

Who IS this Dane Noble guy?

"Yes, risk taking is inherently failure-prone. Otherwise, it would be called sure-thing-taking." - Jim McMahon

by JimmyMack on Nov 5, 2009 10:23 AM CST up reply actions

I dont know but his insights are horrible!! : )

Phil: " Whose baby is that?
Alan: "Check his collar or something." - The Hangover

by ANYTIME09 on Nov 5, 2009 1:47 PM CST up reply actions

Gotcha

Forgot to put that in there.

"Yes, risk taking is inherently failure-prone. Otherwise, it would be called sure-thing-taking." - Jim McMahon

by JimmyMack on Nov 5, 2009 9:02 AM CST up reply actions

I really don't get all the dislike for Kreutz...

Ok, he isn’t a Pro Bowl center anymore, and he struggles with the elite NT’s and DT’s he plays against, like Albert Haynesworth, the Williams Wall in Minnesota, and Shawn Rodgers… but so does most every other center in the league. Those guys are beasts.

He’s a technique player and he gets it done against most teams.

by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Nov 5, 2009 8:57 AM CST reply actions

He's a good technique player and has a lot of respect of his coaches and teammates

I was actually a little surprised that that he got voted on this list. But I don’t know how he’s been getting by against those big guys all of these years, he’ listed at something like 292 pounds. Most NFL nose tackles seem to average around 310-320. So, he’s gotta have great instincts and technique to compensate.

And I guess a little punching at the bottom of the pile doesn’t hurt, either. lol

"Yes, risk taking is inherently failure-prone. Otherwise, it would be called sure-thing-taking." - Jim McMahon

by JimmyMack on Nov 5, 2009 9:14 AM CST up reply actions

maybe

Maybe it’s because he no longer walks the walk – in other words he is living on his rep. Granted everyone has trouble with Haynesworth et. al., but many other centers aren’t as in your face as Kreutz seems to be. I don’t have a problem with Kreutz either way, but I do think -as you said – that he isn’t pro bowl caliber any more and should not get a bye from criticism of his play when it is warranted.

"Chance favors the prepared mind." - Pasteur

by Maelvampyre on Nov 5, 2009 2:46 PM CST up reply actions

He isn’t a media whore, he doesn’t talk smack to his opponents unless they get things going… so if the only in your face stuff he’s doing is on the field when he’s playing aggressively… I’ll take it

by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Nov 5, 2009 3:05 PM CST up reply actions

maybe not a whore but

He’s not doing it on the field anymore – not consistently effective. Aggressive maybe but not as effective as he once was.

"Chance favors the prepared mind." - Pasteur

by Maelvampyre on Nov 5, 2009 11:33 PM CST up reply actions

I'd rather have him good at blocking.

by SoulEater7 on Nov 5, 2009 9:48 AM CST reply actions

He gets voted to this list every year.

I think a few years ago he was number 1.

by Arbusto on Nov 5, 2009 11:25 AM CST reply actions

At least a bears player is number 1

at something this year.

by Daseabeez on Nov 5, 2009 1:34 PM CST reply actions

12th actually ....

by Irish Bears Fan on Nov 12, 2009 3:56 AM CST up reply actions

I think some people confused dirtiest...

with ruthless and hardest hitting. I don’t see Hines Ward as dirty, just a WR who lights up linebackers and secondary. Ray Lewis? He just “Hit the tight end so hard his girlfriend dies” (Come on, remember the movie The Program?) I mean I can see how Roy Williams may be considered dirty for trademarking of the horse collar, Haynesworth obviously but just some of these guys are getting a rep just for being fierce hitters.

by sirus19x on Nov 6, 2009 7:45 AM CST reply actions

ok

so Ward might lead with his helmet sometimes… like he did when he blasted Ed Reed. (just watched it again) I can see that being dirty, but I also think of dirty as intentional and while he did lead with his head, its not like he did it to hurt him. A dirty player would have stood over the hurt Reed, but Ward immediately signaled for the training staff… that is classic.

by sirus19x on Nov 6, 2009 7:53 AM CST up reply actions

I think the play that got Hines Ward the #1 rating on this list

was when he blind-sided Rivers last year – breaking his jaw in the process. That play was just plain, crazy. The hit on Reed was a nasty one, too.

The problem that I have with Ward is that he likes to sneak up on people and hit them from an angle where they don’t it coming. To me, that’s dirty because the guy doesn’t have a chance to protect himself. Plus, as we’ve seen, that’s how you can hurt people and end their season.

"Yes, risk taking is inherently failure-prone. Otherwise, it would be called sure-thing-taking." - Jim McMahon

by JimmyMack on Nov 6, 2009 9:57 AM CST up reply actions

Dirty?

It’s funny how that play used to be called a block. As long as he isn’t blocking from behind it’s legal as far as the rule book goes. It is nasty but head in front makes it legal.

by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Nov 7, 2009 8:17 AM CST up reply actions

If you're running full speed and hitting someone from an angle where they don't really have a chance to see you coming

or protect themselves, then why would you hit them in the head (see Ward shattering Keith Rivers’ jaw)? Why not just hit him in the side or the shoulder? Unless you’re trying to take them out of the game…

"Yes, risk taking is inherently failure-prone. Otherwise, it would be called sure-thing-taking." - Jim McMahon

by JimmyMack on Nov 7, 2009 8:41 AM CST up reply actions

legal vs ethical

What we have here is a situation of what is legal vs what is ethical, and yes there are football ethics. Lots of things in society (and football) are legal but are not ethical.
Unethical = dirty
In my opinion, Ward is an unethical player because goes out of his way to do whatever he can get away with and he does it INTENTIONALLY and players can have a career and in some cases life threatening jack up. I played against a few like that in high school and college. Someone tried that crap on me he better hope he killed or paralyzed me cause I was going to find a way to get him back double.

"Chance favors the prepared mind." - Pasteur

by Maelvampyre on Nov 7, 2009 3:15 PM CST up reply actions