Houston Texans DE Antonio Smith furious over $21K fine, sees it discriminatory action – NFL News
Houston Texans defensive end Antonio Smith has lashed out at the National Football League (NFL) for what he thinks is discriminative application of rules, which warrants punishment of a player over any violation, while let free others on contravention of
the same rule.
His point of reference here was the hefty fine of $21,000 that he has been handed down by the league office over the alleged kicking of Miami Dolphins guard Richie Incognito in the season opener on past Sunday.
The player has laid a claim that the video evidence shows he was kicking the guard to help himself get free his ankle, which he was standing on, and the moment the ankle was free he had stopped kicking.
He said:
"If you're going strictly by the rule book, me kicking him was breaking the rules. But I want them (the NFL) to look at why I was kicking him, trying to get him off of my ankle. You see on the film, the moment my ankle came free, I stopped. I was just trying
to get my ankle free from him mauling it."
The league office is yet to respond about the suggestive allegations that he has been a victim of discrimination. An explanation seems necessary from the office if they have levied the penalty after looking at the documented evidence.
A point particularly to note here is that Smith has missed two days’ practice this week with a sore ankle, which reflects on his situation on the field during the game, and probably his foot had come in between some sort of hurdle and got hurt.
The hefty fine nevertheless is said to be too much for the player to adjust with - that too at the start of the season - and in a possibility of a number of more such penalties the season will not be cheap for him.
Smith said:
"It's very disappointing, whenever you lose money. Nobody wants to lose money, especially $21,000. That could be going to my daughter or son's trust fund, or something.”
The defensive end had also been fined $7,500 for allegedly pulling off Baltimore Ravens guard Andre Gurode last year.
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