Brett
09-15-2005, 05:39 PM
NEW YORK (AP) - Nine players were fined for their roles in a fight before Monday night's game between the Eagles and Falcons, with Atlanta defensive tackle Chad Lavalais drawing the biggest fine - $7,500 - for a hit on Donovan McNabb during the game.
Lavalais was fined for using his helmet on McNabb, who hurt his chest on the play. McNabb is questionable for Philadelphia's game Sunday against San Francisco because of the injury.
"I'm not a fine guy, I don't go back and try to point fingers on what people did," McNabb said after he practiced Thursday. "If it didn't happen, it's not going to stop my preparation for San Francisco. It's nothing that's going to make me go out and buy a Wendy's triple-stacked cheeseburger. I'm not going to buy them any flowers or take somebody from the league out to eat."
For the pregame fight, which resulted in Falcons cornerback Kevin Mathis and Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter being ejected before kickoff, both players got $5,000 fines. Also receiving a $5,000 hit was cornerback DeAngelo Hall for unsportsmanlike conduct for grabbing an opponent's facemask and then throwing the opponent's helmet.
Trotter said the NFL should discipline the referees who tossed him out of the game.
"They should have fined the referee," he said. "That's who they should have fined for that bad call. I do think referees should get fined, too, for making a bad call. There should be some disciplinary actions for the refs."
Two Falcons were fined $2,500 for entering a fight area, which made them active participants: safety Keion Carpenter and cornerback-kick returner Allen Rossum. Safety Kevin McCadam got a $1,000 fine.
Along with Trotter, the three Eagles fined for entering a fight area were linebackers Keith Adams, Jason Short and Mike Labinjo.
"From what I saw, it was mostly their guys running their mouths, throwing the punches, ripping the helmets off, slamming them on the ground," Labinjo said.
Adams, Short and Labinjo all insisted they were trying to break up the fight. Short said "they've got nothing on me," and said he will appeal the fine.
"It doesn't pay to be the good guy, I guess," Adams said.
During warmups, Trotter apparently pushed Mathis, who responded with a punch. Hall also appeared to throw a punch. Then everyone got into it, forcing the officials to intervene.
Trotter and Mathis were ejected after the officials peered into the replay monitor, which is normally used to rectify disputed calls during the game. This time, it helped determine who started the fight and which players were involved.
Moments later, another brawl nearly broke out. As the Atlanta players were trotting back to the locker room, they noticed the Eagles gathering on the Falcons logo in the middle of the field.
The Falcons ran en masse back to the 50-yard line and fought for position with the Eagles, forcing the officials to separate the teams again. No punches were thrown, and both teams went off slowly in opposite directions to their respective locker rooms.
Trotter joked about the punishment, saying he was going to appeal all the way to the Supreme Court.
"Any of you know Matlock? Give me his number. I heard he's never lost cases," Trotter said.
Lavalais was fined for using his helmet on McNabb, who hurt his chest on the play. McNabb is questionable for Philadelphia's game Sunday against San Francisco because of the injury.
"I'm not a fine guy, I don't go back and try to point fingers on what people did," McNabb said after he practiced Thursday. "If it didn't happen, it's not going to stop my preparation for San Francisco. It's nothing that's going to make me go out and buy a Wendy's triple-stacked cheeseburger. I'm not going to buy them any flowers or take somebody from the league out to eat."
For the pregame fight, which resulted in Falcons cornerback Kevin Mathis and Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter being ejected before kickoff, both players got $5,000 fines. Also receiving a $5,000 hit was cornerback DeAngelo Hall for unsportsmanlike conduct for grabbing an opponent's facemask and then throwing the opponent's helmet.
Trotter said the NFL should discipline the referees who tossed him out of the game.
"They should have fined the referee," he said. "That's who they should have fined for that bad call. I do think referees should get fined, too, for making a bad call. There should be some disciplinary actions for the refs."
Two Falcons were fined $2,500 for entering a fight area, which made them active participants: safety Keion Carpenter and cornerback-kick returner Allen Rossum. Safety Kevin McCadam got a $1,000 fine.
Along with Trotter, the three Eagles fined for entering a fight area were linebackers Keith Adams, Jason Short and Mike Labinjo.
"From what I saw, it was mostly their guys running their mouths, throwing the punches, ripping the helmets off, slamming them on the ground," Labinjo said.
Adams, Short and Labinjo all insisted they were trying to break up the fight. Short said "they've got nothing on me," and said he will appeal the fine.
"It doesn't pay to be the good guy, I guess," Adams said.
During warmups, Trotter apparently pushed Mathis, who responded with a punch. Hall also appeared to throw a punch. Then everyone got into it, forcing the officials to intervene.
Trotter and Mathis were ejected after the officials peered into the replay monitor, which is normally used to rectify disputed calls during the game. This time, it helped determine who started the fight and which players were involved.
Moments later, another brawl nearly broke out. As the Atlanta players were trotting back to the locker room, they noticed the Eagles gathering on the Falcons logo in the middle of the field.
The Falcons ran en masse back to the 50-yard line and fought for position with the Eagles, forcing the officials to separate the teams again. No punches were thrown, and both teams went off slowly in opposite directions to their respective locker rooms.
Trotter joked about the punishment, saying he was going to appeal all the way to the Supreme Court.
"Any of you know Matlock? Give me his number. I heard he's never lost cases," Trotter said.