Nine players fined over 'Monday Night' fight

[Brett]

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.

[Brett]

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.

This is the biggest BS of it all, The refs didnt call a flag on that play, the pussy ass was hit and hit hard, Its football... The refs didnt call it so why should he get fined?

[TranceDJ06]

I personally think thats bullshit..and it wasnt a "fight" it was more of a push and shove and grab, and Hall threw tha eagles halmet..But yah why this fine gettin throwed down at them days after this game? Thats just stupid..its the security and the Refs fault, they should have knew this game was gunna come out to be highly aggressive.

[dereksi]

Yea why the fuck should he get fined for making a tackel???

[TranceDJ06]

The football leauge administration just takes advantage of this type of situation every season. cuz tha players rich n loaded wit $$$ up their ass.

[4dmin]

bunch of fucking pussies.... in hockey your paid to knock the shit out of a guy w/ a stick, and the refs let you fight until it goes to the ground.... but football a bunch of million dollar cry babys... for the millions they get paid they whould have to play w/o pads/helmets like rugby players

[mp5o]

There's good reasoning behind the NFL's nickname.... No Fun League...

[HyPer50]

Eh, it's just the NFL protecting some of there primetime players... In my opinion it wasn't exactly a legal tackle, but that same kind of tackle happens many times a game and nobody ever makes a big deal about it... only reason they did this time is because McNabb got injured. Although I would be pretty pissed off if one of the Eagles DL's had done a helmet first shot on Vick and injured him so I'm not gonna gripe too much.. I just think it's BS that they fined him when he obviously didn't mean for it like that... it's in the middle of the trenches and he only has a second to react, it's not like it was an open field premeditated helmet first spear.

[JustinSane110™]

In my opinion it wasn't exactly a legal tackle...

Thats what I was thinking when it happened, I was looking for a flag on the hit. Probably one of those things the refs didn't see when it happened, but somebody went back to re-look at it after it was too late to call a penalty. I doubt he hit him full on with his helmet on purpose, since he broke through the line and hit just as McNabb was stepping forward to make the throw.

Either way, glad McNabb wasn't hurt to badly and also glad to see the Falcons get their win!!