# Hines Ward voted "dirtiest player" in the NFL. **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 5, 2009, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hines-ward-voted-dirtiest-player-in-the-nfl/516416 "2009-11-05T14:05:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Theodore\_Striker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@Theodore\_Striker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Theodore_Striker)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hines-ward-voted-dirtiest-player-in-the-nfl/516416/21 "2009-11-05T19:03:19Z")
The hit on Rivers was as clean as can be, the kind of shot a lot of guys dream of- and I’m from Cincy and hate the Steelers and generally think of Ward in not so glowing terms. Ward does play hard nosed, is not afraid to knock heads, and does his job well. He also comes across as an aggravating di\*% to play against, the kind of guy other players want to hurt, and that may be the reason for the votes against. ---
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hines-ward-voted-dirtiest-player-in-the-nfl/516416/22 "2009-11-05T19:08:23Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > _What_ little guy? You keep going on as if Ward isn’t a big, tough guy that can’t deliver a mind-crushing blindside hit to someone bigger than he is…which he does, and often. He’s built like a safety, no doubt about that. I think the constant smiling grates on opponents too. Off the top of my head I can only remember seeing the smile knocked off once. If I were a safety that would put a huge target on him just for that. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hines-ward-voted-dirtiest-player-in-the-nfl/516416/23 "2009-11-05T19:55:56Z")
> [@Theodore\_Striker](#): > > The hit on Rivers was as clean as can be, the kind of shot a lot of guys dream of- and I’m from Cincy and hate the Steelers and generally think of Ward in not so glowing terms. Ward does play hard nosed, is not afraid to knock heads, and does his job well. He also comes across as an aggravating di\*% to play against, the kind of guy other players want to hurt, and that may be the reason for the votes against. You call yourself a Bengals fan…pshaw… 😉 > [@HongKongFooey](#): > > He’s built like a safety, no doubt about that. I think the constant smiling grates on opponents too. Off the top of my head I can only remember seeing the smile knocked off once. If I were a safety that would put a huge target on him just for that. That smile is probably one of the most aggravating sights in all of football. To see it turned lopsided is my life’s dream. ---
**Author:** ![Taber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ac91a4/32.png) [@Taber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taber)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hines-ward-voted-dirtiest-player-in-the-nfl/516416/24 "2009-11-05T20:08:43Z")
I’m surprised Flozell “trippy” Adams didn’t make the list. ---
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hines-ward-voted-dirtiest-player-in-the-nfl/516416/25 "2009-11-05T20:48:24Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > That smile is probably one of the most aggravating sights in all of football. To see it turned lopsided is my life’s dream. You have to admit, he’s maintained that grin following some pretty good hits over the middle. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hines-ward-voted-dirtiest-player-in-the-nfl/516416/26 "2009-11-05T21:57:47Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > See, I know what this is all about. These guys in the NFL are upset because the little boy they used to pick on in high school, this six-foot, 200-pound ex-quarterback, hits with reckless abandon. Wide receivers aren’t supposed to hit like that, they’re just targets to tee off on across the middle. But Hines Ward dishes it out, and these Nancy boys can’t handle the fact that they’re getting blasted by a little guy who isn’t afraid of them anymore. This is the most nonsensical post I’ve ever read from someone I didn’t think was crazy. I mean, really - what the hell are you talking about? Ward blocks, and occasionally Ward blocks dirty. You benefit from it - quit crying about people calling him out. > [@](#): > > Why is Jared Allen on the list? He’s pretty well-known for going low on quarterbacks. ---
**Author:** ![quixotic78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/3ab097/32.png) [@quixotic78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quixotic78)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hines-ward-voted-dirtiest-player-in-the-nfl/516416/27 "2009-11-05T23:56:51Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > See, I know what this is all about. These guys in the NFL are upset because the little boy they used to pick on in high school, this six-foot, 200-pound ex-quarterback, hits with reckless abandon. Wide receivers aren’t supposed to hit like that, they’re just targets to tee off on across the middle. But Hines Ward dishes it out, and these Nancy boys can’t handle the fact that they’re getting blasted by a little guy who isn’t afraid of them anymore. So let’s review. Someone gets voted dirtiest player in the NFL. A sane person would say, “Huh. I guess that guy is dirty.” (Another sane possibility is small sample size, as mentioned by others in this thread). Someone less than sane, however, instead comes up with some out-of-this-world crazy scenario involving high school, of all things, to explain the result. Occam’s Razor is your friend. The guy was voted dirtiest player because he’s dirty. Don’t get all Freudian (or whatever the hell that was) – sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, after all. Your hero is a cheap shot artist, and his opponents recognize that, even if you can’t. Come to grips with it; it’s not the end of the world. (Disclaimer – I’m a Denver fan, so there’s no real grudge.) ---
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hines-ward-voted-dirtiest-player-in-the-nfl/516416/28 "2009-11-06T00:10:50Z")
> [@quixotic78](#): > > (Disclaimer – I’m a Denver fan, so there’s no real grudge.) There might be on Tuesday. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hines-ward-voted-dirtiest-player-in-the-nfl/516416/29 "2009-11-06T00:30:22Z")
> [@HongKongFooey](#): > > You have to admit, he’s maintained that grin following some pretty good hits over the middle. To be fair, he practices it in the locker room mirror, so as not to give away when he’s actually happy or when he’s suffering from a concussion. ---
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2009, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hines-ward-voted-dirtiest-player-in-the-nfl/516416/30 "2009-11-07T12:59:20Z")
Dale Lolley, a Pittsburgh reporter who covers the Steelers, gave a little insight on how SI conducts it’s poll and might explain some of the odd results. He was saying that the poll is conducted in training camp before the season even starts. Most of the top guys aren’t available so the SI reporter winds up mostly speaking with end-of-roster guys or rookies to gather data and some of the guys being polled haven’t seen a lot of game action so they vote on reputation as much as anything. He mentioned that Richie Incognito and Harvey Dahl are fairly well-known among the players for being dirty. Dahl for cut-blocking in particular. I’m not especially familiar with either guy or their style of play myself. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2009, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hines-ward-voted-dirtiest-player-in-the-nfl/516416/31 "2009-11-07T13:18:30Z")
Steeler fans are pretty blind to what goes on in games their team is involved in. Hines Ward is ridiculously dirty. The NFL squashes nfl-related youtube clips all the time so I can’t find that many examples, but look at [this one](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbLNFiQSTyE) (that the guy proudly put in his “highlights” video) from 0:25 to 0:37. Hines Ward is looking at the ball carrier being tackled. The play is well over. He then decides to look upfield at the guy who is clearly coming to a stop and dropping his guard because the play is over. So Ward dives in for a completely pointless, unambiguously dirty helmet to helmet hit that gave Holly a serious neck injury. He does this kind of shit all the time. The Steelers will run to the opposite side of the field, and Ward and the corner will do that half-ass standing around thing that receivers and corners do on a running play that’s wrapped up, and then suddenly right as the carrier is being tackled and the corner is jogging with his guard down, Ward runs in and lunges for the dude’s head from behind. And then the fucktard announcers will probably announce what a warrior he is. Hines Ward is amazing! He’s not just a receiver, he’s a football player! Look how much effort he’s putting into blindsiding guys after the play is over! Yes, Hines Ward really does enthusiastically block and play physically. He also takes cheap shots on a regular basis. Dirtiest player is accurate. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2009, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hines-ward-voted-dirtiest-player-in-the-nfl/516416/32 "2009-11-07T13:30:29Z")
Tough football hits make the baby Jesus cry. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2009, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hines-ward-voted-dirtiest-player-in-the-nfl/516416/33 "2009-11-07T13:31:53Z")
Yes there’s nothing tougher than spearing guy who knows the play is over and hence is not guarding himself in the head. Maybe punching infants, that might be tougher. But barely. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2009, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hines-ward-voted-dirtiest-player-in-the-nfl/516416/34 "2009-11-07T13:35:51Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > Yes there’s nothing tougher than spearing guy who knows the play is over and hence is not guarding himself in the head. Maybe punching infants, that might be tougher. But barely. Play to the whistle. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2009, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hines-ward-voted-dirtiest-player-in-the-nfl/516416/35 "2009-11-07T13:39:55Z")
Did you watch that video? The guy who got assaulted did play to the whistle. The play was over. There is no ambiguity. And Ward was looking directly at the play from 10 feet away and clearly saw that it was over. He did not even start his lunge move until the play had been over for at least a second. Delusional. The video is right there. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2009, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hines-ward-voted-dirtiest-player-in-the-nfl/516416/36 "2009-11-07T13:45:49Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > Did you watch that video? The guy who got assaulted did play to the whistle. The play was over. There is no ambiguity. And Ward was looking directly at the play from 10 feet away and clearly saw that it was over. He did not even start his lunge move until the play had been over for at least a second. > > Delusional. The video is right there. If he did, then you take your 15 yards and quit whining about it. “Assaulted”? Oh, they should have called the cops on Hines Ward he was so mean. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2009, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hines-ward-voted-dirtiest-player-in-the-nfl/516416/37 "2009-11-07T13:50:01Z")
I’m sorry, I thought this thread was about whether or not Hines Ward was a dirty player. I did not know that evidence of him being a dirty player was irrelevant. “Is Hines Ward a dirty player?” “Yes, here’s some evidence” “quit whining!” Yes, assaulted. Hines Ward regularly attacks people who have no reasonable expectation of being attacked, with malicious intent to injure them, outside the bounds of the rules of the game. I’m not talking about a brutal yet clean hit. I’m talking about helmet to helmet spearing well after the play was over, and Ward knew it was over. Holly suffered a serious neck injury from this play. And that’s just the example I had offhand. If you actually watch the Steelers and somehow manage to absorb what happens in the game without it going through the magical bias layer that Steelers have where Hines Ward never makes dirty hits and James Harrison gets held on every play then it would be obvious. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2009, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hines-ward-voted-dirtiest-player-in-the-nfl/516416/38 "2009-11-07T13:54:44Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > Yes, assaulted. Hines Ward regularly attacks people who have no reasonable expectation of being attacked, with malicious intent to injure them, outside the bounds of the rules of the game. I’m not talking about a brutal yet clean hit. I’m talking about helmet to helmet spearing well after the play was over, and Ward knew it was over. Holly suffered a serious neck injury from this play. This quote here illustrates just how over the top your approach to this issue is. Talk about living in a fantasy land, where the evil Hinesward lurks under the bridge ready to jump out and grab innocent children. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2009, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hines-ward-voted-dirtiest-player-in-the-nfl/516416/39 "2009-11-07T13:55:49Z")
What the fuck do you call it when he seeks out opportunities to hit defenseless people in the head on a regular basis? If I said this shit about Rodney Harrison I doubt I’d see much objection, but say the same shit about a Steeler and suddenly I’m alleging a grand conspiracy. No, he’s dirty. He likes to injure people. He pulls this shit all the time. The players of the NFL apparently agree with this. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2009, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hines-ward-voted-dirtiest-player-in-the-nfl/516416/40 "2009-11-07T13:59:26Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > What the fuck do you call it when he seeks out opportunities to hit defenseless people in the head on a regular basis? I call that a Browns’ fans nonsensical terror-fantasyland interpretation of football. And I’m off now to get ready to watch my 8 year old play in the 8/9 year old divisions’ Super Bowl today. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hines-ward-voted-dirtiest-player-in-the-nfl/516416.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hines-ward-voted-dirtiest-player-in-the-nfl/516416.md?page=3)