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Burfict says officials provoke him during games


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http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/21446162/vontaze-burfict-cincinnati-bengals-confirms-cursing-provocation-referees?sf173539675=1

 

Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict says NFL officials are in fact trying to provoke him.

In his first comments since he was ejected Sunday for making contact with an official, Burfict confirmed a report earlier this week by ESPN's Adam Schefter that game officials are trying to get him to react.

 

"The refs, they come up to me, talking to me disrespectfully, wanting me to curse back at them, but me cursing back at them isn't going to help me," Burfict said Friday. "I'm not going to get a flag in my favor next time around, but that's the way they handle business, I guess. I told Coach I'm just going to try to stay out of the refs' way."

Late in the first half of Sunday's loss to Tennessee, Burfict made contact with down judge Jeff Bergman after the official put his arm up to stop a back-and-forth with a Titans offensive lineman. Burfict said he was just trying to lift the official's arm off him.

"I knew I didn't do anything bad," Burfict said. "Obviously, you are not supposed to touch the officials, but I didn't think I touched him maliciously at all. I pretty much said, 'Excuse me.'"

In Sunday's case, it was the arm in front of him that caused Burfict's reaction, but he said it is not uncommon for officials to curse at him in games, adding that Bergman cursed at him as he made the ejection call.

Burfict originally didn't want to comment on whether he has been provoked because he doesn't "want to get on the refs' bad side." However, Burfict said he feels like he already is targeted unfairly.

"I don't have crazy flags this year," he said. "... The refs aren't calling flags on me. It's more waiting for me to do something, and they see what happened first, but they are waiting for me to react rather than throwing something when they see a guy push me or do something that's not within the rules."

After Monday's comments from a teammate that Burfict is being targeted by officials, an NFL spokesman denied those charges, saying it is not unusual for officials to come into contact with players and that there has been nothing unusual involving officials' interactions with Burfict.

 

Burfict was not suspended for Sunday's incident but faces a possible fine. He already had been suspended for the first three games of this season and has been fined or suspended by the league 11 times, resulting in losses of more than $2.5 million over six seasons.

Bengals defensive coordinator Paul Guenther said he has repeatedly told Burfict that he will be "held to a different set of standards" because of his history and expressed frustration from losing one of his best players.

Burfict is adamant that if officials are watching him more closely than others, more calls should be made against his opponents.

"If they are watching out for me, they should always see what the person does first," Burfict said. "Like in the Tennessee game, one of the O-linemen had me in between their legs like squeezing me. If they are obviously watching me like they say they are, they should see what the O-lineman or somebody else does to me to get me to react."

Burfict expressed disappointment that he wasn't able to help his team more Sunday. After his ejection, DeMarco Murray scored on a rushing touchdown to put the Titans ahead 14-6 with 5:12 left in the second quarter.

The 6-foot-1, 255-pound linebacker said he will continue to try not to react but admitted it's in his nature to defend himself.

"I still think they shouldn't be allowed to touch us if we can't even touch them, not even in a physical way," Burfict said. "The thing about it is the game of football is physical, and in the heat of the moment, when a guy is talking s--- to you and you are getting pushed after the play and the ref comes up and puts his arm on you like you are the one that started something or pushed somebody first, every time that happens, it kind of gets old. You know you're not the one that started it, and the ref comes up to you -- it gets old.

"In the heat of the moment, when someone is touching you, you're going to obviously get their hands off you, as well. That's how I was raised. I was raised to defend myself always."

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Assuming this is true, why would the refs do that?  I can understand why the other team would try to get him flagged or ejected, but what's in it for the officials? It's not like Burfict's fines are going in their pockets.  I don't recall him ever getting into it with a ref to where they'd have a grudge.  Focusing on him is one thing, but purposefully antagonizing him? Talking shit to an NFL linebacker that could "accidentally" fall on your ankle doesn't seem like something they would do just for fun.

 

He's either making this up or the refs are being told to fuck with him.  

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2 hours ago, T-Dub said:

Assuming this is true, why would the refs do that?  I can understand why the other team would try to get him flagged or ejected, but what's in it for the officials? It's not like Burfict's fines are going in their pockets.  I don't recall him ever getting into it with a ref to where they'd have a grudge.  Focusing on him is one thing, but purposefully antagonizing him? Talking shit to an NFL linebacker that could "accidentally" fall on your ankle doesn't seem like something they would do just for fun.

 

He's either making this up or the refs are being told to fuck with him.  

because people are assholes...

 

I swear just the way that dude threw that flag when Tase was ejected last week made me feel this way...

That dude put his arm on Taze...and as soon as he lifts his arm...the ref threw the flag like a pissed of child....

 

Taze made his own bed...but there are a bunch of assholes in those games...he has no chance now.... 

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15 minutes ago, fluhartz said:

because people are assholes...

 

I swear just the way that dude threw that flag when Tase was ejected last week made me feel this way...

That dude put his arm on Taze...and as soon as he lifts his arm...the ref threw the flag like a pissed of child....

 

Taze made his own bed...but there are a bunch of assholes in those games...he has no chance now.... 

 

Sure doesn't say much for the quality of NFL refs.  It's hard for me to believe people like that wouldn't accept an extra $100k to make sure a game doesn't hit the over.

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19 hours ago, omgdrdoom said:

I still think they shouldn't be allowed to touch us

Meh. This shows his mentality right here.

First of all, let's cover this: The ref was touching you to break up a potential fight. Are you saying that refs shouldn't break up fights? Or are you saying that when a man half your size and twice your age gets in there to break up a fight, he should be subject to huge gorillas in body armor pushing and shoving him?

The rest of the stuff "they just see me react" is bullshit. Because a few hours after the game, there's always video of you trying to step on a guys arm, etc... "The O-Lineman squeezed me between his legs... Waaaah!" Take off the maxi-pad and buy a jock strap Rose McGowan. Opponents will do it even more since you're a moron who will overreact and get his dumb ass ejected. Apparently, a thin-skinned moron....

Officials curse at him?!? No way! Or, then again, it football. I would assume that during the course of an NFL game N-bombs, F-bombs, etc... are heard at a frequency most typical of a Tupac song. Get over it. Its not like we see Ed Hochuli over there talking to Burfict for 15 minutes. If the ref has to say something like "Hey, dickcheese, stop twisting that guys fucking ankle" or "That's it, you're ejected mother-fucker"... Who makes your pads, Tampax?  It's like I tell my kids, listen to me when I'm talking and I don't have to yell. Even your own account of the incident sounds like you get lost in the red mist way too easily. You probably don't even hear the ref until he starts going "Hey, get the FUCK off".

And here's a thought... Maybe they disrespect you because you're not respectable. Maybe they really have 0 respect for you as a person and as a player. That's not entirely their problem. Heck, you play for my team and I have 0 respect for you. You're not even a clown, because clowns are funny. You're an undisciplined man who lacks self control and wastes his god given talent with dumb decisions. If not for a genetic miracle, you'd be in jail or dead somewhere, and honestly, it pisses me off that such a wonderful gift was given to such a terrible person. It's like watching a teenager go off-roading in the new Ferarri his dad got him for his birthday.

If we were talking about one ref... OK. But if every crew in the NFL does it, the common denominator is YOU.

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23 hours ago, LostInDaJungle said:

If not for a genetic miracle, you'd be in jail or dead somewhere,

For all of you who claim that grown men like refs could not be jealous childish little bitches here is your proof....Assuming Lost is a grown man.

 

Haters gonna hate.  What is sad is that some people think it is perfectly okay for authority figures like refs or police to be able to punish people when they are innocent because of things that have happened in the past.

 

Repeat offenders should be punished more severly because of their past behavior when they do something wrong, but they should not be punished when they are innocent based on past behavior.

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22 hours ago, T-Dub said:

 

That's tough talk when we both know if you were actually in a room with the man the only sound you'd make would be the "pop" of your balls shriveling up.  :P

Oh, OK, he's a big guy, so god forbid we say anything negative about him. Is there a certain height/weight thing before you're above reproach? And with Burfict... Just to make it fair it should be after the off-season when he's fat and out of shape. And hell, he's dumb enough to hit me and he just signed a 32.5 Milion dollar contract? Sure, BRING IT. Have Pac Man tape it for court.

I guess by that same theory, how dare you criticize any NFL player! I'm pretty sure Huber could kick most "non-athlete" ass. You might want to lay off the whole "NFL is rigged" thing... Roger Goodell is a pretty big guy, and he has Ed Hochuli to back him up.

And Fred, as always, you've missed the point or are just attacking a straw man. "You run your life poorly" is the same as saying that all authority figures are right? His own coaches don't believe his BS. His defense is literally that officials shouldn't put their hands on him because he can't control himself. Unlike the other 53 players X 32 teams do.

"Judge, this was totally not my fault. The cop touched me so I punched him. I don't think they should be allowed to touch us if we can't touch them. And when he pointed his gun at me, I HAD to shoot him. I just reacted."

I get it, Burfict is YOUR moron, so who cares. And what about MIKE MITCHELL!?!

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1 hour ago, LostInDaJungle said:

Oh, OK, he's a big guy, so god forbid we say anything negative about him. Is there a certain height/weight thing before you're above reproach? And with Burfict... Just to make it fair it should be after the off-season when he's fat and out of shape. And hell, he's dumb enough to hit me and he just signed a 32.5 Milion dollar contract? Sure, BRING IT. Have Pac Man tape it for court.

I guess by that same theory, how dare you criticize any NFL player! I'm pretty sure Huber could kick most "non-athlete" ass. You might want to lay off the whole "NFL is rigged" thing... Roger Goodell is a pretty big guy, and he has Ed Hochuli to back him up.

And Fred, as always, you've missed the point or are just attacking a straw man. "You run your life poorly" is the same as saying that all authority figures are right? His own coaches don't believe his BS. His defense is literally that officials shouldn't put their hands on him because he can't control himself. Unlike the other 53 players X 32 teams do.

"Judge, this was totally not my fault. The cop touched me so I punched him. I don't think they should be allowed to touch us if we can't touch them. And when he pointed his gun at me, I HAD to shoot him. I just reacted."

I get it, Burfict is YOUR moron, so who cares. And what about MIKE MITCHELL!?!

 

I'm just fucking with you dude.  I think it's funny that the ESPNFL has got y'all fixated on Burfict among all the wife-beaters, rapists & drunks.  "Oh noes our NFL linebacker is a big meanie!"

 

wont-somebody-please-think-of-the-childr

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1 hour ago, T-Dub said:

I think it's funny that the ESPNFL has got y'all fixated on Burfict

Child please. Burfict pisses me off because we're much better with him on the field. but he's started the last two seasons suspended. He's been slow to start in both due to conditioning, and up until this (contract) year, has come into camp fat every year. He has a god given talent that he doesn't even work that hard to use. He is one of two "leaders" on this defense who are just plain bad examples.

He pisses me off, because his potential is undeniable, yet he keeps doing stupid stuff that negates any good he brings. He's too good to let go of, and absurdly unreliable. How do you solve a problem like a Vontaze?

 

In contrast, Eifert is frustrating, because I would love to have and root for the guy, but he's not on the field. Injuries are out of his control.

All of this stuff is something Burfict can control. But he's missing games, and we have a guy on the field who's a magnet for 15 yard penalties. I'm tired of WANTING to defend him only to see footage of him very purposefully stepping on a guys arm. I'm tired of reading people defend on this board when we all know if he played for the Stealers we'd be having a fire-sale on pitchforks. I'm already tired of the next off-season story about how he's matured and has learned his lesson. He's a bad relationship at this point.

He went undrafted because he was a liability, and that hasn't changed. Now he wants to play the victim? When I just watched you step on a guys arm. In cleats. Burfuck that guy.

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2 minutes ago, fredtoast said:

Bullshit.  Every other team in the league would love to have Burfict.

Oh, you're not only a football mastermind, but can now read minds and know what all NFL GM's are thinking?

If they would have "love" to have him, they'd have drafted him. I can't believe that I have to explain that.

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19 hours ago, LostInDaJungle said:


And Fred, as always, you've missed the point or are just attacking a straw man. "You run your life poorly" is the same as saying that all authority figures are right?

No, but making up some fantasy in your head where the officials are justified in treating Burfict different form other players is.

On 11/18/2017 at 10:27 AM, LostInDaJungle said:


Officials curse at him?!? No way! Or, then again, it football. I would assume that during the course of an NFL game N-bombs, F-bombs, etc... are heard at a frequency most typical of a Tupac song. Get over it. Its not like we see Ed Hochuli over there talking to Burfict for 15 minutes. If the ref has to say something like "Hey, dickcheese, stop twisting that guys fucking ankle" or "That's it, you're ejected mother-fucker"... Who makes your pads, Tampax?  It's like I tell my kids, listen to me when I'm talking and I don't have to yell. Even your own account of the incident sounds like you get lost in the red mist way too easily. You probably don't even hear the ref until he starts going "Hey, get the FUCK off".

You know good and well this is not what Burfict was talking about.  Yet you go through the mental gymnastics of creating a false premise where the official is always right.

 

"Of course the officer was justified in beating and tazing the guy.  He had a criminal record.  That means the police can never be wrong when dealing with him."

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7 minutes ago, fredtoast said:

 

"Bengals defensive coordinator Paul Guenther said he has repeatedly told Burfict that he will be "held to a different set of standards" because of his history"

I thought profiling was considered to be taboo.

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4 minutes ago, LostInDaJungle said:


If they would have "love" to have him, they'd have drafted him. I can't believe that I have to explain that.

You can't believe that you have to explain how no other team would have ever wanted Kurt Warner, Wes Welker, or James Harrison?

 

Thanks for proving my point Lost.

 

 

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On 11/17/2017 at 11:41 PM, T-Dub said:

 

The same as any one else would, I suppose? 

I have been a lacrosse ref for years and reffed football a long time ago.  First thing you are taught is to throw the flag very high so both teams see it.  Second thing you do is simply call out and signal the infraction so both teams can at least see what the penalty is.    You never call out the penalty to the actual player and only talk to captains on the field.  I think this is all nonsense. 

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