Joe Horn Fined for End Zone Phone Call

[wilheim]

NFL makes the call to fine Horn $30K for cell phone stunt
Dec. 16, 2003
By Jay Glazer
SportsLine.com Senior Writer


Joe Horn's phone has rung up its biggest bill yet.




SportsLine.com has learned the NFL has decided to fine the Saints receiver $30,000 for pulling out his cellular phone during a touchdown celebration against the Giants on Sunday night. This incident marks the second time this season Horn has been scolded for excessive celebration.

The incident also cost one of his teammates as SportsLine.com has also learned WR Michael Lewis was tagged for $5,000 for acting as Horn's accomplice in the nationally televised taunt.

"Fining him is one thing, but to me that's very excessive. This is not a murder case," said Horn's agent, Ralph Vitolo, who said his client would appeal.

The league also fined Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson $10,000 for pulling out a sign after scoring Sunday, which pleaded for the league not to fine him. Johnson was fined by the NFL earlier in the year when he posed for an imaginary camera held by teammate Peter Warrick after scoring.

Last year, the NFL issued a memo to teams in response to the Terrell Owens' Sharpie incident. The memo warned players that any foreign object brought into the field of play would result in disciplinary action in addition to a penalty or ejection from the game.

Neither the NFL nor the Saints would confirm the fines.

Saints coach Jim Haslett said the team would not punish Horn, but that he was disappointed in the receiver's "selfish" act.


wil.

 

[TheGeneral+]

Funny Stuff

$30,000

 

[Fishhead]

 

[neverstop]

Before you know it they are going to start fining someone in the locker room if they have to take a $hit at halftime. It's entertainment and stuff like this should fire up the opposing team. The Giants are the one's who were the disgrace and they should be fined for not even trying!!! They let the guy score four times and they walk away like scared mice. Oh i feel so bad for the pussy friggin NY Giants! Fassel should have been canned a long time ago and the majoirty of this team are all frauds. Fassel will go down as one of the worst clock management coaches this century! Suck it up G-men learn to play like men and not fairies. It's called getting fired up and making plays when someone spits in your face. Football is war! Hit the guy (Joe horn)! Don't turn him into Jerry Rice cause he's not. The guy is still injured for crying out loud and you pussies still let him score 4 times. The odds were +140 that he would just score 1 TD and -160 that he wouldn't score any. Well the odds that he would score 4 would probably be at like 90-1 or more cause i never thought it would happen.

 

[areeff]

It's capitalism. Ownership can make people do whatever they want whenever they want. If they don't like it they can go play in russia.

 

[EveryGamblersDream]

The NFL should pay him money for coming up with such a creative stunt!

 

[theswami]

$30k...unreal and excessive. That will stop the over the top celebrations for sure!!!

 

[curt]

$30,000 grand is still peanuts to most of these guys. Should have been fined $200,000 and suspended for a couple of games.

 

[drunkguy]

The real sad part is that he knew this would get him a fine and he did it anyway. Some people are happy to make $30,000 for the whole year, and this jackass throws it away on silly shit like that.

 

[D2bets]

$30,000 is a worthwhile expense for the cell phone marketing endorsements he will surely receive. A lot more marketing for cell phones than Sharpies. Good move.

 

[Pretending]

It's the "foreign object" brought onto the field and I can understand the league wants to nip this in the bud before something really bad for business (advertisers) occurs. He was warned and they threw an obviously excessive fine at him; no biggie.

However, why the NFL is so concerned about stopping celebrations (pre-meditated routines, etc.) I cannot understand. The average fan is a meathead full of beer and loves this stuff; some others as well. I'm not sure why the advertisers wouldn't like it and it is certainly good for highlights later in the evening. So mostly I'm confused with the league's conservative stance.

It always amazes me when folks try to "civilize" this sport. Some have more class than others, to be sure and some are more entertaining, athletic, artistic or whatever, but nothing changes the fact that the game is war and that means it will sometimes get ugly. When some guys just cannot avoid stupid out of bounds hits or even keeping their helmet on their head, it shows you where they're coming from in the heat of battle...they are out of their minds.

When 300 lb. guys are as quick as the rest of us, it gets pretty scary to imagine that load coming after your ass. Concussions are way up (though I don't have the figures) as the physics of the game are getting rediculous. Roller Ball looks less intimidating than how this game has evolved. I don't see how you can expect all of these guys to show class when their blood is flowing from participating in this. Great sport.

 

[unstoppable]

He won't get any cellphone endorsements unless its for some local mom and pop shops because the sharpie thing was cool and creative, the pompom thing later that year was a nice touch too... the cellphone thing, crap on a stick.

U could tell half way through the bit even Joe realized how lame he looked doing it.

Lameness does not = Huge Endorsements

 

[RPM]

im sure he will appeal and get the fine reduced at least.

 

[KMAN]

I know these showboating, self center, me, type guys claim that it is entertainment for the public but what it really is, is a way to draw attention to an individual instead of the team. Haslett got on him about it but Horn said he does not regret the 15 yard penalty!!!! WTF! The guy just costed his team 15 yards and could care less. Now that's a real team player.

Basically these arrogant pricks are saying "F()ck the QB who made the perfect pass." I'm going to do something stupid to bring to everyone's attention how great I am because I'm doing my job."

Whoever said the Giants should be ashamed is right. If that happens to me and my team is down 45-7 late in the 4th I'm going to make sure Horn doesn't do it again. Heck he might not even make it through the end of the game. The Giants players must have no pride.

KMAN

 

[aawied]

He should be suspended rest of season no respect no dicipline just a ego maniac and hot dog if he played for he would be gone its contagious