FINE COMING FOR FREENEY?

Posted by Mike Florio on October 8, 2008, 7:57 a.m. EDT Just as the issuance of fines for helmet-to-helmet hits isn’t doing anything to get players to quit making them, the NFL’s decision to crack down on criticism of officials likely won’t stop players from griping. Especially when the player in question has a six-year, $72 million contract. Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney, who apparently has taken a cue from G.M. Bill Polian, has openly complained about the lack of holding calls this year. "I’ve actually had a ref tell me he’s not going to call holding unless he thinks I’m going to make the play," Freeney told the Indianapolis Star. "I used to get holding calls. Now they don’t call anything. . . . It’s ridiculous. Against Jacksonville, there was a guy who grabbed me by my hips and pulled me back." Colts defensive lineman Raheem Brock echoes the sentiment. "I don’t know what it is or why it’s like that, but the O-line definitely gets off on a lot of holding calls," Brock said. "I complain so much. I put my hands up while he’s holding me and still no call, usually." The real question here is whether the NFL will fine players for criticism only, or whether they’ll act only when (for example) James Harrison of the Steelers suggests that an official had money on the game. But the league has made it clear that no criticism is permitted. So if Sean Payton of the Saints is going to be fined for criticism that doesn’t call into question the integrity of officiating, Freeney (and possibly Brock) should be, too. An argument also could be made for fining Ravens defensive end Terrell Suggs, who had this to say after being slapped with a questionable roughing the passer flag against the Titans on Sunday: "If anybody can go back and show me something I did illegal, then I would be happy to oblige and say I messed up. But when you are nowhere near his head - we hit arms, we hit arms — it just goes to show the referee has too much power in the game."