Wilfork, however, says he did not poke at Jacobs' eye. On his personal web site, Wilfork answers questions from fans, and this is his most recent Q&A:
Q: In the December 29'th game I noticed you seemed to stick your fingers at least toward, and possibly into the opening of a Giants players face mask. Thing like that, are they a heat of the moment thing, and if so, if accidental do you later apologize or is their a animosity between two players in other, subsequent games?It would be easier to give Wilfork the benefit of the doubt if he didn't have a track record of cheap shots. But Wilfork, who also took out Bills quarterback J.P. Losman's knee early this season, appeared to almost everyone I've heard from to have poked at Jacobs' eye. That merits a suspension, not just a fine.
A: thank you for talking the time to word your question that way. I have received a number of questions about it that just assume I was trying to poke him in the eye. It was nothing more than them doing trash talking and in the heat of the moment I pointed my finger in his face. I did not make contact with his eye or anything like that. After that it was over, on the field emotions are high there were several bumps amongst players and trash talking the whole game. It was one of the biggest games of the season and we all had a lot of emotion in the game. When things like that happen it is all heat of the moment and once the moment is gone it is over. There are no hard feelings and I really think the commentators did a great job of blowing it up. When the game was over we all said our byes and that was that
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-04-2008 @ 5:30PM
Jerry Desaulniers said...
$15,000 fine was actually very weak for that act. I think a one game suspension in the playoffs would be more like it.
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1-04-2008 @ 5:33PM
Robin said...
I totally agree with you Jerry - BUT not the almightly, class-act Patriots. What do you expect? There was no penalty on the play when it happened. Refs kind of let them slid all year...now coach of the year! Geez, we all should pick up our ball and go home!
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1-04-2008 @ 6:12PM
ciawhite2006 said...
It's not like Wilfork lacerated the guys liver or anything.
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1-04-2008 @ 6:12PM
afxjzs said...
It would most likely be a suspension of the first regular season game. there has been precedent set for that.
also, the two of them hugged after the game, so i don't think he was going for the eye. you don't hug someone after that. sticking your finger in someones face =/= intent to injure.
was it a dick move? absolutely.
should he be fined? absolutely.
was he literally trying to poke the giants player in the eye? no way.
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1-04-2008 @ 6:26PM
Jason S. said...
Get over it, MDS.
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1-04-2008 @ 8:07PM
tobrien28 said...
ciawhite2006
You are right. I think that NFL players should get the benefit of the doubt. Actually lets put that in writing how does "The next time someone tries to blind Tom Brady they should not be reprimanded, fined or penalized."
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1-04-2008 @ 9:11PM
Karl Sasso said...
wah, wah, wah, wow i cant believe the whining, i'm a pats fan and now i know what i sounded like when the pats were losing all those years, i guess the frustration of being the fan of a losing team makes us all like adolesent little girls, i too used to whine, and would always belittle the better, more talented teams, i just didnt realize it until now,actually i guess we all should grow up a little and realize, we cant live our lives vicariously (please excuse my spelling)through these players and these teams, why cant clemen's fans believe roger took steroids or hgh, its like having a son or daughter on drugs, no one ever believes it, sometimes it takes that "look" from across the street, people in glass houses should not throw stones, no one or any team is perfect, the players arent playing for you, they are playing for the money, and playing to win to fuel their own egos, when the money is already in thebank, they will pack up and leave you when the grass seems greener on the other side, sad but true, just look in the mirror, you like what you see, god bless you, ps take a kid fishing, its worth a million bucks to see the look on their faces, word
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1-04-2008 @ 9:17PM
col. stinkmeaner said...
football helmets are designed so that you cannot reach someone's eye with your finger like that. believe me i've tried to do it to myself, and i'm sure i'm not the only one. if you slide your entire hand into the face mask you can reach but unless you've got 6" fingers it isn't happening.
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1-05-2008 @ 10:36AM
Jerry Desaulniers said...
OK maybe he didn't try to poke his eye. Maybe he was trying to "Wilfork it".
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1-05-2008 @ 12:16PM
Joe in San Diego said...
Hey Sasso, that's quite a post about a player sticking his finger inside the mask of another player after the play's over... "the fan of a losing [as in 10-6 playoff] team makes us all like adolesent little girls..." "why can't clemen's fans believe roger took steroids or hgh..." "...a son or daughter on drugs.." "...people in glass houses should not throw stones..." "...they will pack up and leave you when the grass seems greener on the other side..." "...just look in the mirror..." "...take a kid fishing, its worth a million bucks to see the look on their faces..." I wish you had kept it going, because you almost worked in the entire population of idioms. Maybe we can all chime in and help you out... how about when looking at the video of a finger sticking into a player's facemask we see if "a picture paints a thousand words" works?
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1-05-2008 @ 12:52PM
Jerry Desaulniers said...
I'm very happy that the NFL is taking the lead in weeding out and punishing thugs. I'm not saying Wifork is a thug, but what he did was a bad example to the children of America. I believe the Commisioner had made many difficult decisions this year and most were good, but this punishment was one of his worst. A minimum of 1 playoff game suspension is in order. And that's the minimum in my opinion. But my main comment is good job this year Commish! Acually, I'll correct myself. Great job Commish!
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1-07-2008 @ 7:43AM
T said...
Even Brandon Jacobs knows Vince Wilfork didn't try to poke his eye. You don't hear him even talking about. Obviously, if he's not concerned about it, why should anyone else be.
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