Porter Responds.

Steelers Notebook: Angry Porter will appeal fine
Thursday, November 09, 2006By
Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Joey Porter accused the NFL of picking on him after it levied a $15,000 fine on the Pro Bowl linebacker for words he said he never spoke.
"I didn't even make the comment," Porter said. "It's really the ref's word against mine, which is not a good situation."
The alleged comments were made Oct. 29 in Oakland while the Steelers were in the huddle. Umpire Steve Wilson threw a flag after he heard something in the huddle, and obviously fingered Porter as the culprit.
"What I was told in the letter, it said somebody said they were coming after him," Porter said. "That's not even what was said. When I was talking I was talking to my players."
Porter said he is appealing the fine, and compared it to a smaller one he received in 2004 when he was ejected before a game against Cleveland for fighting during warmups.
"I'm going to see how the appeal goes because they definitely got me in there for saying something I definitely didn't say," Porter said. "It's definitely because of who I am, because how do you get fined $10,000 for getting into a fight before a game and getting kicked out and you get fined $15,000 for saying something and I didn't even say it?
"It's definitely one of those who I am and why they said it -- the most-feared stuff from the cover, and they think I'm trying to live up to that rep; that's not the situation."
Porter was featured early this season on the cover of Sports Illustrated, which called him the most-feared player in the NFL.
He pointed to another incident in Atlanta as more evidence. Out with a hamstring injury, he walked the Steelers' sideline dressed in NFL-issued sweats, but with the legs cut shorter. He said he was told if he wore them that way again he would be fined by the league.
"New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick cuts his sweats on his sleeves every game, what's the difference?" Porter argued.
"That lets you know I'm a target. I'm not even playing, and they still want to fine me."
Porter said talk on a football field can get rough, but it always has been that way.
"I mean this still is a man's game. Cuss words and stuff is going to happen on a football field when you're frustrated -- winning or losing. People use those words on a football field as part of their everyday habitat. But, for them to try to attempt to fine me for that, it's definitely just because of who I am, they definitely are trying to get after 55: 'Let's get him, zero tolerance for him.' "
Porter hoped that, if what the umpire claimed was said occurred, the teammate who said it would admit it.
"I know right now it's my word against the ref's word, but I think I have some guys on the team who are standup guys who will go out there and let them know that I didn't say it, and whoever said it will stand up and say they said it because I definitely didn't say it.
"I think he just kind of flagged me for us talking to each other; there was nothing directed at the ref."