HINES WARD, MIKE TOMLIN DON’T UNDERSTAND NFL FINES

Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward has been fined for unnecessary roughness after each of Pittsburgh’s last two games, and both he and coach Mike Tomlin say they don’t understand what he did wrong. “I don’t understand, if you don’t get flagged for it, then how can they fine you? I still thought this game was football,” Ward said. “Obviously I need to have a better understanding of what it is I’m doing that keeps getting me fined.” Ward said he plans to appeal the two fines. Of course, it will be difficult to make the case that he doesn’t deserve to be fined when he’s not even sure why he got the fine in the first place. Ward said the NFL didn’t even tell him what he did wrong to merit a fine for unnecessary roughness against the Jaguars. “Jacksonville, I just walked into my locker [Monday] and had a $10,000 fine.” Tomlin says he supports the physical approach Ward takes to the receiver position and that he wishes the NFL would explain what Ward is doing wrong. “I join him in being bewildered,” Tomlin said today. “I intend to make a phone call to get some clarity.” Ward and Tomlin make a good point. If the intention of fines is to deter certain behavior, doesn’t the league need to make sure the player getting the fine knows what, exactly, he did wrong? Of course, whether they make a good point or not, if Ward and Tomlin keep up the public criticism of the league for the way it hands out fines, they might have more fines coming their way.