AUSTIN UNDER FIRE
The Ticats were trailing 17-11 in the fourth quarter when they were called for illegal procedure. A perplexed Austin walked towards official Tom Cesari on the sidelines and swung his hand in frustration, slapping Cesari’s hand in the process.
That prompted a second flag, a 10-yard objectionable conduct penalty.
“No, why should I be concerned about that,” Austin told reporters Tuesday when asked if he expected to be disciplined for the incident. “Anybody that watches it knows it was completely accidental and unintentional and I got penalized for it.
“If there’s anything intentional about it or aggressive about it they would’ve given a 25-yard penalty and kicked me out at the time in the game. It’s said and done.”
The CFL rulebook provides two penalties against players for physical contact of an official: a 10-yard objectionable conduct call or an automatic disqualification and 25-yard penalty. There’s no reference to perspective punishment for coaches.
There was no decision late Tuesday afternoon by the CFL regarding any discipline of Austin. A source told The Canadian Press the league continues to investigate the matter.
Last year, Austin, also Hamilton’s vice-president of football operations, was fined $5,000 by the CFL for bumping into Toronto receiver Dave Stala – a former Ticat – during a game.
Earlier this season, the league suspended Montreal receiver Duron Carter for one game after he bumped Ottawa head coach Rick Campbell during a game. Carter appealed the ban, which was later upheld by an arbitrator.
Austin said he walked to Cesari because he didn’t understand the original call. Austin added he twice asked Cesari what the penalty was for, garnering a response after the second question.
“I had a reaction to the call,” Austin said. “Unfortunately there was a slight contact with his fingers and I got penalized for it.
“Talking to Glen (CFL senior vice-president of football Glen Johnson, who’s also a former league official), the official himself has shown it was completely accidental and unintentional and so we just move on. I just need to be more careful. It was just something that occurred, there was nothing aggressive about it with respect to that official. He wasn’t even the one who threw the flag.”
Austin said he apologized to Cesari.
Hamilton (6-7) hosts Calgary (11-1-1) on Sunday afternoon. The Stampeders have won 10 straight and are riding a 12-game unbeaten streak.
I agree, it looked totally accidental and not intentional. I'm on Kent's side on this one.
Please refrain from posting here Mrs. Austin
I guess if Kent says its accidental then it's accidental. Again, the league fails to send an appropriate message in that of zero tolerance towards officials. Austin went to the ref in an aggressive manner, definitely not passive, and makes contact with the official.
~Kevin
Was Austins rage also accidental?????? Bull crap he was a man on a mission and his actions got him in hot water again .Control your actions Austin or grow up and set an example for young kids watching the game.Not a baby having a tantrum.Bad example of a coach.
I bumped into someone once by accident. I apologized. It wasn't that big of a deal. Perhaps this "professional" football league should use some discretion in a lot of different areas to bring back some credibility before its too late?
Maybe he has a concussion. Didn't know what he was doing. Weimar and carter both tried that excus
How many players get fined by the league for hits not intended. No player intentionally make helmet to helmet contact and they are not afforded the luxury of telling the league it wasn't intentional and they were already penalized so all is good. No form of contact should be tolerated on an official by players or coaches. Kent put himself in the position for something to happened when he marched down to the official screaming and waving his arms. Just like last year when he bumped Stala he stated in his apology " by no means was he a premeditated… Read more »
I'm not sure contacting a ref's fingers and hemet-to-helmet contact are fair comparables.
The man is very intense and there are a couple more in our league who think they can yell and scream at the refs because they are the coach and that seems to give them that right. Quite frankly it's embarrassing to watch.
Austin claims, "It was just something that occurred, there was nothing aggressive about it with respect to that official. He wasn't even the one who threw the flag."
Go to 3 Down Nation and check out the video here:
http://3downnation.com/2016/09/27/madani-anything-austin-suspension-disrespects-officials-profession/
1) There’s no question that he was aggressive;
2) It was in fact the official he hit who threw the flag.
Actions speak louder than words, and BS.
Next time a police officer gives you a ticket, slap it out of his hand while screaming at him.
See how that goes.
Get over it he is suspended and fined so quit your crying already