From Hell's Heart...

A few weeks ago, the Redskins were playing their first post-season game since, oh, I don't know, since 1997? Brad Johnson was quarterbacking. Norv Turner was in his last full year as head coach. Dan Snyder had yet to acquire the team.

In this first game of the playoffs at Tampa Bay, Sean Taylor, Redskins top pick from the previous year out of the "U" (the University of Miami), who had had scuffles with the law, had been having what appeared to be an argument with Michael Pittman.

In replays, Pittman was shown hitting Taylor's helmet, and yet Taylor was ejected. The commentators couldn't believe that this was happening, and said it was the worst call ever.

Only later was it revealed why Pittman had not been penalized, but why Taylor was thrown out of the game.

You see, Taylor had spit on Pittman.

That's right. Spit.

Audio replays would later show that Mike Carey, a highly respected African American referee (perhaps the most recognizable of the not terribly recognizable crew of referees because of his very kempt moustache) attempting to throw them both out of the game, then deciding only to throw out Taylor, explaining "What would you do?" and reassuring Pittman that there would be no penalty for his reaction.

For spitting.

Let's take this in context. In the same first round playoffs, the suddenly resurgent Bengals were making their first appearance, well, perhaps since a man named Ickey Woods last did his Ickey shuffle, and that, my friends, was in the 80s, nearly twenty years ago.

Carson Palmer had helped lead this resurgence along with Chad Johnson (trash talking wide receiver) and Rudy Johnson (running back), lead by former Ravens and Redskins defensive coordinator, Marvin Lewis.

Palmer had opened up his first throw with a 66 yard completion (which, alas, counts the yards the receiver ran after the catch). Fans were cheering, until they realized Palmer was hurt. Pittsburgh defensive tackle, Kimo Von Oelhoffen had rolled onto Palmer, causing a tear in Palmer's knee ligaments, which doctors later said could have been career threatening.

And how was Von Oelhoffen penalized? Not at all. Even Palmer forgave his former teammate the injury, calling it accidental.

Here was an action by a player that could have prevent Palmer from ever playing again. And there was no penalty. Football is a game where players routinely hit each other with such force that if a normal person were hit that way, they'd end up in the hospital. Violence is part and parcel of the game, but apparently, so is pride.

Because spitting is considered an offense so heinous, so vile, that Michael Wilbon, also African American, wanted Taylor to be booted out of several games, instead of ejected and fined as he was. He considered the spitting as near sin.

Is it the case that African Americans find the insult of spitting, which causes mere inconvenience, far more serious than permanent bodily damage? Apparently so. Not to say that white Americans would appreciate this either (funny how movies that portray spitting almost always have the person being spit upon look menacingly on the spitter, then wipe it away, rather than beat the ever living crap out of the person).

Loogie tossing vs. a general beatdown. On the whole, any sane person would think the two aren't even in the same vicinity of what we ought to be offended at. Let's face it, players also do a lot of trash-talking. I suspect wives are insulted, that sexuality is questioned, that skills are denigrated. Words you wouldn't say in polite company are bandied about out of earshot of the roving mikes. Yet, none of that draws a penalty. The kind of insults that can be verbally heaped are not even in the same league as the spittle aimed at one's adversary.

But then, if it were good enough for ole Cap Ahab and the whale, or Khan Noonian Singh and Cap'n Kirk, then spitting hate at one's enemy may have more weight--and more history--than one would expect.