L'affaire Silverback

Here they are: a pair of breathtakingly brutal James Harrison hit that -- depending on your viewpoint and probably your rooting interest -- either embody what football is all about, or represent a criminal enterprise. 

Deputy sports editor Carl Remensky found this item from respected columnist Terry Pluto on the Cleveland Plain Dealer's web site:

"You can debate which was worse, but the fact is Harrison led with his helmet on both plays -- regardless of his intent. The fact is that both plays taken together certainly are a more serious offense than the hit on the Bengals' Jordan Shipley that cost Browns' rookie T.J. Ward a $15,000 fine. The Browns' safety also was flagged for unnecessary roughness."

And late last night, this email was sent out by the president of the Bay Area Browns Backers, urging Browns fans nationwide to flood the NFL offices with calls of complaint: