The slime is apologizing but only to his teammates and coach.
Johnson rebuked for tirade on Green
Ignoring QB's concussion, DT rails at Dolphin for throwing block at knee
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...t/5195677.html
By MOISEKAPENDA BOWER
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle
Three hours after being an unwitting participant in a collision that resulted in a concussion, an unsightly taunting episode, and ample vitriol emanating from the visitors' locker room, Texans defensive tackle Travis Johnson was still seething.
The elapsed time hadn't soothed Johnson's angst. He was unapologetic in his vulgar impressions of Miami Dolphins quarterback Trent Green, who lost consciousness when his helmet collided with Johnson's knee during a botched running play in the first quarter of the Texans' 22-19 victory on Sunday.
Even after witnessing a motionless Green immobilized and transported to Methodist Hospital (Green returned to Reliant Stadium prior to the Dolphins' departure), Johnson was unabashedly furious afterward.
"At 12:01, I had a lot of respect for Trent Green. At about 12:20, I said, '(Forget) Trent Green,' because the bottom line is it was a malicious hit," Johnson said. "It was uncalled for. He's like the scarecrow. He wanted to get courage while I wasn't looking and hit me in my knee instead of trying to hit me in my head."
On the first play of the Dolphins' second possession, Green went low to block Johnson while attempting to spring receiver Ted Ginn, Jr., who had reversed field following a muffed handoff. The block flipped Johnson onto his head and shoulders and sent Green crumpling to the turf.
Angry reaction
Johnson sprang to his feet and shouted at the unconscious Green, who was inactive for six games last season while with the Kansas City Chiefs after suffering a severe concussion in the opener. Johnson was penalized for taunting, and the Dolphins converted the field position into their lone touchdown.
"My knee ain't never hurt like it hurt today," Johnson said. "The bottom line is football is not about that. If you want to hit me, hit me in my head, hit me in my chest; don't hit me in my knee.
"I'm trying to eat just like everybody else. So to hit me like that, that showed me what type of man he was."
The image of an enraged Johnson standing over Green elicited several scathing remarks from the Dolphins as well as a stern rebuke from Texans coach Gary Kubiak.
"The whole attitude of the situation — the guy lying on the ground and (Johnson) standing over (Green) — that's just classless," Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown said. "This game is meant to be played tough, but in a situation where a guy is hurt like that, a leader of our offense, it's got to make you mad."
Said Kubiak: "First off, what (Johnson) did is unacceptable, inexcusable. I'm not sitting here making any excuses for him. That's inexcusable. He felt like he got chopped pretty good, which we have to go back and look at the film. He was frustrated. Players worry about their legs when they get cut in certain situations. (But) his reaction was wrong."
Display of contrition
Given additional time to calm down, Johnson — at the urging of Texans officials — readdressed the incident and his reaction. Roughly 20 minutes after his initial tirade, Johnson showed contrition for his behavior and remorse for the fallout from his actions.
"I apologize for going off like that," Johnson said. "As a D-lineman, when you have people going at your knees, it's tough on you mentally. But at the same time, I shouldn't have reacted like that. I'm sorry the penalty ended up leading to a score.
''I ended up hurting my team," Johnson said. ''I shouldn't have let my anger get to me. I apologized to coach Kub because I hurt my team. I should have kept my cool. But being in that situation, this is a game of controlled violence. Really, I let my anger get the best of me."
