This past Sunday, Patriots’ lineman Matt Light got into an altercation with Dolphins’ linebacker Channing Crowder.  Crowder’s helmet was ripped off, then Light proceeded to land about 3 haymakers on the head of Crowder.  Check here for the video.

And what was the end result from the league?  Both men were fined $15,000 and no one was suspended.  Sooooooo, if you play for New England and punch a guy in the head, you get a $15,000 fine.  If you play for Miami and get punched in the head, you also get a $15,000 fine.  If you play for the Steelers, you get fined for making perfectly legal and non-flagged blocks.

But if you play for the team Roger Goodell loves - the Pats - you get a free pass every time.  Can these fines be explained???

—Light fined $15,000 with no suspension for repeatedly punching Crowder in the head after the play was over.

—Steelers’ wideout Hines Ward was fined $5,000 for making a great block during a play.

—Jets’ safety Eric Smith was fined $50,000 and suspended for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Anquan Boldin.  (While this was a rough hit and really messed up Boldin, it still occurred during an actual game play in the end zone - not after the play was over.)

—Dolphins’ linebacker Joey Porter was fined $20,000 for commenting after a game that the refs missed a call.  Specifically, he said, “When they took that away I’m like, ‘Hey, that’s crazy.  It’s the same referee’s staff. Something always happens out there.”

So if you say you don’t agree with a ref’s call, you get fined $20,000.  But, if you punch a guy repeatedly in the head, you get fined less and not suspended.

The moral of this story?  Play for the Pats if you want to not follow the rules.

And really, is there any difference between Roger Goodell and this guy?