Category:
Bernard Pollard
,
Carson Palmer
,
Dick Butkus
,
Hines Ward
,
Jack Tatum
,
Keith Rivers
,
Kimo von Oelhoffen
,
NFL
,
Pittsburgh Steelers
,
Tom Brady
,
Warren Sapp
The NFL owners meetings are still going on and they are adding changes on how to make our beloved sport a better one. But I'm starting to wonder how many changes do they need to make before it starts to look "soft"?
First there is the dubbed "Hines Ward" rule that doesn't allow players to throw blind-sided blocks to the head of a defender using his helmet, forearm or shoulder. Now, I'm not totally against this. I've seen some players get taken out by such vicious hits. Remember what Hines did to Keith Rivers?? Ouch!
But one can say that Ward was simply blocking for his teammate Matt Spaeth and it was a legal hit. No matter what we think, a 15 yard penalty will be enforced if such plays like Ward's hit happens.
While I understand they want to protect a defenseless player, where was this rule when Warren Sapp laid the wood on Packers OL Chad Clifton??? If we are gonna call Ward out, let's call the other guilty ones out. I remember that play like it was yesterday, and I thought it was far more vicious than most blocks Ward has thrown. Yet nearly 7 years after that incident, someone wants to make changes. Yeah, okay..... (note: Sorry for laughing BUT.......remember when Sapp told former Packers coach Mike Sherman to put a jersey on? The funniest 30 second dialogue in football.)
The owners also came up with what is dubbed as the "Tom Brady" Rule. This rule says that defenders who are knocked to the ground no longer can lunge into quarterbacks if the play is still going on. We all saw what Bernard Pollard did to Tom Brady.
But it was a legal hit and Pollard was playing until the whistlewas blown.
I can remember during the 2005 playoffs, Bengals QB Carson Palmer took a hit from Steelers NT Kimo von Oelhoffen that was deemed more controversial than Brady's hit. Funny.... I don't remember many owners coming to Palmers rescue.
(note: the comments in the clip are NOT those of the NFL Chick. But my guess is not many folks care about Palmer's injury so finding the clip was scarce)
While people questioned von Oelhoffen's hit (which, I didn't have too much of a problem with), I didn't hear much of a fuss regarding Brady's hit. Why all of a sudden, do folks want to take an extra effort to prevent this from happening?
I understand they want to keep "football safe", but how safe is football, really?! It's a contact sport, so injuries happen all of the time. Some illegal and intentional, others with no malice and by accident. What does changing these rules do?
I'll give you my opinion. Changing these rules does damage to the game of football because 1. it takes the physical aspect out of the sport and dilutes it. Players know the risk they take every time they step on the field. Fans love to see a good, clean hit. So when you start to eliminate such important parts of a game, it makes it look washed up.
The 2nd issue to changing the rules is, it's allows referees to have way too much control regarding to how games are called. We saw last year what happens when refs get too involved in games (Remember the Pittsburgh-Baltimore and San Diego-Denver games?????). They now have to worry about micro managing the game, which is not a great idea. The less the the zbras are involved, the better. I can't wait to see how this will work out in the upcoming season. Well... actually, I can wait.... and I'll be the first to tell you it will suck.
Is the NFL doing the right thing by creating these rules, or are they creating a softer league? Can you imagine what Jack Tatum, Dick Butkus and the Steel Curtain players are saying to these changes???
I'd love to know myself, but my guess is, they think it's becoming too cupcake for folks to stand.
I, for one, think so.
I think this argument can be won on both sides. The league has to change with the times and its players. In the days of Butkus, Mean Joe Green, Ronnie Lott and other hard-hitting defense players, it was safe to say you only had them to worry about. If you knew where they were, you were safe.
Fast forward to 2009, when a LB core consists of Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs and Bart Scott (before trades), my goodness, that’s three players gunning for your head. Remember that hit Ray put on Kellen Winslow? LoL
I don’t want to see the refs controlling the game, but I don’t want to see great players retiring early due to injury ala Michael Irving, Troy Aikman and Kevin Everett. Great post!
I just don't understand what the NFL is doing with these rule changes. Injuries and physical play are a part of the game. There's even a place for a cheap shots here and there. For example, when a player like T.O. runs out to the middle of the field or when J. Horn pulls out a cell phone after scoring a TD; someone should tune him up on the next play. Its funny how the owners want to protect their players yet on NFL Total Access they are glorifying big hits. They even have NFL's Greatest Hits on DVD, Top 10 hits, etc, etc. Its quite hypocritical when you think about it. The NFL branded its game on aggressive, physical play. Let's face it, what makes football a beautiful game is the rare combination of physical fortitude and athletic excellence. How can a player not hit a QB when he's on the ground? I guess when a player hits the ground he's supposed to stop, right? Just quit on the play. Those who have been in the trenches know that the object is to get to the QB "by any means necessary." Never quit, never stop hustling to the football, make a play! These values have been instilled in every player since they put on their first pair of cleats. The last thing we want are for players to begin to think before they make a tackle. We want them to use their God-given ability and instincts to give us those ooohhhh and ahhhhs that we are accustomed to every Sunday. Players understand that the next play could be their last. They know about the harsh realities of injuries. Furthermore, its very rare when a player intentionally tries to hurt another player. 99% of the time, guys are just going HARD! Doing what they been told all their life. Tell me how not having Tom Brady hurts the NFL? Ratings are as high as ever. Interest is at an all-time high, the game has not only become mainstream but unlike other sports it has become the most popular sport among women (42% of all football fans are women) Advertising isn't hurting. The NFL just signed another $1billion deal with Direct TV. I mean what is the problem with a QB going down every once in a while. That's why teams have backups. And you never know, it might just provide an opportunity for a guy like Matt Cassell to become the next Kurt Warner (remember Warner got his chance when Trent Green went down). Let the refs on the field police the dirty plays and the cheap shots. If not in the game, fine players during the week but don't take away what makes the game so special -- its physical instinctive nature. The rest will handle itself.
Pigskin, you make a good point. They want to preserve the life span of players. I get that. But they are watering the game and allowing refs to get more involved also. I think it's a bad look and we'll see many more debatable calls
BlitzMag, I agree. Tom Brady because this poster child they feel the need to protect. Because I've seen other QB's take worse hits and nothing was changed. How to you groom a child that has aspirations of being a football player? Play to the whistle blows but don't go too hard? Or don't block for your man because yo may be penalized??? They need to re think this. It's a physical sport.