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Post by DamieQue™ on Oct 22, 2010 7:24:22 GMT -5
Football fans
What do you think of the NFL's new forthcoming rules banning devastating hits on penalty of suspensions?
As you answer, are you aware of the long term health effects of sustaining multiple concussions?
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Post by Iceman on Oct 22, 2010 9:24:33 GMT -5
D-Dash – I won’t lie. I’m not even the biggest follower of Football like that, but when we get past the entertainment aspect of it, Football is definitely a violent sport. The players accept that and most fans do as well. However, I’m still thinking that suspensions or even immediate ejections (for extreme scenarios) might be in order for some of the hits that have been happening. Nobody wants to see a tragedy out on the field.
I mean aiming for the chest/sternum and below once the receiver makes contact with ball is all fair game. Is what it is. But just sizing up a defenseless receiver (at full speed) while headhunting or leading with the helmet to hit them from the blind side (from the chest and up) is just bad business. I’ve seen quite a few reports on the amount of spinal injuries, neck trauma, concussions, early dementia, etc that is occurring with players and the long term effects it’s having on their lives from these sort of hits. Crazy. Even lineman are experiencing the effects later in life from the many helmet to helmet hits we don’t observe clearly on TV. Probably a good call on the NFL’s part to try to make the game a little safer for the players (well, as safe as possible).
My response seems somewhat hypocritical because I’m a diehard fan of the Sweet Science where the head is the primary target. But even with that, I’m more so a fan of the technical aspect and most impressed by those who focused on immaculate defense (Pep, Benitez, Leonard, Whitaker, Toney, Hopkins, Marquez, Winky, Floyd, etc) as opposed to those who only have the toughness of their chin to rely on. But even then, a defenseless fighter always has their corner or the referee to look out for them when they can’t. But on the Gridiron, that defenseless receiver or punt returner is on their own. And with the strength and speed of some of those players, all it takes is one good hit to the head/neck area to call it a day.
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Post by Coach on Oct 22, 2010 13:26:04 GMT -5
I would probably feel different if it was a new rule....but it's not. It's just an old rule that is actually gonna start being enforced. I agree with it, but at the same time you can't try and become health conscious about the players and then try to go to a 18 game schedule....due only to the simple implications of money.
Most these players today don't even know how to tackle...they rely too much on the "big hit". From since the introduction of the forward pass, defenders have always been told to separate the man from the ball. The only way to do that is to get a good hit in, but its gone about the wrong way now. It's not about hitting a player in the head or above the shoulders. From my playing days i know all too well that the best hit you can deliver is a shot to the [unprotected] mid-section. James Harrison, of the Steelers, all of a sudden contemplated retiring mid-season because of the "new rule"...he's a fucking clown and a fool. The "new rule" doesn't actually stop a defender from being a defender, it's forces them to rely on their basic fundamentals (which most of them don't do).
And it would also help if they make these players wear mouthpieces/mouth-guards...they actually decrease the chances of concussions. Most concussions are a result of the lower jaw hitting the upper jaw.
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Post by Vudu_Prince on Oct 22, 2010 13:46:16 GMT -5
I would probably feel different if it was a new rule....but it's not. It's just an old rule that is actually gonna start being enforced. I agree with it, but at the same time you can't try and become health conscious about the players and then try to go to a 18 game schedule....due only to the simple implications of money. Most these players today don't even know how to tackle...they rely too much on the "big hit". From since the introduction of the forward pass, defenders have always been told to separate the man from the ball. The only way to do that is to get a good hit in, but its gone about the wrong way now. It's not about hitting a player in the head or above the shoulders. From my playing days i know all too well that the best hit you can deliver is a shot to the [unprotected] mid-section. James Harrison, of the Steelers, all of a sudden contemplated retiring mid-season because of the "new rule"...he's a fucking clown and a fool. The "new rule" doesn't actually stop a defender from being a defender, it's forces them to rely on their basic fundamentals (which most of them don't do). And it would also help if they make these players wear mouthpieces/mouth-guards...they actually decrease the chances of concussions. Most concussions are a result of the lower jaw hitting the upper jaw. I was JUST about to come in here and post a pic of a mouthpiece and bounce. Until the NFL makes it mandatory for all equipment to be worn they can keep it moving with their rules. To me this all goes back to protecting the great white QB. If your receivers are getting punished by LB's then he can't dink and donk down the field on you. I know it's not the topic but EVERY position in the league has been upgraded EXCEPT QB. Why? Because the NFL has taken a concerted effort to stifle the ascension of the Black QB. If you have your best athlete at that position then these LB's won't peel their ears back on the slot wr's when they have to account for the mobile QB. The QB was made untouchable and now they are attempting to make the WR untouchable. It's bullchit. |
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Post by Coach on Oct 22, 2010 15:30:22 GMT -5
I think the amount of black QBs, or lack there of, is disturbing....but i don't think they're protect the white QBs. Just QBs in general.
There aren't many black QBs to begin with....the one that have potential are often moves to WRs or RBs because of their speed. They aren't being developed.
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Post by Cambist on Oct 25, 2010 8:20:31 GMT -5
The NFL is watching its ass. This rule is already on the books and since it is, the NFL is putting itself in legal jeopardy by not enforcing it. They are one catastrophic hit away from a series of lawsuits for allowing an action, that's already banned by the rules, to continue without serious effort to curb it.
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Post by Alc 06 on Oct 25, 2010 8:41:43 GMT -5
They need to be focusing on these bum-ass refs. That call in the Steelers-Dolphins game was ridiculous.
Back on topic: James Harrison said he pulled back from making a tackle just because he didn't want to get suspended. If more players start playing soft on purpose like that it's gonna cause problems.
The game has gotten faster, and players are bigger and stronger. Maybe I never paid it much attention in the past but I swear I don't remember this many concussions (or maybe they just weren't reported and players just played through them).
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Post by Vudu_Prince on Oct 25, 2010 9:12:41 GMT -5
I amount of black QBs, or lack there of, is disturbing....but i don't think they're protect the white QBs. Just QBs in general. There aren't many black QBs to begin with....the one that have potential are often moves to WRs or RBs because of their speed. They aren't being developed. How about immobile qb's then? Seriously every position has been upgraded. Even O-Line. Those dudes be big and cut not fat like they use to. Every position has been upgraded except for QB. Look at Tom Brady? This mofo dink and donks down the field like a mofo. I mean DT's can't even grab the QB's legs anymore when they are on the ground. On another note what you think about this. The NFL lets the offense get away with murder. First its the QB, now the WR will the RB's be next. Will they stop gang tackling? These punk ass WR's coming across the middle running up right see the heat coming and duck THEN it becomes helmet to helmet. Thats bullchit. That's just a dirty in reverse when a dude in basketball pump fakes his man in the air and instead of going around him for his shot he goes under him and cuts his legs out. Tell the WR's its better to turn your body toward the ball instead of turning toward the defender and ducking like a bytch. |
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Post by Coach on Oct 25, 2010 9:24:40 GMT -5
They need to be focusing on these bum-ass refs. That call in the Steelers-Dolphins game was ridiculous. Back on topic: James Harrison said he pulled back from making a tackle just because he didn't want to get suspended. If more players start playing soft on purpose like that it's gonna cause problems. The game has gotten faster, and players are bigger and stronger. Maybe I never paid it much attention in the past but I swear I don't remember this many concussions (or maybe they just weren't reported and players just played through them). They couldn't have called that Steelers-Dolphins game anyway else...that was the only way to call it. It shouldn't have even been close if the Dolphins did what they was suppose to do earlier in the game. Back on topic: The rule in itself doesn't stop a defender from playing how a ball hawk. I saw Brandon Meriweather [who was also fined last week],completely clean Patrick Crayton's clock coming across the middle on Sunday. You can still make an impact without leading with you helmet and aiming for the head of a player. |
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Post by DamieQue™ on Oct 25, 2010 9:27:12 GMT -5
I don't think mouth pieces solve the problem (or even lessen it). While I have also heard that getting hit in your lower jaw can cause a concussion (something about pushing the jaw back into the base of the brain) the kind of knock out blows that I believe the NFL has to protect against are concussions caused by rapid acceleration and deceleration of the head. Your brain sits in your skull like a driver without a seatbelt, any abrupt stops and the brains go flying out of their seat into the windshield (i.e. the skull).
You get the same effect in boxing though it's more angular momentum (i.e. someone gets hit on the point of their chin making their head whip and bouncing their brain around in their skull).
Except in football, instead of getting hit with a punch with a glove, it's an extremely strong athlete coming at full speed and hitting you in the head with his own hard helmet. No mouthpiece is going to prevent that. They would help in other cases... but I think, especially given how (historically) the NFL has done very little to help veteran players after they've left the game, and the question of just how detrimental to quality of life these hits will be in the long run...
...yeah the NFL BETTER start enforcing this rule.
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Post by Coach on Oct 25, 2010 9:52:53 GMT -5
I amount of black QBs, or lack there of, is disturbing....but i don't think they're protect the white QBs. Just QBs in general. There aren't many black QBs to begin with....the one that have potential are often moves to WRs or RBs because of their speed. They aren't being developed. How about immobile qb's then? Seriously every position has been upgraded. Even O-Line. Those dudes be big and cut not fat like they use to. Every position has been upgraded except for QB. Look at Tom Brady? This mofo dink and donks down the field like a mofo. I mean DT's can't even grab the QB's legs anymore when they are on the ground. On another note what you think about this. The NFL lets the offense get away with murder. First its the QB, now the WR will the RB's be next. Will they stop gang tackling? These punk ass WR's coming across the middle running up right see the heat coming and duck THEN it becomes helmet to helmet. Thats bullchit. That's just a dirty in reverse when a dude in basketball pump fakes his man in the air and instead of going around him for his shot he goes under him and cuts his legs out. Tell the WR's its better to turn your body toward the ball instead of turning toward the defender and ducking like a bytch. What you mean by upgraded though?? Every position has been upgrade but I don't see this as a black/white issue....it's a QB issue, they just protect them [black or white] too much. The dink and donk passing games has been around for a long time though. I don't see them doing anything with the RBs. The big issue here is to protect "defenseless players", they can argue that WRs in the air, in the middle of the field are defenseless. But what they can't argue is a RB running at top end speed, with the ability to see whats in front of him as defenseless. That's just not possible . Do the WR bitch up sometimes coming across the middle?? Of course they do...can't make "Stop bitching" a rule though. Most the times the offensive player is responsible for the defense getting face-mask penalties. |
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Post by Vudu_Prince on Oct 25, 2010 14:16:38 GMT -5
How about immobile qb's then? Seriously every position has been upgraded. Even O-Line. Those dudes be big and cut not fat like they use to. Every position has been upgraded except for QB. Look at Tom Brady? This mofo dink and donks down the field like a mofo. I mean DT's can't even grab the QB's legs anymore when they are on the ground. On another note what you think about this. The NFL lets the offense get away with murder. First its the QB, now the WR will the RB's be next. Will they stop gang tackling? These punk ass WR's coming across the middle running up right see the heat coming and duck THEN it becomes helmet to helmet. Thats bullchit. That's just a dirty in reverse when a dude in basketball pump fakes his man in the air and instead of going around him for his shot he goes under him and cuts his legs out. Tell the WR's its better to turn your body toward the ball instead of turning toward the defender and ducking like a bytch. What you mean by upgraded though?? Every position has been upgrade but I don't see this as a black/white issue....it's a QB issue, they just protect them [black or white] too much. The dink and donk passing games has been around for a long time though. I don't see them doing anything with the RBs. The big issue here is to protect "defenseless players", they can argue that WRs in the air, in the middle of the field are defenseless. But what they can't argue is a RB running at top end speed, with the ability to see whats in front of him as defenseless. That's just not possible . Do the WR bitch up sometimes coming across the middle?? Of course they do...can't make "Stop bitching" a rule though. Most the times the offensive player is responsible for the defense getting face-mask penalties. Upgraded meaning the athletes playing positions are bigger faster and stronger than before EXCEPT at QB. You can't tell me it isn't an effort by offensive coordinators (who are a carousel of the same folks) to not use mobile qb's. I'm not stating that all mobile QB's are black but the majority of Mobile QB's in the NFL were and are. That is the next step for the QB position which would neutralize the bigger faster stronger athletes on defense. Offensive coordinators are not utilizing the full potential of the mobile QB's that are and were available. So to me at its core this is all about making it easier for the immobile white QB to make completions, higher scores and the like. The game of football is a brutal sport. Every player is one play away from his career being ended. Don't sacrifice the integrity of the game to put up points disguising it as safety. The people see right through it. Basically they are taking a page out of the NBA which is why I don't watch it anymore. |
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