Posted by: judy
- Leader [7771722] Mon, Oct 18, 2010, 14:12
Penalties for reckless hits. Do we need to wait until someone is killed or paralyzed?
1
judy Leader
ID: 7771722 Mon, Oct 18, 2010, 14:16
Some thoughts:
1) You sit out as long as the player is out. 2) You lose a lot of $$$$ -- $$50,000 minimum per hit. 3) Team can only dress 52 players on game day while you are out. 4) Get to X number of hits per season, you are suspended without pay for the season. 5) Get to X number of hits per team, a lower level coach (maybe the coach of that player , ie, DB, LB ST) is suspended (for not emphasizing proper technique and allowing reckless hits) 6) Hit does not have to be flagged by ref. Use game film to decide.
2
Great One
ID: 2751238 Mon, Oct 18, 2010, 14:21
Amazing on a weekend with those crazy hits that the kid from Rutgers gets paralyzed with a hit that just seemed like a routine tackle.
3
Perm Dude
ID: 5510572522 Mon, Oct 18, 2010, 14:28
Anyone watch the Cleveland/Pittsburgh game? James Harrison knocked two receivers around with helmet to helmet hits but no calls. Cribbs left the game from his hit and never returned.
Penalties should result from that kind of play, IMO. The fact that no penalty was called on Harrison for either play just encourages that kind of reckless behavior.
4
judy Leader
ID: 7771722 Mon, Oct 18, 2010, 14:38
From SI.com
Steelers linebacker James Harrison states his objective matter-of-factly: He's out to hurt any opposing player who roams into his vicinity. If he sees players down on the turf - as he did Sunday when he sidelined Browns wide receivers Joshua Cribbs and Mohamed Massaquoi with punishing hits only minutes apart during the second quarter - he feels as if he's done his job.
Quotes like Harrison's make me want to watch football less. He hit Cribbs helmet to helmet with (IMO) the intention of hurting him.
The NFL has said they want to stop these hits (and help the players not suffer later in life.) Let the refs know that these types of hits are an ejectable offense. The first violation is the loss of a game check. The second is to miss a game. The third is the rest of the year.
I want to enjoy watching football. I don't want to have to explain to my kids why the man on the field doesn't get up. What makes it worse was I was in a sports bar during the early games and we were sitting near a table of Steelers fans who were cheering the hit on and congratulating Harrison for knocking Cribbs out of the game. I'm sure not all Steelers fans feel that way. But Harrison is a thug imo, and I'm glad he doesn't play for a team I root for.
6
Electroman
ID: 10833614 Mon, Oct 18, 2010, 15:22
If you heard Rodney Harrison, last night, he said that fining him did nothing to stop him, what really hurt him was the suspensions. Harrison should be out for the year with what he did, and what he said. Why should the law on the football field be any different from the law in society. If you go into a place, with the intention of hurting someone, you are gonna get punished. If the league does nothing, next time the Browns play, and I played for the browns, take out his knees, injure him.
7
KrazyKoalaBears
ID: 517068 Mon, Oct 18, 2010, 15:25
Some other thoughts along with judy's post #1, which I think is heading in the right direction.
- If it is blatant/obvious enough of a hit (maybe even needs confirmation from upstairs?), put the ball on the 2-yard line for the offense.
- Have the replay booth constantly reviewing each play (what else are they doing anyhow?) and if they see someone that made a punishable hit, that player is ejected immediately.
And note that I'm not just talking about hits where someone was injured. I'm talking about illegal hits, injury or not. I've seen guys injured on routine plays and legal tackles and that's just part of the game. This helmet-to-helmet headhunting crap has to go. Players can still make huge hits while tackling the correct way.
And I don't mean to sound harsh because I definitely feel for the kid and hope he recovers, but Eric Legrand (from Rutgers) did lower his helmet as he was trying to tackle the Army player. You can see it clearly in the video, particularly staring at 1:22. You can watch Legrand (with his head up) see the player with the ball and make a split-second decision to lower his head for the big hit. It is, sadly, an injury that didn't have to happen.
More coaches need to put more emphasis on tackling with the head up.
8
judy Leader
ID: 7771722 Mon, Oct 18, 2010, 17:47
I did a workshop in the mid 70's with Dr Joe Torg (Temple and then Penn) who got the NCAA to ban the head down/lead with the head tackles in the college and HS games. The incidence of paralysis/spinal cord injuries went down quickly. As part of my workshop, I visited a local HS football player who had been paralyzed that weekend. It was a very scary visit for me to see this athlete lying there motionless with a cage screwed into his head. In those days, there was no hope for the kid's recovery. I can still remember the look on the kid's face.
9
beastiemiked
ID: 10432914 Mon, Oct 18, 2010, 20:37
Bradford sustained a pretty hard helmet to helmet hit in the Rams game. Of course, no call. The Refs did manage to have a ridiculous make up call about 2 plays later.
They just need to implement a system like the NBA's flagrant fouls.
10
Frick
ID: 42825248 Mon, Oct 18, 2010, 21:22
Is spearing a foul in the NFL? I remember it being called in high school games when I played, but I can't ever remember seeing it in the NFL. I remember being taught to keep your head up and see what you were hitting.
11
Frick
ID: 42825248 Tue, Oct 19, 2010, 08:50
I just saw reports that the NFL will issue a statement that players will be suspended for helmet-to-helmet and "devastating" hits starting this weekend. They want to change the belief that players will be fined for their first (few) offense/s.
I'm curious to see how they define devastating, but otherwise I have no problem with the announcement.
I'm sure there will be plenty of players and fans who say this is turning football into 2-hand touch, but I have no problem with changing the rules to help improve player safety, now and for the long-term. The other impact is that these types of changes filter down to lower levels. People complain about the decline in tackling, but IMO the main reason is more and more players are going for the huge hit so they can be on a highlight reel.
12
mjd Leader
ID: 501381415 Tue, Oct 19, 2010, 15:46
One of the reasons that NFL players look to deliver kill shots to other players is that the fans and the media glorify it. For years we've watched Sports Center just to view these devastating hits every week during the football season.
Did you hear ESPN's Jon Gruden glorify Titans defensive coordinator, Chuck Cecil, last night. Cecil was regarded as a headhunter and a dirty player who made no apologies for his style. He was fined repeatedly for dirty play. I still recall the picture on the cover of SI 17 years ago with a snarling Cecil and a continuous stream of blood running down his nose with this question: Is Chuck Cecil too vicious for the NFL?
The responsibility to protect players doesn't apply only to the league. Those in position to influence the opinions and attitudes held by the fans and the media need to be careful not to glorify kill shots or the men who apply them.
Rarely does a player get recognized for being a good tackler. It's all about the big hits. Big hitters make the Pro Bowl and sign the big dollar contracts.
13
judy Leader
ID: 7771722 Tue, Oct 19, 2010, 21:59
Have you noticed that the "Jacked up" section on MNF has been replaced with "C'mon, Man"?
It was done to begin this season...
14
Great One
ID: 367493122 Tue, Oct 19, 2010, 22:34
I think that was last season too, I don't remember jacked up last year and I know C'mon Man was around last year too... so think it was last year.
Did you see the transcript of his interview where he will retire if the NFL is going to suspend him for the type of hit he put on Mass?
17
judy Leader
ID: 7771722 Thu, Oct 21, 2010, 11:20
Sorry Harrison. Put your money where your mouth is and go retire --sayonara.
There is no denying that you are fond of your helmet to helmet hits and plays where you "jack up" a player. If you can't play the game safely, there is no room for you in the game. Get a life -- rather than threaten to end one by your play. Spearing was outlawed years ago. Your statements on Sunday that you wish to cause hurt but not injury do not jive. If your goal is to hurt someone, your goal is to injure them and there is no place in any game -- even football -- for that.
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