The NFL's head-high contact/"dangerous hits" rule.

Guru Posts: 1123 Age: 23 Location: Melbourne

I for one believe that this knee-jerk reaction will hurt the product.

Perhaps the best analysis of the issue came from Trent Dilfer on BSPN. He said that there'll be a decrease in concussions for offensive players, but the strike-zone for defensive players will be lowered. And the result of that will be: more career-ending leg injuries for offensive players and more concussions for defenders.

Ultimately, the NFL could very well be making the game more dangerous. Punish players for teeing off on defenseless opponents, that's fine. But ultimately, they need to let players play. As the saying goes... the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

EDIT: James Harrison, per Yahoo Sports and nfl.com, is considering retirement after copping a $75,000 fine for his hit on Masaquoi this weekend. He's a damn good player, and it'd be a shame to see him bow out due to some bureaucratic bullshit.

Guru Posts: 5885 Age: 22 Location: Eagle Farm Racecourse

agreed on everything...don't change the game when there isn't a problem, the game has been played this way for a long time...just some players are tougher than others.

Guru Posts: 6040 Age: 19 Location: Fortress Emirates

I think they are doing the right thing.
While it may be seen as making the game softer or something, it would only take one player to get serious injury for people to complain that nothing was done. They need to do all they can to make things safer for the players.

I couldn't bear to watch another Eagle go down the way DeSean did.....

Guru Posts: 7357 Age: 21 Location: Canberra

i reckon it is the most stupid fucking ruling yet. ITS A CONTACT, i say again CONTACT SPORT!!!

they just need to harden the F*** up and get over it. Harrison is an amazing player and i think he just said that he would consider retirement just to shake up the system a bit. Imagine the outrage at the NFL if the defensive player of the year from a couple years back retires early because the league has become too soft.

compare this to league. Dallas Johnson got knocked out in the first minutes of origin one year and came back and played in the second half. If he was in the NFL he would have been out for nearly two weeks.

Guru Posts: 6040 Age: 19 Location: Fortress Emirates

DB wrote:

i reckon it is the most stupid fucking ruling yet. ITS A CONTACT, i say again CONTACT SPORT!!!

Maybe so, but most other sports like rugby league and union have their limits. such as sending offs for OTT tackles.

DB wrote:

they just need to harden the F*** up and get over it. Harrison is an amazing player and i think he just said that he would consider retirement just to shake up the system a bit. Imagine the outrage at the NFL if the defensive player of the year from a couple years back retires early because the league has become too soft.

What happens if a player gets serious brain injury from a few big hits he gets over his career? The NFL would get sued for a shitload and the sport would be a lot worse off than what they are doing now. It may seem stupid now but if it keeps people out of serious danger, it's the right thing to do.

Guru Posts: 1123 Age: 23 Location: Melbourne

@philly: The NFLPA's already negotiating to improve the slush fund which would contribute to health services for former players. There wouldn't be any need to file lawsuits.

Dansby has voiced opposition also. You can expect to see more players stand up and speak out against this nonsense. Not that the idiots in NFL HQ will give a toss.

Guru Posts: 7357 Age: 21 Location: Canberra

philly wrote:

What happens if a player gets serious brain injury from a few big hits he gets over his career? The NFL would get sued for a shitload and the sport would be a lot worse off than what they are doing now. It may seem stupid now but if it keeps people out of serious danger, it's the right thing to do.

your joking right? these players are getting paid to play the sport. they can walk away at any time if they felt like they were in serious danger.

For mine its a bullshit ruling and those fines were ridiculous. no player is going in just with the helmet on purpose and this is just the NFL interrupting the season with a stupid ruling.

75k hit on harrison for what was a great hit imo not illegal.

Legend Posts: 10316 Age: 22 Location: Brisssyyyyyy

Im on the fence on the issue but kinda leaning towards the 'leave it as it is' side haha.
I can see why they brought it in but it was obviously just a knee jerk reaction to what happened on Sunday with 3 or 4 of them. Whilst its unfotunate that concussions were suffered it was plainly obvious (to me anyway) that none of the hits were intentional.

If that makes any sense? Laughing

Moderator Posts: 11350 Age: 21 Location: Seeing Sounds.

philly wrote:

I think they are doing the right thing.
While it may be seen as making the game softer or something, it would only take one player to get serious injury for people to complain that nothing was done. They need to do all they can to make things safer for the players.

I couldn't bear to watch another Eagle go down the way DeSean did.....

There has been many cases of ex-NFL dieing from sudden injuries caused while play in the NFL. It's all part and parcel of playing the game. The players know the risks when going onto the field.

Guru Posts: 7555 Age: 21 Location: A land down under

I think a college player broke his neck and is paralized from one of these hits

Moderator Posts: 11350 Age: 21 Location: Seeing Sounds.

neil21 wrote:

I think a college player broke his neck and is paralized from one of these hits

You got a link for this mate?

As soon as I hear College Football, I'm interested.

Guru Posts: 1123 Age: 23 Location: Melbourne

Pretty sure it was a Rutgers linebacker.

Guru Posts: 7357 Age: 21 Location: Canberra

neil21 wrote:

I think a college player broke his neck and is paralized from one of these hits

that happened in friday night lights Razz

Guru Posts: 7357 Age: 21 Location: Canberra

Quote:

PITTSBURGH -- Steelers linebacker James Harrison's hard hits on the field keep getting matched by the NFL's hits to his paycheck.

Harrison was fined $20,000 on Thursday for a late hit on Saints quarterback Drew Brees, the third time he has been fined this season for a dangerous tackle

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d81bdb571/article/steelers-harrison-fined-20k-for-hit-on-saints-qb-brees?module=HP_headlines

this is getting beyond a joke. Fair enough that it was a penalty of unnecessary roughness but to fine him $20,000 as well is an absolute joke!!!! The game of gridiron is not meant to be a little pansy fucking game. it always has been about the amazing plays and the BIG HITS. Now Goodell is just making the league in to a touch football league which is freaking hopeless!

Guru Posts: 6040 Age: 19 Location: Fortress Emirates

Looking at that hit.... it's ridiculous he even got a penalty. That was just a good hit, wasn't helmet-on-helmet contact.

Guru Posts: 7357 Age: 21 Location: Canberra

philly wrote:

Looking at that hit.... it's ridiculous he even got a penalty. That was just a good hit, wasn't helmet-on-helmet contact.

the one in the video isnt the hit they are talking about lol nfl.com stuffed that one

it was just plain and simple the late hit that was on brees. he didnt try and hide and took the blame on the field.

im starting to think goodell just has a thing for him to be honest.

Guru Posts: 3472 Age: 21 Location: Sunshine Coast

Sorry but im not too big of a fan of nfl, but dont they have a suspension. Surely it would go small fine then suspension then suspendion plus fine, not just a huge fine.

Guru Posts: 6040 Age: 19 Location: Fortress Emirates

Damo wrote:

Sorry but im not too big of a fan of nfl, but dont they have a suspension. Surely it would go small fine then suspension then suspendion plus fine, not just a huge fine.

Player only get suspended for two reasons.
1. Drug use or 2. Illegal tackles (eg. Horse-collar tackle). It would be far too hard to enforce a suspension on tackles because just about every tackle could end up in a suspension.