With the NFL Draft looming in a week I have been listening to the goings on in and around pro football. This past week there have been discussions of a future in football without kickoffs for player safety.
No Kickoffs!
Are you kidding me!?!
It was bad enough they moved the kickoff closer last year where kickers were booming them right out of the end zone. They propose just setting the ball at the 20 and lets play ball. Bears fans everywhere were P.O.'d before as the league negated one of the most devastating weapons in league history in Devin Hester. Now imagine sending one of the most exciting plays in football to the trash. I know this isn't being implemented but having it brought up is alarming.
The game I love is really taking football out of football. This has been happening for sometime now. The league has taken the stance of "player safety" and just gone way too far. I have seen more yellow hankies thrown the past few years than ever. God forbid you get to close to a quarterback and invade his personal space. This even goes for when I am watching the teams I root for and can't believe a flag was thrown. They must be more fragile than a China Doll.
We all know this is a quarterbacks league and I understand wanting to protect players. You don't want to let defenses just sandblast QB's and put them in the infirmary but you have to let them play instinctual. When a player is a step away from the quarterback and his momentum hits the quarterback let it go. Unless he goes for the head blatantly it should never be a penalty.
Fans don't want to turn what has been a great product like the National Football League and turn it into the No Fun League. We all watch this game because it is violent. It is what brings us back each and every Sunday. Players are going to get hurt regardless of what the league tries to implement. Heck kicker Bill Gramatica got hurt celebrating a made field goal by jumping up and down and blew out his knee. You can't get anymore non contact than that.
It just goes to show players get hurt. We all want players to be safe and the technology is outstanding in this regard. The helmets are better, shoulder pads are better, and the leg pads are better. This coupled with the fantastic scientific breakthroughs in rehab is phenomenal. Players get hurt, rehab, and come back for more!
The idea is to TACKLE players.
Not TWO HAND TOUCH them.
Lets keep it that way!
What about the strategic on sides kick. It changes the game. We have been a barberic society since the begining of times. So why change football because we have premadonna's?
ReplyDeleteThis is a very valid point. Example: The New Orleans Saints opened the second half of their Super Bowl victory with an onsides kick. It changed the momentum of the game and shocked the Colts. It is a very important and strategic part of the game and needs to stay.
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