Well, actually my thoughts are the same as yours.........
what's next?..

 

...in other news today the NFL has added another "F" to its name, becoming the National Flag Football League.

 

I'm seeing a whole lot of complaints about softening up the game by people not actually playing special teams in professional football.

 

i think it has alot to do with the nfl and protecting its butt from lawsuits in the future.

 

We have people here who have played HS, college, and other levels of football so their opinions would surely be valuable. However, opinions can go either way and I'm sure this won't be the last rule made to protect the players. I just wished Danny played in this day and age.

 

so how are teams supposed to get onside kicks? spread everyone out and then pick which of your guys you want to get slaughtered?

and no wedge? wtf? whats wrong with having a convoy? these changes are just dumb.

 

sounds to me like theyre minimizing the impact of ST.

 

No, I think what he is saying is that the rule is justified because we don't want to see any more Everette incidences. There was another similar neck injury last year on special teams with a player trying to break through the wedge.

In the event that it does happen, we have a dedicated thread here wishing any injured player well, and a recovery of any sorts, and hopefully no paralysis. And each thread has hundreds of posts. We care for their safety, why shouldn't the NFL?

So, why not avoid such injuries if possible? Plus, guess what happens to a special teams player that tries to avoid the wedge because he is conscience of his well being? Yup, he ends up playing arena football or in the CFL.

If, in your opinion, you don't mind players risking their ability to walk, something you take for granted every day, then hey, that is your prerogative.

 

in all of sports, there is no more barbaric play than kick-offs. its worse than boxing, mma, you name it. its where almost ALL paralysis and neck injuries occur. downs 1-4, leave the game alone, but it wouldn't shock me if they did something about kick-offs.

 

no, i think all he was saying is exactly what Seth was saying, kick offs are brutal, to brutal, and something needed to be done.

glad thier trying :up:

 

That's the cynical view. Another view might be that the NFL actually wants to protect the players.

 

No, that's not what I'm saying, and I don't see how you can suggest that. Trying to suggest I don't think we should discuss ANYTHING here is ridiculous.

I'm saying that because you don't play pro football, you've got no grounding to allude to the toughness of the game changing, or if this is a justified rule or not.
You've got A). No physical experience in terms of doing it yourself, and B). No actual data on whether or not there is a safety issue on the rule.

 

it used to be football to play in leather helmets to....
it used to be baseball to not wear helmets to....

 

Fair enough and I never meant to insinuate that you don't care about their safety. Also didn't notice you were or are still in the service. You know the risks, and take them, and so do the players.

But, I'm sure if you could've avoided an unnecessary firefight, you did, for the safety of your company.

I think that is all that the NFL is trying to do. The thing is, in your line of work, and in the scope of this new rule (special team wedges), injuries suffered are usually severe. There are rarely any minor injuries, always concussions, or worse, neck injuries.

I think they are protecting the players' heads with all the new rules, and I can't say that I oppose them. As the players get stronger and faster, the game becomes faster, the hits more fierce. I am disappointed to a certain degree, we all like to see the hits, no denying. That's why I watch the first 20 laps of a NASCAR race, the crashes. We're only human.

However, let me apologize in advance if I’ve offended you, I didn't mean to do so.

 

pro boxing is on the verge of extinction, and the way its been the past 10 years...good riddance.

 

Thank you for fighting for me and my family. It does not go unappreciated. When we press our palms together at night, you and your brothers in arms are and will forever be in our prayers.

Also, I wholeheartedly agree with you. My first thought after reading this thread was, "This is the business we've chosen." The modern day gladiators on the gridiron have been given a gift. That gift comes with substantial risk as well as reward. I would trade places in a heartbeat with any of those men obliterating wedges without concern or consideration for their bodies if given the opportunity to make my living at a game I've cherished since before I could walk.

No one, not even the most hated of rivals, wants to see another man injured out there. How safe can we ever be in life, though? I might perish tomorrow in an automobile accident, seatbelt and all, never knowing the thrill of a stadium trembling and crowd roaring as I emerge from an NFL tunnel.

 

not really, i bet when they first said they were going to use plastic helmets people were sittin on their porch talking about how wimpy the new players were and how back in their day they didnt even play with helmets.

also, i love boxing and MMA. but theres a difference. your not running full speed try to bust through a wall of MFers running full speed as well.

 

Sure, it can be argued either way. It's just one way is wrong.

Lumping in safety decisions made based on medical information with personnel interactions, etc. is not a valid argument. The football arguments presented on this board are based on a degree of information and empiricism that we don't have for whether or not wedges are safe or not, and frankly, there's a huge degree more importance than one with the other. If I'm making an opinion on something football related, I can back that up. Barring you being a consulted doctor, you do not have any grounds whatsoever to consider this valid or invalid, and you doing so is basically empty posturing.

 

yeah, I found it rather tacky for him to call you out saying you take for granted your ability to walk when you're obviously a soldier and have put yourself in far more danger than anyone has ever been in on a kickoff return to protect this country and preserve freedom, something he, I, everyone takes for granted on a daily basis. That's just bush league.

 

The reason the NFL put in the '7 offensive players on the line of scrimmage' rule a long, long time ago was to stop offenses from running 'wedge' or 'mass' formations. Those formations were absolutely brutal back in the day. Players actually died running them, and trying to stop them.

Seriously.

The fact is, that if teams form a 'wedge' on kick returns... and all teams do... then the coverage unit has to have a guy fly into it full-force to try and bust it. It is not safe. AT ALL.

Another thing... every time the NFL tries to change a rule, there are going to be those who don't like it. Just like last season when they changed the 'force-out' rule. I remember several people... on this very site... talking about how the 'highlight sideline play was a thing of the past', and how 'receivers will get their heads knocked off now'.

You know what? Neither happened.

So, whatever someone has to say about the NFL trying to stop 'wedge-busters' from having to run full-force into one or more 300-pound guys just so their teammates can get a shot at tackling the ball carrier... well, quite honestly, I take it with a grain of salt.

They still block, they still tackle, they still score TDs. It's still football.

 

I think anytime the NFL makes rule changes like the ones being discussed, they are putting an emphasis on player safety, as well they should IMO. What hasn't been suggested yet (that I have seen), and I have not read this anywhere else, but you gotta wonder what part, if any, the players and/or the union might've had in getting the NFL to incorporate any/all of these new rules? I mean, think about it.

As for the rule changes, two of them have to do with blows to the head. If anyone has a problem with that, I just don't get it. Not in this day and age with all the knowledge of concussions and head traumas (that were not as well understood years ago).

The thing you gotta keep in mind is players are bigger, stronger, and faster today. The game has to be adjusted to allow for that. Someone mentioned leather helmets. Can you imagine players today playing with leather helmets (and no facemasks)?!

As long as they don't destroy the integrity of the game, and the emphasis is on better protecting the players, then I am all for it.

 

It's a myth that safety decisions are made on better info. Reality is that they saw an injury and they talked about ways to prevent future ones. You or anybody else can talk about whether or not you agree with the choices they made.

 

Well said, I half think the people crying about the NFL getting "soft" dont know what they are talking about.

In this day and age when players cost so damn much to sign and keep, and with the size and power of players constantly increasing, not focusing on player safety as the league is doing would be entirely counter productive and detrimental.

 

Just speaking for myself, here.
I'll believe you....
If you can explain the connection between the new rules that limit contact and boats.:up:

 

Well for one, have you ever seen Ferrys in the water? They honk, flash their lights and make each other very aware of where they are, so as to not run into one another while sharing the water ways.

There are also local laws that prohibit them from lining up at the dock in a wedge formation, which is just really odd when you think about it...

 

so there goes the 3 phases of the game saying.

now it's pretty much play offense and defense...

 

:sidelol:
I wish we had a smiley for "Now That Was A Stretch!".....
but we don't, so instead - :surrender:
Ya got me, bro.

 

the NFFL has revealed its new logo