DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum NFL expands helmet-hit rule, working on targeting rule

All good brother.

I could have been more clear when addressing your post.

I agree 100% on the replay issue as well. Trying to judge "real life" at 300 frames-per-second is a large part of the problem.

j/c

I don't think "big hits" are the issue. With the speed of the game those are a given. They simply can't be avoided. The real issue here is helmet to helmet hits. With the speed of the game I don't see how helmet to helmet hits can be eliminated. However, with proper tackling techniques than can most surely be reduced by a great degree.

My reasoning for saying I don't think helmet to helmet hits can be eliminated is a pretty simple one. A tackler can not predict the angle a runner or WR will be in when they initiate the tackle. When a RB or WR has to lay themselves out to catch a football, there's no way a tackler can predict exactly at what position there body will be in.

As I said, they can be greatly reduced with proper tackling technique. But to me the NFL is simply trying to find a boogeyman to blame something on that can't be avoided. I mean it's great PR and gives the impression that they're trying to eliminate the problem. But if you look at the current rules, there's already rules in place to address it.

They just want to make sure the public views their moves in a good light and avoid further litigation. It's a SYA move.

Yes completely idiotic, and you should never be allowed to coach anyone.

Just because someone is better informed than you, that does not mean he is a wuss...

Head injuries and concussions are a serious problem, and not to be used for the enjoyment of some primates who have sexual identification issues to solve.

Maybe you should give up watching football and switch to golf?

Or maybe you and Eo should make a field trip to a head trauma unit, or to a mental health clinic, and see yourselves about the severity of the problem, before you say something about the issue.

You can talk about that all you like and it certainly is a problem. However, in a violent sport such as this, you're not going to eliminate head trauma. That's not going to happen.

When bodies are flying around at these speeds and the objective is to stop your opponents in their tracks, head trauma is a part of it. My suggestion is that if you find that so offensive maybe football isn't for you. Because it's gonna happen.

I refute that idea, mainly because of people like you and Eo and the need to prove your toughness by hitting others and taking hits.

The extend of this problem is much higher than it would have to be. Yes there will always be concussion problems, but there will be much less if you have a sport and not a butcher/gladiator culture.

First responsibility of a coach and a leader is towards the emotional and physical health and integrity of the people they are leading.

Proper tackling does not involve hitting, quite the contrary. What you see on the fields of play is many times the complete disrespect of the cardinal rule stated above, and this is promoted by coaches, for the sake of the toughness and punishment which is the prevalent mentality of the sport.

Apart from a brief period, I never played football, but I played Rugby for a large period of my life,I still have problems from some hits, and have fellow players that have been crippled, not because of the game, but because someone, many times themselves, didn't respect the game.

From my brief contact with football, let me just say that there is a lot to be done in the sport, and most of the work is about education. The way I saw coaches behave,and still see them in games, would be completely unacceptable in Rugby for example, or even in boxing.

The returning game for example,is something barbaric,even the terminology of the plays and positions. Nothing justifies the enjoyment of watching someone risking being crippled for life.

This is something which is very dear to me and a cause that I embraced long time ago.

It's not that I dismiss your points or your passion. But when bodies are flying around at all angles, it's going to be a persistent problem. It just is.

I do agree that you can be more aggressive at making calls against players leading with the helmet. But concussions are gong to be a big issue in the sport of football. And say what you will the culture of young players being aggressive and violent simply won't change.

When people are young, for the most part, they feel a certain invincibility. Until there's some evolutionary change to humans to correct that, things aren't going to change as much as you would like them to.

You forget that tackling does not involve hitting, the fundamentals is not to oppose a force with a greater one, that is hitting not tackling.

Another problem in football is that most of the player who hit, don't take hits...You see coaches on the sidelines hyping players with this punishment mentality, getting them ready for the kill...

Speed of the game only reveals the fundamentals, the muscle memory and the repetitions you make. Believe me, you don't go head first, not from instincts nor from good coaching. Arm tackles, I can concede its instinctive and a sign that the player hasn't been paying much attention nor working on his tackling, but when you see a player driving with his head you know what was on his mind, and its not a good thing. Bulls and goats go head first not humans, we use the shoulder and hands.

I don't say you can eradicate the problem, but you can minimize it with education, making people enjoy and appreciate good tackling and dismiss plays where the player throws his body around.

Most of the times the DB's don't have to hit to make a play. If the QB lets the WR hang out to dry, you tackle him and that's it, no need to try to cripple him, injure him, taking out of the game. But what you see is fans and the commentators blaming the QB for the play...

Same thing on QB hits and blitzes... you hit the guy to rattle him, they say... QB's have to be prepared to take the hit and make the play, all good with that, but by hit you should mean tackle, not drilled, hit on the knees or the head. The Other guy wraps you and tackles and makes the play, that should be the primary intention, not hurt the QB, take him out of the game.

When you tackle someone which does not have the fleet planted, specially when he is on the air, you are responsible for that guys integrity and health. If he gets hurt its on you, that should be the message from the DB coach,not drill the guy and take him out of the game.

What is more interesting is that the fundamentals go against what you see in many players, namely from DB's... proper respect for the game and sound tackling and NE would be SB champions.

do away with football helmet.... problem solved...

Well let's see how that works out for you.