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View Full Version : MVN - NFL's hypocrisy is as brutal as the hits they are eliminating


HapHaszard
March-26th-2009, 01:37 PM
http://redskinshogheaven.com/2009/03/nfls-hypocricy-is-as-brutal-as-the-hits-they-are-eliminating.html

Imagine this scenario: last play of the Super Bowl, a linebacker comes off the edge, eyes on the quarterback, visions of the Lombardi Trophy in his hands under a shower of confetti, then he slips. He still has a chance to bring down the QB, so he does what he can, and lunges at his target. Sack, game over, a lifetime of hearing coaches and parents telling him " don't stop until you hear the whistle" validated.



But now, that defender, once on the ground, is out. His play is over, not when the whistle blows, but when he hits the ground. Why? The NFL tells us it's for his safety.



That's laughable. If the NFL truly cared about player safety, why would they be serious about extending the regular season by two more games? How does that enhance player safety?

Roger Goodell cites a lack of interest from fans in the preseason as a worthy reason to put the players at risk for 8 more, non-playoff quarters. However, the preseason is a necessary evil. If the plan goes through, then there will be two preseason games. Two games before the regular season starts, hardly enough time for coaching staffs to evalute talent, to find the hidden gems that seem to emerge every August. Rarely do the stars that the NFL wants to protect with their new "safety" rules, play more than a series or two in these exhibitions.



Throw two more games on in January though, and that's when the the limits of safety will be tested. Players already worn down from the previous 16 games, will have to forge into two more three hour tenderizing sessions. How will that turn out?



The playoffs will become more watered down than a holiday punch at a Mormon party. Unless you are one of the teams that earns a first round bye, you're most likely going to be marching into battle with a wounded, and exhausted sqaud. And for what? So the NFL can sell more adversting space, so the owners can sell more tickets and $10 Budweisers, for more green.

We should just call the NFL lawmakers the Wu Tang Clan, because they adhere to the philosophy of C.R.E.A.M. (Cash Rules Everything Around Me)



Going back to the preseason, nobody likes it. Who wants to see the Redskins without Clinton Portis and Santana Moss? Who wants to watch the Vikings without Adrian Peterson? Nobody. But is it not better to go without stars like that in the preseason, than in the playoffs? With the addition of more games, that's a very real possibility.



What is most ironic about these rule changes , and season extending talk is a player like Hines Ward. One day, it's very possible that he'll be inducted into the Hall of Fame. On that day, while they show his career highlight film on the projector screen, the majority of clips will be of Hines and his blindiside batterings. The same ones that the league just outlawed!

click on the link for the rest of the article

dreamshatterer
March-26th-2009, 02:01 PM
I believe the pre-season should go down to 3. With 2 weeks between that and the regular season. Coaches know by then who to keep and let go by the end of the 3rd game anyways. Also, any small injuries can have time to heal up so you have almost all teams at 100% at week 1. During that week in between is when the HOF inductions should be done.

As for the new safty rules.......STUPID!!!! They are taking instincts away from the game. Blows to the head, I understand that. But everything else, dumb.

SIXX99
March-26th-2009, 09:20 PM
The NFL is switching jock straps for laced pantys.

Vilandil Tasardur
March-26th-2009, 10:26 PM
I totally agree with the NFL putting to many restrictions in the name of safety, but I'm not sure how extending the season really relates to that. Sure, two more games means two more chances for players to get hurt, but that seems like a pretty far stretch to me. As long as the players receive two extra game checks and have their total salaries increased by that amount then I don't see why it's a big deal. Players put themselves at risk for X amount, as long as the X is increased who cares of the games are as well? Calling the NFL hypocrites in this case seems rather odd to me.

Symbol
March-27th-2009, 12:21 AM
I think that the 4 game preseason and 16 game regular season is perfect. No need to change anything. As for the NFL being hypocrites, they are. I remember watching the Broncos a few years back, can't remember who they were playing, but John Lynch ran to tackle a receiver who went down. The receiver got off his knees about the same time Lynch touched him to down him. The receiver continued on to score a touch down.

As Lynch argued, if he had nailed him for a tackle, he would have been flagged and fined for doing his job. The NFL wants the big hits, but they don't want the pretty boys getting hit. When T.O. broke his ankle because of Roy Williams horse collar, they made a rule against it, not because of the safety of the players, but because a star talent was injured. When a QB crosses the LoS, he's considered as a running back, yet he can slide feet first to avoid being hit. A running back does this, he's getting nailed.

The-Rock
March-27th-2009, 12:57 AM
Did the guy that injured Brady fall to the ground and barely tackle him by the leg? If so that is the sole reason this rule exists.

Symbol
March-27th-2009, 01:14 AM
Did the guy that injured Brady fall to the ground and barely tackle him by the leg? If so that is the sole reason this rule exists.

Again, star gets hurt, let's make a rule to cripple the defense. Defensive linemen have been getting injured for years because of chop blocks. Nothing like a 300+ pound man taking your knees out. The NFL won't change that because it's the defense getting hurt.

SirClintonPortis
March-27th-2009, 03:02 AM
Did the guy that injured Brady fall to the ground and barely tackle him by the leg? If so that is the sole reason this rule exists.
This highlight has the play in question.
http://www.nfl.com/videos?videoId=09000d5d80a98877

Old Bay
March-27th-2009, 08:20 AM
Did the guy that injured Brady fall to the ground and barely tackle him by the leg? If so that is the sole reason this rule exists.

I hate this particular new rule. And you just pinpointed the incident that triggered the effect.

kuraitengai
March-27th-2009, 11:02 AM
I totally agree with the NFL putting to many restrictions in the name of safety, but I'm not sure how extending the season really relates to that. Sure, two more games means two more chances for players to get hurt, but that seems like a pretty far stretch to me. As long as the players receive two extra game checks and have their total salaries increased by that amount then I don't see why it's a big deal. Players put themselves at risk for X amount, as long as the X is increased who cares of the games are as well? Calling the NFL hypocrites in this case seems rather odd to me.
except that they are already paid for 20 games. their salary is divided by 20 (4 preseason and 16 regular season games). so there would be no difference in anything by making it 2 preseason and 18 regular season. it would still be getting paid for 20 games. the only difference is that they would have to take 2 of those games more seriously than in the past and actually play more than a series or two.

MrJL
March-27th-2009, 11:29 AM
But now, that defender, once on the ground, is out. His play is over, not when the whistle blows, but when he hits the ground. Why? The NFL tells us it's for his safety.


He would be out of the play he's just have to get his ass off the ground before he made a tackle.

stickyshooZ
March-28th-2009, 02:10 PM
Thank you, Goodell, for slowly turning the NFL into a two hand touch league. Good job, guy.:doh:

CowboyzSuckAzz
March-31st-2009, 05:59 AM
If they shorten the pre-season by 2 games, they could easily extend the regular season without even making the season longer. The regular season could start in mid August instead of early September.

Simply add an intra-league rival game or games (ie. Washington v. Baltimore, San Fran v. Oakland, Dallas v. Houston, etc.). Teams that don't have that intra-league rival? Create one. There are 16 teams in each Conference with NFC & AFC teams in most places residing close enough to each other to create such a rivalry. In some cases, not so much, but those are details I'm sure could be worked out.

Eitherway, I really don't think it would be that hard or horrible to add 2 games to the regular season by simply dumping 2 pre-season games.

I said this in another thread just a few minutes ago. It seems to me like a lot of people get hurt in the pre-season anyway. Why not turn those last 2 pre-season games into regular season games? Who knows...maybe some of those injuries don't happen when those games are flipped because all the players are better prepared for regular games. Since football is now practically a year-round thing, preparing for 2 less pre-season games really wouldn't change much, theoretically. OTA's might be pushed up a little, but the preparation shouldn't change much.

Personally, I would love to see 18 regular season games every year.

HapHaszard
March-31st-2009, 07:27 AM
except that they are already paid for 20 games. their salary is divided by 20 (4 preseason and 16 regular season games). so there would be no difference in anything by making it 2 preseason and 18 regular season. it would still be getting paid for 20 games. the only difference is that they would have to take 2 of those games more seriously than in the past and actually play more than a series or two.

From what I have read, they only get a partial game payment for preseason, and adding games could raise their pay by 13%, anyone know for sure?