League May Start Suspending Players For Illegal Hits

[Jistic]

Quote: Originally Posted by Milbut

I would challenge anybody to go run a route across the middle in the NFL with the rules the way they stand today and tell me it's not just ridiculous.

I challenge anyone to run a route across the middle in the NFL the way the rules were. Especially when clothes lining was legal.

[CM Hooe]

I thought the James Harrison hits were out-of-line and those kind of hits should result in suspension, but I'm not so sure about the hits that Desean Jackson and Todd Heap took. Those seem more incidental and less calculated.

Suspensions ultimately will cut down on these hits, and I understand looking out for the health of the players, but football is a violent sport; I don't think these hits will ever be fully removed from football, short of banning tackling.

[Fiasco West]

What makes me angry is that Harrison's hit is supported by one of his teammates.

I don't care if it was cool in the 70s, Who cares? I mean smoking was cool back in the days too, so that means nothing is wrong with doing it now.

If you are a Steelers fan you should not want Harrison to hit like this. There is a chance he ends up hurting himself as much as he hurts another player.

[p_rushing]

Quote: Originally Posted by Milbut

Can you explain Harrison's reaction after realizing he just drilled the guy in the head? That's what's wrong with hits like that.

Yeah he shouldn't be glad he just knocked someone out, but it he also shouldn't feel bad about it.

[kingkilla56]

Quote: Originally Posted by Fiasco West

What makes me angry is that Harrison's hit is supported by one of his teammates. I don't care if it was cool in the 70s, Who cares? I mean smoking was cool back in the days too, so that means nothing is wrong with doing it now. If you are a Steelers fan you should not want Harrison to hit like this. There is a chance he ends up hurting himself as much as he hurts another player.

Harrison easily became my most hated player in the league yesterday. The guy doesn't care what happens to the guy he just murdered on the field. As long as he gets up and walks away all macho hes a badass linebacker in his eyes but he's nothing but a bum. Dunta Robinson won't be trying that garbage anytime soon. Guys defending these hits are ridiculous.

[Cryolemon]

If they do start ejecting and suspending more players it might help a little. Obviously there will probably always be some dirty players whatever the sanctions.

[JBH3]

Quote: Originally Posted by metallicatz

Freeze that first Harrison vid at :57 and you clearly see the Browns player's head on Harrison's shoulder, not his helmet. Unfortunate that it resulted in injury, but it was clean. The Browns player was low and his head was the forward-most point on his body. No matter how you slice it he would've taken a shot to the head on that play regardless of the tackle. The 2nd vid was helmet to helmet on Cribbs. While I can agree with doing everything possible to get rid of the helmet to helmet shots....it's amusing to me that because a rule change is put into effect that all of the sudden hits that were legal (and even encouraged) for decades are now called "cheap shots" or "dirty" by certain people. The Cribbs hit was against the new rules......but for decades Harrison would've been applauded for that hit and his comments after the game. And for all Dungy's new-found piety....he would've been right there patting Harrison on the back in the 70's for that shot.

The rules are to protect the player, but even moreso the NFL. Those guys of yester year didn't have a strong union, and the NFL "Business" was not built up. The NFLs health insurance/healthcare costs are going to be consistently rising once these current guys leave, and start filing claims. To get rules in place now, that protect both player and NFL, and weed out the guys who like to lead w/ their helmet no matter what, is the direction we're headed in.

[Amoo316]

Personally I would be all for a rule that read something like:

If you lead with your helemt, regardless of intent, and hit another player in the head, 1 game suspension without pay for first offense...etc

If you don't lead with your helmet, but hit another player in the head, that the NFL feels was an avoidable hit, 1 game suspension without pay for first offense...etc.

1 game - 4 games - Season - Career