Does anyone else struggle to like what has become of the NFL?

[Lex L.]

I know that. But the point you made was because popularity has been increasing since the 70s, then it's okay to not better protect players? That's how I read it. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Youre wrong...kind of. If Kyle Orton would have been injured on that hit by Pollard the way Brady was, there's probably not a rule change. Lets just be honest about it. I dont really have a problem protecting "players" but I do have a problem protecting "certain players" and overreacting when one of them gets hurt.

And then if youre going to make rule changes to protect players, you need to rescind another rule change that was previously made to help passing. Like if youre going to go over board protecting the QB, then let the CB make more contact. Relax the rules or how theyre interpreted where pass interference is concerned.

It gets old listening to talkign heads yammer away about how Peyton Manning is completing 80% of his passes without calling it what it is.

Going by that logic, should the NFL not address player concussions or make advancements in equipment because the ratings and TV deals will remain sky high regardless of who gets hurt?

I actually think they need to go further when it comes to protecting players. For one, they really need to crack down on late hits after the whistle. In recent years, it seems like the prevailing sentiment is that because guys are going hard until the whistle, its OK if there are some late hits. They need to clean this up. But this doesnt really involve QBs so it doesnt matter. Also, I dont really have a problem with trying to do something about headhunting. I dont agree with the steps that they took to do it, but there was too much headhunting going on.

But the only rule changes haven't been done to only help QB. QBs don't need extra promoting, like I said before, they are the golden boys. That's the marquee position in all of sports. The QB. It doesn't need promoting. You can throw all rules out the window tomorrow and the QBs will still be the most popular.

Youre wrong here. In spite of them being "the golden boys" theyve been enormously helped by rules changes. Again, Im more annoyed by the end results of the rules changes and why they make the rules changes.

But back to my point about rules. After T.O. got hurt they made a rule to penalize the horsecollar tackle. So everything hasn't been done to protect the QBs only.

Ive more or less addressed this.

 

[DMelt36]

I agree with what some of the OP said, which is my I'm so pumped about the fact that they awarded a Super Bowl to a cold-weather city.

Let all those rich pricks shiver in the cold one time.

 

[bossdrb]

I personally like the old-school, gritty, hard hitting action, but every sport is evolving into the pansie form.

 

[FedEx227]

Pansie form where the NFL doesn't have to dole out millions of dollars in pension funds to their drooling, brain dead old players.

But as long as we're entertained WHO CARES right?!!?

 

[Rush]

But as long as we're entertained WHO CARES right?!!?

That's the american attitude!

 

[FedEx227]

I liked wen dey didn't have no protection and dey all got da dementia!

 

[Rush]

To an extent that is true, throwing flags on guys whose arm clips a QB's leg and they act for a penalty is ridiculous. Ever since Brady tore his ACL, a gust of wind can knock a QB down for 15 yards.

I am all for keeping the game how it is while keeping the players safe. But some stuff is nuts.

 

[CODE_BLUE56]

To an extent that is true, throwing flags on guys whose arm clips a QB's leg and they act for a penalty is ridiculous. Ever since Brady tore his ACL, a gust of wind can knock a QB down for 15 yards.

I am all for keeping the game how it is while keeping the players safe. But some stuff is nuts.

conjecture:tom brady sucks

nah i see what you mean...i just wanted to say that because tom brady is overrated as hell and BB and his system were the reason brady won 3 SBs

brady is barely a top 5 QB

and his wife isnt that hot either

 

[TopekaRoy]

I think it's funny that 20 yr olds are weighing in on how today's football compares to "old school" football. They think that anything that happened before the year 2000 is "ancient history" lol. I remember watching Dick Butkus play. He retired when I was 12. I have vague foggy memories of watching Gayle Sayers play (whose career ended when I was 8), but mostly all I remember about him is my dad saying "He used to be really good before he got hurt."

I really don't know how you can be a part of this discussion, if you never saw the games in the 60's, 70's or even the 80's. If all you have to go on for your knowledge of "old school" football is YouTube clips, and what you've read on the internet you don't really know what the games were like.

Even so, I find it interesting that even most of the "youngins" are saying the game has gotten too soft. That says a lot.

I understand the need for these rules. The rules are necessary. When William 'Refrigerator' Perry joined the Bears, he was considered huge at just over 300 lbs. Now most linemen are around his size.

I think the rules protecting the QBs are a good thing. I don't want to see people get hurt. But I also think there are too many penalties called for late hits that aren't really "late" and for incidental contact.

Even though I see the need for the new rules, and I love today's game just as much, I still miss "old school" football.

 

[DMelt36]

I think it's funny that 20 yr olds are weighing in on how today's football compares to "old school" football. They think that anything that happened before the year 2000 is "ancient history" lol. I remember watching Dick Butkus play. He retired when I was 12. I have vague foggy memories of watching Gayle Sayers play (whose career ended when I was 8), but mostly all I remember about him is my dad saying "He used to be really good before he got hurt."

I really don't know how you can be a part of this discussion, if you never saw the games in the 60's, 70's or even the 80's. If all you have to go on for your knowledge of "old school" football is YouTube clips, and what you've read on the internet you don't really know what the games were like.

Even so, I find it interesting that even most of the "youngins" are saying the game has gotten too soft. That says a lot.

I understand the need for these rules. The rules are necessary. When William 'Refrigerator' Perry joined the Bears, he was considered huge at just over 300 lbs. Now most linemen are around his size.

I think the rules protecting the QBs are a good thing. I don't want to see people get hurt. But I also think there are too many penalties called for late hits that aren't really "late" and for incidental contact.

Even though I see the need for the new rules, and I love today's game just as much, I still miss "old school" football.

I'm with you that it's hard for many of us younger guys to fully comprehend the true "old school" football because we weren't around for it. I'm only 23, so I can only talk about things I've read (in books, not on the Internet) and seen on old NFL Films footage.

And I see a game that was vicious and mean and everything you'd expect with the "old school" tag.

But I will argue that athletes today are tons bigger, faster, and stronger. They hit with way more force than guys in the past simply because they bring more mass to the equation. I don't think it's all the rule changes that protect players today from a lifetime of physical/mental disability, I think it has to do more with the evolution of medical technology.

Still, I love the older style of football. I hate that the NFL is predominantly a passing league now, because there is nothing more beautiful to me in football than a well-executed run play.

I don't think the game has gotten "soft" though, unlike many people. I still see players getting destroyed on a rather consistent basis. The rules may protect players more than they used to, but the game is nowhere near soft yet.

 

[Gustavus Adolphus]

That rule needs to be changed to reckless touching of the helmet or intent to seriously injure or however they want to word it.

Define reckless.

 

[X]

Define reckless.

Maybe "intentionally" to the ref's discretion works better.

 

[Gustavus Adolphus]

Maybe "intentionally" to the ref's discretion works better.

So Ed Hochuli calls it one way, while Bernie Kukor calls it another way?

 

[X]

So Ed Hochuli calls it one way, while Bernie Kukor calls it another way?

eseentially, yes. And it's always going to be that way. The human element will never be totally taken out.

Look, more trainings with the refs on issue will be sufficient. In all honesty, I have no problem with how it's been called either of the last two seasons, even though it's been called two different ways. Keep your hands off hats, and no worries.

 

[Gustavus Adolphus]

eseentially, yes. And it's always going to be that way. The human element will never be totally taken out.

Look, more trainings with the refs on issue will be sufficient. In all honesty, I have no problem with how it's been called either of the last two seasons, even though it's been called two different ways. Keep your hands off hats, and no worries.

I'll buy that. I actually kind of agree with you in some way, especially the bolded part.

 

[blove]

Nope, I love the league as it is today. Competition is fierce, the athletes are monsters, and I am highly entertained whenever I watch a game.
I agree with some of your points (QB rating, for one, can be highly deceptive) but really, why are we all here, talking about football in the middle of the offseason? Because we can't get enough.
And QB protection rules: Concussions are very dangerous, and shouldn't be taken lightly, but I agree that accidentally brushing a helmet lightly is not going to cause serious injury.

 

[Lex L.]

So Ed Hochuli calls it one way, while Bernie Kukor calls it another way?

Dont pretend that its not that way now...and then as an added layer, its called differently when its Tom Brady vs. Alex Smith.

 

[Rush]

I am going to love the league regardless of instituting more safety measures. Football is still football.

 

[Lex L.]

eseentially, yes. And it's always going to be that way. The human element will never be totally taken out.

Look, more trainings with the refs on issue will be sufficient. In all honesty, I have no problem with how it's been called either of the last two seasons, even though it's been called two different ways. Keep your hands off hats, and no worries.

No, thats silly. They have a helmet on.

And then another rule thats ridiculous is the one that says even when youre making a legal tackle (in the sense that its not too late), you cant drive him into the ground. Their next rule is that if you sack a QB, you have to help him up.

Its pathetic.

 

[Lefty]

No, thats silly. They have a helmet on.

Really, this is your response? Do you have any idea how serious things like chronic traumatic encephalopathy are, especially with today's athletes being so much bigger, stronger and faster than they were even 30 years ago? Don't be a meatball.

And then another rule thats ridiculous is the one that says even when youre making a legal tackle (in the sense that its not too late), you cant drive him into the ground.

Yeah, protecting the league's offensive players (or whomever) from unnecessary injury is such a pussy thing to do. Get a clue.

Their next rule is that if you sack a QB, you have to help him up.

Seriously, you need to find another place to spew your meatballish crap if you can't see the reasoning behind protecting players (of all positions) from unnecessary hits (and thus, unnecessary injuries to multi-million dollar athletes that ARE the product the league profits so much from) at this point. Go read a book or something.