NFL-Suspensions for Helmet-to-Helmet Hits

[Bonnie]

What do you guys think? I think a suspension will have more of an impact than just a fine.

NFL Expected To Announce Suspensions For Helmet To Helmet Hits On Wednesday

1 day ago: Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison (92) hits Cleveland Browns wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi (11) after Massaquoi tried to catch a pass in the second quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2010, in Pittsburgh. Massaquoi did not catch the ball. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic) By Jeremy Mauss:

The NFL is expected to announce Wednesday that helmet-to-helmet hits will be punished by suspensions. This rule goes into effect immediately this Sunday.

Oct 18, 2010 - ESPN's Chris Mortensen is reporting that on Wednesday the NFL will make it official that any helmet-to-helmet or vicious hit will result in a suspension. This rule will go into effect starting this Sunday, and will be enforceable even for a first time offenders:

The NFL will announce by Wednesday that, effective this weekend, even first-time offenders face suspension for "devastating hits" and "head shots," according to Ray Anderson, the league's executive vice president of football operations.

"We can't and won't tolerate what we saw Sunday," Anderson said Monday. "We've got to get the message to players that these devastating hits and head shots will be met with a very necessary higher standard of accountability. We have to dispel the notion that you get one free pass in these egregious or flagrant shots."

Anderson added, "What we saw Sunday was disturbing," referring to a day that was marred by a number of violent hits, with concussions suffered by the Eagles' DeSean Jackson, Falcons' Dunta Robinson, Browns' Josh Cribbs and Mohamed Massaquoi and Redskins' Chris Cooley.

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[Bonnie]

I don't agree with Warren Sapp or Marshall Faulk who says, "...can't take away the entertainment aspect of it." And Warren, "...we sign up for this..." Yes, sometimes things happen with people running fast and tackling, but some of the hits in the video they show, especially Harrison, look pretty deliberate to me. The guy doing the illegal hit is taking a big chance on seriously injuring himself as well as his opponent.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-networ...-head-injuries

[J.B.]

This is very similar to the discussions that have been had recently in regards to safety in Mixed Martial Arts.

At what point are we watering down the booze too much?

I am all for fining and suspending players who intentionally try to injure players. That is dirty and completely unsportsmanlike and there is no place for that in the sport of football or even combat sports. The idea is to win in a fair and competitive match-up, but never to seriously injure an opponent.

However, it's also a fine line because not all of these types of hits are intentionally trying to injure a person, and the fact that guys tackle harder in this era is a natural byproduct of what the NFL has turned into the most popular sport in America. Winning is big business. Winning sells tickets, and if you don't sell tickets, your games get blacked out. Then if your games get blacked out, nobody watches you on Sunday, or buys your merchandise, or cares about your crappy 2-14 team. So how do you win? By creating turnovers when you take a guy who is 6'4 250 pounds and have his SMASH into the guy carrying the ball at full speed so he can knock the ball loose. It's called football.

I also found it weird that in all the talk about this on the radio today, nobody was talking about what happened to Eric Legrand from Rutgers on Saturday. He was making a tackle on a kickoff return and put his head down, and now he is paralyzed from the neck down. Here is the video, and I don't say this to be mean, but notice how when he hits the ground you can see his body seize up like when Tank Abbott knocked out John Matua. These are dangerous sports. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BbNe5Kv56k

[Bonnie]

Originally Posted by J.B.

This is very similar to the discussions that have been had recently in regards to safety in Mixed Martial Arts.

At what point are we watering down the booze too much?

I am all for fining and suspending players who intentionally try to injure players. That is dirty and completely unsportsmanlike and there is no place for that in the sport of football or even combat sports. The idea is to win in a fair and competitive match-up, but never to seriously injure an opponent.

However, it's also a fine line because not all of these types of hits are intentionally trying to injure a person, and the fact that guys tackle harder in this era is a natural byproduct of what the NFL has turned into the most popular sport in America. Winning is big business. Winning sells tickets, and if you don't sell tickets, your games get blacked out. Then if your games get blacked out, nobody watches you on Sunday, or buys your merchandise, or cares about your crappy 2-14 team. So how do you win? By creating turnovers when you take a guy who is 6'4 250 pounds and have his SMASH into the guy carrying the ball at full speed so he can knock the ball loose. It's called football.

I also found it weird that in all the talk about this on the radio today, nobody was talking about what happened to Eric Legrand from Rutgers on Saturday. He was making a tackle on a kickoff return and put his head down, and now he is paralyzed from the neck down. Here is the video, and I don't say this to be mean, but notice how when he hits the ground you can see his body seize up like when Tank Abbott knocked out John Matua. These are dangerous sports. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BbNe5Kv56k

His head was down but it looked like maybe he was going in with his shoulder also. I saw that this morning when they were talking about how violent this Sunday was in football. That's just terrible! I was hoping maybe his paralysis was temporary?

I know it's football and it's hardhitting, but that Harrison and some of the other hits we saw clearly looked like deliberate helmet hits. Like I said in my earlier post above, stuff happens, but when it's deliberate and you paralyze someone, how do you live with that.

[J.B.]

Originally Posted by Bonnie

I don't agree with Warren Sapp or Marshall Faulk who says, "...can't take away the entertainment aspect of it." And Warren, "...we sign up for this..." Yes, sometimes things happen with people running fast and tackling, but some of the hits in the video they show, especially Harrison, look pretty deliberate to me. The guy doing the illegal hit is taking a big chance on seriously injuring himself as well as his opponent.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-networ...-head-injuries

They are absolutely right though, and that is coming from both sides of the field. Sapp used to lay it on guys as a defensive tackle, and Marshall took his fair share of big hits on the gridiron. That really is the sport of football. We all can agree that some people take it too far at times, and the league already has things in place to deal with that, but if they start suspending guys for every big hit it's going to get out of control.

[Bonnie]

Originally Posted by J.B.

They are absolutely right though, and that is coming from both sides of the field. Sapp used to lay it on guys as a defensive tackle, and Marshall took his fair share of big hits on the gridiron. That really is the sport of football. We all can agree that some people take it too far at times, and the league already has things in place to deal with that, but if they start suspending guys for every big hit it's going to get out of control.

Just want to clarify what you're saying. They are talking about illegal helmet-to-helmet hits not hard legal hits/tackles. At least that's what I took from the article. How can you look at those two hits Harrison leveled and say that's not illegal? I know Harrison is saying that, but that's not surprising.

[J.B.]

Originally Posted by Bonnie

His head was down but it looked like maybe he was going in with his shoulder also. I saw that this morning when they were talking about how violent this Sunday was in football. That's just terrible! I was hoping maybe his paralysis was temporary?

I know it's football and it's hardhitting, but that Harrison and some of the other hits we saw clearly looked like deliberate helmet hits. Like I said in my earlier post above, stuff happens, but when it's deliberate and you paralyze someone, how do you live with that.

The same type of spinal injury happened to Kevin Everett of the Bills on a kickoff return in 07, and he was able to walk again miraculously after surgery and therapy. So there is hope for LeGrand.

Nobody would want to live with doing that to somebody unless they were a total scumbag, and the same goes for combat sports like Boxing and MMA. Still, sometimes guys get broken bones or even very serious injuries from things that are a natural part of the sports they are in. I'm all about weeding out the douchebags who try to take out a guys knee over and over, or hit guys way after the play is over, or do things that are otherwise just unreasonably over the top, but suspending guys every time they bump helmets is a little much.

[J.B.]

Originally Posted by Bonnie

Just want to clarify what you're saying. They are talking about illegal helmet-to-helmet hits not hard legal hits/tackles. At least that's what I took from the article. How can you look at those two hits Harrison leveled and say that's not illegal? I know Harrison is saying that, but that's not surprising.

Yes, but look at the original article you posted...

"The NFL will announce by Wednesday that, effective this weekend, even first-time offenders face suspension for "devastating hits" and "head shots," according to Ray Anderson, the league's executive vice president of football operations."

They are setting a precedent for more than just helmet to helmet hits in this, which is why they also say "devastating hits". This is about going after guys who are intentionally trying to hurt guys or having total disregard for safety, which I totally agree with...

The problem is, when it comes to suspending guys, how will it be implemented?

[Bonnie]

Originally Posted by J.B.

Yes, but look at the original article you posted...



They are setting a precedent for more than just helmet to helmet hits in this, which is why they also say "devastating hits". This is about going after guys who are intentionally trying to hurt guys or having total disregard for safety, which I totally agree with...

The problem is, when it comes to suspending guys, how will it be implemented?

Okay, I see what you mean. It could become "tricky". I guess we'll have to wait and see what happens...

[J.B.]

Here is a couple more clips... and just to show I'm not biased, they are both clips of Arizona Cardinals players.

Anquan Boldin smashed by the Jets...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9RfJ...eature=related

his jaw was smashed and had to be reconstructed, but Boldin is warrior and he was suited up after missing only two games and the Cards went to the Super Bowl that season...


Adrian Wilson smashing Trent Edwards the same season...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjpAN...eature=related

Edwards suffered a concussion and left on the cart, but returned the next game


I had no problem with either of those hits. Although obviously the Boldin one was very serious and had me scared and praying at the time, but I didn't think either were malicious or anything more than the what the game of football is.