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Saturday, October 23, 2010

Helmet to Helmet hits--My final word (maybe!)

Okay, the NFL has issued a video to better explain the standards of hitting and whats legal versus whats illegal. I've watched it and believe it to be fairly simple to understand. Others will say it still leaves grey areas and those are the people unhappy their particular favorite team had a player fined recently. The fines were proper and not excessive in my humble opinion. The chances of seeing big hits is NOT reduced as this rule has been in place for some time..just not properly enforced. I was unhappy to hear that officials who miss these plays and do not flag them will also be held liable in some fashion. The main offender that has raised the most issue with this new style of imposing of fines, suspensions, etc has been James Harrison. Of course he has issue with it, he has a lot to lose and says so himself with his "I play to hurt." comment. Sorry, but I see no distinction between hurt someone and injure someone. If you really want to be a competitor, you attempt to beat an opposing team that has ALL their players available as well as your own team having theirs. NOT a team a player or two down because you tried to hurt them so they would be out of the game! Winning in this style isn't winning, it is foul! I know a lot of Steeler fans and yes, I am a Browns fan but, I also believed that TJ Wards fine was proper and necessary to make him understand that he cannot attack an opposing player with his head, period! Ward is an up and coming rookie who is defining his own career early as an intimidating force from the safety position much in the style of Troy Polamalu. I apologize if I spelled that wrong again (just doesn't seem to have any suggestions in spell check!). I have always admired Troy's style of balls to the wall defense. I was worried however, early on in his career when he led with his head so much that he may end his career or life with some of his hits. He did remove himself from many games due to that style and one can only hope a talent such as his has been able to adjust and continue with his electrifying game. Harrison can still be a beast without 'hurting' anyone intentionally. I have even heard people say it was payback for Terry Bradshaw being dumped on his head to many (30 or so) years ago. That was stupidity on the Browns player then and it was stupidity on Harrison's part as well today. He has the physical ability to adjust and be able to lower the boom with his shoulders because he is that good. If he says he can't and must therefore quit (as he threatened to do) then I say "SEE YA!" I don't believe we will see much different play this weekend, just less concussions with a lot of big hits still available. As a side note on player safety, SHAME ON THE NFL for using licensing and contracts with big name companies as an excuse that shuts the door on smaller companies that have much more superior (and safer) equipment available that could reduce many serious injuries; and in particular concussions if they would simply tell the big boys, "We accept your products until a safer piece of equipment is now available, therefore forcing us to go with those newer products." The big companies could then simply buy out the smaller ones new safe equipment allowing the new product to be mass produced and putting a lot of $ in the small companies coffers freeing them up to continue development of even safer equipments! I learned this on ESPN today when former player Marcellus Wiley stated that he had seen better equipment displayed but disallowed when he was a player rep during his time in the NFL. It was a VERY enlightening discussion!

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