NFL Getting Soft

[Partial]

"Maurice Jones-Drew joined the show to discuss the state of the game.

Jones-Drew doesn't like the new rules to protect offensive players. Jones-Drew is an offensive player, but he agreed with Rodney Harrison, who called the NFL soft earlier in the week on the show.

Jones-Drew says that the NFL is putting its financial concerns over true football.

"It's football, if you don't want to get hurt, don't play it." Jones-Drew said.

Jones-Drew says that taking out "crack-back" blocks is "ridiculous." Jones-Drew says that's when the offensive player gets a chance to hit the defensive player, and it's fun for the fans. That's football.

"We should get back to the way people played in the '70s," Jones-Drew said. "I like when people are on the ground, you step on them."

Jones-Drew said he's old-school and he likes to see traditional, hard-nosed football."

Just another reason to love MJD. He's my favorite player in the NFL right now.

I completely agree with him. These new rules are terrible. No Fun League.

[gbpackfan]

The NFL is killing itself.

1. Way too many rules now. The game is slowing way down and the refs are throwing way too many flags.

2. The salaries are out of control. I can't believe what first round draft picks are getting now. Yikes!

3. Expansion. Keep the game in America! Canada and Mexico have their own sports. They're called hockey and soccer!

4. And if the salary cap goes away, watch out. NFL = MLB. And that will suck!

[Lurker64]

I think Goodell's response is pretty reasonable, per PFT (http://www.profootballtalk.com/2009/03/28/goodell-defends-safety-driven-rules-changes/)


“The rule changes that we made take some techniques out of the game that have just increased the risk for player injury and I think it will make the game safer for those players, ultimately better for the fans, and will improve the quality of our game overall,” Goodell said. “And I don’t think it’ll change the game, honestly, other than the safety matter.”

Goodell specifically responded to concerns articulated by players like Rodney Harrison that the changes will make the game “soft.”

“Yeah, I heard that all last season too,” Goodell said, “and no one called the game soft late last year. Early in the season we were enforcing the rules rather aggressively because we felt that it was endangering our players. There were some high profile comments about how it was changing the game significantly. But as you look back through the history of the game that’s always the case."

“When we took the head slap out, when we made a lot of other changes people thought, ‘Oh, there goes the game of football.’ It’s just not true. It’s an aggressive game. There are just certain techniques that I think really can injure the players and I think add to the risk that are unnecessary. I don’t think the fans saw that at the end of the season. We never heard it and I think it cleared it up a great deal. And I think that will be the case this upcoming season.”

[digitaldean]

Yeah, the new rules would have been laughed at by some of the players from when I grew up.

The hit that Turkey Joe Jones of the Browns put on Bradshaw, now that was excessive. Right now the new "Tom Brady - don't hit me while you're on the ground" rule is downright sissifying the game.

The rules that penalize blows to the head? Those are needed. Too many unnecessary concussions.

The wedge rule on the kickoffs seems to be an attempt to cut down injuries but at what point to do you take away from the game but instituting some of these rules.

It's a physical, violent game. I understand the NFL's attempts to protect its players. But it is going too far on most of the new rules.

[pbmax]

Jones Drew should consider his timeline. In the seventies, the first steps had already been taken to remove certain hits and techniques from the game in the name of safety. The same players he venerates as tough and no-holds-barred were the same players who did not get to use the head slap or chop block anymore.

Deacon Jones thinks Jones Drew's heroes played with skirts on.

[pbmax]

I completely agree with him. These new rules are terrible. No Fun League.
I hope you are kidding Partial, because a man who thinks injuries and debilitation are "Fun" is a disturbed individual.

[Tarlam!]

I don't think the NFL could ever be considered soft.

Even with the new rules, I would've lasted one tackle on offense before I snapped my spine.

My body type is totally ill suited for the D-Line and i am prolly too tall and far too slow to play DB.

Maybe I could have been a LB if I'd have worked out from Highschool onwards.

Then, I may have lasted exactly two NFL tackles before I snapped my spine. :oops:

[Pugger]

I wish the NFL would scrap this idea of expanding over seas too. I hope to God we don't have a "home" game over in Japan or London!! :x That would not be good for GB's economy and losing our home field advantage for that game. :doh:

[Partial]

I completely agree with him. These new rules are terrible. No Fun League.
I hope you are kidding Partial, because a man who thinks injuries and debilitation are "Fun" is a disturbed individual.

Nah, wishing anyone gets hurt is sick and twisted.

They're changing the essence of the game. All these rules to protect the QB, now getting off the ground to hit someone below the waist, etc.

I don't like the direction things are going.

Why are you specifically calling me out when others have said similar things?

[Patler]

OK all you young computer geeks, can't we just play NFL games as a super simulation of some sort? Give each player an animated figure with real time control. Let the coaches control the calls as they do now, and designate which players controls are active. The player controls his own character.

Players could still train and be tested. The response of their animated character would depend on their performances in the physical tests/evaluations.

Wouldn't all this meet the goal of protecting the players from injury??? :roll: :roll:

[Cheesehead Craig]

OK all you young computer geeks, can't we just play NFL games as a super simulation of some sort? Give each player an animated figure with real time control. Let the coaches control the calls as they do now, and designate which players controls are active. The player controls his own character.

Players could still train and be tested. The response of their animated character would depend on their performances in the physical tests/evaluations.

Wouldn't all this meet the goal of protecting the players from injury??? :roll: :roll:
Well, if we're going with just computer simulation then I want my LBs to pick up the QB and choke slam him instead of just tackling him.

[Patler]

OK all you young computer geeks, can't we just play NFL games as a super simulation of some sort? Give each player an animated figure with real time control. Let the coaches control the calls as they do now, and designate which players controls are active. The player controls his own character.

Players could still train and be tested. The response of their animated character would depend on their performances in the physical tests/evaluations.

Wouldn't all this meet the goal of protecting the players from injury??? :roll: :roll:
Well, if we're going with just computer simulation then I want my LBs to pick up the QB and choke slam him instead of just tackling him.

15 yard penalty!!! (Even in simulation!)

[mission]

OK all you young computer geeks, can't we just play NFL games as a super simulation of some sort? Give each player an animated figure with real time control. Let the coaches control the calls as they do now, and designate which players controls are active. The player controls his own character.

Players could still train and be tested. The response of their animated character would depend on their performances in the physical tests/evaluations.

Wouldn't all this meet the goal of protecting the players from injury??? :roll: :roll:
Well, if we're going with just computer simulation then I want my LBs to pick up the QB and choke slam him instead of just tackling him.

Speaking of, does anyone play Front Office Football from Solecismic Software? It's an awesome simulation / GM game that has a ridiculously deep stat engine. Definitely not a toy game.

FrontOfficeFootballCentral.com / Solecismic.com (I started that FOFCentral site about 8 years ago.. no longer involved)

[Gunakor]

I completely agree with him. These new rules are terrible. No Fun League.
I hope you are kidding Partial, because a man who thinks injuries and debilitation are "Fun" is a disturbed individual.

What about the defense? It's fun for defenders when they get a chance to rip an opponents head off. And it's fun for fans when they get an opportunity to see a defender rip an opponents head off. In fact, in that scenario, the only people who it's not fun for are the guy who got his head ripped off and the team who then has to pay the cost of his rehabilitation. Boo fucking hoo. Shoulda kept your head on a swivel, maybe you'd have seen him coming and protected yourself. But that saying has no meaning anymore, as players have no need to protect themselves - the league will do it for them.

JD said it right - if you are afraid you might get hurt, don't play. In this game people get hurt. That's the nature of the game. Don't put on a helmet if you don't understand the risk.

That goes for panzy assed QB's too. Especially panzy assed QB's. Christ, teams used to draft football players to play the QB position. Brett Favre anyone?

I remember a few years back watching a game (I forget who was playing, it was NFL but it wasn't a Packer game) where a DL had the QB wrapped up and was driving him backwards, and then let him go intentionally before taking him to the ground because he didn't wanna get flagged for roughing up the QB. I knew right then that these stupid rules were killing the game. IMO either put flags on the QB's waist, or let defenders drill him into the ground just as they would a RB or WR.

[pbmax]

The players didn't vote for this, so Jones Drew railing against people who play that don't want to get hurt is just screaming at the wind.

I have no problem with QBs playing by the same rules as everyone else. I think it would improve the game. But using Favre as your example of the type of player who "used to be drafted" and presumably won't be from now on is laughable. Favre said on numerous occasions that the reason he refused to plant to throw was fear of injury. So your throwback, tough-guy QB made some bad football plays due to fear of injury. This was good football?

And I think its interesting that you (Gunakor) find so much joy in injury to others, like a Roman citizen watching Gladiators. How many years subtracted from the life expectancy of a pro football player is acceptable to you? What is the going rate per year tough guy? :lol:

[pbmax]

[quote="pbmax"][quote=Partial]Why are you specifically calling me out when others have said similar things?
You were first and contained the money line at the end that drew a connection between the No Fun League (a moniker given to the NFL when they ended group endzone TD celebrations and Gastineau's Sack Dance) and seeking to prevent injuries.

[mission]

Who coined that? Glanville? I seem to remember a certain NFL Films with Steve Sabol :lol:

[pbmax]

In a very odd way, the amount of money available I think encourages cheap shots. If guys had to work offseason jobs to make ends meet, then there were likely less attempts and ending someones season.

NFL Films probably doesn't help in this regard by focusing on the violence in the past, when equipment was worse and the players were 1/3 of the size they are now.

Reggie White was once asked how he reconciles his Christian principles with seeking to knock a QB out of the game. He replied that that everyone involved was an adult and knew the objective going in. But White somehow was able to live within the rules while seeking to cause maximum disruption. White could abide by the newer rules (even without a head slap or Buddy Ryan's bounties) and still play effectively. Good players will still be effective next year.

[pbmax]

Who coined that? Glanville? I seem to remember a certain NFL Films with Steve Sabol :lol:
I think it predates Glanville, as Gastineau was an inured old vet by 1985 and 86. But he may have helped make it more popular.

[Gunakor]

The players didn't vote for this, so Jones Drew railing against people who play that don't want to get hurt is just screaming at the wind.

I have no problem with QBs playing by the same rules as everyone else. I think it would improve the game. But using Favre as your example of the type of player who "used to be drafted" and presumably won't be from now on is laughable. Favre said on numerous occasions that the reason he refused to plant to throw was fear of injury. So your throwback, tough-guy QB made some bad football plays due to fear of injury. This was good football?

And I think its interesting that you (Gunakor) find so much joy in injury to others, like a Roman citizen watching Gladiators. How many years subtracted from the life expectancy of a pro football player is acceptable to you? What is the going rate per year tough guy? :lol:

Nono, you get me wrong. I don't wish injury on anyone. But injuries happen. If you play football, you know that going in. My beef is with rule changes that take away from the instinctive play of the defense. If you are a defensive lineman or linebacker on a pass rush, and you are blocked to the ground by an offensive lineman but see the QB just a few feet from you, you lunge at his legs and try to take him to the ground. Or at least you used to, but not anymore because you'll get flagged for it. May as well take the rest of the play off once you've hit the dirt, you can't legally do anything else. It's bullshit.


I like your reference to Roman Gladiators. IMO that's what I would equate football players to - modern day Gladiators. No I wouldn't wish injury on them, but protecting them from injury is NOT my biggest concern. Some rules should be in place, like the rule against hitting a defenseless player such as a holder focused on making sure the laces are out for a FG attempt. Or a horsecollar. Those are legitimate rules that take absolutely nothing away from the appeal of the game or the ability of a defender to do his job.

But the Brady Rule? Come on now. You can't tell a defensive lineman who's been blocked to the ground that he has to stand up first before hitting the quarterback. Not when said defensive player has been taught NOT to ever since pee-wee's. Your job when rushing the QB is to bring him to the ground, and the play isn't over just because you've been blocked to the ground yourself.

"If the QB is there, nail his ass!! Wait, no, on second thought, don't. He might get hurt if you do." Do you see how rediculous this sounds?

[Fritz]

I might have to dust off the leather helmet and go crack block some joker right where the knee hinges to the leg.