2 hand touch (1 Viewer)

[SteevieG]

Is this where football is going?

Watching the UCLA vs. VA Tech game in the 2nd quarter and the QB for VA Tech gets hit, hard, on a totally legal play yet the linebacker gets flagged for unnecessary roughness as the QB is rolling out.

I understand the emphasis on safety these days and do not disagree with it, for the most part, but that was unnecessary officiating in my most humble opinion.

I'm older than most on this board, but this really isn't the football I grew up watching, and I don't like it.

 

[ChainsawU]

I grew up in a really small town and our coaches always had us lead with the crown of our helmet and target the crown of the other guy's helmet when making a tackle. They would probably get in trouble teaching that today. Looking back I can count 3 or 4 times I was concussed - once during a game - but mostly in practices trying to use "correct" form with the coach standing there.

 

[SteevieG]

Agreed, I was taught similar to that too and it was not the right way, but this hit was not crown to crown or even close to it. They are taking defense out of the game.

 

[32 Counter Pass]

Economics (threat of lawsuits) dictates that the game must change. Very soon kick offs will become illegal. At this point you can't hit a QB too high or low, why not just put some kind of flags on him? (ridculous, yes, but so are the current rules). DBs are now being flagged when they hit a WR "when they are defenseless." We are half way there.

 

[Officer Pete Malloy]

I grew up in a really small town and our coaches always had us lead with the crown of our helmet and target the crown of the other guy's helmet when making a tackle. They would probably get in trouble teaching that today. Looking back I can count 3 or 4 times I was concussed - once during a game - but mostly in practices trying to use "correct" form with the coach standing there.

WTF...where did you go to HS? The prison from Longest Yard?

 

[Tick]

There are really some good avatars in this thread.

 

[Short Corner]

Didn't see the play but, most of the time, if you follow the 'see what you hit' rule you will be ok. NFL has gone a little extreme protecting defenseless players though.

 

[Homer J Simpson]

I grew up in a really small town and our coaches always had us lead with the crown of our helmet and target the crown of the other guy's helmet when making a tackle. They would probably get in trouble teaching that today. Looking back I can count 3 or 4 times I was concussed - once during a game - but mostly in practices trying to use "correct" form with the coach standing there.

Yeah, your coaches were horrible.

 

[fantasycurse42]

Helmet to helmet calls need to be reviewed in the NFL... If they are going to throw a bunch of flags for this, they need to get it right. 15 yards and an automatic first down is way too much to give a team when the opponent made a quality play. Just have an official in the booth who quickly calls down if the flag was incorrect, which a lot of the helmet to helmet calls are. Quickly overturn and move along.

 

[Guest]

I grew up in a really small town and our coaches always had us lead with the crown of our helmet and target the crown of the other guy's helmet when making a tackle. They would probably get in trouble teaching that today. Looking back I can count 3 or 4 times I was concussed - once during a game - but mostly in practices trying to use "correct" form with the coach standing there.

WTF...where did you go to HS? The prison from Longest Yard?

I grew up in a small town also, and we were taught to tackle with your head up. It had nothing to do with concussions, it was about having you eyes up and not hurting/breaking your neck

 

[Koya]

I grew up in a really small town and our coaches always had us lead with the crown of our helmet and target the crown of the other guy's helmet when making a tackle. They would probably get in trouble teaching that today. Looking back I can count 3 or 4 times I was concussed - once during a game - but mostly in practices trying to use "correct" form with the coach standing there.

WTF...where did you go to HS? The prison from Longest Yard?

I grew up in a small town also, and we were taught to tackle with your head up. It had nothing to do with concussions, it was about having you eyes up and not hurting/breaking your neck

100%. I've NEVER heard of any formal football program (from kids, Jr. High, College, whatever) that taught to use the crown of your helmet. That's absurd. As you note, it was always head up, shoulders square and aim essentially for their chest/midsection, head to the site, drive with your shoulder and wrap. That way, if/when your head did contact the other player, it would not usually be helmet to helmet (well, in this case facemask to facemask), and you would absorb the impact in a manner that your squared shoulders with face looking upright would prevent your head/neck from rolling under which could lead to serious neck injury.

Now, we certainly did not value the danger of concussions (you saw stars or even blacked out for a minute and once you could get back on the field, you did, sometimes on the next play or two), but there were always precautions for fear of neck injury / paralysis.

 

[Christo]

I grew up in a really small town and our coaches always had us lead with the crown of our helmet and target the crown of the other guy's helmet when making a tackle. They would probably get in trouble teaching that today. Looking back I can count 3 or 4 times I was concussed - once during a game - but mostly in practices trying to use "correct" form with the coach standing there.

WTF...where did you go to HS? The prison from Longest Yard?

I grew up in a small town also, and we were taught to tackle with your head up. It had nothing to do with concussions, it was about having you eyes up and not hurting/breaking your neck

 

[Smack Tripper]

I grew up in the era you did and I support these changes... I didn't see the play but in the scenario you describe, if tackling a guy will do, you don't have to anhiliate people. We need to start putting this into all levels of the game. There will be incidental collisions, there will be goalline stands but in a spot like that, in a spot like the Bengals punter getting blown up, I'm personally tired of it. I was coached to not hurt people but certainly not protect them and if the QB got hurt, oh well. QBs will get hurt and blasted no matter what.

Also, don't take foolish ignorant pride in a lost past. If you want to cling to any remnant of what was, I would suggest leather helmets to really start to reduce impact. But since that won't happen, we work and live in the future with the knowledge we have. Leading evidence is currently pointing to the impact and hits being a long term problem for some people. I think elimination is unreasonable and impossible but limiting can and should be done where applicable.

Of course, that will force words like "bone crushing" to leave the subtle TV marketing and NCAA and NFL broadcast partners should be stipulated per their contractual deals to deemphasize the glory of those hits. Of course, that might mean less money as you limit a layer of marketing for the broadcast partners and I shall not hold my breath waiting on that

 

[Tom Skerritt]

Isn't the rule of football to tackle the offensive player? Why can't the defense just tackle the guy? Wrap him up and tackle him. There is this unnecessary need to try and destroy the offensive player. And it is not that fun to watch players continue to be knocked out of a game, carted off the field, or end a career. Just tackle the guy and try to strip the ball from him.

 

[Christo]

I grew up in the era you did and I support these changes... I didn't see the play but in the scenario you describe, if tackling a guy will do, you don't have to anhiliate people. We need to start putting this into all levels of the game. There will be incidental collisions, there will be goalline stands but in a spot like that, in a spot like the Bengals punter getting blown up, I'm personally tired of it. I was coached to not hurt people but certainly not protect them and if the QB got hurt, oh well. QBs will get hurt and blasted no matter what.

Also, don't take foolish ignorant pride in a lost past. If you want to cling to any remnant of what was, I would suggest leather helmets to really start to reduce impact. But since that won't happen, we work and live in the future with the knowledge we have. Leading evidence is currently pointing to the impact and hits being a long term problem for some people. I think elimination is unreasonable and impossible but limiting can and should be done where applicable.

Of course, that will force words like "bone crushing" to leave the subtle TV marketing and NCAA and NFL broadcast partners should be stipulated per their contractual deals to deemphasize the glory of those hits. Of course, that might mean less money as you limit a layer of marketing for the broadcast partners and I shall not hold my breath waiting on that

He was just about as high as he could get without it being a helmet to the head.

 

[Smack Tripper]

I grew up in the era you did and I support these changes... I didn't see the play but in the scenario you describe, if tackling a guy will do, you don't have to anhiliate people. We need to start putting this into all levels of the game. There will be incidental collisions, there will be goalline stands but in a spot like that, in a spot like the Bengals punter getting blown up, I'm personally tired of it. I was coached to not hurt people but certainly not protect them and if the QB got hurt, oh well. QBs will get hurt and blasted no matter what.

Also, don't take foolish ignorant pride in a lost past. If you want to cling to any remnant of what was, I would suggest leather helmets to really start to reduce impact. But since that won't happen, we work and live in the future with the knowledge we have. Leading evidence is currently pointing to the impact and hits being a long term problem for some people. I think elimination is unreasonable and impossible but limiting can and should be done where applicable.

Of course, that will force words like "bone crushing" to leave the subtle TV marketing and NCAA and NFL broadcast partners should be stipulated per their contractual deals to deemphasize the glory of those hits. Of course, that might mean less money as you limit a layer of marketing for the broadcast partners and I shall not hold my breath waiting on that

He was just about as high as he could get without it being a helmet to the head.

I can't comment without seeing. If there are links I'll look at it. Certainly calls can be missed but I guess I'd rather err on a side of Zealous enforcement hopefully corrects hits back into tackles

 

[seahawk 17]

I was taught head to the side and drive your shoulder through the numbers.

 

[Guest]

I was taught head to the side and drive your shoulder through the numbers.

Yes. If the ball carrier is running to your right, you put your helmet to the right, head up, wrap and drive through. Textbook tackles don't make the highlights though.

I wouldn't think the crown-to-crown poster's team won many games. How do you even wrap your arms if taught that way?

ETA: It cracks me up every time I see a safety come up, head down and try to make the big hit. Only to wiff or get hurdled. You don't get hurdled if you are playing heads-up.

 

[T Bell]

I grew up in the era you did and I support these changes... I didn't see the play but in the scenario you describe, if tackling a guy will do, you don't have to anhiliate people. We need to start putting this into all levels of the game. There will be incidental collisions, there will be goalline stands but in a spot like that, in a spot like the Bengals punter getting blown up, I'm personally tired of it. I was coached to not hurt people but certainly not protect them and if the QB got hurt, oh well. QBs will get hurt and blasted no matter what.

Also, don't take foolish ignorant pride in a lost past. If you want to cling to any remnant of what was, I would suggest leather helmets to really start to reduce impact. But since that won't happen, we work and live in the future with the knowledge we have. Leading evidence is currently pointing to the impact and hits being a long term problem for some people. I think elimination is unreasonable and impossible but limiting can and should be done where applicable.

Of course, that will force words like "bone crushing" to leave the subtle TV marketing and NCAA and NFL broadcast partners should be stipulated per their contractual deals to deemphasize the glory of those hits. Of course, that might mean less money as you limit a layer of marketing for the broadcast partners and I shall not hold my breath waiting on that

I'm beginning to think even leather helmets wouldn't work. If you read up on rugby, they're going through their own version of this in their sport.

People are just becoming too big, fast and strong with modern training to engage in full contact sports like they did before.

 

[Henry Ford]

The other issue with that call being the previous play. I think it was the play right before it that the same qb dragged five guys with him for several yards because they didn't hit him, they just wrapped him up, giving vt a huge chunk of yardage and a first down. Then he gets levelled - because clearly they have to actually hit this guy instead of just wrapping up and waiting for him to fall.

 

[roadkill1292]

I thought of this thread while reading Simmons today:

We knew the NFL wanted perpetual parity by ushering in the Salary Cap era, but the Bigger, Stronger, Faster era might be having a bigger impact than anything else. These guys are clearly too huge now; the YouTube videos of the 1970s games have little correlation to what we're watching now. (Bonus points for the Brent and Irv footage! I think Irv was the first announcer I ever made fun of ... I'll always have a soft spot for him.) And let's be honest — nobody really cares. The league's PED testing system remains a laughable joke, as does the fact that it won't discuss weight limits or any other out-of-the-box idea that might make the league's players a little more, um, realistic. Instead, it's cracking down on hard hits, cheap shots and headhunting — a decent start, but nothing that will solve the fundamental problem of NFL players outgrowing a sport that was originally designed for different bodies and different speeds.

He might be the highest-profile media member to ever touch on the idea of weight limits, an idea first broached on these boards many months (years?) ago by the much-maligned MOP.