Bull Crap!

[CoronaCalBronco]

Even if the high hits were not flagged, DB's would still go low on larger receivers. It has always been that way and always will. If they add a rule to outlaw low hits then get ready for some silly passing numbers. The ONLY way I would be OK with rules like that is if they let the DB's be more physical. THink about it; you cant touch them after 5 yards, cant hit them high, cant hit them low... guys like Gronk will trot into the end zone. It will remind me of Madden 2005 on PS3.

[arapaho]

He fines hits that don't even hit the head or neck area lol

that's my point...it isn't the rule he was forced to implement...its his excessive fines

even if a guy was flagged for a hit...and the replay shows they led with the shoulder and never hit the helmet

he fines them because they were flagged

my point is...if they looked at hits that consist of a def leading with the shoulder, targeting the midsection...and they get flagged because the receiver ducked into the hit creating the h2h...and chose not to fine them

we wouldn't see these knees be taken out because the defender is forced to go low or loose a big chunk of money

but he doesn't...he fines every little thing...its not the rule that's the issue, its goodells interpretation of whats finable

[Rancid]

After watching this video I believe the defender went low because he believed it gave him the best opportunity to make the tackle against such a big receiver. If he had hit the receiver higher, the receiver's momentum may have yielded several more yards.

Defensive players are in a tough spot as they get paid and are assessed on making tackles-- their primary job. If they do not make them then they are out of a job. I think the league penalties in most cases are just baggage that comes with the job.

Face mask penalties have been around for years-- yet it seems as if in every game players still do it unintentionally. I think tackling is much the same way in most cases where things just happen and the player is not necessarily calculating how he is going to make the hit for any other reason than to bring the ball-carrier down.

[kishzilla]

sure goodell may be promted to impose stronger regulations....but those are not why guys are going low

they are going low because even with the ability to view all angles of a play....he is still imposeing huge fines on defenders...who didnt intend to hit the head....if you square up and lead with your shoulder...and the rec ducks to brace for the hit or to go under

how is that the fault of the defender....and if he never intended to...and clips show the receivers movements are the reason he was hit in the head....why fine him?

if goodell would stick to fining just guys who led with the helmet...or inentionaly targeted the head....i think defenders would be ok

but he chooses to fine even unintentional or accidental hits

thats why they go low

He fines hits that don't even hit the head or neck area lol

[arapaho]

sure goodell may be promted to impose stronger regulations....but those are not why guys are going low

they are going low because even with the ability to view all angles of a play....he is still imposeing huge fines on defenders...who didnt intend to hit the head....if you square up and lead with your shoulder...and the rec ducks to brace for the hit or to go under

how is that the fault of the defender....and if he never intended to...and clips show the receivers movements are the reason he was hit in the head....why fine him?

if goodell would stick to fining just guys who led with the helmet...or inentionaly targeted the head....i think defenders would be ok

but he chooses to fine even unintentional or accidental hits

thats why they go low

[HUMCALC]

I hate to say it, but blows to the head are the worst hits in any sport. You build up enough hits to the head, and sooner or later, brain damage settles In. As a quad I can tell you that my head/brain area are more important to me, than anywhere else on my body

[Bronco_Mike]

They got sued for some $800,000,000 over the concussion thing. Blaming Goodell is a bit shortsighted. It's not that he was being proactive. He was reacting.

IMO, these front/side hits to the knees are the WORST hits in the game.

Rusak is right. I'm not a fan of Goodell but his has have been tied to lawsuits from the players association.

You can't hit a guy high because you might appear to hit him near the head. So, you go low, which is the best option. Eventually the low hit will be fined and penalized as well, and football will become more of a touch football game. The game many of us love is going to change so much that it will not be worth watching.

The player's union and lawsuits will destroy the NFL.

[ruksak]

You can thank NFL Execs(Goodell n friends )meddling with the rules that have been in place for years

They got sued for some $800,000,000 over the concussion thing. Blaming Goodell is a bit shortsighted. It's not that he was being proactive. He was reacting.

IMO, these front/side hits to the knees are the WORST hits in the game.

[Conner13]

What happened to Gronk is just a part of football. There are risks involved, despite what Roger Goodell would have you believe. He has in no way, shape, or form made the game safer for players.

It disturbs me to think where football is headed. When you eliminate hitting someone anywhere above the waist (because a hit to the chest seemingly will draw a flag just as quickly as a hit to the head will), there's only one place for a defender to go. I just wonder what Goodell will do next as these blown knees pile up. The joke is that players will wear flags sometime down the line. It might not be too far-fetched if Goodell has his way. And then football fans will have to listen to him as he spews some drivel about football's best days being ahead of us. Disgusting.

Players wear the equipment to protect themselves. Make the equipment as sturdy and protective as possible, and even then players are going to get hurt. It will not be avoided. Anyone who's worried about that should step away from the game -- from Roger Goodell all the way down to the backup QB.

[Al Wilson 4 Mayor]

Bojangles has a point. DB's use to go low on Shannon Sharpe all the time, and he wasn't as big as Gronk. It use to really piss me off.

[58Miller]

I respect your opinion, but I think being fined has more to do with it. I'm not saying that Gronkowski's size didn't have anything to do with it though.



This was his response to being fined for the above hit:
http://videos.cleveland.com/plain-de...ard_on_hi.html

Your right and the crazy thing is Ogeltree played the following week. But never played football,can't relate to nfl players, or anyone who does blue collar work Roger Goodell is fixing the NFL!

[Spice 1]

There are several elements involved in this issue, and I do not believe the new rules, penalties or fines regarding head hunting have anything at all to do with the Gronk situation.

First of all, from time immemorial, defensive players, especially CBs and safeties, faced with bringing a beast like Gronk down are going to go low. It seems to take a minimum of three players to drag him down when he's lost his head of steam. Check the replay and Gronk was steaming downfield and one would have to be insane to try to hit him above the waist under those conditions.

Secondly, given all of the above reasons, I don't believe the defender was determined to cripple Gronk, but I also think he would have had no problem getting him lout of the game. That's all part of the game.

Third, the fact is, time and space came into full play on that unfortunate hit. Gronk's foot was on the ground, cleats biting the turf, at the exact moment the defender made the hit. one millisecond either way, and there would have been no ACL tear, of that I am reasonably certain.

I respect your opinion, but I think being fined has more to do with it. I'm not saying that Gronkowski's size didn't have anything to do with it though.



This was his response to being fined for the above hit:

http://videos.cleveland.com/plain-dealer/2012/11/cleveland_browns_tj_ward_on_hi.html

[baphamet]

its at least as bad IMO

[Mr Bojangles]

There are several elements involved in this issue, and I do not believe the new rules, penalties or fines regarding head hunting have anything at all to do with the Gronk situation.

First of all, from time immemorial, defensive players, especially CBs and safeties, faced with bringing a beast like Gronk down are going to go low. It seems to take a minimum of three players to drag him down when he's lost his head of steam. Check the replay and Gronk was steaming downfield and one would have to be insane to try to hit him above the waist under those conditions.

Secondly, given all of the above reasons, I don't believe the defender was determined to cripple Gronk, but I also think he would have had no problem getting him lout of the game. That's all part of the game.

Third, the fact is, time and space came into full play on that unfortunate hit. Gronk's foot was on the ground, cleats biting the turf, at the exact moment the defender made the hit. one millisecond either way, and there would have been no ACL tear, of that I am reasonably certain.

[dizzolve]

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-h...rted-off-field

I know this doesn't really belong in smack because it isn't at all but I wanted a cross section of fan bases opinions



Does anyone think this is way worse than hitting a defenseless Wr or hammering someone hoping the ball comes loose?

You can thank NFL Execs(Goodell n friends )meddling with the rules that have been in place for years