NFL Bans Goalpost dunking

[beastlyskronk]

Lol Tony you were doing lay ups last year, you got out a year too late

[Conner13]

If you say the rules should not be in place because it's a risky game and they take the risk, you can't then support players suing the NFL.

I don't. And if you don't believe that tackling has virtually been eradicated from the game, I have to question whether or not you watch any games.

Back to the goalpost rule -- fallforward3y+, you stated that I shouldn't have used time and effort as a reason. Why? I can imagine that NFL higher-ups sat together for hours agonizing over minute crap like this. I don't see where I'm wrong in having the opinion of it being silly.

[Spice 1]

What is the ball carrier rule? I only know of the ball carrier using the helmet as a weapon outside of the tackle box rule. It seems people may be being a bit dramatic in saying 'tackling has become illegal'.

Oh, my bad. "Hitting people too hard" has become illegal.

[TheMoth]

I understand why they did it , but I mean c'mon. I know they are trying to speed up the game and everything but i don't think any true fans were upset when there was a slight delay when jimmy graham bent it.

[fallforward3y+]

Because, as you said, it has zero impact on the game itself. The object of this thread is to point out the NFL's tendency to worry about making rule changes to nearly irrelevant things like this. With the time and effort spent on these minuscule issues, so much more could be done about things that actually need to be improved (replays, challenges, etc).

I brought up the contact with the ball-carrier rule because it's another rule change in the long line of other terrible rule changes that are hurting the NFL. They have no direct relation, other than the enforcement of both (along with others) being a negative for football.

What is the ball carrier rule? I only know of the ball carrier using the helmet as a weapon outside of the tackle box rule. It seems people may be being a bit dramatic in saying 'tackling has become illegal'.

[fallforward3y+]

Not even close to the same thing, and you know it.

My point is, and will continue to be, that the NFL is being hurt by a lot of these rule changes. Whether it's the "safety rules" that really have nothing to do with the well-being of players, but rather a preemptive measure to avoid lawsuits, or if it's something as silly as outlawing dunks over the goalpost -- I believe all of it's bad for football.

Actually, it's a very similar concept. You said they shouldn't take up time and effort because there are bigger issues. However, there's plenty of time for those other issues as well, it doesn't interfere and is irrelevant. If your issue is that the rules hurt the NFL, then you shouldn't have used time and effort as a reason.

As for the safety rules, you should perhaps blame players who sue the NFL for that. People complain about the rules but support players suing the league. You can't have it both ways. If you say the rules should not be in place because it's a risky game and they take the risk, you can't then support players suing the NFL. If you say suing is fine and the game has to protect players, you can't blame them for making rules. You'd basically be saying the league has to just let themselves get sued and do nothing to prevent law suits.

Many of those rules have plenty to do with the well being of players. Helmet to helmet collisions causing concussions and other head injuries seems to be pretty obvious. If your running with the ball, I say no protection because you can have good head placement for protection, but when you have just caught the ball, you can't.

[LSIGRAD09]

I thought about this. According to the rules, which apparently have always been in place but haven't been enforced, one cannot use the ball as a prop. So doing a lay-up over the goalpost would be penalized, too.

At least, that's my understanding.

So I guess spiking the ball should be banned as well.

Booo. That's not fun.

[Conner13]

Every time the NFL commissions another dumb rule, I can't help but laugh at the other professional sports leagues. The people running the NFL know that consumers will keep coming back regardless of what they do to the league. The NFL actually goes out of its way to alienate fans, and it's still ten times better than MLB or the NBA. Seriously, they just made tackling illegal in the NFL, and it's still beating the dog crap out of that abomination that has become the National Basketball Association.

So if they want to turn the players into robots, go for it. At least I still have something to watch for 5 months a year.

Heh. That's a pretty good point.

[Spice 1]

Every time the NFL commissions another dumb rule, I can't help but laugh at the other professional sports leagues. The people running the NFL know that consumers will keep coming back regardless of what they do to the league. The NFL actually goes out of its way to alienate fans, and it's still ten times better than MLB or the NBA. Seriously, they just made tackling illegal in the NFL, and it's still beating the dog crap out of that abomination that has become the National Basketball Association.

So if they want to turn the players into robots, go for it. At least I still have something to watch for 5 months a year.

[Conner13]

I don't see anything wrong with a little celebrating. That's why I don't like the ban on goalpost dunking. I thought it was always fun to watch, and it only had a negative impact on the game one time. I like excitement. I don't like the idea of watching a bunch of robots out there. I guess the fans should start golf-clapping, too.

If the NFL claims that stoppage of play is the real concern here in regards to the goalpost dunks, celebrations ought to be the least of their concern.

[SecondsAway131]

Meh. Just seems petty to me. No Fun League for the win.

I completely understand how it seems that way. I personally understand the concern, and would be fine if all TD celebrations were outlawed. They're pretty selfish and childish IMO. Anyone who saw Keenan Allen against us in the playoffs should understand. Nothing more silly than puffing your chest and pointing at the name on your back when your team is getting bounced in an elimination game.

[Conner13]

No but in theory it is the same concept. The league reviews tons of rule changes, and I don't know how you can think that because this rule was changed it hurts the chances of the league changing more important rules. As silly as it may seem to you, the fact that a game had to be stopped in order to fix a goalpost reflects poorly on the NFL.

The safety rules are a completely different issue. I'll save that for another thread.

Meh. Just seems petty to me. No Fun League for the win.

[SecondsAway131]

I thought about this. According to the rules, which apparently have always been in place but haven't been enforced, one cannot use the ball as a prop. So doing a lay-up over the goalpost would be penalized, too.

At least, that's my understanding.

So I guess spiking the ball should be banned as well.

This is right. Although I think the issue is more with using the goalpost as a prop, not the ball.

[SecondsAway131]

Not even close to the same thing, and you know it.

My point is, and will continue to be, that the NFL is being hurt by a lot of these rule changes. Whether it's the "safety rules" that really have nothing to do with the well-being of players, but rather a preemptive measure to avoid lawsuits, or if it's something as silly as outlawing dunks over the goalpost -- I believe all of it's bad for football.

No but in theory it is the same concept. The league reviews tons of rule changes, and I don't know how you can think that because this rule was changed it hurts the chances of the league changing more important rules. As silly as it may seem to you, the fact that a game had to be stopped in order to fix a goalpost reflects poorly on the NFL.

The safety rules are a completely different issue. I'll save that for another thread.

[Conner13]

Guess it's Goalpost lay-up time.

I thought about this. According to the rules, which apparently have always been in place but haven't been enforced, one cannot use the ball as a prop. So doing a lay-up over the goalpost would be penalized, too.

At least, that's my understanding.

So I guess spiking the ball should be banned as well.