Thread: "Trent Richardson Rule" Instated: Runners May No Longer Lead with Their Heads

Originally Posted by aulaza

What annoys me is fans sitting in their armchairs saying that they don't care about player safety, when we can see the consequences of it. If you disagree with this rule on grounds of how it will be applied then ok, we can have that debate. I have concerns over how it will be officiated. But if you think that player safety is a non issue then you need to wake up.

Totally agree. It's easy to say things like "players sign up for this, they know the risks, blah, blah blah" when you are sitting on your cozy couch watching it on TV. They don't seem like real people, so it's hard for fans to care too much about their safety. In the real world though, it is a concern, and measures like this are necessary to ensure the long-term viability of the league.

These guys are compensated for the risks they take. Hopefully they reduce ticket prices and salaries associated with the lower risks.

Originally Posted by claymore

These guys are compensated for the risks they take. Hopefully they reduce ticket prices and salaries associated with the lower risks.

They are compensated for their unique skillsets. Even if you lower the risks their skillsets are still just as unique.

Originally Posted by claymore

These guys are compensated for the risks they take. Hopefully they reduce ticket prices and salaries associated with the lower risks.

Hah.. that would be an awsome thing. "Due to the fact that Goodell has made the sport more like touch football, our insurance policies have gone down, and thus we will LOWER the ticket prices!"

I can see that happening!

Originally Posted by BaileyTheBest

They are compensated for their unique skillsets. Even if you lower the risks their skillsets are still just as unique.

In most cases though it is the only skill they have. You could lower the majority of the NFL salaries to the LOW 6 figure range and none of them would be able to do better on the outside.

They are compensated heavily for the risks they take, and the short careers the majority of them have.

Originally Posted by BaileyTheBest

They are compensated for their unique skillsets. Even if you lower the risks their skillsets are still just as unique.

No..they are compensated for because of the crowds that the sport attracts. They get a JOB because of their skillset. The reason the sport is so popular is because of the hard hitting risks that the players showcase, WITH said skillset. Either way, they are WELL compensated for their "risky" line of work. How many "risky" jobs can you think of that doesn't get paid as much as these guys do?

Originally Posted by Ravage!!!

No..they are compensated for because of the crowds that the sport attracts. They get a JOB because of their skillset. The reason the sport is so popular is because of the hard hitting risks that the players showcase, WITH said skillset. Either way, they are WELL compensated for their "risky" line of work. How many "risky" jobs can you think of that doesn't get paid as much as these guys do?

The risk the NFL has isn't necessary to put an entertaining product on the field. You can make rule changes like this and still have a product that the fans will come in droves to see.

Originally Posted by claymore

These guys are compensated for the risks they take. Hopefully they reduce ticket prices and salaries associated with the lower risks.

Not really; doctors have been telling the NFL since 1952 to retire players after a third concussion, but the NFL instead spent 60 years since doing all it can to deny and discredit what the whole medical community told anyone who'd listen (which definitely excludes the NFL.) It's like smoking: A business can't spend hundreds of millions on a half-century national campaign to hide grave dangers, then say, "you knew the risks."

Twenty people DIED playing football in 1905 (some say more,) prompting President Roosevelt to threaten a ban. That's where we got the forward pass, seven men on the offensive line (instead of flying wedges) and, after TRs White House conference, the NCAA itself. Safety reforms have ample precedent in literally CREATING what we know as "football," and the NCAA. The problem is the past few years' annual "reforms" weren't meant to improve safety, and haven't: They were meant to increase passing and shield the NFL from suits. Those are sorry reasons to do anything, especially handcuff defenders and running backs.

Folks, the game of football is under attack. Parents are starting to find other, "safer" sports for their kids to play because they see the damage that can be caused. If football doesn't try to make itself safer we won't have the game in a few years. If tackling is done correctly most of these fouls would never be called anyway.

Btw, when you're ready for your heads to explode I'll tell you about the change in the targeting rule in college for next year.

Ravage, your name is apt.

Originally Posted by aulaza

What annoys me is fans sitting in their armchairs saying that they don't care about player safety, when we can see the consequences of it. If you disagree with this rule on grounds of how it will be applied then ok, we can have that debate. I have concerns over how it will be officiated. But if you think that player safety is a non issue then you need to wake up.

I know fisherman take huge risk putting crab on my plate yet I eat without a single thought about their risks whatsoever. If I cared about player safety I wouldn't watch football the same way I choose not to watch things ranging from seals getting clubbed to rodeo ******** who tie a bulls balls in a knot and climbimg on their back. A lot of things involve risk of injury, where's your bleeding heart for the less popular?

How's the view from the soapbox, Nancy Grace? Is it everything you thought it'd be?

Originally Posted by spikerman

Folks, the game of football is under attack. Parents are starting to find other, "safer" sports for their kids to play because they see the damage that can be caused. If football doesn't try to make itself safer we won't have the game in a few years. If tackling is done correctly most of these fouls would never be called anyway.

Btw, when you're ready for your heads to explode I'll tell you about the change in the targeting rule in college for next year.

Exactly. I've posted studies that show youth football participation has declined by 1/3 in recent years. Of course the people who have their heels dug so far in the sand that football should be as violent as possible simply discredit those findings for no good reason really.

Originally Posted by BaileyTheBest

Exactly. I've posted studies that show youth football participation has declined by 1/3 in recent years. Of course the people who have their heels dug so far in the sand that football should be as violent as possible simply discredit those findings for no good reason really.

Everybody is going for the "woo" hits now. If anybody was actually coached to tackle the way a lot of these guys attempt to do it, they had really crappy coaches. Wait until next year in college when if the officials determine that a player is targeting another player then it results in not only a 15 yard penalty, but also an ejection.

I don't remember anyone saying the game should be as violent as possible but if it's too much for your sons, by all means, enjoy the 0-0 soccer matches.

I don't even have a problem with teaching these kids the fundamentals, Steve Atwater and Dennis Smith absolutely drove me up a wall missing all those tackles trying to make the one kill shot. But you can't deny that the game of football is being ruined by the Soccermom mentality where winning is being phased out and replaced by participation ribbons. They don't even keep score these days, it's sickening.

Originally Posted by Jaded

I don't remember anyone saying the game should be as violent as possible but if it's too much for your sons, by all means, enjoy the 0-0 soccer matches.

I don't even have a problem with teaching these kids the fundamentals, Steve Atwater and Dennis Smith absolutely drove me up a wall missing all those tackles trying to make the one kill shot. But you can't deny that the game of football is being ruined by the Soccermom mentality where winning is being phased out and replaced by participation ribbons. They don't even keep score these days, it's sickening.

I can't speak for the NFL or for Pop Warner, but i can tell you that at the levels I officiate (HS and college) there is still plenty of hard (legal) hitting going on. I'm pretty sure I only threw one flag for targeting last year and there was plenty of popping going on. I think there has been a serious overreaction to some of these rule changes/enforcements. If these guys play fundamentally sound football, there won't be much of an issue. I guess I just don't understand the outrage - and I hate soccer.