What's crazier, the facemask aimed at the moon or the fact that the ball was 15 yards away?Not to on Valai too much1, as he might remind some of a certain mesh-seeking missile that patrolled the secondary in Columbus 30 years ago, but a helmet-to-helmet hit like the one he dropped on Boom in Madison last season may now lead to a game suspension.
New Big Ten officiating head Bill Carollo is making it a point of emphasis:
With the intent of educating officials, coaches and players on how the rules will be interpreted and called, he also plans on targeting the headhunters, who may be guilty of using their heads as "sledgehammers" in helmet-to-helmet collisions -- a point of emphasis again this season.
"Now we're putting a little more teeth into it (the enforcement)," said Carollo, 57, a UW-Milwaukee alum and Brookfield native who has spent the last 20 seasons as a side judge and referee in the National Football League. "Even if we don't throw a penalty flag -- or even if we do, but don't toss the guy during the game -- it's going to be subject for review on Monday and Tuesday, and he (the player) can be held out the following week. That's the commissioner's call."
Don't expect Delaney to rule on one of this every week, but it will certainly be interesting to see what kind of precedent is set by early decisions.
(HT: Doc Saturday)
1 Valai's other devastating hits were for the most part clean, including the triple piledriver he was part of helping to separate Dane from the ball just nine minutes after Boom wobbled off the field. He's one of just a handful of opponents we actively covet.
Comments
i believe there is a distinction between making a play on the ball and headhunting (of course, when there is headhunting/maiming away from the ball like the photo in this article, that can't possibly be tolerated......leveling somebody is ok, but taking out somebody with the intent of malice....not cool, not cool at all....and let's just say for a moment that boom ended up seriously injured after that hit he received from valai....it would have been scrutinized and valai would have looked like an idiot).
to me headhunting is a sort of instinctual premeditated process. so when a person is making a read on a play and practically knows what's going to happen...that person works off of instinct to make the hit, but at the same time (before the play actually occurs) knows that with timing/aiming the hit is going to be something like a brutal helmet to helmet hit. a play on the ball is something that can be just as brutal as the headhunting, but is more bang, bang (without the premeditation and possibly read....maybe the person making the hit was just in the area at the right time). it's a clean hit that can't be disputed as dirty. im thinking a hit like the one delivered on ray small by the minnesota defender a few years back is an example of a clean hit (but i have to go back and look to be honest). just my thoughts on the matter.
ok, after youtubing, i think the hit on small is clean, but a hit like the one by shawn crable on troy smith can be constituted as dirty.
This is BS, its football for pete's sake. Just another attempt to sissie-fy the game. The horse collar tackle is still legal isnt it? Thats a much more controllable tackle. How is a player supposed to time a hit just right every time so that his helmet never comes in contact with another players? Thats why you wear that piece of equipment!
I got it, just make everyone start playing without helmets, that'll put a stop to leading with your head, not sure if it would of stopped Spiels though.
That's why it's specifically lowering and leading with the helmet. If it's accidental they usually don't call it.
It's football, but they're also 18-22 year old young men. Hitting a guy is fine. Trying to put him in the hospital is bullshit.
How will Illinois play defense?
I'm definitely in the "let 'em play" camp, especially concerning some of the weak roughing penalties you see for brushing a QB/K, but you can play football without leading with the helmet into someone's face.
I remember this play, my issue with it was not the severity of the hit, but more so that it was a pass play and Boom was a receiver, Pryor scrambled out of bounds for a loss never crossing the line of scrimmage (I believe)......therefore, Boom was still an active receiver when he was hit and he was more than 5 yards down the field. That makes this an illegal play doesn't it?
last night i caught the preseason titans bills game during b.s. minutes when no one is playing. donnie nickey was flagged for a helmet to helmet shot and will probably get fined for it. the only problem i have is the tight end he crushed was not defenseless. he was running down field for a pass. he didnt see the hit coming but as soon as he did he put his head down and boom we have a helmet to helmet hit. there are so many ifs and buts with this call. it could be an accidental hit but still be a 15 yard penaltly. i agree with the comment above. stop sissy-fying the game.
You mean Donnie Nickey actually made the takle, and didn't just jump on the pile!?!?!?!? Where was that in C-Bus??