http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8944240/ncaa-rule-add-ejection-illegal-hit
I'm all for player safety, but I'm also all about letting the players play the game. While I realize this is sort of a double negative, I realize those tasked with bringing balance to keeping football entertaining and promoting player safety are fighting an uphill battle.
Personally I feel that the ejection and that it could carry into the next game is a little bit over the top. There are a lot of gray areas in the realm of illegal hits. What constitutes a defenseless player?
While there are many reasons I'd contest this particular rule change, what first comes to mind for me is that this gives the referees far too much control to determine the outcome of many games. I'm not typically a consipracy theorist, but let's say we make it to the national championship game versus another bigtime school like Bama. Theres a the possibility that someone with means from either side (I'm taking of my scarlet and gray colored glasses here) approach a referee or the powers that be and give the green light to eject a key player if the opportunity arises on a questionable call. For instance, in this case Braxton throws an pick in the first series of the NCG and he makes a questionable hit on a "defenseless" player returning the INT. He'd be ejected from the game and the outcome of the NCG would be seriously altered.
Thoughts?
"if irony were made of strawberries, we' d all be drinking a lot of smoothies right now."
Christian Bryant may want to take a peek at this...
If Christian Bryant form tackled correctly than shoelace doesn't take it to the house last November.
Like his aggressiveness, no like his form tackling
From what I read in the Dispatch the hit would have to be above the shoulders and deemed intentional. All would be reviewed.
I really don't have a problem with this.
"It's just another case of there you are". ~ Doc (1918-2012)
Absolutely kind of sort of hate this idea. If it is a truly flagrant penalty (destroying someone on a punt before they catch the ball) then you can already throw them out. However a mid-game ejection is trouble waiting to happen. I do think that there could be some form of suspension after the game (for the next game/quarter/half) if there is something truly agregious. This allows for more time for review without a huge delay in the game. Also how is this going to be done at smaller colleges whose games aren't always on TV?
I don't have an analyst to give but this is getting out of hand yes I'm all for players safety but how much safer can you really make football hell soon it'll be two hand touch only or flag smh.
When someone shows you who they are believe them! In other words piss a good friend off and see what they really think about you.
How much safer? There are still concussions, paralysis, etc. There is plenty you can do to make it safer. Maybe this is a step in the right direction, maybe it is not. I think only time will tell. I think the question is, where is the line before it is not football anymore.
Not to be too sympathetic to the NCAA, but football governing bodies are in a very difficult position. They have to deal with the gripes of fans and players about making the game too soft, yet still have to be aware of the lawsuits that are happening or waiting in the wing. Football is full of tough guys who are not always going to do the right thing for their health during a game, but then you read about guys like Kevin Turner and Junior Seau and you wonder, not only for their sakes but their families, should someone step in for them? I don't know the answer but I don't think its fair for us, those on the sidelines, to judge this. Our judgment will be whether we still tune in to watch.
Even if it turns American style football into flag football in the future, there will still be injuries. This is big brother trying to protect people from themselves and is being driven by lawsuits.
"Here officer, hold my beer while I find my license."
I realize that there will always be injuries no matter how much you water it down, but I can all but guarantee you that the number of cases of brain damage, lou gehrigs, alzheimer's, etc. Now is this new rule an effective way of preventing it, I don't know. But completely understand the NCAA trying to do something instead of just accepting all of these debilitating injuries as necessary evils.
Not too say I don't understand the other side of the argument as well, I just think it is more of a dilemma than most it seems.
The correct problem isn't being addressed. Concussions, though bad-are not the problem. Football and its thousands of subconcussive hits are the problems-which means football is the problem.
I don't want the game to be made safer. I'm not saying make it lawless but the game is inherently dangerous. Just admit that. And for effs sake, stop the fake NFL "We are trying to make the game safer!" commercials. No one buys it. Its a game that calls for grown men to run into each other at high speeds. Its dangerous. Own it and move on. This whole thing is a facade that has grown tired.
4-6 seconds from point A to point B and when you get to point B, be pissed off
Let them play!
But in all seriousness I guarantee that if this rule does become official that it would be extremely rare to see someone get ejected.
"Without winners, there wouldn't even be civilization."
I don't like it at all. Too much gray area. Every official is different. I could see this turning into a pissing match and people constantly comparing hits/ejections. Leave the game alone. It's perfect.... thats why we love it.
Dustin Fox was our leading tackler as a corner.... because his guy always caught the ball.
Hey offensive guys start learning how to dip you head just as you're being hit, it could be good for ejection of a defensive creep.It's an art that must be learned just like Boom used to get a facemask almost every game.These things can be learned.GO BUCKS!
I wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then.
this is ridiculous,as braxton will protect the ball and not have any picks.and should a pass happen to be tipped for a pick,hyde will be there to flatten the defender on a clean hit
on a serious note-before an ejection,would replay in any form be used to review the so-called penalty,before ejection?with a game of that magnitude.
knucklehead
Yea the plan is that whenever there is a helmet to helmet/defenseless player situation there would be a replay review of it and a determination would be made if it was purposeful or egregious in nature. However I still think this would still create a ton of problems.
sadly with all the rules now put in place for concussions and hits above the head i have a real feeling 10 years from now the number of lower body injuries will be drastically increased and concussions will still exist......it is never going to work
Don't like it at all. I think if it tends to affect any B1G team in particular I'm guessing it'll be Sparty.
All the games of the season are just practices for that glorious saturday in November when we get to jack Shoelace's invisible cereal bowl and drink our fill of delicious skunkweasel tears ...Michigan Still Sucks!!
I would be up for weekly reviews and potential suspensions handed down on Monday. The game moves way too fast and many of these hits look bad, but aren't as blatant when you watch the replay and see how a body angle changed, etc. On the spot ejections will only be done with controversial inconsistency.
Every hit is purposeful. You are trying to hit the opposing player hard enough to hurt them. A fundamental piece of this game is hurting the opposing player. You never intend injury, but you take pride in your opponent hurting on his way back to the huddle. To try and take that out of the game takes out part of the heart and soul of it. It is about beating up the guy across from you and seeing who relents first, that is part of the beaty in the game.
I am getting sick of these "player safety" shenanigans.
This is the proposed new design for NCAA QB headgear.
What the hell? No chinstrap or face mask? How is that better?
I say we just duct tape 5 or so pillows to every player's head.
"Here officer, hold my beer while I find my license."