I just watched the video of Colt McCoy getting hit - I don't care how you slice it, Harrison took aim at McCoy (as he has done in previous instances). To me, hits like those are just inexcusable on an unprotected QB, or any other unprotected player for that matter. Fining a player like him $10,000, or $100,000 won't matter. These players just can't help themselves. Suspension from a next game, while harsh, still doesn't fix the problem. In my opinion, it's time to take a page out of the Soccer rulebook. In soccer, if a player commits a flagrant foul, he is issued a red card, is kicked out of the game, and the team cannot replace the position on the field. For the rest of the game, the team must play 1 man down. In football, a similar penalty could be levied for a flagrant hit. Player is immediately ejected from the game, and his position cannot be replaced. Suddenly, the offending team has a major problem to contend with - 10 players trying to cover 11. It's not about money, or temporary suspension. In this situation, it becomes an accountability to the rest of your teammates NOT to commit a flagrant foul, especially if your action causes your team to lose an otherwise winnable game. I bet these Malicious hits would stop.
That would definitely have an impact. I think it would mean an automatic loss for the offending team though. In soccer, while it's a major handicap, it can be manageable. Football is such that leaving one man uncovered would result in very quick scores.
it's football. i think this whole thing is bogus. if player safety was really an issue, they would stop the contact that happens at the line of scrimmage on every play. You don't see Jerry Rice, or any skill position player that is retired talking like Muhammed Ali, it's the Offensive linemen and full backs, and running backs who's lives are drastically shortened, and there are no rules in place to protect them. The player safety thing for the skill position is about 1 thing and 1 thing only, and that is keeping marquee ticket selling players from getting hurt and missing games, lost revenue as a result. As Bob Marley said... Don't let em fool ya...
This is also true. If you look at the games from 30 years ago, those guys were gouging eyes and such on the bottoms of the piles. Hits were vicious lots of blood was spilled. I heard an old timer being interviewed who really got a chuckle out of "turf toe". That said, there is no reason to not protect defenseless players. There is a huge difference between to guys lining up nose to nose vs hits like Colt took where he has no chance at defending himself.
I feel that I have a pretty good understanding of the newer NFL rules since they are talked about so much. Can anyone provide a brief overview of the differences in how college football is officiated? NFL officials have a really tough job these days. The interpretations are constantly changing as set forth by Goodell and his office. There are hits that are flagged by officials because they think it's what the league has told them, but then are not fined because it's labeled a clean hit. Players are fined in their next paycheck so they definitely feel it. I heard an interview with Bernard Pollard recently and he said they take it away immediately. However, he won an appeal on a hit and it took the league over a year to refund it. Many of the hits that are illegal today were good, clean hits only a few years ago.
Yep. It's all bullchit. These guys write off those little fine payments on their taxes anyways. Now if you were to fine him, say $500k-$1M, depending on the severity of the foul, that would have a big impact as well. I could see Suh being kicked out of the league if he doesn't tone it down a bit, and that's sad. Pro football is turning into pro wrestling.
Interesting idea, but a little too extreme. As someone said earlier in the thread, the offending team would most certainly lose. And since we are talking about judgement calls by the referees, it wouldn't fly.
It sure could be a sudden game changer though. As far as judging, it could be a unanimous decision by three refs.
Well, that's kind of the point. If the flagrant hit means a likely loss then that crap will end. Or the player will be out of a job. I do agree that the calls are subjective, though.
