I bet Hines is beaming with pride!
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I bet Hines is beaming with pride!
Array title="AtlantaDan has a reputation beyond repute">
I am old enough to remember when Olympic boxing was given prime time viewing slots and the most famous man in the world was Muhammad Ali. As late as the Duran-Leonard and Hagler-Hearns fights in the 80s boxing matches were big time sporting events. As you note, other factors contributed to its decline but IMO boxing's fate was sealed when everyone saw the physical wreck Ali became due to brain damage.Originally Posted by pczach
MMA is popular but it does not approach the fame that once went with being the heavyweight champion of the world.
I do agree the NFL is in danger of falling apart fairly quickly, which might explain why the blatant money grabs like Thursday night football are pushed. Nobody knows how precarious the condition of an organization may be like the insiders who operate it and accordingly elect to cash in every way possible while they still can.
With regard to the thread topic
Appeals officer James Thrash, jointly appointed by the NFL and the NFLPA, has upheld the one-game suspension of Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster. The appeal was heard on Tuesday afternoon.
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/2...smith-schuster
That certainly was quick
They didn't let Derrick Brooks review the appeal because of his connection with Tomlin, I guarantee it!
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Why not? If he did that on the street he'd be in court, and likely in jail. Even on the playing field, there is "during the play", and "after the play". In this case the target was motionless, prone, out of bounds, and he took an hit to the head that put him directly into concussion protocol -- and that's through the helmet.Gronk didn't deserve 4 games! Gimme a break! Two maybe, but 4? C'mon.
One game off is a wink and a nod. If the NFL was serious about cleaning up that sort of thing, then they'd come down hard on it. I mean if you want to run old school and let the players play. Awesome. That's what we grew up watching. We know a lot more about the risks these days though, but its an informed choice. If you want to actually deter players from that behavior, then there has to be more than a token PC type penalty.
One game for what happens in a bang bang play is one thing. Going after a defenseless guy on the ground to hurt him is well....just that.
Need a reminder of what the point of the big suspension is? Here you go:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEIU4KYgDp4
Personally, I can no longer muster outrage over this stuff. My passion for the game has pretty much been killed. I'll still watch my Steelers, but as far as actually CARING is concerned, I no longer do. Good job, Goodell. (golf clap)
This is such a true statement for many fans and I don't blame you for having those feelings, I am in the same boat with ya. This is also why Go To Hell needs to be canned, but my fear is that the next one will be worse. What is even sadder is that the only owner who is calling for his head is a self serving jackwad. Why can't the Rooney's and others see this? Get rid of this idiot and proceed with caution on finding his replacement or suffer the consequences when fans turn off the game.
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If the baseline of suspensions for one game is what Ju Ju and the Bungles defender did, then Gronk deserved probably three games. Why three? It was after the play, it was unarguably purposeful, and it was a focused and aimed shot to the head. None of those apply to the other two.
Four games? No, I agree with you, that's too much. But three games is just about right based on the baseline of the one-game suspensions handed out this week.
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You know, the funny thing is, I've heard comment that, that series of movies is what killed heavyweight boxing. Personally, I blame it all on Thunder Lips.
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Yep, at least the NFL is doing one thing right (not drawing out the appeals process). I'm happy it was quick because I was afraid that he'd end up playing this game, and then the appeal get rejected and he would have to sit the Pats* game.
Cool story. Except that besides being the biggest cheap-shotting POS in the league himself, Burfict wasn't injured at all.
Sorry the team wound up winning so you couldn't bitch some more about what a shitty coach Tomlin is like you usually do instead.
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At its peak, boxing was a huge sport with immense popularity. I agree with much of what you said, particularly about Ali.
Yes, it appears the appeal of the suspension wasn't seriously considered based on the timeframe. Typical NFL. It's not about doing it correctly or fairly. It's about doing whatever they feel they need to do and make it happen.
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I used to watch alot of boxing w/my dad in the 70s and early 80s. I remember boxing watching a brutal weekend (Boom Boom Mancini vs Duk Koo Kim w/Kim dying after the fight) and the very brutal Alexis Arguello vs Aaron Pryor fight. These 2 fights made Howard Cosell retire from being a commentator for boxing.
Then later in the 80s - the 53 second Tyson-Spinks fight. People used the bathroom and paid $60 on ppv and by the time they returned, the fight was over.
That was pretty much it until Tyson-Holyfield in the 90s and some other fights involving both men w/other opponents.
But the damage was already done.
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This was the final straw for me. I'm done with everything NFL except the Steeler games. They've completely ruined the sport that I've loved and been a die hard fan of for over 40 years.
“I believe the game is designed to reward the ones who hit the hardest. If you can't take it, you shouldn't play!” - Jack Lambert
This was a classic reaction by the NFL to the result of the play and not the actual play. JuJu basically got suspended for taunting and the fact that Burfict went off the field on a stretcher later to hop up and jog to the locker room.
It's the James Harrison rule. You aren't allowed to hit too hard.
Hater = Realist
Harrison did/does appear to have his own set of rules at times. And some of them aren't even about hitting too hard. I remember the first time I ever heard the call "Laying on the player with his full body weight" after a sack.
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QFT
He gets a game. Okay, fine. Learning experience. He's still young and needed to know the "legislated" limits at some point. We all just need to pretend his hammy flared up again and he will be back next week. Extra rest for it probably isn't a bad thing... perspective.
Somebody tell them that that is called "tackling".Harrison did/does appear to have his own set of rules at times. And some of them aren't even about hitting too hard. I remember the first time I ever heard the call "Laying on the player with his full body weight" after a sack.
As for JuJu, I loved the hit. Burfict got a taste of his own medicine, especially considering he was faking all the way!
JuJu is the new Hines Ward!
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I just went in to my Twitter account and un-followed everyone who has anything to do with the NFL. I only kept Steeler specific people. The NFL will never get anything more from me.
“I believe the game is designed to reward the ones who hit the hardest. If you can't take it, you shouldn't play!” - Jack Lambert
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What's your twitter? (PM me if you want)
Array title="SteelerFanInStl has a reputation beyond repute">
PM sent.
“I believe the game is designed to reward the ones who hit the hardest. If you can't take it, you shouldn't play!” - Jack Lambert
The lightning-fast timing of both the original suspension and the appeal almost certainly mean it came unilaterally from the top and there was never any process. Jon Runyan was likely handed a pre-written letter to sign. Thrash probably was told of the outcome of the appeal and didn't even bother reading it.
If there's a knee-jerk reaction in a high-profile incident, Goodell is never far away.
It looked bad on TV, so we need to protect our image by puffing our chests and and ultimately drawing even more attention to it. That's a dead giveaway of Goodell's personal involvement. Too stupid to come from anyone else.
See you Space Cowboy ...
I wish the NFL could stay the violent and hard-hitting sport that most of us on here seem to be fans of. I totally understand why many are upset and not fans of the current NFL and feel that they are no longer watching the sport and the league they grew up loving. That is because you aren't. It is that simple. The game and the league are changing because they have to. If the NFL loses some long term die-hard (older - no offense guys!! I'll lump myself in as well!) fans in order to ensure that continual streams of fans come to the game each generation along with stemming the tide of declining youth participation, they will make that trade-off every day and twice on Sundays.
Awhile back, due to public backlash and a variety of other things, the NHL basically got rid of enforcers. Many traditional hockey fans hated the move. Many of us longed for the days that every great NHL goal scorer had a guy with concrete fists and a granite jaw riding on his wing. It was awesome to watch the other team slam your star forward into the boards and then you just new who was coming over the wall next shift and what was going to happen. But it wasn't good for the long-term health of the league and the NHL adjusted. There are still big hits in hockey and there are still fights. But, dudes who drop the gloves also have to be able to do hockey things now and many argue that the game is better for it in the long run.
The same thing is happening in the NFL. They are attempting to "re-wire" the instinctual reactions of a generation of players that were raised to hit a certain way. The NFL wants them to hit differently. It is a flawed and painful process made worse by the league office constantly stepping on their own dick. But, make no mistake, the owners want this just as much as the league office does. It allows them to continue to market a violent and potentially catastrophically harmful sport as "safe" or at least as "safe as they can make it". It allows them to encourage the continued large #'s of young people to take up the sport that is necessary to pump players into the league. When baseball was faced with the sharp decline of US based youth participation, it didn't matter - -they just mined international markets for marquee players. The NFL can not do that. They need young people, youth coaches, and parents to all feel that tackle football can be taught, learned, and played for fun and profit without the guarantee that each participant will experience permanent negative damage to their brain. In order to make people feel "safe" the NFL is essentially trying to have everyone hit everyone between the shoulders and the knees. I realize, as do most of you, that this is not a realistic goal -- but that is not the point, it is about perception. The perception that needs to be created, encouraged, packaged and sold in order to keep the multi-billion dollar machine running for additional decades.
If individuals want to make the decision to pull the rip-cord on the NFL, the Steelers, or football in general because they no longer like the game or the experience -- please, go ahead. That is your right and a personal decision. But don't think for a moment that a change in commissioner or continued viewership decline is going to alter the current direction the game is going in. If anything, a decline in viewership is going to cause the league to "double-down" on their efforts to eradicate violent hits. No highlight reels on social media and traditional media of concussed players, Gronk attempting to decapitate someone, or an almost motionless Shazier grabbing at his back in panic. This whole process could be conducted in a smoother, more efficient, an even-handed manner for sure. But it is an unstoppable process no matter what. And, yes, as many here have pointed out - this is just as much about PR as it is about the on-field actions. Of course the penalties and consequences for highly visible hits are greater than for other negative things that don't move the PR needle. The NFL doesn't care about a LB twisting a guy's ankle in the pile because the public doesn't care about it either. The NFL cares about highly visible "head" injuries because the images of those are spread like wildfire and the public freaks out.
Please understand this is not a defense of the NFL and this is not a post intended to convince anyone that the direction of the NFL needs to be applauded. But it does need to be accepted if we all wish to continue watching. Again, some of us may not want to make that choice. However, those of us that stick around, need to stop being shocked, surprised, and upset by these decisions and directives from the league. No amount of complaining, boycotting, or change(s) in league leadership will alter the course. This is the new reality.
It was just announced George Iloka's 1 game suspension has been lifted and he is just getting a fine. Unbelievable that JuJu's sticks, and Iloka's is repealed. Neither should be suspended IMO, but there is no standard here.
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Array title="SteelerFanInStl has a reputation beyond repute">
Just another steaming pile of shit from the NFL. That hit was much worse than JuJu's. He launched himself right into AB's helmet. So many players have been fined/suspended in the past for that same exact act. Fuck them!
It's not the changing of the sport that bothers me. I understand them wanting to make the game safer for the players and I'm fine with that. What pisses me off is the complete and total lack of consistency with the way that they handle anything, especially fines/suspensions.
“I believe the game is designed to reward the ones who hit the hardest. If you can't take it, you shouldn't play!” - Jack Lambert
Pfffft, whatever....
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Agreed.
Iloka is also a repeat offender. Fined twice before for hitting a defenseless receiver.
But, where is the monkey dart board so this joke of a league can decide the next punishment.
JuJu’s appears more “calculated” than Iloka’s. I can almost, ALMOST understand the difference. Having said that, Gronk’s was waaaaaaaay more calculated and waaaaaaaay more dirty than JuJu’s. So if Goodell wants to give JuJu a one game suspension and Iloka a fine, Gronk should’ve been hit with a 2-game suspension. If he wants to give Gronk a one game suspension? JuJu should get a fine and Iloka should get a fine less than JuJu.
Again, the NFL proves consistent at being inconsistent.
Array title="AtlantaDan has a reputation beyond repute">
As posted above, no way Brooks was going to hear Ju Ju's appeal given his Tomlin connection
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