Ed: League Reviewing Harrison Hit, Others

[stillers4me]

Monday, 18 October 2010 15:20
Written by Ed Bouchette


An NFL spokesman just informed me that James Harrison’s hit on Mohamed Massaquoi is under review to determine whether it was legal or not and whether it will be punished. The hit on Joshua Cribbs was legal, the spokesman said.
He also passed along this Q/A with Ray Anderson, the league’s VP of football operations. Several people interviewed him in New York:
NFL EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF FOOTBALL OPERATIONS RAY ANDERSON
On helmet-to-helmet hits in Week 6 games:
RA: Certainly, it is disturbing whenever you see any of our players down on the ground and they don’t spring up right away. It is a concern to all of us. With our priority and our emphasis on safety, particularly hits to the head, we are looking at all of those very diligently this morning. ..............

http://ht.ly/19vP0G

[stlrtruck]

Another step towards the National Flag Football League

[SirHulka]

So, in some cases, it's legal to take a guy's head off, and in others, it's not. That ought to clear the situation up a lot. and I'm glad to see the league is taking seriously what they say about protecting the players, and avoiding concussions.

[stlrtruck]

So, in some cases, it's legal to take a guy's head off, and in others, it's not. That ought to clear the situation up a lot. and I'm glad to see the league is taking seriously what they say about protecting the players, and avoiding concussions.

Yes. If the WR is wide open and clearly not catching the ball you can't take his head off. If the RB is coming around the corner and your buddy has a hold of his right leg but he's still moving - TAKE HIS HEAD OFF! But don't hit head to head. Let the player know if you continue to do this I'm going to continue to hit you HARD!

If a player is down on the ground, don't jump on the pile. That to me is a penalty that is not called.

And if the league is worried about protecting the players then why are they talking about extending the season to 18 games?

[CPanther95]

What's worse is the "devastating hit" or "head-to-head hit" language listing both separately. Presumably, that leaves it open for Goodell to fine/suspend players for hits that are not only legal, but don't involve head-to-head contact.

Have you noticed that about half of all Goodell-era rule changes have a significant subjective component to them?

[LLT]

So, in some cases, it's legal to take a guy's head off, and in others, it's not. That ought to clear the situation up a lot. and I'm glad to see the league is taking seriously what they say about protecting the players, and avoiding concussions.

Really?

Then explain the reasoning behind extending the season to 18 games. More games mean more injuries, especially at the end of the season.


This is a money issue...not a health issue to Goodell. If he can get the players to not hit "hard"...he can squeeze two more games out of them and up the revenue by roughly 10%. They are cattle to the commish....nothing more.

[CPanther95]

Plus he's really trying to increase the number of women viewers and they are more likely to cringe with big hits.

[LLT]

Plus he's really trying to increase the number of women viewers and they are more likely to cringe with big hits.

Then he should watch more often.


I think the women in this forum LOVE the big hits!!!!

[cold-hard-steel]

I'd like to hit some woman in this forum !!!!!(LOL) Some of thier photos look pretty fine. Had to say that. You know who you are. This whole thing is getting out of hand if you ask me,and i know you didn't.If you can dislodge the ball and create a fumble,isn't that a good thing? New rule.....when the reciever catches the ball,the would be tackler must yell "DOWN BOY". If the reciever refuses to lay down it is a penalty at the spot the ball is caught.15 yards from the spot of the foul.And loss of the down.

[O'Malley]

Really?

Then explain the reasoning behind extending the season to 18 games. More games mean more injuries, especially at the end of the season.


This is a money issue...not a health issue to Goodell. If he can get the players to not hit "hard"...he can squeeze two more games out of them and up the revenue by roughly 10%. They are cattle to the commish....nothing more.

Nail on the Head!

[stillers4me]

I think the league is overreacting to this weeks big hits. Goodell's middle name is "Knee-jerk".

[Steelman]

This Anderson guy makes a lot of comments that sound eerily close to an NBA type of "foul" system. I DO NOT like the sound of that. This is FOOTBALL.