Dean Blandino discusses the difficulty in calling the new "hip drop" penalty. NFL PA is AGAINST this new rule BTW.
Blandino discusses difficulty in Refs calling the new Hip-Drop Rule
BTW - 15 yd penalty and automatic 1st down seems too punitive to me. IMO Monti needs to be looking for a RB's in the 217 - 235 lb. range who are hard to bring down because defensive players taking down these runners once they get to 2nd level
just got a LOT tougher.
Are the days of the big, bruising fullbacks coming back?
Will DBs and CBs have to be bigger to counter that change?
If lighter players become the new norm for all positions
(the justification being reducing injuries) will physical freaks
become history?
Will there be minimum or maximum weights and heights for
all players, in the quest for "safe" football? Will football go
the way of basketball with no small players left?
How long will fans allow this trend to continue before they
quit caring and go elsewhere for satisfaction? Who will
buy premium seats for a season of ping-pong or curling?
Life does not come with guarantees. Life is not "safe".
Sports are part of life, entered into for enjoyment, or for
some, very high income. There is no zero risk football.
If safety is to be the ultimate lifetime factor, minimal risk
life will be very dull and we will all be worker bees serving
the current Queen or King of safety and security - "safe"
in our hives and work. Alive, but not living free lives,
making our own decisions about safety - and other things.
Take a moment to compare other occupations which are
a greater risk, but at far, far less pay than NFL football:
Police, Firemen, and any Military branch in a time of
conflict - or even training. Who among them receives
equal levels of income for accepting risk? How many
leave widows and spouses with little or no income?
Think about that when voicing concern for adults who
decide to play football for money, and accept what those
who take our money decide shall be. Are they the fools,
or are we?
So sayeth El Knobbo...