ESPN's Mark Schlereth on the new hitting rule in the NFL

The big issue is that now people are going to be fined and suspended for hits that weren't malicous or avoidable. Like being charged with a crime regardless of intent.

 

The hit Harrison was fined for was deemed legal on the field. It's pretty unfair to change the rules after hit already occurred.

How would you like it if someone randomly said that something you've been doing normally as part of your job for X amount of time is illegal and you got fined for it?

 

Agreed - but they aren't retroactively suspending people. They are saying "hey, we've learned this is a bigger problem than previously thought, and to protect your health, we are going to put more emphasis on this rule that already existed."

As you all said, the NFL benefits from violence - this is entirely something that is in the players' interests at the expense of the NFL.

 

It was ruled in real-time as legal; upon further video review, it was ruled illegal. All sports retroactively have been fining and/or suspending players. Flagrant fouls are assessed all the time after the fact in the NBA. Players are fined for plays that didn't draw penalties all the time in the NFL. A ref can't see everything that video can - that part of it is nothing new.

 

No it isn't unfair, the NFL reviews hits all the time and this is not the first time they have levied a fine against a player for a hit that they deemed illegal despite it being ruled legal during the game. A ref not calling a penalty does not necessarily mean a rules infraction did not occur.

 

I love Schlereth for that rant. The part that gets overlooked in all of this PR-driven whining is that players know what they are getting into. Yes, some of these hits have the potential to limit the players' post-career quality of life. Guess what? THEY KNOW THAT. No one held a gun to these guys' heads and told them to play football. They knew the associated risks, chose to do it anyway, and are compensated VERY WELL for doing so.

It's a reaction-driven sport, and fining guys like Robinson and Harrison for their hits this week makes it almost impossible to have the instant reactions needed to play quality defense. I feel the same way, and have ranted for years, about many of the things called "late hits" - particularly involving quarterbacks. You're asking defenders to have significantly-delayed reactions (relative to their offensive counterparts) and potentially blow-out their knees and other body parts in doing so. It's too much.

I agree there are some hits, like Merriweather's, that are simply absurd and can be taken out of the game. But the vast majority are essentially a PR stunt in response to the increasing voice of the medical community on NFL-related injuries. It sucks, but that's a part of the game, and as Schlereth said, the players know it going in. Suck it up and deal with it.

 

Where has the NFL stated that they will suspend people for unavoidable hits? If that's the case, I would certainly agree that is stupid - but I don't believe the NFL has suggested doing anything like that.

 

So because they know going into it means there should be no effort to improve the conditions of the game? I suppose you are opposed to all new safety measures in all sports? Improved car safety in NASCAR, mouth guards in football, improved helmets, pads, etc. Who cares if players die early entertaining you, they KNEW GOING INTO IT!

 

the rule can be changed any and every way...but a big hit is always possible.

I'm all for eliminating helmet to helmet but when you start penalizing guys who hit with their shoulders into another guys chest (referring to Dunta's hit)...then things are getting out of hand

 

IMO, you got that reversed. This whole thing is in the NFL's interests at the expense of the players.

Sure, I'd like to think the NFL is looking out for it's players and this is what it's all about. But I really think that the NFL doesn't want to be in front of congress one day explaining how a player died on the field.

 

This was the argument used for unsafe factory conditions too. Sure, you might lose your arm, but you knew that it was unsafe going in, so it's OK. I don't think that line of reasoning holds at all.

Besides which, they also knew going in that they are part of a collective bargaining agreement that says the NFL can fine/suspend people for violation of rules. They knew that's the way the NFL worked and chose to join anway. So if that's the issue, the players knew all that going in, so why whine now?

 

Who benefits more from the fact the player didn't die on the field? The NFL that doesn't have to answer some questions, or the player who's not dead?

 

It's not clearly stated in the new policy but from the quotes I've read from players that's the impression they are getting. The policy as I understand it leaves a lot of room for interpretation.

 

Haha...

So you think they have a legit fear that a player might die on their field and they'll be held accountable for it and thus they are working to prevent this. This action in your mind is in the NFL's interest at the expense of the players. That they are trying to prevent a player DYING. That's at the expense of the players.

Sheesh...

 

So from stupid players who say stupid things including saying things like they might not play anymore if they aren't allowed to hurt people you've heard quotes about how they are interpreting the rule and that's what you are basing your position on.

Got it.

Major, I've tried to rep you three different times in this thread, but I keep getting the "you must..."

 

Maybe so - if they start suspending people for things they can't control, I'll agree this is all silly. But given that they don't fine people for those situations, I can't imagine they would suspend people for them.

 

If Dunta had his head up, that hit would've never happened.

head up = ok

head down = penalty

that's the only rule you need.

 

He's acting like a b****. He's upset, whatever, fine. Just don't say something unless you're going to follow through on it. The NFL won't collapse if he quits.

 

They are the employees so I'd have give them the benifit of the doubt to a certain extent.

 

The NFL's stance on this is a complete joke. The Merriweather hit was dirty. That's a fine and suspension I'd have no problem with. While I understand people's rationale for calling Harrison's hit borderline, I don't think hits like that should be fineable. Like Urlacher said, might as well start putting flags on these guys. Robinson being fined is absolutely ridiculous. That's a clean hit. Nothing dirty about it. Dude knocked himself out too