Football is no more violent this year than it was a year ago or 2 or 5 or 10 years ago. Granted, players are bigger, faster and stronger than they were 30 or even 20 years ago (William "Refrigerator" Perry was among the first 300 lb players in his 1985 rookie year), but not so much more physically enabled than they were, say 10-15 years ago. In fact, if anything, players have become quicker and more nimble now as a necessary response to today's prevalent offensive style of play predicated on spreading the field and isloating mismatches, much like in today's NBA.
However, tackle football at every level, from peewee ball to high school, from college and to the pros, is a violent sport. To maintain the integrity of the sport, this can not be allowed to change.
Now, I understand and appreciate protecting players, especially those who are in defenseless positions - and the NFL and lower levels of football have correctly and admirably outlawed dangerous "horsecollar" tackles, chop blocking, etc. - but the NFL should not legislate against hard hits.
As an 8 year old association player and throughout my high school career, I was taught to move at full speed and to tackle with my head up, more for my safety than my opponent's. High speed hat-to-hat collisions were, and should be, discouraged, but "knocking your opponent's block off" and "puttin his you know what in the dirt" were encouraged and praised, as they should be.
Maybe helmets need to improve - perhaps everyone in a Steve Tasker helmet - and whatever happened to wearing neck braces to prevent whiplash?
I am all for enforcing punishment on dirty play, and the Merriweather (Patriots) helmet hit on Todd Heap was dirty and suspending him for a game would be justified, but fining and suspending professional football players for hitting too hard is antithethical to the spirit of the game.
Ronnie Lott's finger would roll in its jar...or wherever it ended up.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
My thoughts on Broncos after Week 6 loss to the Jets
I thought Denver played well vs the Jets and would've won if not for the questionable PI call on Cox (Holmes put his hands on Cox first to get position which could have cancelled out the facemask) and even still had a chance till the bad shotgun snap to Orton by a rookie center. Still, I would’ve loved to win that game.
I’m cautiously optimistic about the 2010 Broncos, though, and think that in this year’s AFC West, with the Chargers playing poorly, the team has a chance eclipse 8-8 for the first time in 4 or 5 seasons.
At the start of the season, I said I’d be happy w/9-7 or 10-6 but could not reasonably expect any better. I mainly wanted to see improvement, and I have…especially w/the run game stepping up last week.
2011 is the bellweather year for Coach McD, and though I was critical of the young coach and the wholesale moves made by the team early on – I was admittedly angry at Bowlen for canning Shanny when we had the #2 offense in the league and really just needed a defenisve overhaul – I am now in his corner and buying into his system.
I think Josh McDaniels will be an outstanding coach and have a great career and hope he has the success in Denver to make it a long run and restore my Donkeys to the caliber of our glory days teams of the 80s and 90s.
I don’t expect to ever have another Elway come along, and we’d be lucky to get a second coming of TD in the next 10-20 years, but I feel good about the team and I'm looking forward to the rest of the season and coming down to the wire with at least a chance to play a 17th game. That’s all I’m asking for…just a chance!
Go Broncos!
I’m cautiously optimistic about the 2010 Broncos, though, and think that in this year’s AFC West, with the Chargers playing poorly, the team has a chance eclipse 8-8 for the first time in 4 or 5 seasons.
At the start of the season, I said I’d be happy w/9-7 or 10-6 but could not reasonably expect any better. I mainly wanted to see improvement, and I have…especially w/the run game stepping up last week.
2011 is the bellweather year for Coach McD, and though I was critical of the young coach and the wholesale moves made by the team early on – I was admittedly angry at Bowlen for canning Shanny when we had the #2 offense in the league and really just needed a defenisve overhaul – I am now in his corner and buying into his system.
I think Josh McDaniels will be an outstanding coach and have a great career and hope he has the success in Denver to make it a long run and restore my Donkeys to the caliber of our glory days teams of the 80s and 90s.
I don’t expect to ever have another Elway come along, and we’d be lucky to get a second coming of TD in the next 10-20 years, but I feel good about the team and I'm looking forward to the rest of the season and coming down to the wire with at least a chance to play a 17th game. That’s all I’m asking for…just a chance!
Go Broncos!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Get off your soapboxes, Boise Haters! aka, Hokies...
What is with all this vitriol I've seen spewed at the Boise State football team after beating Va Tech on Monday? It was a great game, Boise took advantage of early Tech mistakes (a fumbled qb exchange under heavy pressure from the Boise D-line), a block on a punt deep in their own territory (Beamer Ball?) and fell behind by 17 before managing to come back and take the lead. Boise St, though, came through down the stretch and won the game. It's called football. As for the Broncos' ranking...it's deserved based on what they've done in previous seasons and esp last season w/20 starters returning after an undefeated season and BCS bowl victory.
I still say, let's have a playoff of some sort, but don't hate on Boise State. Va Tech, you could've at least won what was essentially a home game in your own backyard.
I still say, let's have a playoff of some sort, but don't hate on Boise State. Va Tech, you could've at least won what was essentially a home game in your own backyard.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Football Season is here
College football season officially kicked off tonight and I couldn't be happier to watch games that actually count. I began the night watching USC East (the Gamecocks) demolish Southern Miss and now watching a tight Pitt v Utah game. USC West is playing Hawaii now over on ESPN, so once this Big East/Mt West nail biter is over, I'll be sure to switch over. Looks like this one could go to overtime, though.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Towns
Oh, Charlotte, NC. You're a tempstress. I'm a resident. I'm a lover of all you have to offer. Your golf courses. Your weather. Your major professional sports teams. Your music venues. And even your lakes. Try as I may to think I'm too far from the water, your lakes are right there. In my face.
Oh Richmond, you're so romantic, though, at least in my eyes. You host my family and many of lifelong friends. My traditions. The James River. The sunshine (not that Charlotte doesn't have it!). No matter what, you're still my "home." Or, at least, my hometown.
Who knows where I'll end up. Oh Denver. Oh San Francisco. Oh DC. Oh New York. Oh...Charlotte.
People are the connections to my hometown. Richmond. The town I miss and long for, though Charlotte has at least as much to offer. If only I could make the James flow a few hundred miles to the southwest. Lord.
Lord have mercy! There's something worse to ask for than choosing b/t a great place or 2 to spend your time.
Oh Richmond, you're so romantic, though, at least in my eyes. You host my family and many of lifelong friends. My traditions. The James River. The sunshine (not that Charlotte doesn't have it!). No matter what, you're still my "home." Or, at least, my hometown.
Who knows where I'll end up. Oh Denver. Oh San Francisco. Oh DC. Oh New York. Oh...Charlotte.
People are the connections to my hometown. Richmond. The town I miss and long for, though Charlotte has at least as much to offer. If only I could make the James flow a few hundred miles to the southwest. Lord.
Lord have mercy! There's something worse to ask for than choosing b/t a great place or 2 to spend your time.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Bounce around the room
So, I'm chilling here in North Carolina at the moment, sick of my job, missing home a bit, into music tremendously and on the verge, the precipice, the edge. There's the option of staying here and doing the same. Staying here and getting a new and more exciting job. Going back home to the place and people I love. Or picking it up and making a reactionary move to pick up and go to San Diego in 3 weeks. And either to stay or pick up and head over to Denver. And maybe just bounce around the room a bit. Eventually I want to settle down, not neccessarily to a place, though, but to people, to family. I could just up and bump around a bit though. Money I make here be damned, b/c it's not enough. Money I make there, we'll see. I'm not ever going to starve. I will never lack a roof over my head. If I pick up and go I will live a new life again. And this time there's no hesitation. I will live a new type of life. Bouncin round to world Bouncin round the US, at least.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)