BROOKLYN, NY – There was a time, long ago, when the NFL stood for “No Fairy League.” Please don’t be alarmed, this offering is NOT a Michael Sam piece.
Dick Butkus, LeRoy Jordan, Jim Brown, Ray Nitschke, Ronnie Lott, Jack Tatum and yes Big Blue fans, even Lawrence Taylor were names, that when mentioned, brought apprehension and fear to opposing offensive players .
Every Decade is known for something, and unfortunately, this ” new millennium ” time period, may go down as the decade when pro football turned into FLAG Football with equipment. A decade when defenders were turned into geldings. If you do not comply with the do not touch rules, you WILL be flagged! Rugby Anyone?
When the refs get more air time than the players something has gone awry! These Zebras are stampeding the game, throwing flags after just about every passing down with those illegal contact calls and adding way to much time to the games. Have we not learned from baseball’s mistakes?
It’s for the safety of the game! Hey, we all get that, but since when was it determined that touching a receivers arm or back would cause a devastating, life altering condition? It’s football, Sally! Just ask any former receiver and they will even tell you that the league has gone overboard. How will they ever decide who gets in the HOF in the future when these pass catchers should be racking up yardage faster than the National Debt!
Injuries are part of the game. Promising more enforcement of these “tickey tac” penalties will not decrease the amount of injuries. I would dare say that frustration will lead to more personal fouls of the bell ringing variety. Let’s face it, if your a DB who has been pelted with these popcorn filled yellow cloths , you will be looking for an opportunity to separate those protected receivers from that ball!
Hopefully, Goodell & Company will wake up and realize that creating a league where the refs rule the field with a more controlling hand than Sister Mary MadFace did on the playground back in the days when we played tackle on the pavement, will chase fans …….maybe even to soccer.
Running games are becoming secondary supplements in the offensive schemes of today and that makes sense, considering the rash of calls on passing plays. And let’s not forget that runners will be flagged for using the crown of their helmet. EGADS! I am getting ill just typing this, so I need your opinion.
Is this the end of the gladiator game that we have loved for decades? Will we soon see Pro Football in… FRANCE? Say it ain’t so.
Come back tomorrow for the ONLY guy who can pull off reporting a play-by-play of a triathlon on a blog; Angry Ward.
