I understand Roger Goodell’s concern about the frequency of head injuries in the NFL.
But in his overzealous way, Goodell is making the NFL far less fun to watch and enjoy.
The game has become pussified. Recent rule changes and tackling limitations have given offenses an unfair advantage.
The balance of power – which should be a 50-50 split between offense and defense – has tilted way far to the offense.
Sure, people want to see great quarterback play and lots of touchdowns. But they also want these achievements to be earned by beating top defensive players, who aren’t restricted the way they are now.
I’ve seen many great defensive players in watching NFL games since the early 60s. Many of these all-time greats would have a hard time playing in today’s watered down NFL.
Night Train Lane was the hardest hitting cornerback I ever saw. His trademark horse collar tackle is banned.
Jack Tatum was the hardest hitting safety I ever saw. He would be sitting out suspensions if he were playing today.
Nobody came across the middle on Ray Nitschke. His forearm shot to the head would be outlawed today.
Dick Butkus was the most dominant defensive player I ever saw. He wouldn’t stand a chance nowadays with his fierce reputation preceding him. The first time he started growling, referees would find an excuse to flag him. They would invent a penalty called acting too much like a
wild animal.
It’s a sad state of affairs in the NFL when not only does Ahmad Brooks get penalized for a damn fine sack on Drew Brees, but also heavily fined. I’m not talking about taking a shot at a quarterback’s head, just tackling him high especially when the quarterback is a midget by today’s NFL size standards.
Then there’s all this waiting around while flags are thrown left and right. No more can you spontaneously celebrate a touchdown. Now you always have to hold up your enthusiasm until the OFFICIAL RULING has taken place. It feels like you’re in a court room awaiting a verdict.
And, of course, every time-out, measurement or other stoppage of play now has a corporate sponsor’s name to it. Sickening.
If grown men want to play pro football let them. They get big bucks and fame. Concussions and other injuries are the risk. They know that going in. Don’t wreck a great game and product in a wrong attempt to make things seem politically correct.
