Crackdown on Helmet to Helmet Hits

[Colonel_Reb]

I saw this article earlier this morning and thought the whole issue might generate a bit of discussion. Maybe this will encourage real tackling again, at least I won't give up that hope.

<h1>NFL fines three, will start handing out suspensions for helmet-to-helmet hits</h1>
<h2>


NFL officials announced Tuesday that three players have been fined
for helmet hits this past Sunday and, beginning this week, players can
be suspended for violent tackles where their helmet makes contact with
an opponent's helmet.</h2>














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Baltimore
Ravens tight end Todd Heap, left, takes a hit from New England Patriots
safety Brandon Meriweather, right, during an NFL football game at
Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Oct. 17. The NFL will
immediately begin suspending players for dangerous and flagrant hits
that violate rules, particularly those involving helmets. </div></div></div>

After a pro football Sunday where several players were injured by
violent tackles, the NFL has fined three players and decided to start
handing out suspensions for helmet-to-helmet hits.

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NFL.com reported Tuesday Steelers linebacker James Harrison was fined $75,000
for a pair of helmet hits. The Patriots' Brandon Meriweather and Dunta
Robinson of Atlanta were each fined $50,000 for helmet or near-helmet
hits.

Ray Anderson, the league's vice president of football
operations, told the Associated Press Tuesday suspensions will be in
place for this weekend's games and the NFL could still mete out
punishment for last week's game action.

In the past, players were
either fined or ejected from games for illegal hits. But, after last
Sunday's injuries, the league decided to increase the penalties.

There
were four big hits last Sunday that brought attention to the matter.
They included a helmet-to-helmet hit by Meriweather on Baltimore tight
end Todd Heap, a violent collision between the Eagles' DeSean Jackson
and Robinson and Harrison knocking both Josh Cribbs and Mohamed
Massaquoi of the Browns out of the game between the two AFC North
rivals.

The NFL is not only looking at helmet-to-helmet contact, but blows to the head area with arms and shoulders.

"We're certainly concerned,"
said Anderson to the AP. "The fundamentally old way of wrapping up and
tackling seems to have faded away. A lot of the increase is from hits to
blow guys up. That has become a more popular way of doing it."

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin told the AP more needed to be done.

"I'm
all for player safety," Tomlin said Tuesday. "I think it is the proper
initiative that the NFL has. I think we need to safeguard the men that
play this game to the best of our abilities and make it as safe as we
can."http://www.csmonitor.com/The-Culture/Sports/2010/1019/NFL-fines-three-will-start-handing-out-suspensions-for-helmet-to-helmet-hits?utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=Feed%3A+feeds%2Fcsm+%28Christian+Science+Monitor+|+All+Stories%29Edited by: Colonel_Reb

 

[backrow]

so many people are sitting out with concussions... i've never seen as many, especially wide receivers.

 

[whiteathlete33]

I posted something about this yesterday in the Steelers thread. James Harrison claims his hit was totally legal and is threatening to retire if he's not allowed to tackle the way he wants. Like anyone gives a crap if this buffoon retires or not.

 

[Deadlift]

There's a tarantula crawling on #31 for New England... he needs to get that checked out.

 

[Deadlift]

correction.. there's a whole family of tarantulas' crawling on him!

 

[Colonel_Reb]

All these concussions are happening despite having high-tech helmets that are supposed to reduce the chances of getting a concussion. Makes you wonder if the helmet talk is all hype. Maybe they should go back to the light suspension helmets they used to make and then players wouldn't be using them as spears all the time. I think suspensions are a good idea though. I just want to see a better product on the field. As long as the Caste System exists, imho, so will the terrible play.

Edited by: Colonel_Reb

 

[celticdb15]

I am 100 percent behind the NFL and them cracking down on helmet to helmet hits. It is about time the game gets back to its roots. I want to see solid wrap up tackles again,IS that too much to ask for? I'm sick of some of these guys on defense just head hunting and launching themselves as projectiles. People don't understand theconcept fully. The NFL is not "going soft" on hits. They're cutting down on head hunting, there will still be big hits, only nowthey will require more form and technique. The game will still be violent, and concussions will still happen even on clean hits. But its more of a safety issue. THe only hit I thought deserved a fine was the Merryweather hit on Todd Heap. I thought Harrison's hit was clean but didn't like the way he paraded around after injuring the guy.

 

[The Hock]

Merrywheather was head hunting. He looked like he was doing a soccer header on Heap's helmet. With some "take that whitey" thrown in IMO&gt;