Goodell: Coaches will be liable for violent hits

[hawaiiansteel]

Roger Goodell: Coaches will be liable if players violate NFL's new policy on violent hits

October 20, 2010




NFL commissioner Roger Goodell warned teams on Wednesday that he will hold coaches accountable for ensuring their players comply with rules that prohibit illegal hits to players' head and neck areas.

Goodell issued a memo to all 32 clubs outlining the league's increased discipline for players who violate those rules, which include the possibility of suspensions even for first-time offenders.

"Coaches are expected to teach playing within the rules," Goodell told teams in a memo. "Failure to do so will subject both the coach and the employing club to discipline."

The new emphasis on increased discipline has come under heavy criticism from players across the league who said the NFL is handcuffing their aggressiveness. After the league fined three players (James Harrison, Dunta Robinson and Brandon Meriweather) a total of $175,000 on Tuesday for illegal hits last weekend, many players argued the league was unfairly punishing players. (Although there has been little complaint about the $50,000 fine levied to Meriweather.)

Goodell sent a video that he mandated teams show to players that he said illustrates illegal hits and legal hits that rely on techniques players embrace.

"You can play a hard, physical game within the rules," Goodell told players.

Harrison was excused from Steelers practice on Wednesday after he questioned whether he might retire because he was so angry with what he felt was an unjust $75,000 fine levied on him.

-- Sean Leahy

[url="http://content.usatoday.com/communities/thehuddle/post/2010/10/roger-goodell-coaches-will-be-liable-if-players-violate-nfls-new-policy-on-violent-hits/1"]http://content.usatoday.com/communities ... ent-hits/1[/url]

[Sugar]

Re: Goodell: Coaches will be liable for violent hits

I wonder how much of this was aimed at Coach Tomlin. He stressed a few times before the actual fine that Harrison played good football and that the hits were not fineable because they were the way the game is supposed to be played.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Re: Goodell: Coaches will be liable for violent hits

"You can play a hard, physical game within the rules," Goodell told players.

I agree with this statement in general, but totally disagree with the punishments levied.

The Harrison hits and the Dunta Robinson hits were hard and physical and within the rules. The Meriweather hit was not. Meriweather should have been fined and/or suspended for malicious head-hunting. Harrison and Robinson should have been praised for doing what they could to separate the man from the ball...those hits were physical but not malicious. They league is fining the outcome (the unfortunate injuries that occurred) rather than the acts themselves (hard hits within the boundaries of the rules).

[BURGH86STEEL]

Re: Goodell: Coaches will be liable for violent hits

"You can play a hard, physical game within the rules," Goodell told players.

I agree with this statement in general, but totally disagree with the punishments levied.

The Harrison hits and the Dunta Robinson hits were hard and physical and within the rules. The Meriweather hit was not. Meriweather should have been fined and/or suspended for malicious head-hunting. Harrison and Robinson should have been praised for doing what they could to separate the man from the ball...those hits were physical but not malicious. They league is fining the outcome (the unfortunate injuries that occurred) rather than the acts themselves (hard hits within the boundaries of the rules).

It is going to be very difficult to determine where the league draws the line. Will be difficult for the players to make the adjustment. Will be difficult for the refs to determine when to throw flags. Players will probably be the easiest to influence. The NFL is in a fix. I don't know how they can come up with a proper solution that satisfy everyone.

[BradshawsHairdresser]

Re: Goodell: Coaches will be liable for violent hits

"You can play a hard, physical game within the rules," Goodell told players.

I agree with this statement in general, but totally disagree with the punishments levied.

The Harrison hits and the Dunta Robinson hits were hard and physical and within the rules. The Meriweather hit was not. Meriweather should have been fined and/or suspended for malicious head-hunting. Harrison and Robinson should have been praised for doing what they could to separate the man from the ball...those hits were physical but not malicious. They league is fining the outcome (the unfortunate injuries that occurred) rather than the acts themselves (hard hits within the boundaries of the rules).

It is going to be very difficult to determine where the league draws the line. Will be difficult for the players to make the adjustment. Will be difficult for the refs to determine when to throw flags. Players will probably be the easiest to influence. The NFL is in a fix. I don't know how they can come up with a proper solution that satisfy everyone.

I do. Put little frilly skirts on them and have them play two-hand touch.

That's where we're headed. Goodell and Co. are flaming morons. How 'bout we get up a petition to start a REAL pro football league?

[hawaiiansteel]

Re: Goodell: Coaches will be liable for violent hits

I do. Put little frilly skirts on them and have them play two-hand touch.

That's where we're headed. Goodell and Co. are flaming morons. How 'bout we get up a petition to start a REAL pro football league?

this is the next step:

[Djfan]

Re: Goodell: Coaches will be liable for violent hits

The NFL is in a fix. I don't know how they can come up with a proper solution that satisfy everyone.

You're right, but it is a fix that they didn't need to walk into. The situation didn't need legislation. The NFL opened a can of bees here, and the only fix is to close it and say "That was a bad path to go down. Let's not go there."

Because NoGoodell is a putz, he won't say that. But, he should.

[skyhawk]

Re: Goodell: Coaches will be liable for violent hits

I do. Put little frilly skirts on them and have them play two-hand touch.

That's where we're headed. Goodell and Co. are flaming morons. How 'bout we get up a petition to start a REAL pro football league?

this is the next step:

[BURGH86STEEL]

Re: Goodell: Coaches will be liable for violent hits

The NFL is in a fix. I don't know how they can come up with a proper solution that satisfy everyone.

You're right, but it is a fix that they didn't need to walk into. The situation didn't need legislation. The NFL opened a can of bees here, and the only fix is to close it and say "That was a bad path to go down. Let's not go there."

Because NoGoodell is a putz, he won't say that. But, he should.

The concussion issue was something the league had to address. That's because the federal government got involved. One thing lead to another and that is where we are today.

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

Re: Goodell: Coaches will be liable for violent hits

^^ What is the fed's involvement here?

And why would they need to get involved in the NFL at all, what is their dog in this fight?

[BURGH86STEEL]

Re: Goodell: Coaches will be liable for violent hits

^^ What is the fed's involvement here?

And why would they need to get involved in the NFL at all, what is their dog in this fight?

[url="http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d813c29ef/article/goodell-defends-nfl-policies-on-head-injuries-to-congress"]http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d8 ... o-congress[/url]


Now, the NFL is never going to come out and say that they are doing this because of congress. The reality is that NFL is late in dealing with the issue of concussions. The league could had been more proactive years ago. Injuries are injuries whether they happen to arms, legs, the brain, or anywhere else. There were no standards in place in terms of recovery time from concussions. Now there are some standards and tests in place. Those standards may not be accurate or good enough. Not enough is known as of today. More studies should shed better light onto the situation. Like most injuries, it could boil down to how quickly an individual recovers. It's why I believe the NFL is doing what it can to limit concussions. They could be going about dealing with this issue the wrong way. I don't believe fining players is the only solution to the problem.

I believe that many fans and players are overreacting to this issue. Players will be able to hit one another. They will need to be more careful when and how they collide with one another. As was stated on NFL network, offensive players bear some responsibility in keeping themselves safe. Reading defenses properly and knowing when to sit down in zones will limit collisions. QB's making better decisions by not leading their WR's into defenders should help.

I don't know what will happen if the article below has any truth to it. I luv the sport as much as anyone. Will just have to wait to see where all this leads.

[url="http://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/Best-of-the-Burgh-Blogs/Pulling-No-Punches/October-2010/Play-or-Get-Played-Why-the-James-Harrison-Hit-Really-Doesn-039t-Matter/"]http://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/Best- ... 9t-Matter/[/url]

[Shawn]

Re: Goodell: Coaches will be liable for violent hits

I think it's entirely possible to tackle physically without launching yourself like a projectile missle into someone's head.

[BURGH86STEEL]

Re: Goodell: Coaches will be liable for violent hits

I think it's entirely possible to tackle physically without launching yourself like a projectile missle into someone's head.

I agree with you. I also think there will be situations where it is unavoidable. How and when they make that determination will be difficult.

[ikestops85]

Re: Goodell: Coaches will be liable for violent hits

I think it's entirely possible to tackle physically without launching yourself like a projectile missle into someone's head.

Of course it is. The problem is you are not tackling someone in a fixed position. So while you might be aiming for one part of their body they move and you end up hitting their head. This really isn't a hard concept.

Granted, you do have the hits like Merriweather's and I think everyone agrees that one was bad. People have been arguing for days on Harrison's hit. So if nobody can come to an agreement on the hit how are the players supposed to know what they can and can't do?

I saw a little segment on the NFL Network with Rich McKay from the competition committee. He showed a play from the Ravens/Jets game from earlier in the year. It shows Sanchez throwing a pass to Dustin Keller. Keller gets hit hard by Ray Lewis and drops the ball. McKay says "See, you can still play physical without hurting anyone."

I really start to laugh. First of all, why did Keller drop the ball. My guess the reason is Ray Lewis HURT him with the hit. Otherwise he would have held on to the ball. So pain is okay ... the league just said so. Now, will that hit cause any permanent damage to Keller. Probably not but we don't really know. It could have done something to throw his back out of alignment. Maybe that hit causes arthritis down the road. So the question is "where does this end"?

When the idea is for one group of players to try and get another player on the ground before he crosses a line on the ground. That player in turn has others who are allowed to hit people to prevent them from getting said player on the ground. So with this as the concept why are people surprised that injuries, some of them severe, occur?

Instead of trying to use judgemental calls to regulate players why not improve the equipment the players wear. If I remember my basic physics correctly Force = mass times acceleration.

Obviously if we reduce the force players hit one another with we should reduce the severity of the injuries. Since we really can't effectively change mass let's look at acceleration. Players today are faster and stronger today than they were 20 years ago. The training regiments are more stringent and more emphasis is placed on diet in order for players to get stronger.

So we need to attack acceleration. We have players today who refuse to wear thigh pads because it will slow them down. Since this is our objective why not put bigger and softer pads on the players? Make it mandatory that players wear all pads. That they have to wear the concussion resistant helmets. Players won't like it because it will slow them down but then again, this is our objective. If you slow them down they obviously won't be able to accelerate as fast.

End of Sermon

[Kid]

Re: Goodell: Coaches will be liable for violent hits

it needs to start with the offensive players. these guys need to be taught to run straight upright at all times and never lower their shoulders or head to brace for the hit. once that is established, i am all for any blows to the head or neck with any part of the defenders body.