Posted on 12/06/2012 3:51:42 PM PST by InvisibleChurch
Commissioner Roger Goodell recently discussed a proposal to eliminate kickoffs with Rich McKay, the head of the league's competition committee, Time magazine reported.
More telling than the NFL's PR hocus-pocus of health and safety ads are the numbers on weight, the injuries and the PED suspensions, writes Howard Bryant.
Goodell and McKay discussed an idea brought up by Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Greg Schiano in which a team, instead of kicking off, would get the ball at its own 30-yard line in a fourth-and-15 situation. The team then would punt the ball away or, to replace an onside kick, could go for it and, if it failed to get a first down, the opposing squad would start with great field position.
"The fact is, it's a much different end of the play," Goodell said during the meeting, according to Time...
(Excerpt) Read more at espn.go.com ...
Didn’t they already change the kick-off by moving the ball closer to the opposition end zone with the intent that more balls would go out through the end zone than would be run back, thus potentially allowing for more player injuries?
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Maybe they could wrap players in bubble-wrap to protect them. Except that some might get lose and smother a few players. So, they would have to outlaw bubble-wrap.
Maybe they should ban tackling. Just let them play touch football.
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How about stopping the steroids?
Enough of this sissy stuff! Let’s release 3 bulls on the field as well during the kickoffs to really mix things up and see who gets the ball and where. ;-)
This is what happens when liberals take over an American institution. Negros, Felons, and Liberals, no one else invited.
You can add a fifth situation: the free kick after a safety is scored. They line up like a kick off, except the kicker kicks it like a punt and it's not snapped to the kicker - he puts the ball in play directly.
-PJ
Dave Casper used the term well.
“Let’s release 3 bulls on the field as well during the kickoffs to really mix things up “
That’s an awesome idea. They should also look at adding an open, water filled pit in the middle of field; occupied by enormous hungry crocodiles.
And having Helen Thomas stand there as a cheerleader in a skimpy dress.
Just for clarification, the word "soccer" is derived from the term "association football" and thus has nothing to do with socking anything.
And in real football as played with the feet, the player is called a goalkeeper.
If Schiano cared about safety he would stop rushing quarterbacks when they are taking a knee.
My only question is: Do the Hobbits run onto the field before or after the 4th & 15 play?
just wondering...
“And having Helen Thomas stand there as a cheerleader in a skimpy dress.”
To which stadium Jumbotron screen will instantly shatter.
Tackling is the real problem with football. There’s just too much tackling going on these days. If it doesn’t stop, somebody’s going to get hurt. You heard it here first.
Hey now, that is cruel and unusual punishment right there! You got to draw the line somewhere. :-)
What a jerk this Goodell idiot is. I just hope the sport survives his tenure.
Soccer already has an appropriate name.
Kickball.
“Wouldn’t punting the ball be like kicking off? Is it the downfield plays they are afraid of? If so, how does punting differ?”
The difference is that on kickoffs, players are running directly at each other from far apart and there are high speed collisions. On punts, the players begin much closer to each other and there are fewer high speed collisions and, thus, less likelihood of injury.
I’m obviously in the minority, but this doesn’t strike me as a bad idea. It seems like a pretty good balance between offensive and defense and reduces the chance of injury. I would not be surprised if the NFL goes to something like this.
“What a jerk this Goodell idiot is. I just hope the sport survives his tenure.”
Get real. As it stands right now, the league is going to have serious problems with the head injury lawsuits. If it doesn’t change to become safer, the league will not exist due to lawsuits and legislation.
If the NFL continues to woosiefy the game, perhaps a Rollerball league can succeed... (that’s a ref. to the old James Caan movie “Rollerball”)
Dumbest idea yet.
If they are going to eliminate kickoffs they should just give 'em the ball on the 20. Call it the "Mattel football rule."
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