Wut?Wth? Why not just have the returner hold the ball at that spot and yell hike then run, why kick it off at all. Jeesh I swear the NFL just wants more points at any cost. I am thinking this is just another stupid change, just throw it up on all the other stupid changes
.....Honestly the state of the game is broken. It's not even football anymore. Players aren't allowed to hit....now they aren't allowed to tackle.You are telling me the NFL is now taking its signals from the XFL? What a commentary on the state of the league.
Right. Because gambling is the cause of head injuries, and the legal liability that extends from those injuries. Of course.Players aren't allowed to hit....now they aren't allowed to tackle.
Too many rules for the refs to dictate the outcome of games.
Should have never let gambling into sports...
Um. First, I suspect that if you're under the gun to avoid any further legal implications, and you're among those whose financial condition could be impacted if you fail in that... it kinda makes sense, maybe only to me, that you're probably monitoring all of that more closely than any fan would ever.In my opinion, the NFL has actually shot themselves in the foot by constantly changing the kickoff. I don't have the stats, but I wonder if more injuries occured when they banned the wedge.
Yeah I suspect that some tweaks will need to be made to this rule after this year, but I applaud the NFL for trying something new. A week ago I felt like outside of punters and kickers special teams players were becoming a waste of roster space. Fast forward to today and I'm doing a total 180. The league is finding ways to make special teams relevant again and even if this turns out to be a disaster for this year I credit the league for trying.Um. First, I suspect that if you're under the gun to avoid any further legal implications, and you're among those whose financial condition could be impacted if you fail in that... it kinda makes sense, maybe only to me, that you're probably monitoring all of that more closely than any fan would ever.
Second, I thought we all agreed that the kickoff has become a waste of time for the last several seasons... like why even bother... but now the NFL has done itself harm somehow... by trying to re-institute the gravity of a play that has had no real gravity?
Sorry, I just can't walk that road. Even if this were to need further tweaking, improvement is improvement. That status quo sucked. Get rid of it, and at least be conscientious enough to try to make the play relevant to games again. That, they've done.
I criticize when they deserve criticism, I congratulate when they deserve congratulation. And at least in the NFL, it's a legitimate committee composed of many stakeholders that makes these decisions... unlike in Manfredball, where the Commissioner has been acting at the behest of the baseball media for most of his term of office.
Hadn't thought of that. Plausibly so.probably see significantly fewer holding calls on returns
I sort of get the 'warrior sport' piece, but this is an easy change to make that creates actual balance between having a meaningful play and player safety. A kickoff is maybe the most dangerous play in the game, and the 22 guys on the field for that play are typically all on the bottom half of the teams payroll. These are the players the league needs to protect, not from a revenue perspective but simply a humanitarian one.Gimmick crap. But I guess it's better than no returns. It's amazing how far they will go to not admit they were wrong. Or what they are willing to change instead of simply going back to the normal kickoff. This is a warrior sport, and they're hell bent on neutering it at every turn.
Honestly, I don't get the sentiment.they're hell bent on neutering it at every turn.
I've talked about this before. You are spot on. I was just giving my opinion about what I thought of it. Money will always trump what is best for the game.Honestly, I don't get the sentiment.
Forgive if you've heard this before. Football is a business.
They like making money. The money they make, they make because you and me like the product.
So, anything that helps them make more money, it makes sense that they're going to be all for that.
And... same coin, other side... anything that helps them prevent unnecessarily losing significant money... it makes sense that they're going to be all for that.
I'm sure if we could just eliminate the court system, that would throw open the gates, and you'd have the best warrior sport that could possibly be put on display for money. Why wouldn't they? Well, maybe ethics/morality comes into play at some point as @thunderpimp91 suggests, but we don't even need to go there. Economic self-interest is its own governor... the pursuit of wealth, properly channeled, can actually end up helping the end product be all it can be, but within some boundaries of humanity.
I get it. Maybe in time, once I get used to it, it won't look much like a gimmick anymore.I sort of get the 'warrior sport' piece, but this is an easy change to make that creates actual balance between having a meaningful play and player safety. A kickoff is maybe the most dangerous play in the game, and the 22 guys on the field for that play are typically all on the bottom half of the teams payroll. These are the players the league needs to protect, not from a revenue perspective but simply a humanitarian one.
My comment was regarding the wedge and whether it produced as many injuries as to compared to after removing it from the league. I said nothing about not changing the kickoff.Um. First, I suspect that if you're under the gun to avoid any further legal implications, and you're among those whose financial condition could be impacted if you fail in that... it kinda makes sense, maybe only to me, that you're probably monitoring all of that more closely than any fan would ever.
Second, I thought we all agreed that the kickoff has become a waste of time for the last several seasons... like why even bother... but now the NFL has done itself harm somehow... by trying to re-institute the gravity of a play that has had no real gravity?
Sorry, I just can't walk that road. Even if this were to need further tweaking, improvement is improvement. That status quo sucked. Get rid of it, and at least be conscientious enough to try to make the play relevant to games again. That, they've done.
I criticize when they deserve criticism, I congratulate when they deserve congratulation. And at least in the NFL, it's a legitimate committee composed of many stakeholders that makes these decisions... unlike in Manfredball, where the Commissioner has been acting at the behest of the baseball media for most of his term of office.
Money will mostly help what is best for the game... because people who own teams want to make money, and the best way to make money is to put the best product out there possible.Money will always trump what is best for the game.
My comment was regarding the wedge and whether it produced as many injuries as to compared to after removing it from the league. I said nothing about not changing the kickoff.