Barber "Stiff Arm" is now a 2008 point of emphasis

[WoodysGirl]

The five-yard face mask penalty for incidental contact with the facemask was eliminated. Any twisting, grabbing or illegal use of a facemask will result in a 15-yard penalty.


Impact: This change also takes the heat off referees from having to make what can be a tough judgment call. Pereira said there will also be greater emphasis placed on ensuring offensive players also aren't breaking the facemask rule when trying to avoid tackles. This could greatly affect the rushing style of Dallas running back Marion Barber, who has the NFL's fiercest stiff-arm.
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/7980294/These-new-rules-will-have-an-impact-on-NFL

 

[Rampage]

why would it affect barber? he doesn't grab or twist the facemask, he punches it.

 

[Dallas]

Barber brings the pain w/ that shot to the face. You better be ready to get your bell run when coming to tackle Marion.

I have never seen him hook or grip the FM.

 

[TellerMorrow34]

This could be one of those things where he's going to get flagged for it, some of the time, as the refs make a judgement call on whether he broke the rule of it or not.

I don't like the way this rule, or emphasis, is worded cause it's going to leave things open to far too wide a range of interpretation.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

I always worry that Barber is going to catch one of his fingers in the mask and break it......but he is sooooo tough

 

[TheCount]

This doesn't effect Barber, it affects guys trying to bring him down anyway they can.

 

[TRUTH87]

i can see a bunch of bs calls coming....

 

[Deep_Freeze]

First Roy, now Marion, love and feed the hate. Next on the wanted poster is Romo, guess since Brett retired, no more having fun and laughing for QBs, 15 yard penalty.

Interesting, DMac will be new in the league, and has a fierce stiff arm of his own, should be interesting.

 

[Rampage]

First Roy, now Marion, love and feed the hate. Next on the wanted poster is Romo, guess since Brett retired, no more having fun and laughing for QBs, 15 yard penalty.

Interesting, DMac will be new in the league, and has a fierce stiff arm of his own, should be interesting.

i heard a rule is being discussed that improvising will be a 15 yarder(the Romo rule)

they will outlaw the stiff arm after they see this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bL-5OFH32DM

 

[vta]

I always worry that Barber is going to catch one of his fingers in the mask and break it......but he is sooooo tough

Like Emmitt did in Minnesota years back. Awesome first half by Emmitt.

I think this sport needs to find better things to do in the off season, than to water down the game with these stupid rules. Is Brandon Jacobs a part of this committee?

 

[Vintage]

Dumb rule, but I've come to expect this from the NFL.


Probably anti-Dallas bias too...

 

[dbair1967]

ridiculous

David

 

[HardHittin'Witten]

I always worry that Barber is going to catch one of his fingers in the mask and break it......but he is sooooo tough

He'll just pull a Ronnie Lott.

 

[dbair1967]

Others teams

"we cant guard Michael irvin, please help us out"

league

"we'll call mor offensive PI even if it isnt warranted"

other teams

"we cant get around Erik Williams, please help us out"

league

"hey no problem, we'll implement the Erik Williams rule"

other teams

"poor poor us, that mean ol Roy Williams hurts our players"

league

"hey we've got your back, we'll just create a special rule for him too!"

2008 league meetings, other teams say

"we cant tackle that big bad Marion barber, what ever are we to do??"

league

"dont worry guys, we will fix him...we'll just start penalizing him 15 yds every times he uses his hands to ***** slap one of your lousy tacklers"



David

 

[J-DOG]

This is exactly what the NFL needs...more judgement calls made by part-time referees.
If they start calling penalties against the offensive players now you can be sure it will be called the Marion Barber rule.
Just like the horse collar rule is called the Roy Williams rule.
I saw a behind the scenes thing from one of the past owner's meetings and I saw when they were proposing the horse collar rule and they showed videotape of exactly they were going to call...guess who was the tackler on those examples????
Yeah you guessed it Roy Williams.
Oh and Mike Perierra the head of the NFL referees was at the table with the owners as this was being shown...but it's not biased against Roy.
Give me a break.
This rule has followed Roy so much so that he recently was accused by a well respected NFL writer of using the horse collar tackle in injuring Ben Watson(TE) New England in thier game this season.
Roy tackled him cleanly...same exact tackle that injured TO in the Carolina game. Grabbed him from behind at the waist and fell on his legs.
The horse collar rule is a joke and these players get injured in this game...no matter how many times you try and micro-manage it.

 

[TellerMorrow34]

Others teams

"we cant guard Michael irvin, please help us out"

league

"we'll call mor offensive PI even if it isnt warranted"

other teams

"we cant get around Erik Williams, please help us out"

league

"hey no problem, we'll implement the Erik Williams rule"

other teams

"poor poor us, that mean ol Roy Williams hurts our players"

league

"hey we've got your back, we'll just create a special rule for him too!"

2008 league meetings, other teams say

"we cant tackle that big bad Marion barber, what ever are we to do??"

league

"dont worry guys, we will fix him...we'll just start penalizing him 15 yds every times he uses his hands to ***** slap one of your lousy tacklers"



David

LOL! Best post I've seen in a bit.

 

[theogt]

I should go ahead and sign up for the anger management courses.

 

[jterrell]

I really hate this rule.

If a referee blows the whistle it means 15 every time. Thats sucks.

A 5 yarder is appropriate in many instances. 15 for a shot to the face that doesn't twist or turn the head if silly.

The NFL is seriously a bunch of friggin whining haters.

I wish Roy Williams would go horse collar Jeff Fisher.

 

[jterrell]

LOL! Best post I've seen in a bit.

sad but QFT.

Dallas will play every game with adjusted rules so the poor wittle player son the other teams do not get hurt. :bang2:

I can see it now.

Once we sign Pac Man there will be a 15 yard penalty for 'tipping' the cheerleaders. :laugh2:

 

[EPL0c0]

why would it affect barber? he doesn't grab or twist the facemask, he punches it.

the Erik Williams, "hands to the face" rule was enacted b/c Williams used the technique (not new either) of basically slapping the facemask. there was no grab/pull/twist, but the effect I guess is similar to what we see in a stiffarm.

It'd likely be a pro-defense call, but could make the stiff arm all but pointless... maybe they'll change the Heisman trophy hehe