New kickoff rule approved

[_sturt_]

 

[_sturt_]

From April 2023... strong, compelling evidence that NFL rules committee monitors CowboysZone.com... ... not, not precisely the same, but the general concept is there.

 

[quickccc]

from the video display - i guess the aim is to eliminate the greatest full- steam speed momentum that causes the biggest crunching impact collisions.

NFL had to borrow pages from the other 'minor' leagues to figure out the best way ... same as they did Instant Replay and challenges

 

[Kevinicus]

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

Wut?

 

[Quickdraw]

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.

 

[NDGAEDE]

This is good. No point to all the touch backs. Kickoffs are fun.

 

[Floatyworm]

You are telling me the NFL is now taking its signals from the XFL? What a commentary on the state of the league.

.....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.

Too many rules for the refs to dictate the outcome of games.

Should have never let gambling into sports...

 

[_sturt_]

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...

Right. Because gambling is the cause of head injuries, and the legal liability that extends from those injuries. Of course.

Was this purposely obtuse, and I'm just the mark?

(Mind you, I'm not thrilled with the open embrace of gambling, but for entirely different reasons.)

 

[_sturt_]

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.

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.

 

[Flamma]

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.

 

[calico]

I love the change. I wanted them to adopt it in the nfl the moment I saw it in an XFL game.

 

[thunderpimp91]

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.

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.

I have a feeling though that by mid season this will be a total hit from a fan perspective. Kickoffs will be more creative than ever, and we probably see significantly fewer holding calls on returns since the kicking team wont be sprinting downfield.

 

[_sturt_]

probably see significantly fewer holding calls on returns

Hadn't thought of that. Plausibly so.

 

[thunderpimp91]

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.

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.

 

[_sturt_]

they're hell bent on neutering it at every turn.

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.

 

[Flamma]

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'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.

 

[Flamma]

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.

I get it. Maybe in time, once I get used to it, it won't look much like a gimmick anymore.

I played a ton of football back in the 80s and 90s. I was super fast so I got to return punts and kickoffs. The kickoff return always gave me butterflies. It's a high impact play. But no one ever talked about it like they do now.

 

[Quickdraw]

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.

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.

 

[_sturt_]

Money will always trump what is best for the game.

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.

But there's a limit to that. Money will not help what is best for the game as it becomes evident that some people could become egregiously harmed by that pursuit... and thus, the fear of losing money isn't helpful to the game... but the game isn't more important than people's general capacity to live a full and enjoyable life, including football player people.

So all that just to reaffirm... the economic self-interest is a good thing all the way around, in this case.

 

[_sturt_]

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.

Hmmm.

Because.

What I read: "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 occurred when they banned the wedge."

I feel like I responded appropriately, but am open to your pointing out where I stepped outside the lines.