News: PFT: League threatens teams with potential loss of draft picks for pre-game fighting

[Reality]

 

[blueblood70]

yeah, but in a lot of these cases it's the home team not allowing the visitors to have their time pregame practice and warm up, should be fined immediately.,. they usually are the instigators....

 

[Motorola]

Players acting like the college guys in a rivalry game.
Glad the league quickly imposed serious ramifications.

Recalled back in the mid-80s fights breaking out during college basketball games seemingly twice a week; even the women's teams were getting into fracases.
The NCAA imposed a rule that players involved in fights will be ejected and suspended for one game; if a player is involved in a second fight, a suspension for the season is assessed.
All of the fighting ceased immediately.

 

[starfan1]

Not sure the fights are something I care about but ok

 

[jazzcat22]

So, let me guess. There will be some obscure rule in there. That states if a Dallas player even looks cross eyed at an opposing player. They will be suspended and lose a draft pick.
And the refs will call it even if they think the player was thinking about it.

 

[Captain-Crash]

what about during the game? More game-time fights are okay?

 

[Jipper]

Blah blah blah

 

[Runwildboys]

Weird. This announcement comes immediately after Dallas has an incident...or do they make these announcements every time, and we just don't hear about it because we're only focused on our team?

 

[Ranching]

what about during the game? More game-time fights are okay?

Hell yeah! Football is a passionate and reactionary sport. That said, most pregame fights are planned and sought out to set the tone. Childish behavior.

 

[MarcusRock]

Weird. This announcement comes immediately after Dallas has an incident...or do they make these announcements every time, and we just don't hear about it because we're only focused on our team?

Our fans whine .... HARD. My guess is they filled up Goodell's voicemail and he told people to throw the Cowboys a bone because they're afraid of being bullied.

 

[Captain-Crash]

One or more of the owners probably weren't happy with the event. They were worried that one of their products might get hurt, and it's a "bad look" for the NFL. shrugs. I miss those fight days.

Washington and Dallas fighting during the games were awesome. Old school for me.

 

[MarcusRock]

Players acting like the college guys in a rivalry game.
Glad the league quickly imposed serious ramifications.

And yet there are people here who dislike that players are so friendly to each other and exchange jerseys, yearning for the yore of old time rivalries. Well, this is one of the things that comes with rivalries. Can't have it both ways (not saying it's you specifically).

 

[Motorola]

Hell yeah! Football is a passionate and reactionary sport. That said, most pregame fights are planned and sought out to set the tone. Childish behavior.

And yet there are people here who dislike that players are so friendly to each other and exchange jerseys, yearning for the yore of old time rivalries. Well, this is one of the things that comes with rivalries. Can't have it both ways (not saying it's you specifically).

As Ranching stated, it's those pre-game concocted confrontations that are baloney.
Besides, teams that play each once or twice in a four-year span are not rivalries = San Francisco v. Cleveland and Dallas v. Los Angeles last week.

 

[Hardline]

Just tell the players criminal assault charges will be filed for fighting.

 

[Creeper]

I don't disagree. If players intentionally infringe of the warmup area of the other team and it is condoned or ordered by the coaching staff of the offending team, then I suppose docking draft picks makes sense - after a second infraction. But it seems harsh for a first offense.

Just fine/suspend the offending players who throw punches. There is usually more than ample video to identify the culprits. Give an unsportsmanlke conduct penalty to the offending team to start the game.

 

[Vanilla2]

Fox showed the niners browns incident as something that was cool and during the broadcast they mentioned fowlers pregame activities with a tone of something needs to be done. Not saying this now being threatened because of Dallas but more along the lines of the negative narrative will always exist. Tired of being the heel.

 

[Bagman]

Then the NFL Office better start watching the 49ers. They have a pregame ruckus just about every week.

 

[Gonzomandela01]

They should compensate the team that wins the fight with draft picks to bring back some old school competitiveness, guys are too buddy-buddy these days with the shirt swapping and the social media flattery.

 

[dsturgeon]

seems strange that player issues would result in a team being penalized

 

[Motorola]

seems strange that player issues would result in a team being penalized

Teams control their players -- from the most mundane matters (injury treatment schedules, curfews the night before a game).

I recall a local radio sports broadcast last year that discussed the significant increase in penalties being committed by teams over the course of the season - no matter whom the program was.
One of the contributors in a response quoted a former coach:
"If a football team commits large number of penalties game in and game out over the course of a season, it is because of one of two reasons:

1) the coaching staff knows about the infractions - but refuses to step in and correct the players' bad play;
2) the coaching staff is actually encouraging \ teaching the players to break the rules....hoping they can get away with it more times than naught.