[bears9]

The NFL seems determined to continue its downward spiral toward becoming a two-hand touch league, as it has adopted a clarification on the rules for hitting quarterbacks.

This comes after New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady missed almost all of the 2008 season -- he played one quarter of the opening game -- following a hit from Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Bernard Pollard. If the same play were to take place during the 2009 season, Pollard would be flagged.

It's just another example of how the NFL intends to protect quarterbacks as if they were Faberge eggs, eliminating any and all physical contact. Hell, sometimes guys get fined for sacking the quarterback.

But is this really about protecting players, or is it about protecting investments and making money? Listening to Patriots owner Robert Kraft talk, it's pretty obvious it's about protecting investments.

NFL Continues to Ban Physical Contact, Clarifies 'The Brady Rule' --NFL FanHouse

[BigdaddyQH]

It is a combinationof things. First, today,s player is a patsy compared to those of 30 years ago. Secondly, they are paid rediculous sums of money to play, so the owners change the rules to make sure they can play in each and every game. Pretty soon they will be playing flag football. Did you see half the injuries 40 years ago when there were basically no rules to protec these patsies behind center? Probably not because those guys were in shape, could tolerate pain, and played to win, not to collect a pay check, get stoned, carry a weapon and shoot themselves, beat their wives up, get drunk and drive cars, boats, or who knows what else, and hang out at clubs with a sign on their back saying "I am a big shot pro football player. Kick the crap out of me."

When I used to work for a police department, we had occasion to stop these players for various violations. They were, for the most part, a bunch of whiney little hens, who were afraid that someone would kick the caca out of them in jail. The ones that copped an attitude got the worst cell mates. We were very tough on these guys. It was fun watching them shake like a little boy about to get a shot from a Doctor. They got off, for the most part, but we loed to scare the caca out of them for a few hours. I loved the "heyman, don't you know who I am?" routine,to which I would answer,"a dumb ***** who ends up in the hospital in 10 seconds if he doesn't shut up. They always did, because they know what they would get if they did not. 40 years ago, the player would just laugh it off, sleep it off, chew the fat with the cops, and leave it at that.

Since todays players can retire after a few years because of the rediculous salaries they get, they are going to blow their injuries way out of porportion whenever they can. The owners know this,and want to get as much work our of these guys as possible, before they are disgarded in the "washed up" heap. Now I know ther are exceptions to this, but they are few and far between. So the safer the game is, the less iolent the game is, the more the owners can get out of their players. These players are little more than gladiators, tossed into a staduim to do battle. If one gets hurt or killed, oh well. That is exactly how one owner that I know of treats his players.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

You had me at "Patsies"...

Next will be the red jersey they wear in practice...

After that the whole game might go with Flags instead of tackling.

[BigdaddyQH]

Originally Posted by Gotham Dark Knight

You had me at "Patsies"...

Next will be the red jersey they wear in practice...

After that the whole game might go with Flags instead of tackling.

I could not agree more. It is getting worse and worse.

[Apple Roof Cleaning]

IMHO the NFL is sissifying the league
I LOVE it when emotion is displayed in the End Zone.
My Tampa Bay Bucs were BEAT on a last minute Carolina TD once.
The Panther showed us he cut our throats in the End Zone
GOOD for him - because he DID