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in the first half for targeting. A couple of the calls were pretty close. It's too subjective. If the runner can lower his head, why not the defender? It's gonna change a lot of games personnel wise. Maybe they should save the ejection for if the player is called for it a second time in the game.

It does seem like it's gone too far.

But on the other hand, football is an inherently violent game.  Injuries have always occurred.  Heck, way back in the beginning guys were actually dying. Teddy Roosevelt personally got involved and they outlawed the wedge formation and started requiring helmets (even though they were the lame leather ones).

If people want to nerf football, I guess at some point it will have to be touch.  The violence in football is an integral part of it.  Take it away and it's not football anymore, not really.

They might should reconsider ejections on the first offense.

But these guys know not to do that. It's been a rule for a few years now, it's preached in practice and they see it on TV. I cringe when I see these guys go in head first.

I do agree that the running backs should not be allowed to lower their heads. I know that it might protect their legs but it's certainly not good for their heads. Or the heads of the defenders. And the tacklers sometimes get a penalty because the running back lowered his head and the tackler had no intention of making head to head contact.

Football is definitely a violent sport and there will always be some inherent risk, but if defenders just keep their facemask up there is no penalty. 

I am 100% in support of the rule applying to ball carriers.  To me, it is ridiculous that a ball carrier is still allowed to use the crown of the helmet while defenders are relegated to the bench for the same type of hit.

Cade had a statement I agree with:  "Football is a game played with a malicious intent"
Doesn't mean that someone goes after someone with intent but that it is a violent game where people hit each other HARD

There is a very fine line between coaching your players to hit hard, and coaching your players to intentionally hurt your opponent.  I don't think these head injury concerns come from intentionally designed hits, but I imagine a lot of other injuries do - especially in the category of late hits on the ball carrier and QB. 

As for helmet to helmet...sometimes that comes from a defender who like to lead with his helmet (which is surely universally coached against) and other times it is just a random occurrence that just happens when bodies come flying at each other.   

Targeting is a rule that's well-intended. But it's a rule that severely needs tweaking. Every targeting call is reviewed anyway. Why not make it a point of emphasis that if helmet-to-helmet occurs because the runner lowered his head, the defender isn't penalized or ejected? That's a change that would be so simple to make. No player should ever be ejected because an opposing player lowered his head and inadvertently created helmet-to-helmet contact.

Cade needs to check the definition of his adjectives > Malicious is deliberately trying to harm some one. that is not what most players are trying to do. Just a macho statement.

I understand what he meant . Maybe he should have said playing the game with a bad attitude instead.

Now if only anyone knew who "Cade" was  :laugh:

Come on up to Knoxvegas Sat and I'll show him to ya! :naughty: :angel:

Okay I get it now.  You did the same thing during the BG game with "Cooper".  Referring to the Mays boys by their first names, since there are two of them.

I guess that's an improvement over using their numbers.   :tongue:

:tongue: :dunno: :hi5: :dance:

I didn't think any of the calls were close in the least.  They were all very obviously targeting as the rule is written.  All my brother and I kept saying was "Why is it so hard for the defenders to keep their heads up?"  That's a coaching issue.  All of the targeting calls I saw in that game were correctly called; even the announcers were saying that.

It lives! :naughty: :bow:

Hope all is well with you and the family!