Quote:
Originally Posted by Wanger
My opinion is that you're giving a lot of those guys way too much credit, in regards to the section I bolded. There may be some smart guys out there on the field, but I'm sure there are plenty that are probably lucky they graduated high school.
I can see where you're coming from, Scott, but I don't know that hs players necessarily have the skill (or power, for the most part...at least not your "average" hs player) to deliver an injury causing blow, unless it's something like a completely blind/cheap shot. They might actually be more likely to hurt htemselves while trying to hurt an opponenet.
Now, in regards to professional courtesy, wouldn't that honestly preclude them from actually participating in the bounty system? These guys beat their bodies up, to start with, and adding an injury that could potentially cause harm down the line just adds to that. IMO, that's not professional courtesy. And because of what's at stake ($$$$), that would seem to be something that goes to the opposite of what you're saying. The high $$$ contracts could cause a player to take those shots, with the hopes of parlaying being a "big hitter" into a big contract. I just don't think the NFL needs to add fuel to the fire by condoning bounties.
I seem to be in the minority here in the fact that I think this was a horrible practice. Just not a cool practice, IMO. Never has been, never will be. Yes, injuries will always be part of sports, but going out to cause them should not be (with the obvious exceptions of things like boxing and MMA). As someone said, if they happen during the natural course of a clean play, then so be it. We can all accept that. To me it's all about the intent.
Just meant we had to hear him talk more.  |
I honestly think you and I are talking about the same thing. We're just unclear about where these "lines" are. When I mentioned "smart", I didn't mean educated. I meant that they have an excellent command of their position and all things related.
I can see where your disdain for purposely harming someone would come from, and I share it. When I step on a football field, I leave that at home. Same as any other sport, I'll compete until I can't carry my dead ass off the field. It's competition.
Injury, getting hurt and hurting the other guy is part of football. Knocking a specific player out of the game has always been, and will always be part of the strategy of the game. Disagreeing with that is fine, but it doesn't change that it's what football is. It's why we watch it. Who doesn't cringe, hoot or get a rush when a wide receiver comes over the middle, catches a ball and gets hit and does three end-over-ends before he hits the grass? The defender could have just as well let him land and wrapped him up, but that's not how the game is played. Receivers know there's a price to pay for going over the middle, and fans appreciate a guy who has the nads to go take that hit.
I do agree with you that it gets out of hand. The Adrian Petersen link, for instance. His ankle is hurt and guys are trying to twist it in the pile. That's chickensh1t, and it'll get taken care of during the course of the game. The guy that did it is going to pay the price with a shot in the chin, finger in the eye, you name it.
On the high school level, kids have no clue how to avoid wrecking another kid for life. One chop block or low hit on a planted foot can ruin someone forever. They don't get that. They don't have any idea what kind of hits can (and do) cause ankles and knees to get blown out. They spear and jam their own necks because they think their gear is armor and they're immortal. My point wasn't that they know HOW to cause a huge injury on purpose, it's that they don't know how to AVOID causing a huge injury.
They'll also throw their bodies around with wreckless abandon because everyone is immortal when they're that age.
How painful is it that Michael Irvin ended up in a postgame show?
