Suggestion for a new rule for secondary school, college, and pro football.

[Ken Burch]

Clearly, ejections for "targeting" aren't solving the problem.

There should be a rule that, if any players are knocked out of the game by a hit applied by the other team(offense OR defense)the team causing the injury immediately forfeits the game.

Might be the only thing that stops football from reaching the point where players are actually killed on the field, which is bound to happen one of these days.

[draa]

1. Ha, instead of making them forfit

I'd make them take a man off the field and play with 10 men. Each personal foul would result in another player on the bench. There would have been 6 on 6 at the end of that Pittsburg/Cincinnati playoff game.

At least with sitting a man the team will likely lose anyway and the fans get to finish watching the game (albeit a few men short).

[Ken Burch]

2. It's another possibility.

I'd also give fans a refund in case of the forfeit, for the record. No team should profit off of the intentional maiming of anyone on the other team.

[draa]

3. I agree with that but intent is hard to prove unless your Burficit or James Harrison.

And a forfit also cuts into contracts since many are now incentive laden instead of front loaded. It would be tough to keep people off the field who hadn't done anything wrong and have that type incentives in their contracts. The union also would have a fit. There's no way they'd sign off on that.

The best bet is suspend players for 4/8/16 games or for life for repeat offenders. That way some of those idiots couldn't hurt anyone.

[Downwinder]

4. The Empire needs blood sport.

You will disappoint the fans.

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

5. Hypothetical....

Let's say the infraction happened on the third play of the game.
Forfeit.
Millions lost from ad revenue.
I'm not for corporations.. But that's one big reason the rule can't fly.
Stick to punishing the player. Lifetime ban?

[Wounded Bear]

6. Not gonna happen...

Here's a more realistic proposal that I've often thought might work.

If a player is injured due to being 'targeted' (I know, hard to prove so to speak) and misses one or more games, the player that caused the injury is suspended for the same number of games.

[Staph]

7. I saw a comment by a retired coach/player,

Don Nehlen, who coached at West Virginia University in the 1980s and 1990s. He suggested that the bars on the front of the helmet be removed.

“I know football players are bigger and faster than when I played ball,” Nehlen said. “The reason is because of sophisticated weight programs. And that’s fine.

“But when I learned the game, I was taught to block and tackle with my shoulders. The reason is because there were no facemasks. Then, first, there was a single bar across your face.

“When a full facemask was introduced, it became a weapon. Now when an offensive lineman comes off the line of scrimmage, boom, they use their headgear to strike.

“If you want to get rid of concussions, take off the facemasks. Players will turn their heads and use their shoulders then.”

I don't know if it will truly make a difference, but at this point, anything is worth a try.


http://www.wvgazettemail.com/article/20160105/GZ02/160109758