Should the NFL let players police themselves on the field more?

[BillsFan130]

I was talking with a few posters about this yesterday regarding what they should have done to Gronk after the cheap shot he put on White.

 

A few posters said cheap shot him back next game, and I disagreed with that as I said they should have clocked Gronk one and even tussled with him right after the hit.

 

Now a poster brought up that fighting is illegal in the NFL and results in an ejection, which is true. Which leads me to my next point. Why doesn't the NFL loosen up on that rule a bit and let the players police themselves a bit more?

 

I am not saying take off the helmets like hockey and throw haymakers, but let them tussle for a little bit and let them defend themselves or their teammates.

 

I made the example yesterday that Hockey has the best policing system in any sports. You hit someone dirty? You are going to have to fight the person like a man and own up to it.

 

If Hockey didn't have fighting, I really think people would be going around slashing people's hands, or taking head shots, or just doing anything dirty to try to get that payback. They don't need to do that though because fighting allows them to police the game outside of the officials.

 

A prime example was last nights game. Smith Schuster smoked Burfict in the head, and then Cinci comes back and drills Antonio Brown in the head when he scores the TD. Almost like an eye for an eye type of deal.

 

The players are not allowed to police themselves in the NFL and this is where head shots come in, and pretty much anything else dirty will come in.

 

Like I said, I am not saying go full out hockey and take the helmets off and scrap. But maybe give them a little more freedom to defend themselves and their teammates. And if they do initiate the tussle, give them a 10 yard penalty or something, just like you would get an instigator penalty in Hockey.

 

Thoughts about this?

 

 

Edited December 5, 2017 by billsfan11

[BuffaloBill]

No way.... I think this whole concept would ruin the game.  We’ve forgotten the entire notion of sportsmanship in this discussion.  Instead we want a vigilante system?

 

The NFL already has violence, away from the field, issues and a CTE problem.  Allowing for fights pn the filed will likely only serve to make both of these worse.

 

In the Gronk type situation the league needs to step in harder.  It was an intentional act that may put a player out of one or more games due to a concussion.  If the league is serious about the concussion protocol they should have ejected him from the current game and suspended him for a longer period to include as many games as the injured player misses.  

 

Keep in mind the players have a union that will likely fight any actions taken by the league.  I’m guessing there are rules or standards of punishment that come into play.

 

 

[BillsFan130]

1 minute ago, BuffaloBill said:

No way.... I think this whole concept would ruin the game.  We’ve forgotten the entire notion of sportsmanship in this discussion.  Instead we want a vigilante system?

 

The NFL already has violence, away from the field, issues and a CTE problem.  Allowing for fights pn the filed will likely only serve to make both of these worse.

 

In the Gronk type situation the league needs to step in harder.  It was an intentional act that may put a player out of one or more games due to a concussion.  If the league is serious about the concussion protocol they should have ejected him from the current game and suspended him for a longer period to include as many games as the injured player misses.  

 

Keep in mind the players have a union that will likely fight any actions taken by the league.  I’m guessing there are rules or standards of punishment that come into play.

 

 

I hear your points and I know what I am saying is a bit farfetched.

 

I just know this system works in hockey wonderfully, and I'm wondering if it would limit cheap shots in Football as well

[Happy]

I get where you're coming from, but the players policing themselves will lead to the inmates running the asylum.  At what point would "retribution" be served, and who would determine when enough is enough?  

[BillsFan130]

5 minutes ago, Happy Gilmore said:

I get where you're coming from, but the players policing themselves will lead to the inmates running the asylum.  At what point would "retribution" be served, and who would determine when enough is enough?  

Same idea in hockey though. Very very rarely the inmates run the show where the refs can't control it.

 

If helmets come off or punches to the head are thrown, then automatic ejection/suspension. Could start with that

Edited December 5, 2017 by billsfan11

[oldmanfan]

It works in hockey because their sticks can be a lethal weapon if swung at a guy.  yes the Gronkowski hit was punk and potentially very dangerous, but would not have the same potential for lethal injury that clocking someone with a hockey stick would have.

 

Plus if you let NFL players do this, you'd start seeing things like cheap shots to a guy's knees that could cost a career.

[BillsFan130]

Just now, oldmanfan said:

It works in hockey because their sticks can be a lethal weapon if swung at a guy.  yes the Gronkowski hit was punk and potentially very dangerous, but would not have the same potential for lethal injury that clocking someone with a hockey stick would have.

 

Plus if you let NFL players do this, you'd start seeing things like cheap shots to a guy's knees that could cost a career.

I would argue that the players crown of the helmet can be a lethal weapon as well though. As we saw multiple times last night.

 

And I think the opposite. If you let players tussle a little bit, I think cheap shots would go down. If you don't let them handle it, then cheap shots will go up. Posters here are already saying "end gronk's career" and "go after his knees"

[oldmanfan]

Helmets can be lethal, but NFL players have a lot more protection than hockey players do with their own hard helmets, pads, etc. 

 

The answer for the NFL is to eject guys and then suspend them multiple games for the kind of stuff Gronk did and for the kind of stuff you saw last night. 

 

The problem I see with your approach is you don't really know where it ends.  When does the football ref step in and say enough.  With hockey they kind of tire themselves out.  And not that I'm a huge fan of the hockey fighting either

[4_kidd_4]

The “system” really doesn’t work in NHL these days. No one keeps a roster spot for a goon anymore. The ‘enforcer’ is becoming a thing of the past, and rightfully so.

 

If the NHL was serious about safety, they would go with european size ice(would open up the entertaining speed game that fans want)  , and ban fighting altogether. These guys are bigger, faster and stronger than ever before, and the equipment is practically armor. It’s not the 70’s anymore.

 

Opening up the ice would likely also lead to less incidents along the boards, and you would need speed/skill players at about every spot. Lumbering defensemen and marginally skilled rats would stay in the minors.

 

But to answer the OP, no. Not in the NFL.

[BillsFan130]

15 minutes ago, oldmanfan said:

Helmets can be lethal, but NFL players have a lot more protection than hockey players do with their own hard helmets, pads, etc. 

 

The answer for the NFL is to eject guys and then suspend them multiple games for the kind of stuff Gronk did and for the kind of stuff you saw last night. 

 

The problem I see with your approach is you don't really know where it ends.  When does the football ref step in and say enough.  With hockey they kind of tire themselves out.  And not that I'm a huge fan of the hockey fighting either

I know. I know there are flaws to what I'm saying. I appreciate your comments

10 minutes ago, 4_kidd_4 said:

The “system” really doesn’t work in NHL these days. No one keeps a roster spot for a goon anymore. The ‘enforcer’ is becoming a thing of the past, and rightfully so.

 

If the NHL was serious about safety, they would go with european size ice(would open up the entertaining speed game that fans want)  , and ban fighting altogether. These guys are bigger, faster and stronger than ever before, and the equipment is practically armor. It’s not the 70’s anymore.

 

Opening up the ice would likely also lead to less incidents along the boards, and you would need speed/skill players at about every spot. Lumbering defensemen and marginally skilled rats would stay in the minors.

 

But to answer the OP, no. Not in the NFL.

Hmm I'm old school in terms of hockey so I don't like your rule changes to no fighting and switching to the European ice... Haha.

 

I appreciate your comment though. Most people I'm sure will definitely agree with you in terms of the no fighting in the NFL as I am well aware I'm in the minority

Edited December 5, 2017 by billsfan11

[4_kidd_4]

I’m as old school as it comes when it comes to sports, but things need to change with the times.

 

NHL in its current state is unwatchable during the regular season. Goalies are huge. There’s so much ‘fire it wide and hope for a bounce’ stuff, zzzzzz(Playoffs, however, are a different story). Opening up the ice would completely open up the game again.

[BillsFan130]

5 minutes ago, 4_kidd_4 said:

I’m as old school as it comes when it comes to sports, but things need to change with the times.

 

NHL in its current state is unwatchable during the regular season. Goalies are huge. There’s so much ‘fire it wide and hope for a bounce’ stuff, zzzzzz(Playoffs, however, are a different story). Opening up the ice would completely open up the game again.

Opening the ice generally means lower scoring as weird as that sounds. Do you remember 2014 Sochi Olympics? Every game was like 2-1. Teams take away the middle and keep everything to the wider perimeter.

 

 

Sorry getting off topic from my original topic but I had to clear that up lol.

 

I also love fighting in hockey and I think the game would turn very ugly if they took it out. There would be a lot more cheap shots cause players know they don't have to fight if they do something dirty

[4_kidd_4]

The low scoring could have been a result of NHL players “adjusting” to the larger ice.  Yeah, the middle gets bogged but there’s still more room for transition and speed.

 

Here’s a decent breakdown;

 

https://www.sbnation.com/nhl/2014/2/5/5327440/winter-olympics-2014-hockey-ice-size-nhl-rink-comparison

 

 

[26CornerBlitz]

Sure. Let's have games spin out of control into full scale brawls. Come on man!

[Sig1Hunter]

The NFL is in a tough position.  Goodell was blasted for being too harsh on player punishment a few years ago (and still today,  sometimes). The NFLPA , meanwhile,  seems more intent on individual player assistance rather than the collective betterment of player situations.  The players whine and moan about how the league doesn't care about their health (may or may not be true), but then they go out and willfully and egregiously violate safety rules put in place so they can inflict serious injury upon one another.  Can't have it both ways. 

Edited December 5, 2017 by Sig1Hunter

[BillsFan130]

6 minutes ago, 26CornerBlitz said:

Sure. Let's have games spin out of control into full scale brawls. Come on man!

Lol a simple "No I don't think it would work" would also have done just fine lol

[26CornerBlitz]

2 minutes ago, billsfan11 said:

Lol a simple "No I don't think it would work" would also have done just fine lol

 

That would be too easy. 

[BillsFan130]

Just now, 26CornerBlitz said:

 

That would be too easy. 

Hahaha fair enough

[Bing Bong]

I wouldn't like it. Also I honestly don't know who on our 53 could throw down with Gronk right there in a legitimate fight. And I don't want our 53 to include a "goon" or 2 to run in and start that brawl.

 

I understand your argument. If I'm the Steelers OC, I'd be incredibly nervous drawing up Antonio Brown's bread and butter middle routes after JuJu declared open head hunting season. I've heard JuJu's hit was legal, but that's not going to change any defender's mind watching Burfict stretchered off.

 

And it sucks when this nonsense starts to affect the Xs and Os of the game.

[BillsFan130]

3 minutes ago, PetermanThrew5Picks said:

I wouldn't like it. Also I honestly don't know who on our 53 could throw down with Gronk right there in a legitimate fight. And I don't want our 53 to include a "goon" or 2 to run in and start that brawl.

 

I understand your argument. If I'm the Steelers OC, I'd be incredibly nervous drawing up Antonio Brown's bread and butter middle routes after JuJu declared open head hunting season. I've heard JuJu's hit was legal, but that's not going to change any defender's mind watching Burfict stretchered off.

 

And it sucks when this nonsense starts to affect the Xs and Os of the game.

I agree with most of what you said. Thank you for your comment