Stop Changing Our Game!!!!

I understand that the NFL wants to protect the players on the field as much as possible. Without those guys, there is no game. What they also need to remember is that with agreeing to play these guys are basically accepting the risk that they take every  time they step on the field—and are getting paid pretty well for it in the process.

When I read through some of the highlights of the new CBA I thought, “Wow!” on many aspects. These guys will hardly ever practice! I guess when you have played as long as they all have at that point in their careers (even the rookies have been playing for years if you go back to high school); maybe it is not entirely necessary. As a former player it just seemed strange to think that in the whole 17 week regular season they will only have 14 practices in full pads! Anyway…

What got me moved to write in this case is something I heard the arch-nemesis (New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick) of my beloved Indianapolis Colts said when asked if the NFL was trying to eliminate kickoffs:

“That’s what they told us,” Belichick said.  “I’m not speaking for anyone else.  That’s what they told us, that they want to eliminate the play.”

NFL, I’m with you when it comes to protecting the players. I didn’t even mind it too much when you approved the Tom Brady ‘Tuck’ rule and fixed the rules to slant the game in favor of the offense. The key thing in all those changes though was the game as we all know it remained largely intact.

Taking away kickoffs is just stupid. Don’t do it.

In their own defense, the league released a statement to clarify what the intention is with moving kick-offs up:

“They said the Competition Committee’s position was that they wanted to ‘shorten the field’ and that the movement of the kickoff line would potentially reduce the number of kickoffs to be returned.  They said they are unaware of anyone saying that it was intended to ‘eliminate’ the kickoff return.”

So they want fewer kickoffs because they are dangerous? So what’s next—no blitz? I’d call those more dangerous than kickoffs. Time to leave well enough alone!