LOWER THE BOOM – New NFL Rules Make Dick Butkus Cry!
"» The initial force of a blindside block can’t be delivered by a helmet, forearm or shoulder to an opponent’s head or neck. An illegal blindside block will bring a 15-yard penalty.» Initial contact to the head of a defenseless receiver also will draw a 15-yard penalty. “Our clear movement is to getting out of the striking in the head area,” Pereira said. “We’re reading about injuries that say spinal and vertebrae. We’ve got to try something.”» On kickoffs, no blocking wedge of more than two players will be allowed. A 15-yard penalty will go to a violating team.» Also on kickoffs, the kicking team can’t have more than five players bunched together pursuing an onside kick. Breaking this rule would draw a 5-yard penalty."
I’m sorry, but what are we playing here, tiddlywinks? Last time I checked this is football. The game that we all grew up watching, the game we all love ith has been reduced to 2-hand touch with cheerleaders (unless of course, you’re the Bears).
I wonder what the rules committee would think about the hit at the 1:30 mark on this Dick Butkus video from YouTube:
I’ve been on dates with more contact than the NFL now allows! Next time I make a move on the Mrs., she might throw a 15-yarder on me for leading with the helmet!!!
Meanwhile, as if the “tuck rule” wasn’t enough for Tom Brady’s legacy, we now get the real “Tom Brady Rule” to protect pretty boy quarterbacks.
"Defenders who are knocked to the ground no longer can lunge into quarterbacks if the play is still ongoing. Kansas City Chiefs safety Bernard Pollard did just that on the hit that ended Brady’s season almost before it began, and NFL officiating director Mike Pereira placed such plays in the player safety category.“We’re trying to make the game safer for the guy getting hit and the guy doing the hitting,” said Pereira, who plans to retire after the 2009 season."
If I didn’t know any better, I’d think Gisele had something to do with this rule. At least it’s a good excuse to add her picture to the post.
As for how this affects the Bears, the new special teams blocking rules certainly make Devin Hester and Danieal Manning’s jobs a lot tougher. Special teams coordinator Dave Toub disagrees, but any extra opportunity for the refs to screw up should be met with concern. That’s all we need is more rules! I blame Obama. Big government, more rules. What’s next, a bailout??? I’m losing it…