On Wednesday, Troy Polamalu let it be known that he wasn't happy. He doesn't like the fines on his teammate Hines Ward, he isn't a fan of the new rules that make the NFL a "pansy game," and he sure isn't thrilled the NFL is more concerned with making money than with the player's safety.As you can imagine, the statements made by the Steelers safety raised some heads at the corporate office, including Roger Goodell. The NFL commissioner said in an interview yesterday that while he appreciates Polamalu as a player, he doesn't agree with any of the accusations about money being a bigger player in decision-making than player safety.
"I have a great deal of respect for him as a player, and obviously he has a right to his own views," Goodell said Thursday during an interview on WBAL-AM. "But to say that this is about money and not the health of our players, I think is extremely disappointing when we spend as much time as we do with active players, reviewing our rules, reviewing techniques and making sure we make the game is as safe as possible."While the NFL probably loves making money, and does so at an alarming rate, having players laying on their backs while the ambulance rolls out isn't exactly why the viewer tunes in. Furthermore, ridiculously dangerous hits, like a blindside smash to a player's head, do nothing but promote violence in a sport that is already pretty brutal.
Polamalu talks about the old players, like Dick Butkus and Ronnie Lott, but the biggest difference in their generation and ours is the fact that they probably couldn't even compete. We have athletes built for the NFL now, not trained. They've been given every legal supplement available since they were a fetus and produced through high schools and profitable universities who make money on the player just as the NFL does. We have linemen that can run 4.6 40s and safeties that deliver bone-crushing hits at speeds never reached in the 60s and 70s.
Sure, it's the NFL and hitting is part of the game, but you can find a multitude of guys like Kevin Everett who understand the consequences of a hit gone wrong.
The NFL might be about making money, I don't disagree with Troy, but no reasonable person will be paying money to see guys on stretchers, praying they wiggle a finger. That actually isn't what football's all about.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-17-2008 @ 1:59PM
ed said...
when 43 says it's about money, he's absolutely right. if it were about player safety, then you'd see equal fines/suspensions for offensive linemen when they chop block and take out a DL. but we don't. in fact, that is still legal.
this inconsistency is the basis for 43's assessment that it's about money and not safety. TD's and offense sells, and every rule change to protect the QB and enhance the offense is motivated by making money first, player safety second.
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10-17-2008 @ 2:03PM
lowridersteeler said...
FIRST AND FOREMOST THE COMISH SHOULD BE MORE ALARMED AT WHAT THE RAIDERS AND GOOBER ARE DOING AND NOT TO FORGET THE NE CHEATERS , IF HE WERE TO CONCENTRATE ON THOSE CONCERNS BY THEMSELFS THEN HE WOULDNT HAVE TIME TO PUT HIS ATTENTION ON LITTLE MATTERS SUCH AS WHAT SOME OF THE PLAYERS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE GREED OF THE OWNERS,WHICH WOULD FALL UNDER CONFLICT OF INTREST, EITHER YOU ARE FOR THE OWNERS OR THE PLAYERS , I FOR ONE ARE FOR THE PLAYERS ,CAUSE YOU DONT SEE ANY OF THE OWNERS OUT THERE BASHING INTO ONE ANOTHER, CAUSE IF THEY DID THAT THEY WOULD SUFFER A HEART ATTACK
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10-17-2008 @ 2:04PM
hochupipes said...
shane, couldn't agree more.
while we are talking about what football's all about, let's limit the defense to only 9 players at a time. because, as we know, football is all about offense and scoring td's.
also, players need to have their names removed from the jersey's. every player's nameplate on the jersey should simply read "goodell's indentured servants". except for favre. his should say favre because, as we all know, that's what football is all about.
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10-17-2008 @ 2:07PM
cbrewster said...
I agree to a point - you gotta protect these guys, even from themselves. But there have been an inordinate amount of ticky-tacky calls and fines. If you're unfortunate enough to graze the QB's helmet with some unshaven facial stubble, these days you're getting flagged with a roughing the passer call.
The NFL has to do a better job of finding a middle ground. If a car is unsafe, you add some more safety features - you don't put a limiter on it to keep it at 30 MPH.
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10-17-2008 @ 2:10PM
Brody said...
Bah, the Returning User thing defaults to your e-mail address. Not using that anymore. I like the anonymity of my pseudonym!
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10-17-2008 @ 2:20PM
fajita said...
really? lott couldn't play today physically? that's a dumb statement.
butkus couldn't play today? let's talk about this...
today, age 66, no, butkus couldn't play.
today, age 31, no butkus would have difficulty.
today, age 2, butkus could be just as phsycially big as today's athletes, take the same disguised roids as today's players. work out the same. yes, i'd bet $1M that if butkus were born today, he'd be as much of a monster today. except for troy's point, where he wouldn't be allowed to play the same way, and then frustrated, he'd resort to recreational drugs and be out of football ala pacman.
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10-17-2008 @ 6:46PM
aiks said...
if you read the whole interview he said that the heavy hitters would be broke from all of the idiotic fines
10-20-2008 @ 1:01PM
David said...
I think Goodell (and others) miss(es) the point of Polamalu's statement when you take that line out of context. He was referring to questionable personal fouls and fines his teammates have received this year. Twice Harrison and Woodley have been in mid-air when the QB released the ball and hit the quarterback, and they were called for personal fouls. They were clean hits that happen in games (and should). Polamalu isn't dirty. He makes a good point about the inconsitency of the rulings that come out from the officiating and NFL in general.
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10-17-2008 @ 5:38PM
giant fan since 57 said...
In a lot of sports I'd agree that the guys from the sixties couldn't compete. But not in the NFL.
Name your best all star team from players this year and I'll take Unitas or Namath, Gayle Sayers, Bubba Smith, Homer Jones, Don Maynard, Buck Bucannan, Butkus, Deacon Jones, Jim Brown, and a cast of other all stars from my era.
We'll play a mans game like they did in those days. No roughing the passer penalties, head slaps will be allowed, and there won't be a flag every time a sissy gets hit 2 inches out of bounds because he's afraid to finish a play on the field.
I promise you none of my guys would be waving their arms after every play looking for an unecessary roughness penalty or taking 4 weeks off for a damaged pinky.
Seriously, watch some highlights from the sixties. The game was a lot more violent.
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10-17-2008 @ 7:11PM
A.J. said...
That's exactly his point. He's talking more about the big-hitter linebackers. Those guys ate QBs for breakfast back in those days. Nowadays, they'd be out full seasons' worth of salary because of those hits.
The same thing is happening to NFL that happens to a whole lot of sports and other things that become too majority-friendly for their own good. For the sake of being more in tune with 'pop culture' and being commercially friendly, the higher-ups are sacrificing the purity of the sport.
The unfortunate thing about it is that, soon, those that were around to remember the leather helmet and the days where causing a QB to look out of his earhole was cause for commendation and didn't cost you game checks or games, will be gone.
10-18-2008 @ 4:11PM
Darlene TDHW said...
TDHW, short for "The Dear Hines Ward", as Myron would say, may he rest in peace. Troy hit it just right as usual. Goodell WANTS to make money, and I'll add.......a name for himself, and most important get the heat off his good buddy "Bill-a-cheat". The Pats need to give back their Super Bowl rings. ESPECIALLY the 2005 season when they ruined Ben's rookie season.
Ha, thank goodness the Giants beat them at the Super Bowl this year!! Go little Bro, Eli.
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10-18-2008 @ 11:44PM
jamie said...
jack lambert couldnt compete today??? he needs to watch some film
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10-22-2008 @ 5:11PM
Tbone said...
Bacon how old are you? Do you remember when it wasn't about the glitz and there was no ESPN just Dick Butkus and Jack Tatum crushing people. Seriously Butkus couldn't play in today's game? What about Jim Brown or Bronko Nagurski? They all could play in today's game and lay out some of these whiny crybabies that play today. Pomamalu is correct, it is becoming a pansy league and it is all about money. Like Schlereth said, they sell "big hit" videos on their site. C'mon...let them play. Oh, and Bacon, give Butkus your home address and I bet he changes your mind, wimp.
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