Now before I get started, don't get this twisted. I'm a Patriots fan, so I was incredibly and unequivocally devastated when Tom Brady was knocked onto the IR at a cringe-inducing 90-degree angle. It was bad and I was quite sad for several days. If there were anyone who should be for some of the new rules that were put in place, it would be me. But for whatever reason, I just can't seem to agree with some of the rules the NFL has been instituting to help protect the quarterback this offseason.
I get why they're doing it, I think everybody does. What I don't get about what they're doing is how they are seemingly so carefree about the whole thing and acting as if it were the only option in the world. Well, it isn't and essentially what they're doing is lighting the original Constitution on fire, making a new one, and then laminating the new one and writing it over in crayon. And all this is being done to protect whoever is reading its eyes!
Was that horrible example? I was afraid so...
It seems like what's being done is that the people in power within the NFL are using their power to protect the quarterbacks of the teams at any cost. This is fine and even honorable — except for when, you know, you take into account that they pretty much couldn't give two candy corns about any other position on the team.
It makes sense why, but it still doesn't make it okay! Pretty soon, we're going to be watching a glorified two-hand touch or flag football game and bemoaning the fact that we never enjoyed it when anyone was allowed to hit anyone ... never mind when the defensive's primary objective was to have the other teams quarterback carted off the field on a stretcher.
Maybe it's because we all have access to the information and the money that quarterbacks get these days is so much larger, but we are essentially moving farther and farther away from the good old, smash-mouth days of American pigskin football! Back in the day, they didn't talk for several days if a defensive back "accidently" aimed a bit too high in a Hit-Stick-esque, laying-the-beat-down-type collision in an effort to get him to drop the ball. No, he might even he heralded! These days, his very presence in the NFL is questioned and rumors persist that he may be shipped up North. It's kind of ridiculous.
I'm not quite sure what the solution would be if we keep going in this direction, but I would assume that we are perhaps in store for more offensive-explosive seasons down the road. Maybe it will have to get so bad that many of us just give up and go watch (cringe) European football?
Nah, just kidding — that's physically impossible!
Until we find out, though, let's all just cross our fingers in hopes that the defensive lineman will still be wanting to crush those very same fingers of the opposing quarterback. Is there really any other way?
Leave a Comment