OT-- oh Goddell, really?

[HoustonRaven]

Understandable, but I think the lawsuit against NFL is much deeper than the fact that the sport is dangerous. I think it goes along the line that the league is aware of the danger for so long and the league actively concealed that danger. I think that is basically the gist of the lawsuit.

Regardless, it shouldn't be a knee jerk reaction to "pussify" the league in the process. The league could very well make sure that each player signs a declaimer (if hasn't already done so) before playing.

"The" law suit?

There's hundreds of suits right now.

[lobachevsky]

"The" law suit?

There's hundreds of suits right now.

So? Doesn't negate his point. Tricky Dick coulda told 'em, 'taint the crime that gets ya, it's the coverup.

[wickedsolo]

What I'd really love to see him do is fix some of the penalty values. In particular, pass interference.

A PI penalty could be like 40-50 yards depending on where the penalty occurs.

Personal fouls should be 15 yarders, interference should be 10 yarders, everything else should be 5.

[Dade]

Here's the flaw in this...

Imagine this...Jets vs Patriots, Patriots lose opening toss. Decide to go for the 4th and 15 and convert. Score a TD on the drive. Convert 4th and 15 again, score another TD. Repeat. Potentially one team could keep the ball all game. Wasn't thats why they change the OT rules? Cause only one team potentially would have the ball. Also if the Patriots throw an incomplete on the 4th and 15, the Jets would get the ball at the Patriots 30 yard line!

In 5-10 years time, football will become totally unrecognizable from its current state.

[landspeed]

Can you blame him?

With the constant stream of ex players suing the league over a sport they knew was dangerous to begin with, it's hard to pin the blame on the Commish alone.

Anyone else in the same situation would have to consider such measures.

At what point has kickoffs been "unsafe" over the past 2 years?

Theyve definitely improved.

Either get over it or let the NFL fade out, because now the integrity of the game is just being stomped on.

[NCRAVEN]

I love how everyone is bitching about the "changing of the game" is doing it form the comfort of their couch, where there are no consequences for them when X player gets multiple concussions or is paralyzed.

For the record, I am not saying I am favor of the proposed changes. I have my own things I think could make the game safer with out changing football, most specifically fundamentals "head up, wrap up tackling" stop the "hitting". I could get more specific but I'd don't feel like it right now.

[wickedsolo]

Frankly, everyone who straps on a helmet knows the risks they take. And that goes for any sport/hobby. They knew the risks 50 years ago. They know the risks today.

Guys play because they (A) love it and (B) can get paid a lot of money.

I'm an avid snowboarder who has sprained many an ankle, jammed wrists/fingers, gotten bruises so bad I could barely walk, and tore my shoulder. I knew the risks involved with snowboarding. I'm not going to sue Burton or K2 in 30 years because I'm old and my shoulder is bothering me.

Ex-players suing the league are just money-grubbing. It's bogus and honestly, it pisses me off because there are guys like John Mackey who were obviously impaired later in life. There is a HUGE difference between John Mackey and someone like Jamal Lewis, who also filed a lawsuit against the NFL.

[NCRAVEN]

Frankly, everyone who straps on a helmet knows the risks they take. And that goes for any sport/hobby. They knew the risks 50 years ago. They know the risks today.

Guys play because they (A) love it and (B) can get paid a lot of money.

I'm an avid snowboarder who has sprained many an ankle, jammed wrists/fingers, gotten bruises so bad I could barely walk, and tore my shoulder. I knew the risks involved with snowboarding. I'm not going to sue Burton or K2 in 30 years because I'm old and my shoulder is bothering me.

Ex-players suing the league are just money-grubbing. It's bogus and honestly, it pisses me off because there are guys like John Mackey who were obviously impaired later in life. There is a HUGE difference between John Mackey and someone like Jamal Lewis, who also filed a lawsuit against the NFL.

No doubt about that.

But using your comparison (not the lawsuit, that's BS). Making the game safer by changing rules or making tackling not hitting a rule, wouldn't that be similar to you getting lessons or practicing so you stop falling as much? Also, can't your lift ticket get taken away if you're bad enough to be a danger to others?

[ActualSpamBot]

Here's the flaw in this...

Imagine this...Jets vs Patriots, Patriots lose opening toss. Decide to go for the 4th and 15 and convert. Score a TD on the drive. Convert 4th and 15 again, score another TD. Repeat. Potentially one team could keep the ball all game. Wasn't thats why they change the OT rules? Cause only one team potentially would have the ball. Also if the Patriots throw an incomplete on the 4th and 15, the Jets would get the ball at the Patriots 30 yard line!

That's not a flaw, it's a feature. If you allow a team to convert multiple 4-15s, you deserve to lose just as much as a team that allows the opponent to convert every single onside kick.

[HKusp]

They need to just squeeze as much money out of it as they can, because this turd is circling the bowl.

[Random Thoughts]

"The" law suit?

There's hundreds of suits right now.

True, but those lawsuits have similar underlying rationale.

[ActualSpamBot]

They need to just squeeze as much money out of it as they can, because this turd is circling the bowl.

You have a very poor understanding of just how successful and popular the NFL is under Goodell. As much as a certain class of fans likes to complain that he's ruining the game, he's negotiated the biggest TV deal in history, and been in charge for the NFL's greatest run of parity to date. The game is bigger than ever and the idea that it's "circling the drain" is inexcusably wrong.