Ejected for Targeting

[MBWC41]

I just don’t buy the player safety reasoning.

 

Head trauma/suicide/depression have become huge talking points. This is simply the NCAA and NFL’s way of appeasing those who don’t understand the sport.

 

If we’re claiming player safety, let’s have a targeting review team in a booth that reviews every tackle during the game.

 

Just go back to unnecessary roughness on a hit that was made with the intention of causing injury...

[gold sunrise]

This rule is terrible. The worst rule in football on any level. The thing that makes it so bad is the ejection of a player on the first offense in a game. If you want to charge a 15 yard penalty the first time, then eject on the second offense in a game it would be slightly more tolerable.

 

Agree this may be one solution to the rule. Agree it needs to be changed.

[Mr.Network]

This is not about player safety. It is about having a plausible defense to brain injury lawsuits. There is too much money at stake and potential deep-pocket defendants.

 

The line will be, “We took severe measures to make a violent game safer. We undertook studies and implemented a plan to eliminate the cause of these injuries.”

[Jumper_Dad]

Suddenly this week the word "Attack" is part of the explanation. There has to not only be contact but now also an "Attack."

 

I guess after all of the outcry early in the season, "Attack" gives them an out not to call a targeting penalty.

[Voice of Reason]

This rule is terrible. The worst rule in football on any level. The thing that makes it so bad is the ejection of a player on the first offense in a game. If you want to charge a 15 yard penalty the first time, then eject on the second offense in a game it would be slightly more tolerable.

 

After seeing the targeting call on the Wisconsin player who unloaded on the Michigan QB, I change my mind on my proposal. I think there should be the option to eject a player on the first targeting penalty. I like the idea the announcer in that game proposed. His idea is targeting should be like the old two level facemask penalty. Give the team a 15 yard penalty if the targeting was incidental. Eject the player from the game if the targeting is intentional.