Goodell is a goon
by Andrew McDermott
November 8 , 2011
Originally, I had planned this column to give the breakdown of Steelers' and other Pittsburgh teams’ games along with my opinion on how the teams are playing. But I am changing gears this week in order to address another topic: the NFL and its rules have officially gone too far.
When you used think of the NFL, you would think of hard-hitting linebackers in an overall killer atmosphere. Today's NFL features what seem to be quarterbacks in skirts and linebackers playing two-hand tag on defense. I can understand that player safety and concussions are now hot topic concerns in the NFL, but NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has gone too far.
One penalty becoming more common is one player penalized for hitting a defenseless player. For example, Kansas City fullback Le’Ron McClain was going out for a pass and was vulnerable as he turned his head around to find the ball. As soon as he caught the pass, a San Diego defensive back delivered a crushing hit to prevent him from holding onto the pass. The San Diego player was flagged for "hitting a defenseless player."
The penalty was complete garbage. What was he supposed to do? Let McClain catch the ball and wave to him as he happily skipped into the end zone? He did what he was trained to do – deliver a massive hit to knock the ball loose. What is this world coming to where a player can't deliver a hit?
Another penalty that I don't understand is all the pass interference being called this year. Every announcer and player says this rule is ridiculous because nobody can touch anyone during a pass. Even when pass interference is called, it's usually a tic-tac call that makes the fans want to follow the refs to their cars after the game.
What happened to the days of leather helmets and players looking as if they hailed from West Virginia with the number of teeth they had left after the game? Roger Goodell has taken fines and penalties way too far this year, and not one person seems to be happy about it.
This new football league may as well take away the pads and be given pillows and flags instead to use during the games.
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