Roger Goodell: NFL considering proposal to eliminate goal line plays ***

[Cancellerius]

after two all-pro players suffer severe leg injuries resulting from massive piles of humanity. The new rules will award the offensive team 4 points upon reaching 1st and goal and the ball will then be given to the other team at the 20 to resume play***

Football is rough sport...and keep the extra points please.

 

[treeddeep]

This reads like an Onion Sports news headline

 

[DerHntr]

And they'll get rid of 4th and 1 as well**

 

[esplanade91]

ESPN just had a banner with quotes. It was about the 2 point play. 7 points would be awarded for a TD, and if a team had to go for 2 they could but if they missed it they would be docked a point. Seems like he's trying to get rid of the extra point more than anything.

 

[AFDawg]

It would seem simpler to just make the extra point attempt longer.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

Even if its 10 yards back its still automatic. Kickers have gotten so good.

I wouldn't mind changing it.

 

[Irondawg]

I think it's about time to start thinking about narrowing the posts

 

[HammerOfTheDogs]

Why don't they just make them wear pink panties? The NFL could become a bunch of Pajama Boys.

 

[WayboDawg]

Why don't they just make them wear pink panties? The NFL could become a bunch of Pajama Boys.

I know what you mean. The NFL is killing me lately with all the ridiculous rule changes to try and avoid player lawsuits. It's getting to the point where it's hard for even an avid fan to remember all the new rules they have implemented. Why play the game at all if you are so worried about player safety? It might as well be demoted to flag football at this point.

 

[ababyatemydingo]

tort reform. this country needs a serious purging of trial lawyers. ruining everything good

 

[dawgstudent]

Garrett Hartley does not like that idea.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

I'm not sure if this player safety or just making the game quicker.

 

[uptowndawg]

May as well just let the pregame coin flip decide who the winner is.

I haven't heard about this one, but they were talking about getting rid of the extra point on the local radio this morning. They say it's too automatic. I'm willing to listen to the argument for the sake of my own entertainment, but I doubt they can convince a lot of people that it's a good idea.

 

[mstateglfr]

tort reform. this country needs a serious purging of trial lawyers. ruining everything good

Yes, its the lawyers that are the problem here, not the sport that destroys the minds of those who play.**

As for tort reform, people are for it until they see how it impacts them or their loved ones.
Capping the lifetime payout for a newborn who will need 24hr care for life because of cerebral palsy due to medical malpractice is simply not acceptable.
Once you or a loved one receives a judgement that is woefully short of what is 'deserved' and needed, then tort reform advocates become opponents.



Tort reform- gotta love the term and how it whips up the political base into a frenzy without a full understanding of what it is, what it limits, how it doesnt actually lower costs, and how unjust it is to victims.

 

[mstateglfr]

They need to turn the uprights into a square. Kick it thru the square for points. Thatll force kickers to drive the ball lower and miss more often.

Brilliant!

It took me 10 seconds to come up with a stupid idea that is as worthwhile as what the NFL is apparently considering.

 

[boatsandhoes]

I see your sarcasterisk's. You make a choice to play pro football, and no one forces them. there are known risks when you sign that contract, and accept the money. It's the same if you get in a race car, ride a bull, become an astronaut, or ride motorcross. Either accept the risk or chose not to and do something else.

I do agree something should be done about the helmets. They are weapons or armor. Scale back the helmets so people can't lead with the head. There is nothing that could have stopped the bowman play. It's just unfortunate. If a leg is planted, and someone rolls into it. then things are going to get 17ed up. Officiating the violence out of the game is an impossible task to be consistent with.

I also agree lawyers are a problem.

ETA: The only thing I can figure that has made concussions go up is more and more tech in helmets. Of course athletes are bigger and faster, but I still think it is the helmets.

 

[johnson86-1]

Capping the lifetime payout for a newborn who will need 24hr care for life because of cerebral palsy due to medical malpractice is simply not acceptable.

What state does this? As far as I know, Mississippi only limits non-economic damages.

 

[dudehead]

I see your sarcasterisk's. You make a choice to play pro football, and no one forces them. there are known risks when you sign that contract, and accept the money. It's the same if you get in a race car, ride a bull, become an astronaut, or ride motorcross. Either accept the risk or chose not to and do something else.

I think the basis of the concussion claims is that the NFL knew about these risks for years and actively concealed their information about the risks from the players. If the league had shared what they knew so that the players could make an informed decision about assuming the risk, then the assumption of the risk principle would apply and bar the player's claims.

 

[Lawdawg.sixpack]

Skinny goalposts, with nets on either side, a la arena football.

I actually like your square idea.

 

[boatsandhoes]

I think the basis of the concussion claims is that the NFL knew about these risks for years and actively concealed their information about the risks from the players. If the league had shared what they knew so that the players could make an informed decision about assuming the risk, then the assumption of the risk principle would apply and bar the player's claims.

Yep long discussion, but I partially agree. I don't see ignorance as a defense, at the same time the NFL shouldn't conceal testing on head trauma or brain deterioration. Everyone knows football is dangerous. How could you claim you didn't know it was dangerous after the fact? When I played Chuckie Mullens injury popped into my head all the time. I think what brought it about was duerson, and seau became so public. 1,000's probably commit suicide everyday across america, but because they're not former NFL er's it doesn't matter or gets no pub. People have mental disorders all the time that end in suicide. Maybe it is tied to head trauma from football, but I do think lawyers instigate that line of thinking and push it to the limit. I'm just not sure the game wasn't equally as violent when Deacon Jones played or Dick Butkus or Jack Lambert. They would just clothesline people or head slap them, and the equipment wasn't even in the same league.

Duerson and Seau are 2 (that I'm aware of) out of tons of former players. Troy Aikman had lots of head injuries, and it forced him out of the game. he may have headaches and memory loss now too I'm not sure, but he seems to be doing ok. Boxing would be in the same line if you look at assumed risk.

I do think it is a really good idea for the league to set up a fund for former players to draw from. How you manage claims for real issues I have no idea. They do owe those players some help with medical needs.

 

[paindonthurt_]

I'm no lawyer nor am I an expert in law, but I don't have a problem with someone being awarded UNLIMITED claims for needed medical bills.

But when a newborn has cerebral palsy due to malpractice that doesn't mean that the family should go from lower class to upper class due to lawsuits. I do agree they should get some sort of punitive damages for their suffering, but again that doesn't mean they should start riding around in a Lexus, Mercedes, BMW, etc.

 

[mstateglfr]

What state does this? As far as I know, Mississippi only limits non-economic damages.

Nebraska
Colin Gourley was the example I had in mind.
http://www.ketv.com/Family-Fights-C...ages/-/9675214/10135218/-/kxx80g/-/index.html

Its shocking to see all the instances across the country.

 

[SwampDawg]

This is not directed at you, and I know we are talking about the pros and not college, but ask Mullen how automatic the extra point is. Sure the pros make the extra the large percentage of the time but making them go for it adds a little bit of "what if" to the game. They need to leave this alone.

 

[mstateglfr]

Skinny goalposts, with nets on either side, a la arena football.

I actually like your square idea.

Yeah, the square could make it more difficult. It'd certainly be a different approach to the game- a lot more going for it on 4th when you are at the 30.

 

[HotMop]

Baseball, Basketball, and Hockey will appreciate all of the new fans that were formerly NFL fans.

 

[jakldawg]

Skinny goalposts, and make them kick the extra point on the 20-yd line from the same point where the touchdown crossed the goal line. If you scored in between the hash marks, fantastic. If you sqeaked in over one of the pylons...good luck! Yes, this would mean the "center" would be the first guy on the line of scrimmage from the tricky angles. Or you could go with 1 point if snapped from the 5 yd. line, or 2 points from the 20.
(this is a takeoff of the post-try conversion in rugby)

 

[uptowndawg]

As far as the pros making a large percentage of pat's. There have been a total of 5 missed extra points so far this season. I'm still against changing the current format though.

Excellent point about college and trickling down from there. The NFL should set the model that is to be used at lower levels of competition, and keeping the extra point definitely has its advantages in that aspect. Similar to running for 1st after a dropped 3rd strike in baseball, it may seem silly to make the catcher throw out the runner if he doesn't record the out himself; but it's a part of the game all the same and the MLB does well to honor it.

 

[Sapsdawg]

Under no tort reform is there a cap on lifetime payout for someone needing 24 hour life care, those are economic damages, which are not capped under any tort reform. Non-economic damages are capped. I'm no fan of tort reform but your post is full of inaccurate information. It is not disputable that tort reform has lowered cost. The problem is not the legislature and tort reform, the problem is judges unwillling to throw out ******** cases that clog up the system. 90+% of the cases are complete and utter ******** fabrications. You wouldn't need tort reform if judges would do their job. I strongly dislike the government limiting anybody's ability to recover, but the playing field is so tilted by the judiciary for forcing settlements or litigating to verdict fabricated cases that someone felt the need to even the playing field. Sad thing is the only people truly hurt are those truly hurt. If you have a ******** case, who really cares about a cap. Plaintiff's bar is plenty to blame for this and how they've conducted themselves. Argue otherwise.

 

[mstateglfr]

What is inaccurate?

I'm no fan of tort reform but your post is full of inaccurate information.

Here is my post that you say is full of inaccurate info-

As for tort reform, people are for it until they see how it impacts them or their loved ones.
Capping the lifetime payout for a newborn who will need 24hr care for life because of cerebral palsy due to medical malpractice is simply not acceptable.
Once you or a loved one receives a judgement that is woefully short of what is 'deserved' and needed, then tort reform advocates become opponents.



Tort reform- gotta love the term and how it whips up the political base into a frenzy without a full understanding of what it is, what it limits, how it doesnt actually lower costs, and how unjust it is to victims.


What is inaccurate?

 

[HammerOfTheDogs]

Yes, its the lawyers that are the problem here, not the sport that destroys the minds of those who play.**

As for tort reform, people are for it until they see how it impacts them or their loved ones.
Capping the lifetime payout for a newborn who will need 24hr care for life because of cerebral palsy due to medical malpractice is simply not acceptable.
Once you or a loved one receives a judgement that is woefully short of what is 'deserved' and needed, then tort reform advocates become opponents.



Tort reform- gotta love the term and how it whips up the political base into a frenzy without a full understanding of what it is, what it limits, how it doesnt actually lower costs, and how unjust it is to victims.

Actually, the "NFL Concussion Rate" may not be as bad as the general population.
http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-Sports/2014/01/12/The-NFL-Suicide-Epidemic-Myth

 

[mstateglfr]

Uh...that article was on CTE and not the concussion rate of players vs general population.
100% of nfl players could each get 3 concussions during their careers and only a small % is diagnosed with CTE.
Meanwhile, what % of the population gets 3 concussions in the same timeframe or even in their entire lives?

Way to link an article that doesn't say what you claim it says.

 

[johnson86-1]

Nebraska
Colin Gourley was the example I had in mind.
http://www.ketv.com/Family-Fights-C...ages/-/9675214/10135218/-/kxx80g/-/index.html

Its shocking to see all the instances across the country.

The limits on actual damages are pretty bad. They only happen because of broken jury systems, but I'm not sure the caps are better. Everybody suffers from the jackpot jury mentality, but while the overall harm is reduced by caps, the harm is concentrated on the individuals with legitimate cases that are screwed. There are still some bad cases with Mississippi's system, but victims are in theory only out their attorneys' fees less $500k. Still significant but probably an ok tradeoff to have OBGYN care in places like the Delta.

 

[UpTheMiddlex3Punt]

Put a big windmill in front of the goalposts and allow the ball to be fielded off of said windmill.

 

[Master Blaster]

Ask John Carney if he thinks PATs are automatic. They sure as hell weren't in 2003.

 

[UpTheMiddlex3Punt]

Let's add all sorts of rules. Make it where after a touchdown that instead of a kickoff you can choose to get the ball at your own 5 yard line with 3rd and 10. Field goals past 50 yards are worth 4 points. You can go for a three point conversion by getting a single play at the 20 yard line and a 4 point conversion from the 50 yard line.