Not So Hard Now

Hard hitting, tough, strength, blood, sweat and tears. These are things that are usually directly related to the game of football. These are 300 pound men out there giving everything they have every day to become bigger, stronger and faster. Now I love football; as any real man does, but I find myself forgetting why I love the sport at times. Especially when this past Sunday, America’s game of the week was decided by an unsportsmanlike call, for hitting too hard.

The New Orleans Saints, hosted the defending NFC Champion 49ers on Sunday. With just under four minutes to go in the game, Drew Brees backs up to pass and is hit hard by linebacker Ahmad Brooks and fumbles the ball. The 49ers recover the ball with a three point lead, game over right? Not quite, as Brees peals himself off the turf he is welcomed with a fifteen yard personal foul for roughing the passer. Saints ball which leads to a Saints field goal to tie it up, and later take the lead.

First things first, helmet to helmet hits are dangerous, unhealthy and bad for the sport. That is my honest opinion from both experience on the football field and what I’ve seen in my years of watching sports. This folks was not a case of a violent or malicious hit, this ladies and gentleman was a case of a little man playing a big man’s game. Brees was hit and hit hard, there’s no denying that. That same hit wouldn’t have drawn a flag against a quarterback over six foot. Most importantly, if you watch this hit on Brees carefully, you will see that Brooks makes an effort to drop his head to the side and use his shoulder and arms to make the tackle. It just so happens that Mister Brooks is just much bigger and stronger, and Brees took a shot from his blind side. Brees recalls thinking, “Wow, that must have been a penalty.”  Why? Because it hurt? It’s supposed to hurt, its football and quarterbacks eatin’ dirt is the average fans favorite part.

Above all the noise, I still love football, as will most of us. But if I were The NFL Commissioner, I might take note of the fact I’m looking forward to watching some hard hitting playoff hockey this winter, as are more and more people are every year.