As if the NFL couldn't make us any sicker...

Would this be illegal?

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=6223700

No one knows what the hell is going with the on-going quarrel between the owners and the players. A lock-out seems inevitable and to your average fan...this is not the nonsense we want to hear on our Sportscenter every day. Its already tough enough to like Adam Schefter when he's talking about players and games. But, like many others, I am going with the notion that everyone will realize they don't want to stop an 9 BILLION  dollar baby and that there will be football come september.

What my gripe in this blog is about is actually something that we all saw coming last season, and as football fans, made us sick: The pussification of football. All the helmet-to helmet stuff was heavily discussed as were illegal hits and other things that make the game fun to watch but are obviously perilous to the players health. I am not going to argue against making the game safer but do it without turning it into soccer for Christs sake! In the ESPN report linked above the AP reports the following offenses will be deemed "illegal hits" punishable by not only fines but potential suspensions:

ILLEGAL HITSNFL to be more aggressive with suspensions for illegal hits next season. Rules defining defenseless players expanded to eight categories:
• QB in act of throwing• Receiver trying to catch pass
• Runner in grasp with forward progress stopped
• Player fielding punt or kickoff
• Kicker or punter during kick
• QB after change of possession
• Receiver who receives blind-side block
• Player already on ground

Look at the one I highlighted. QB IN THE ACT OF THROWING?! Maybe I don't understand this correctly, and I really hope that I'm retarded and that I don't. Does this mean that any Quarterback who is throwing the ball is hands off? If I am reading this literally, as I'm sure the NFL means it to be read, this means that any player who touches the QB while he is throwing will not only be flagged but possibly fined and suspended. As if it's not hard enough for the defense to play now the QB's don't have to worry about getting hit while they're throwing?

How many potential, game-changing, sacks is this going to erase. That whole tuck-rule bullshit with Tom Brady years ago now becomes irrelevant. Under this updated mandate, the Raiders would have been penalized. Listen, if a quarterback has the ball and is looking to throw, he is not defenseless. He knows that a hit may be coming, its part of the game. It's one of the most interesting parts of the game. It's different that a reciever, whose body is in mid-air, who gets ambushed by a helmet from a spearheading safety. If they officiate this rule to its literal sense I have to believe there will be millions of unheard cries from the public as they watch America's favorite game turn into women's volleyball. This is a disgrace!