Goodell extended 5 years..

[Johnny Rockets]

Found this rather intersting regarding helmet to helmet hits which I did not know -

Hits with the helmet or to the head by the defender will be flagged as personal fouls and subject to fines. This is being done to protect the offense, particularly the quarterback.

Guess the year the rule was put into place-

1996 - This rule was put into effect a decade before Goodell took over!!!!!!

But wait....Goodell is making the NFL the No Fun League. Players can't even celebrate!!!!

2001 - Taunting rules will be tightened, with 15-yard unsportsmanlike-conduct penalties flagged.

2001 - Bandannas and stocking caps are out, but skullcaps with the team colors and logos are OK.

2004 - "Flamboyant" celebrations will be penalized automatically for 15 yards.

Once again - all before Goodell took over.

OK - I am done now. I will get off my soap box.

[Miaoww]

And that is Goodell's fault???!!!! Specific rules intentionally made to open up the passing game began and were passed 30 years before Goodell -

1977- Rule allows defender to only touch elligible receiver once.

1978 - Defender allowed to maintain contact with receiver within first 5 yards but not after that.

1978 - Offensive lineman permitted to extend arms with open hands which led to the non holding "grasping" of d-linemen you see today.

1995 - QB's allowed to get communicatio from sidelines via transmitter in helmet. (Goodell finally impossed the same thing for a defender in 2008 leveling the playing field).

1996 - The 5 yard contact rule to be enforced more stringently.

2001 - Protecting the QB will be emphasized and a priority.

2006- Goodell becomes commissioner

And as far as player safety goes...the list of rules put into place to make the game less violent prior to Goodell is far greater than the pre-Goodell list of rules to help the passing game.

Look at how many offensive records have been broken under Goodell's reign then get back to me.

[R0CKnR0LLA]

Has football really become less enoyable for you to watch since Goodell became commisioner? There are still a ton of great hits and great plays. Something had to be done about the helmet to helmet shots that people were taking and the concussions that were being ingnored. If the statistics below are correct (I think the life expectancy one is skewed) then changes were needed.

• The average age of retired NFL players is 28;

• 65% of NFL players leave the game with permanent injuries;

• At least 20% of players are clinically depressed;

• The average life expectancy for retired NFL players is 53-59 years

One in three retired football players will suffer some cognitive impairment

Look up players like Ted Johnson, Andre Waters, Ricardo McDonald, and Dave Duerson - who left a note asking his brain to be donated to the NFL for study right before he shot himself in the chest. They are just a few of the countless players who were ruined for life after severe head trama from playing the game of football unchecked.

I love the violence of football as much as the next guy but these guys needed to be protected from themselves so to speak.

and throwing a 15 yard penalty for brushing up against the side of Tom Brady's calf sure is the best way to go about changing this

[rainwater]

and throwing a 15 yard penalty for brushing up against the side of Tom Brady's calf sure is the best way to go about changing this

It is if it keeps Brady on the field. No one wants to watch Brian Hoyer in the Super Bowl.

[beckersteen]

Realize that he is just a puppet for the owners. He can't do anything unless the owners give him permission.