Woody- I agree 117%. These players are taught- from chlldhood -to go all out and play at 100%...that the injuries come most when you let up. How in blazes is one to know when one is 1% too hard or 1% under the limit!

That's only half of it. Some of the most violent hits are inadvertent. The receiver coming across the middle turning to his QB to make the catch only to get blindsided by the safety or corner. Whether you lead with helmet or not it is a vulnerable position that could end anyone's career in a flash.

Guys are faster, bigger and stronger and these injuries are inevitable. It's the risk of working in a profession that pays 1,000's of times more than the rest of us make. It is what it is.

The hipocracy of the NFL Films "promoting" greatest "hits" and the violence of the game, yet trying to reign in the violence at the same time.
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/201...ns-illegal-hit/

I have mixed feelings on the matter myself. My point of view comes from experience because I broke my neck as the result of a helmet to helmet hit. Now let me say that from what I am told it was a very clean hit, but at the same time a rather nasty one. I have no real memory of it myself, I woke up in the ER, in a rather confused state. My doctor told me I was extremely lucky, another quarter of an inch in the break and I would have ended up paralyzed from the shoulders down or dead. Spent six weeks in the hospital flat on my back, followed my four months in a neck brace and two more in a removable brace to allow the tendons and muscles my neck regain strength. Though I am happy to say that I recovered completely for the most part. I can walk and talk like normal, my days of riding roller coasters and sky diving (which I had just started weeks before getting hurt) not mentioned playing ball anymore came to a sudden and complete end. I have some movement restriction in my neck, side to side and backward causes minor pain (not to mention putting a real crimp in my girl watching!) but overall I was real lucky. There have been far to many who were not as lucky as me.

So when I watch the playback of all the hits from the weekend on Sunday night I found myself shuttering with each and every one. Would I change the rules? I think so, for this reason, when I played we were taught to aim tackle from the chest down. Guys my size generally were taught to go after the legs of the bigger guys because we were unlikely to bring down a big man with a chest high hit. Yes there will be some contact made that was not intended and it not difficult to look at film and decide if was or not. But more and more we are seeing young players coming in head first to make a hit. I do not believe that putting and end to it will created difficulties for defensive players. It might however just save someone from spending the rest of his life in a wheel chair or worse.

Keep in mind gentlemen just a mere quarter of an inch and I am not sitting at my computer typing this.

On a final note and so that I can end this without sounding to down, I would like to point out that the team I played for was a US Army team. Because my injury was of a permanent nature I was given a military disability and I get a check from Uncle Sam every month. The upside of all this is that when people find out I am a disabled vet they often asked where I was wounded no doubt expecting me to say Viet Nam, Iraq, Samolia or some other far off place. But the looks on their faces when I tell them that I got hit on 45 yard line in Frankfurt....is priceless.

I think helmet to helmet hits SHOULD be punished. WEEK SIX: What games R U most lookin fwd 2 on Sun/Mon? I m looking 2 Brett Fav-re+ his return 2 Green Bay. The Vikes are 2-3, but very well could be 3-2,or even 4-1--but have shot themselves in the foot on too many occasions. They need to establish the run game early-both to better utiliize a key weapon, and to keep the GB D-line from teeing off with only pass rush on their mind. This is how the Vikes had so much success LAST season. I am heartened that the off the field rumoured incident from nearly 3 years ago is not overshadowing the actual game. Personally I would/will never do what Fav-re is rumoured to have done-even if I had an larger than avg personalility in that area as Brett is said to have. NOW-if he texted a pic of his attribute as a "first contact" then ya probably should fine him heavily or maybe suspend him. But if he sent the rumoured pic as part of an ongoing flirtation, a smaller fine is in order. Again, wouldn`t do it myself. Not my style.

I am with you in that the Farve thing would not be the kind of thing I would do, but it could be that it much to do about nothing. Seems that first the league has to figure out if in fact it was him. One report I saw said that the people who released the photo are not even sure themselves if it was in fact him. That should all be easy to find out from the woman in question. Anyone seen her take on the whole thing? I would think that if this is a case of give and take between the two then maybe it should all be left with parties involved. If on the other hand it is one one sided on Farves part (again assuming he did in fact do anything) then fines or penalties are in order.

But first of all the league must first get all the facts in the case. For myself I usually pay little attention to things that hit the internet or scandal sheets, on matters such as this. There is always so much speculation and innuendo that comes forth. Until some hard core facts come forth leave the guy alone and let him play football.

I am looking forward to the Cowboys-Giants game. The sports talkers are still espousing scenarios for a Cowboys run. The Giants totally owned the Cowgirls last year but anything can happen.

I would not send such a pic myself.

Did the Colts punter sober up yet? Peyton Manning will probably end up in a canal himself if he loses Reggie Wayne too. The 'Skins may not win but they will damage your best players trying. Add Dallas Clark to the list.

Real dumb move on the part of Colts punter, it will cost him a payday. Given the condition of the water in the canal I am betting he never tries that again. He may need the time to get cleaned up and detoxed and then he may want to sober up!

The Clark loss is a big one. He does so much more then just catch the ball and will be hard to replace. But the Colts do seem to have a way of finding replacements. There are still plenty of guys for Manning to throw to, if the running game keeps improving that will be an added plus as well.

Most grown men probably would not send something like this well at least I would hope that would be the case. But we all know that some individuals no matter the age or stature just can't seem to help themselves from doing some real stupid things. I would hope that Farve does not fall into that group.

Two things to note.
Romo is out, so Cowboys would do well to win 6 for the season.
If JJ wants this team to compete, he MUST upgrade the offensive line. Except for Doug Free, the starters are getting older and their lack of speed shows in the number of pressures and hits that Romo has taken. A young QB for insurance wouldn't be a bad idea. Hint, hint. Greg McElroy.