Comments on: Bill Belichick speaks out against kickoff changes; other coaches agree

By: souldogdave

souldogdave — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 11:24:42 +0000

In time, opposing players will be at video consoles controlling virtual players, right? The ultimate Madden?

By: chopblocker55

chopblocker55 — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 00:57:09 +0000

It doesnt make sense…I wanna make it known I completely disagree with this rule change but wouldn’t this encourage a return…your’re five yards closer so kick it higher for more air, that way you’d definitely tackle them within the 25….why would you wanna give the offense 5 more yards

By: habsman

habsman — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 22:19:04 +0000

Be careful Bill, Roger (Former Jet Employee) Goodell might sanction you and take away one of those first round picks if you critisize too much.

By: CKL

CKL — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 22:03:31 +0000

Whenever BB says, “You’ll have to ask___________” it’s usually his way of getting a little dig in at _____________. I love it.

By: mayfieldroadboy

mayfieldroadboy — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 21:22:54 +0000

@ ithacabigblue
I have always hated artificial turf. And you are so correct; the “carpet” is wrinkled, coming up at the seams, like concrete. What ever happened to grass and dirt? Less pretty, yet less painful.

By: thefiesty1

thefiesty1 — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 21:09:13 +0000

Not a good idea. How can they conduct business during the lockout? Change giving the ball on the forty when it is kicked out of bounds on kickoffs. If a touchback, they get it on the 20. Should be the same if kicked out of bounds. They better have a kicker that can kick straight anyway instead of avoiding kicking to a player that might run it back on them.

By: lorenbmcp

lorenbmcp — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 20:49:12 +0000

If I could move 5 yards closer to the other teams end zone…

I wouldn’t have to kick as hard so I could improve accuracy.

I could put more air under the ball increasing hang time.

This will result in many more balls being downed inside the 5 yard line.

At some point coaches will demand their return man field the ball and make some positive yards.

Leading to DEFENSELESS return men getting decleated!

This doesn’t make the game safer, it makes it significantly more dangerous.

I can’t wait to see the hits of the week replays!

By: freedomispopular

freedomispopular — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 20:25:42 +0000

What’s next? Reduce the field size to 50 yards?

By: 1phd

1phd — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 19:16:32 +0000

If you want to make a change to help the game, OFFER THE GAMES ONLINE and let us choose ala-carte, so we only pay for one game and our team, not for the entire league. It’s insane that all we can get now is pirate coverage that you (the NFL) keeps getting shutting down.

By: damnskins703

damnskins703 — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 19:16:01 +0000

This is just plain stupid.. All these rules are affecting the NFL.. Goodell has to go he could care less about fans and what WE enjoy…

By: EJ

EJ — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 19:14:30 +0000

The only change that i did agree with was when the NFL allowed the 2pt conversion, thats it. Nothing else should ever change, period.

By: sportsjustice

sportsjustice — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 19:07:50 +0000

Football is a game of field position. This rule proposal is completely unacceptable. I’m glad coach Belichick has taken a stand against it.

By: vomitingliberals

vomitingliberals — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 19:01:05 +0000

These fools are going to kill the game we all love so much. This is tampering NOT tweaking, and before it’s all said and done this will be nothing more than a big flag football league that nobody watches anymore. Keep you hands of the on field product morons!!! Damn sissies!

By: ramsdiehard39

ramsdiehard39 — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:59:12 +0000

Why is it every time that I guess Rosenthal is the author…I’m right?

By: wte1

wte1 — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:38:19 +0000

Bill Polian must have thought of this change after a few to many glasses of scotch.

By: wannabeqb

wannabeqb — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:32:11 +0000

But without kickoffs we wouldnt have seen my play of the year: Dan Connolly nearly taking it to the house on his 71yd kickoff return!

By: harleyrider1973

harleyrider1973 — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:32:04 +0000

What a stupid Idea.

By: heisthejuan

heisthejuan — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:31:13 +0000

The competition committee is either senile or sadistic. This change is so odd/bad, that they are either completely out of touch with what fans enjoy, or they don’t care and will just constantly tweak the game and watch us accept it.

By: chipwade

chipwade — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:30:50 +0000

Probably an effort to generate longer TV timeouts and gain more revenue. The longer the game goes the more money gets spent everywhere (Food, beer, advertising, …)

Using the head injuries as an excuse. If they want to get rid of head injuries just impose a rule that doesn’t allow helmet to helmet contact of kickoffs. Hell make it reviewable via replay.

Kickoff returns are one of the most exciting aspects of football. Hell the Seahawks won a few games on them last year alone.

By: SmackSaw

SmackSaw — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:26:51 +0000

Looks like I’ll be playing Madden 2011 for a loooong time.

By: fanofthegame

fanofthegame — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:25:29 +0000

Imagine if there were no kick-offs a couple of years ago. The Saints would not have been able to call one of the best plays in Super Bowl history.

By: alewatcher

alewatcher — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:24:01 +0000

Maybe if players actually made tackles instead of just blowing guys up there would be fewer head injuries?

By: ithacabigblue

ithacabigblue — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:23:13 +0000

These guys are getting a little crazy with these rules. In my opinion they should change the rules in the opposite direction. Kick off from the 25, touch back placed at the 15. Then there’s ‘more’ action. Maybe they should address the actual cause of most injuries in football… artificial turf.

By: meshnuts

meshnuts — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:22:32 +0000

The No Fun Leauge rears it’s ugly head again! Hey competition commitee, while your at it, put flags on the QB’s for safety! lol

By: robzar

robzar — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:17:42 +0000

LISTEN UP all you bone-head owners! The Hea
d Hoody has spoken!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Long live the Hoody!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By: biggerballz

biggerballz — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:17:19 +0000

next rule change, tackling with pillows only. I wonder what old school butkis types think of this, I bet they hate the new generation.

By: roscoepcoaltrain86

roscoepcoaltrain86 — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:09:14 +0000

the NO FUN LEAGUE is taking shape more and more

By: biggerballz

biggerballz — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:04:05 +0000

I’m just going to keep watching “any given sunday” instead of the new nfl.

By: jnbnet

jnbnet — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:00:52 +0000

I understand the safety issue, and I am sure that it would help, however I feel that Belichick is correct in his assessment of how it will change the game. Kick returns are very exciting. I know that I am on the edge of my seat everytime the kick returner gets to (or past) the 30 yard line.

By: jaggedmark

jaggedmark — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:00:44 +0000

If the idea is to limit the number of kickoffs for safety purposes, then why not eliminate them altogether?

It’s a stupid proposal. Have kick-offs, or don’t.