Comments on: Earl Campbell says Jack Lambert’s words have come to pass

By: widerightby2feet

widerightby2feet — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 12:42:28 +0000

Goodell is controlled by the owners, who in turn are controlled by the government loy-yahs. Go ahead, dummies; destroy football for the fans. The regime is reliant upon bread and circuses to distract the ‘masses’ from what they’re doing elsewhere; but they just can’t help themselves.
It’s in their nature.

By: publicteamforever

publicteamforever — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 02:28:13 +0000

1 out of every 3 Earl Campbell highlight plays is against the Packers. He could take over a game, and he’s got a point.

By: njraiderfan19

njraiderfan19 — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 21:13:06 +0000

As a Raider fan, I thought one of the best thrills in football was watching Earl Campbell play. It’s a shame the way Bum Philips used him up because he could have had a longer career, even with his punishing style. One of the toughest guys to ever set foot on the field; it’s no wonder he feels this way.

Thank you, Earl.

By: fdugrad

fdugrad — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 21:01:08 +0000

I have nothing but the highest respect for Mr. Campbell, and I certainly hold his opinion in high regard. If anyone knows about collisions on the field, he is the man. One poster mentioned that he ” walks the walk.” Actually, at this time in his life, this is not exactly true. He is severely limited in his ambulatory powers, and can barely walk. He had become heavily reliant on strong pain medication and alcohol as well, as he outlined himself. While he surely is the voice of experience, I am afraid he is NOT the voice of reason. Football players are YOUNG MEN when they leave the game, as far as their D.O.B. states, however the age of their bodies tells a different story. If anything, Earl Campbell’s career is a cautionary tale and a stark one at that.

By: mox19380

mox19380 — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 19:27:12 +0000

@hatesycophants
you’re right. there worth about 2bill so a $10k fine is worth going to amount to .0004% of his worth. Point being that even if all the fines went to the owners, and they don’t, it would be a drop in the bucket

By: cmonelisha

cmonelisha — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 19:23:28 +0000

guys like him and lawrence taylor would never make this generations soft football. sad well never see another great dominating LB like LT bec of rules..and ap is the closest well ever get 2 a physical runner bec in 5 years RB wont even be allowed to run anymore

By: Deb

Deb — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 19:17:38 +0000

I also thought Campbell’s health issues were caused by the wear and tear of the game–until watching “Still Standing,” the documentary of his life that appeared on your own NBC Sports Network. Apparently Campbell had inherent debilitating medical issues that were exacerbated by football. It’s a miracle that he was able to play at all. But football alone didn’t cause his health problems. And clearly he understands that.

Unfortunately, the league has made few genuine efforts to improve safety. Most of Goodell’s measures have been enacted with little or no supporting data. They’re simply attempts to convince the government, litigators, and the public that the game is safe–and, of course, to draw in more casual viewers by ensuring higher scores.

By: dallascowboysdishingthereal

dallascowboysdishingthereal — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 19:11:42 +0000

Everyone looks for eomone to blame with these rule changes that will soften the sport but doesn’t it come down to lawyers? Don’t many problems trace back to them?

By: skipcastaneda

skipcastaneda — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 18:22:07 +0000

JSpicoli said, “I remember football. I used to love it.”
Change your name to WShakesphere! That was the best thing I read. Simple and to the point.
I used to worship and glorify football. Now I hate it.

By: boonevol

boonevol — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 18:09:00 +0000

On cue here come the booger eaters, “waaaaah, curse you Roger Goodell, you’re ruining our game”. Meanwhile, Rog and the evil bosses that tell him what to do count their billions and chuckle violently awaiting those booger eaters’ Sunday Ticket subscriptions and new jersey purchases.

By: utahgetme2

utahgetme2 — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 17:51:48 +0000

Earl Campbell was easily one of the most fun running backs to watch. He was a monster. However, all of those players–particularly all of those former players–complaining about this rule need to look in the mirror when assigning blame. They and/or their peers created this situation. It is incomprehensible for any rational person to believe that any adult would not realize that there could potentially be long-term lingering effects through regular impacts to one’s head. Yet that is what many former players would have us all believe. This rule & all of the other associated rule changes are a direct result of litigants’ quest for more money. The effect may in fact be a watering down of the game; the cause is clearly litigious former players–and future former players.

By: hatesycophants

hatesycophants — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 17:46:10 +0000

Uh, the Cowboys are not worth $4 billion. Your point remains cogent.

@gbr437,

Unless you are a 13 year old girl, you have no excuse for “writing” like that. Embrace the shame and evolve.

By: sfraider

sfraider — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 17:45:58 +0000

“What the hell are you doing, Roger?” – Scott Fujita and everyone else who has ever played or watched this sport

By: mox19380

mox19380 — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 17:10:38 +0000

omikeyboy says:
Mar 22, 2013 12:35 PM
To say the rule wont effect the game is akin to saying adding salt instead of sugar wont effect the taste of coffee.

Secondly, not allowing a RB to get low will result in more leg, and knee injuries. The NFL contends they want to bring the shoulder back into the game, but at the speed in which angles change players will still fear committing a foul.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

you realize that earl campbell spent about the first 10years of his retirement in a wheel chair addicted to pain pills.

By: mox19380

mox19380 — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 17:05:32 +0000

@gbr437
Ok. So let’s see. Jerry Jones owns a team that is worth an estimated $4billion… so a $10k fine is about .0002% of his worth. now spread that out over 32 nfl owners. that’s $312.50 per owner.

Second issue is that the money from fines doesn’t go to the owners it goes into the retired players fund. (http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2010-10-29-1108672472_x.htm)

By: eatitfanboy

eatitfanboy — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 16:59:59 +0000

gbr437 says:
Mar 22, 2013 12:37 PM
U ppl seem 2 b missing the hidden motive here! The league doesn’t give a damn about the players! These new rules r designed 2 do one thing n one thing only! N thats 2 keep the fines coming. More fines equals more money n the owners pockets! Basically the owners have found a way 2 make more money. NFL is becoming such a joke!
=========

You do realize that all fine money goes to charity, right?

By: flipola

flipola — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 16:58:53 +0000

I get that safety is a big concern, but players understand the risk, and take that risk, for millions of dollars. Leave it up to the guys. If they don’t want to endure life-long effects, they won’t play the game. Simple as that. Why don’t we just cancel the game and have a nice tea party instead?

By: eatitfanboy

eatitfanboy — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 16:55:50 +0000

Too bad no one here knows the definition of irony.

Jack Lambert’s comment about new league rules ruining football to the point that quarterbacks should wear dresses was made THIRTY FIVE YEARS AGO.

Did football as we know it dies sometime in the last 35 years? Um…..no, and it won’t now.

The other ironic thing is that it’s the players that played with Campbell and Lambert who are causing all of this with their lawsuits.

All of you chicken littles on here clucking about the end of football every time there’s a rule change are worse than weathermen- at least they are right once awhile.

By: tmkelley1

tmkelley1 — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 16:38:20 +0000

logicalvoicesays, I’m as crazy a ‘Skins fan as anyone but, dude, you’re making us all look bad. Take a pill and turn it down. Please.

By: jimyritz

jimyritz — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 16:37:31 +0000

No lawsuits, no rule changes…

Guys who made no money (and get nothing from their so-called Union) have health issues and they are going to go after the league…

Goodell didn’t change the rules- the owners did; it’s voted on…I loved Earl Campbell but he should take the issue up with his peers.

By: gbr437

gbr437 — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 16:37:27 +0000

U ppl seem 2 b missing the hidden motive here! The league doesn’t give a damn about the players! These new rules r designed 2 do one thing n one thing only! N thats 2 keep the fines coming. More fines equals more money n the owners pockets! Basically the owners have found a way 2 make more money. NFL is becoming such a joke!

By: omikeyboy

omikeyboy — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 16:35:50 +0000

To say the rule wont effect the game is akin to saying adding salt instead of sugar wont effect the taste of coffee.

Players like Campbell, Csonka, and Riggins were successful because of their physical style, and defenders simply feared squaring up to tackle them. There’s a reason so many ex-players are against the rule. They understand the physical nature that causes intimidation, and consequence, and reaction of those being intimidated. They also realize lowering the helmet is the best defense a RB has.

By: turdfurgerson68

turdfurgerson68 — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 16:27:32 +0000

lickster35 says:

In 10 years the NFL will be less popular than soccer, and we’ll have goodell and bogus lawsuits to thank for it.

============================

Uh, hate to burst the bubble you live in lickster35 but soccer IS the most popular sport in the world; hard for the NFL to be less popular if it never was more popular.

And to olcap: I’m glad to read that I’m not the only one who is constantly edited out of the comments (then again, you probably won’t be able to read this anyway.)

By: JSpicoli

JSpicoli — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 16:24:34 +0000

I remember football.

I used to love it.

By: sanitytrek

sanitytrek — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 16:17:19 +0000

I am a big fan of Campbells, have been my whole life. I respect him, but it sounds like he’s hit his head one too many times!!

Why anyone would want to intentionally ram their head into an object is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard of.

Cannot understand why a running back would do that. We teach kids from little loop on up NOT to use their heads so what is all this crying about?

By: logicalvoicesays

logicalvoicesays — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 16:08:47 +0000

Portis and W.Peyton were similar backs but CP never had the luxury of playing w/an even decent QB. CP did everything Peyton could in a smaller body. But yeah, criticising because he wore Burgundy and Gold…no surprise there.

By: bobzilla1001

bobzilla1001 — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 16:08:22 +0000

Campbell played during an era in which defenders knew how to tackle.
Campbell, for example, once had his ribs fractured by Steelers safety Donnie Shell. Think about that for a second. It wasn’t a concussion caused by a launch, nor was it broken ribs caused by a spear into the pile; it was busted ribs caused by a bone-jarring, text-book tackle.
Today’s players need watch some of the highlights from the ’60s and ’70s. Back in the day, Campbell was far more dangerous and intimidating than any defensive player. He more often than not was one one of the biggest and most powerful players on the field. So was Jim Brown.

By: azarkhan

azarkhan — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 16:04:20 +0000

Earl Campbell and Jack Lambert, thank you. It is because of players like you that I love football.

By: joetoronto

joetoronto — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 16:02:58 +0000

wludford says:
Mar 22, 2013 10:52 AM
Pretty sad but true commentary on the state of NFL football.
***************************************************
It goes way beyond football, everybody and everything has become soft on this side of the planet.

Even the food chain is now out of whack, what a mess.

By: nomoreseasontix

nomoreseasontix — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 16:00:21 +0000

I’ve always been a Raider fan but Earl was an absolute beast. Nobody wanted to tackle him.
He was an out of control dump truck plowing through an intersection.
Loved watching him play.