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NFL
Considers Major Restructuring Due to "Rough Tackles"
(November 1, 2002 - nonewswire.com)
The NFL is considering major restructuring of rules regarding
tackling after seeing an increase of hard hits throughout
the league. The move comes after the NFL director of football
operations, Gene Washington, prepared a 75 page report on
increased injuries from older receivers.
"We
tried a hard line stance of suspensions," says Washington,
"but that doesn't seem to be working. Therefore I have
recommended to the NFL that it removes tackling from the game
in favor of a less intense program that revolves around 'flag
football'."
According
to league sources, the NFL is considering outfitting players
with flags that go around the waist of each offensive player.
Instead of tackling a player, a defense will be required to
pull off a flag from the opposing players waist, which will
constitute a "tackle."
"Think
about it," says Washington. "Going to a flag football
scenario in the NFL will greatly decrease injuries to the
players and can add some new exciting scenarios to the sport."
The new
program, still being investigated by the NFL, will require
that offensive players wear yellow flags around their waist
at all times and defensive players wear red flags around their
waist at all times. When a flag is pulled from the waist,
it constitutes a "tackle." Referees will be given
orange flags to use for penalties so that they aren't confused
with the yellow flags. Coaches will be given white flags to
use for challenges so they aren't confused with the red flags.
Separate green flags will also be used by referees to constitute
"flag violations" like "too many flags on the
field".
"It's
a very simplistic program," said Washington. "It's
easy to use, easy to set up, and easy to execute. It will
put a stop to players like the Chargers' Harrison who are
harrasing the older generation of football players with 'rough
play'".
While
the NFL is considering taking the program live beginning with
this year's playoffs, it will likely wait until exhibition
games next year to fully implement the program.
A more
controversial execution clause of the plan would require that
more hard hitting defenses - like the Broncos and Chargers
- play the "flag football" concept while their opponents
are still allowed to tackle.
"I
know this is a controversial plan," says Washington.
"But I'm use to controversy. I'm tired of watching Broncos
and Chargers games frame-by-frame in order to hunt out obvious
infractions that officials standing right in front of the
play missed. The fans and players should quickly adjust to
this new style of play like they adjusted to the use of Instant
Replay."
A Chargers
player wishing to remain anonymous says he has an easier solution
for older offenses scared of a strong defense. "They
should take two viagra before each game - it should numb the
pain and give them more energy to take legal hits."
Those
"legal hits" may soon be illegal should the NFL
fully support the "flag football" resolution.
"They
need viagra too," said the anonymous Chargers source,
who was suspended one game this year for hard hitting.
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