SWC75
Bored Historian
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I just listened to Gregg Williams' speech to the Saints before they played the 49ers in the playoffs:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_y...gg_williams_speech_saints_49ers_bounty_040412
http://theusof.com/
I've always realized that football is, in part at least, about physical intimidation. Defenders want ball carriers to not want to come across the line of scrimmage. They want quarterbacks to panic and pass receivers to hear footsteps. Ball carriers want to hit the tacklers so hard they won't want to tackle them. Much of Williams' speech falls into this category. I was distrubed by his talk of what they were going to do at the sidelines and in pile-ups. I understand one of the players he was talking about had a history of concussions.
As a fan I respond to hard hits. I remember how Tim Pigeon used to pancake guys back in the 80's. We all remember Dyshawn Davis' incredible, (and totally legal), hit against Rutgers last year:
But what made that play special was that it resulted in a score for Syracuse.
There are also games we can all remember where an oppsing player got injured and it turned the tide of the game. I'll never forget the Music City Bowl in 1999. Kentucky had a tight end we just couldn't cover and they kept marching right down the filed by getting the ball to him. Then he got tackled and was hurt and had to leave the game. They never had much of an offense after that and we came back to win the game, 20-13. Without the injury, I don't think we would have won. If it transpired that we had intentionally "taken out" that tight end, to me the game would not only not be a victory but would be worse than a defeat. I distinctly remember Florida State clearly "taking out" Bill Hurley in the 1978 opener. Bill had led the team to three quick first downs to open the game with his runnign and passing. He'd run for the third one and got tackeld by two guys who held him up so a third guy could spear him in the ribcage. He missed the rest of the year and we went 3-8 after people had been dreaming of nationals rankings and Heisman trophies.
There's a fine line between intimidation, which can certainly result in injuries), and trying to injure people. But it's written in ink, not pencil.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_y...gg_williams_speech_saints_49ers_bounty_040412
http://theusof.com/
I've always realized that football is, in part at least, about physical intimidation. Defenders want ball carriers to not want to come across the line of scrimmage. They want quarterbacks to panic and pass receivers to hear footsteps. Ball carriers want to hit the tacklers so hard they won't want to tackle them. Much of Williams' speech falls into this category. I was distrubed by his talk of what they were going to do at the sidelines and in pile-ups. I understand one of the players he was talking about had a history of concussions.
As a fan I respond to hard hits. I remember how Tim Pigeon used to pancake guys back in the 80's. We all remember Dyshawn Davis' incredible, (and totally legal), hit against Rutgers last year:
But what made that play special was that it resulted in a score for Syracuse.
There are also games we can all remember where an oppsing player got injured and it turned the tide of the game. I'll never forget the Music City Bowl in 1999. Kentucky had a tight end we just couldn't cover and they kept marching right down the filed by getting the ball to him. Then he got tackled and was hurt and had to leave the game. They never had much of an offense after that and we came back to win the game, 20-13. Without the injury, I don't think we would have won. If it transpired that we had intentionally "taken out" that tight end, to me the game would not only not be a victory but would be worse than a defeat. I distinctly remember Florida State clearly "taking out" Bill Hurley in the 1978 opener. Bill had led the team to three quick first downs to open the game with his runnign and passing. He'd run for the third one and got tackeld by two guys who held him up so a third guy could spear him in the ribcage. He missed the rest of the year and we went 3-8 after people had been dreaming of nationals rankings and Heisman trophies.
There's a fine line between intimidation, which can certainly result in injuries), and trying to injure people. But it's written in ink, not pencil.
