No More Bent Over Fatties

The National Football League has been making headlines lately for the progress that they’re making in trying to prevent concussion as well as the research into the long term effects of these injuries. I think the NFL is taking a giant step forward. They’re finally showing a sense of accountability. Former and current players are speaking out about the adverse effects that they experience as a result of repeated and frequent blows to the head.

Rules are also changing. Helmet to helmet contact has been outlawed for some time now. Also, rules regarding blows to the head on unprotected quarterbacks are growing stricter and stricter. But at some point these rules are going to go too far and I think we’ve about reached that point.

NFL officials are now discussing the prospect of outlawing the three point stance. Are you freakin’ kidding me? I understand that the game is changing, but the three point stance is as big a part of football as tailgating or touchdowns. Could you picture all of these 300 plus pounders standing upright across from each other getting ready to play patty cake?

I see that a lot of offensive linemen, especially tackles, have switched to a two point stance on a more regular basis. The NFL is also becoming more of a pass oriented league and the two point stance would give the offensive lineman an advantage in pass protection. One thing that you rarely ever see is a defensive tackle without a hand on the ground. This potential decision just reflects another attempt by the NFL to increase the advantage given to offenses. Already, quarterbacks can only be hit in an area of their body smaller than most MLB umpires’ strike zones, but let’s not keep them from getting hit completely by turning our defensive lineman 300 pound standing blocking dummies.

All I ask is that we leave the three point stance alone. It is every large man's right to get into a three point stance and barrel into a mirror image of himself. The concussions are not being caused by slow moving lineman running into each other with a two step head start for momentum. The concussions take place when people play stupid, dirty, or don’t keep their head on the proverbial swivel (something that they’re taught from the first time they put a helmet on).