Come On NFL DoThe Right Thing

I am going to begin this blog with the following Associated Press report:

“NEW YORK -- The NFL has taken down photos that were for sale of illegal hits that earned players large fines.
The league said Wednesday an outside vendor used an automated process to post pictures online for fans to buy, but the system would be changed to ensure photos of illegal hits were not available.
Three defensive players were fined at least $50,000 each Tuesday after a series of violent hits in Sunday's games raised concerns that the NFL's disciplinary policy wasn't doing enough to prevent head injuries. The league now plans to start suspending players for particularly dangerous hits.
One of the fined players, Steelers linebacker James Harrison, criticized the photos' presence in a radio interview Wednesday morning, saying "I guess they want to get their money on the front end and the back end."
The NFL says: "We regret the mistake."”


Hard to argue with Harrison and the apology is not near enough, nor do I accept it.  Does the NFL really want all of the violent hits to stop?   I think not.  I think they are upset when someone is so injured he can no longer play, or in some cases walk.  Is a 50 thousand dollar fine going to stop these hits?  Depends, if someone is making millions how bad will this tax deduction hurt them?  Harrison says he wants to hurt players on every play.  He says hurt does not mean injure.  Hurt means shake them up, make it not a pleasant experience.  I have no problem with that.

But when a player uses his helmet to cause injuries like concussions, I do have a problem.  Helmets were brought into the game of football for protection, not for use as a weapon.  And when a player uses his helmet as a weapon he should be punished, but imposing a fine is not enough.  Suspend the player without pay for let’s say four games the first time. A season the second time.  And if the player is “dumb enough” to do this a third time the NFL and fans should tell him to find a new way to make a living.

Football is not professional wrestling where the participants know the outcome; at least I hope we have not gone there.  And to see NFL players lose their livelihood or even their ability to ever walk again must be stopped and addressed by the league now!!  By posting pictures of these egregious hits in the way the league did is just not acceptable, not if they want to keep me as a fan.