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He did get thrown out...it was terrible.The player from South Carolina late in the game, I wasn't sure if he got ejected or not as they were reviewing it and I had to go walk the dogs at that moment. The UT player caught the ball, started running forward as another USC player was wrapping up on him, and then the 2nd defender was coming in to lay in a hit. The 2nd USC player was going lower, very clearly going lower so he wouldn't hit above the shoulder pads on the UT receiver. The UT player SAW the hit coming so he clenched up and prepared for the hit, thus basically balling up his torso which lowered his head and shoulders at the very last step before they collided, thus resulting in a helmet to helmet hit.
There is absolutely NOTHING that the USC player could have done to stop his momentum at that point or prevent the helmet to helmet, it was the UT receiver who lowered his upper body to the level of the defensive player. He was ABSOLUTELY not defenseless as it was quite clear his body actions were in anticipation of the incoming hit. Nothing blindsiding or defenseless about that tackle. Yet the ridiculous targeting rule states that it's all the defensive back's fault for the helmet to helmet hit and that he should be ejected.
As I stated already, not sure if the ruling was upheld and the USC player got thrown from the game or not, but if he did that was total bullshit, as about half of the targeting calls are.
It is a good rule, though it needs to be tweaked... the booth review is a good start (though I don't remember if they can reverse the penalty yardage, as well as the ejection). They really need to exclude a few situations:
1) when the ball-carrier lowers his head/body while the defender is in motion. Too many times (like tonight) a offensive player makes a last-moment move to the ground and the defender can't react in time, and a legal hit becomes "illegal."
2) when a defender is clearly leading with the shoulder/body and there is a bang-bang helmet-to-helmet collision.
The rule is absolutely needed, however. Too many players were/are getting their "bells rung" on plays for no other reason that the defender is going for the knock-out hit. The more we are learning about the serious effects repeated blows like this have to the human brain, the more I feel that something has to change. The sport will will simply not survive. Its akin to "rubbin' is racing" in NASCAR and other motorsports. Yeah, its exciting, but these cars are going 175-200 mph nowadays. We saw what seemed to be a "routine" crash into the wall did to Dale Sr. The human body is not made to survive such trauma.
Plus, I don't agree that eliminating these types of hits is ruining the game. Too many defensive players (especially in the secondary) cannot properly tackle these days. Every Saturday (and Sunday), I watch players bounce off ball carriers because the try for the knock out (or the trip) out in the middle of the field. You can be hugely successful by playing fundamentally sound football. Its already a violent sport. These athletes are routinely bigger/faster/stronger than anyone playing 20/30/40 years ago. This bloodlust for even bigger hits might feel great in the short-term, but its going to spell the end of the sport we love.
The player from South Carolina late in the game, I wasn't sure if he got ejected or not as they were reviewing it and I had to go walk the dogs at that moment. The UT player caught the ball, started running forward as another USC player was wrapping up on him, and then the 2nd defender was coming in to lay in a hit. The 2nd USC player was going lower, very clearly going lower so he wouldn't hit above the shoulder pads on the UT receiver. The UT player SAW the hit coming so he clenched up and prepared for the hit, thus basically balling up his torso which lowered his head and shoulders at the very last step before they collided, thus resulting in a helmet to helmet hit.
There is absolutely NOTHING that the USC player could have done to stop his momentum at that point or prevent the helmet to helmet, it was the UT receiver who lowered his upper body to the level of the defensive player. He was ABSOLUTELY not defenseless as it was quite clear his body actions were in anticipation of the incoming hit. Nothing blindsiding or defenseless about that tackle. Yet the ridiculous targeting rule states that it's all the defensive back's fault for the helmet to helmet hit and that he should be ejected.
As I stated already, not sure if the ruling was upheld and the USC player got thrown from the game or not, but if he did that was total bullshit, as about half of the targeting calls are.
It just is. Shameful. The NCAA needs to end this madness.
aI long for the days when basketball was still a game of skills, instead of a gang fight by a bunch of slap-happy thugs.
Each to his own bg, no problem here with having a different opinion.
But his rolled eyes still can't see a thing in that dark smelly place where he always keeps his head...**rollseyes**
But his rolled eyes still can't see a thing in that dark smelly place where he always keeps his head...
But his rolled eyes still can't see a thing in that dark smelly place where he always keeps his head...