NFL sides with Buccaneers on kneel-down controversy

burningmetal · 09-20-2012, 05:48 PM

Originally Posted by SloMotion

I think the crux of the matter is that while Tampa technically did not break any rules and 'fought to win all the way to the last down', they did commit a football 'faux pas'.

On an official level, you cannot fault Tampa for trying to 'win' the game on the last play & surely endeared themselves to the fans who would have undoubtedly criticized them for not playing 100% on the last play of a game where they were down by only one score.

On a professional sport, 'gentlemanly' level ... that's another story and hence the 'faux pas'. In a sport where extreme physical contact is the nature of every play, the correct/gentlemanly thing to do when the winning team has indicated it will 'kneel' to end the game is to not take advantage of the play by running in to them at full-speed. Everyone is supposed to be professional out there.

I can see why Schiano did it and I can see why Coughlin was upset. If I was Schiano, I damn sure don't want my fanbase saying I layed down on the last play of a game that was not out of reach and if I'm Coughlin (who I think may have committed his own faux pas by imposing the 'kneel-down' when only being up by one score), I'm damn sure upset at an opponent that could have possibly injured one of my starters on a kneel-down that is widely accepted throughout the league as a way to end a game.

If nothing else, it will make teams pay attention more to that last play of the game and how they handle it. Winning teams may have to run one last play as losing teams will now view the 'kneel' as one last chance to get a shot on the opposing players, eh? This is something that could potentially get very ugly.

I hear what you're saying man, and I agree that this is how the kneel down is generally viewed.

My problem is that I don't know what made these players decide the kneel down was a gentleman thing. I've always thought of it as a way to run out the clock without risking a turnover. But if you're the defense, you have to try to disrupt that center. Sure, someone could have gotten hurt, but we can say that about every play. The object of the game is to win, and the last play -when you're only down one score- should be no different than any other play.

Now, I know that many have argued that injury was more likely because the Giants were somehow caught off guard, but when I see the replay it was very obvious that the Bucs were ready to send the house. They weren't just standing around. So it's the Giants fault, in my humble opinion, for taking it for granted and allowing themselves to get pushed back like that... And I'll add that if players still think the kneel is a universal "everybody stop playing" signal, then I agree with Jerry Jones that they should just outlaw it.

09-20-2012, 05:48 PM	#19
burningmetal 1000 Posts + Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 3,923 Blog Entries: 3	Re: NFL sides with Buccaneers on kneel-down controversy Originally Posted by SloMotion I think the crux of the matter is that while Tampa technically did not break any rules and 'fought to win all the way to the last down', they did commit a football 'faux pas'. On an official level, you cannot fault Tampa for trying to 'win' the game on the last play & surely endeared themselves to the fans who would have undoubtedly criticized them for not playing 100% on the last play of a game where they were down by only one score. On a professional sport, 'gentlemanly' level ... that's another story and hence the 'faux pas'. In a sport where extreme physical contact is the nature of every play, the correct/gentlemanly thing to do when the winning team has indicated it will 'kneel' to end the game is to not take advantage of the play by running in to them at full-speed. Everyone is supposed to be professional out there. I can see why Schiano did it and I can see why Coughlin was upset. If I was Schiano, I damn sure don't want my fanbase saying I layed down on the last play of a game that was not out of reach and if I'm Coughlin (who I think may have committed his own faux pas by imposing the 'kneel-down' when only being up by one score), I'm damn sure upset at an opponent that could have possibly injured one of my starters on a kneel-down that is widely accepted throughout the league as a way to end a game. If nothing else, it will make teams pay attention more to that last play of the game and how they handle it. Winning teams may have to run one last play as losing teams will now view the 'kneel' as one last chance to get a shot on the opposing players, eh? This is something that could potentially get very ugly. I hear what you're saying man, and I agree that this is how the kneel down is generally viewed. My problem is that I don't know what made these players decide the kneel down was a gentleman thing. I've always thought of it as a way to run out the clock without risking a turnover. But if you're the defense, you have to try to disrupt that center. Sure, someone could have gotten hurt, but we can say that about every play. The object of the game is to win, and the last play -when you're only down one score- should be no different than any other play. Now, I know that many have argued that injury was more likely because the Giants were somehow caught off guard, but when I see the replay it was very obvious that the Bucs were ready to send the house. They weren't just standing around. So it's the Giants fault, in my humble opinion, for taking it for granted and allowing themselves to get pushed back like that... And I'll add that if players still think the kneel is a universal "everybody stop playing" signal, then I agree with Jerry Jones that they should just outlaw it.
	If I had a nickel for every time I heard that, the NFL would fine and suspend me.

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