Every athlete worries about a career-ending injury. Every time you step on the field, or the court, you face this realization that it could end with one tackle, or fall. Vikings’ center John Sullivan faced that in week 1, as Ndamukong Suh of the Lions hit him with an illegal block, despite Sullivan being out of the play.
That brings up some important topics in sports today, sportsmanship and ethics. There are many reasons to play the game the right way. A penalty or a foul hurts your team, you lose money with a fine, or you can severely injure another player.
As for Suh, he’s been a repeat offender. Suh has been fined for hits on Jay Cutler and Andy Dalton, and was suspended for stomping on an offensive lineman’s arm. Suh claims that offensive linemen “target” him. With a track record like his, however, that statement is absurd. Suh is one of the dirtiest players in football. In fact, he’s one of the dirtiest players in all of sports. There is no place in sports for his actions, as he could hurt someone else, or himself.
The NFL has really tried to clean up the game. They are trying to make the game safer. Helmet-to-helmet contact results in an automatic fine. Late hits, like Suh’s, receive heavy fines, or even suspensions. Making the NFL safer is a thin line. You have to know when to blow the whistle, and let the players play. I believe the NFL does a good job, but still it is a contact sport and sometimes it needs to be decided on the field.
To get a better idea on the game, I asked someone who actually knows football. Coach Adkins believes the game is much safer. When he played, “there was no such thing as a horse collar tackle, or a flag for helmet-to-helmet contact.” Coach Adkins also believes the NFL doesn’t do enough when it comes to punishing the players for things such as illegal hits. “The fines are toilet paper money, players should be suspended for their actions.”
As for sportsmanship, he believes that the NFL players are not good role models for inspiring athletes. “There is too much trash talking, and celebration,” he said.
That brings up some important topics in sports today, sportsmanship and ethics. There are many reasons to play the game the right way. A penalty or a foul hurts your team, you lose money with a fine, or you can severely injure another player.
As for Suh, he’s been a repeat offender. Suh has been fined for hits on Jay Cutler and Andy Dalton, and was suspended for stomping on an offensive lineman’s arm. Suh claims that offensive linemen “target” him. With a track record like his, however, that statement is absurd. Suh is one of the dirtiest players in football. In fact, he’s one of the dirtiest players in all of sports. There is no place in sports for his actions, as he could hurt someone else, or himself.
The NFL has really tried to clean up the game. They are trying to make the game safer. Helmet-to-helmet contact results in an automatic fine. Late hits, like Suh’s, receive heavy fines, or even suspensions. Making the NFL safer is a thin line. You have to know when to blow the whistle, and let the players play. I believe the NFL does a good job, but still it is a contact sport and sometimes it needs to be decided on the field.
To get a better idea on the game, I asked someone who actually knows football. Coach Adkins believes the game is much safer. When he played, “there was no such thing as a horse collar tackle, or a flag for helmet-to-helmet contact.” Coach Adkins also believes the NFL doesn’t do enough when it comes to punishing the players for things such as illegal hits. “The fines are toilet paper money, players should be suspended for their actions.”
As for sportsmanship, he believes that the NFL players are not good role models for inspiring athletes. “There is too much trash talking, and celebration,” he said.