WTFL Wpg. Touch Football League - WTFL

1155 Posts

I don't know about you, but what's wrong with the NFL?

Why are they changing all these rules.

Same with hockey.

Back in the day, if ya went into the corners ya knew there was a chance you would get hit. So be aware. As my Dad said, "keep your head up." Samething with football.

If ya run a slant or an in, findout where those LBs/DBs are and adjust the route. I never played for a coach who said run the slant with no exceptions. Maybe that is how you're supposed to run it? IN the NFL, I know they want to hit that slant, on a more direct ell "slant", but, If ever I had to run those, I'd flatten it out at the arrival point, or step back to the ball, thereby aleviating or eliminating the big hit. The coaches never complained...especially after you have the catch and advance the sticks.

My thinking on this is that them thar "receivers of hits," aren't playing very smart. I don't know but great receivers from the past (also like Gretzky in Hockey) never seemed to get rocked. Brian Kelly, Joe Pop, Rick House,Fred Billetnicoff, Steve Largent and Gerry Rice, all made tons of catchs without getting hit hard.

Granted nowa days, some of those crappy passes that end up setting the receiver up for a schmucking may be examples where the DB could choose to avoid the head shot. But c'mon, everyone knows, if ya send a lamb to slaughter....like some of those horrid NFL QBs are doing, by hanging balls up, what do ya expect? A DB has to make a living also.

And secondly, when's a catch a catch? The NFL has really f#*ked that up. In Touch football, the rule is the best. Pro football should adopt that rule. Basically in touch the receiver has to stop the rotation, and exhibit influence over the direction of the ball after. That is, start to "tuck it away." Tuck it away ia a mantra taught to all receivers from day one. I love the section of the rule,but have to laugh, "exhibit influence over the direction...." The "influence"......half the players are hungover, they're under the influence....Whatever...

Now the recent rule (what time is it, it might have changed), is that the receiver has to survive contact with the ground.??? Ah OK,for how long?...Like take the ball with them to the bathroom or what? That's a bogus addendum.

That Detroit guy survived contact with the ground, then moved the ball,.... then lost it,(as he was getting up) and the officials ruled incomplete. The guy had the ball for two seconds in control (stopped rotation) and exhibited influence over the ball, then dropped it as he was getting up off the ground. Apparently everyone agrees that should be changed and recognized it as a touchdown reception.

Recently, in the Elte final, as the sideline official, I saw a couple catches that were superb. I waited and waited and waited for the ball to come loose,as he hit the ground, but the receiver, maintained possession of the ball, in bounds. I think the receiver still has the ball, that's how secure it was. And I can't help but think that is a good criteria....the receiver has to survive contact with the ground, and maintain possession.....so so much for the old "the ground can't cause a fumble."

So I am wondering...which addendum do we go with? Do we add the component of surviving contact with the ground, or is stop the rotation and exhibit influence enough????

I sure hope the NFL makes this clear,and or they go to the Touch football rule book, for interpretation criteria of a catch, because it seems to be the easist to call.

I guess time will tell.

Any suggestions

In the meantime, receivers just catch the ball and keep yourhead up.