I know .. I know .. I said I would not be back for a while, but this p!ssed me off so much lastnight, I had to post it this morning.
When is the CFL/NFL going to start protecting players knees? I'm sorry, but I just dont understand why the refs in lastnights game would call a 15-yard unsportsman like penalty on a great open field hit by calgary, citing it was helmet to helmet. You'd be amazed how little you feel inside of a brand new helmet as far as impact is concerned. Man, its two inches of foam padding, air bladders, and plastic, and even titanium facemasks - and its designed to displace the impact of such hits.
knees however .. the hit on Kelly Wiltshire by Nik Lewis goes uncalled (because it was legal). Most of these guys dont even wear knee pads, because a quarter-inch of foam does NOTHING to protect your knee when 200+ pound men are taking running starts and dive into your knees intentionally. Lewis eyeballed and watched Wiltshire (as is his blocking assignment is 'kill the safety') for 15-20 yards, and then takes his facking knees?! Are you freakin' kidding me?! Thats an ACL/MCL/ICL knee destroying, potentially career ending, not-walk-the-same-again kinda injury? and that is acceptible?!
If you are going to take measures as a league to protect quarterbacks, and receivers with ridiculous helmet touching calls .. you GOTTA do something for the guys' knees.
Thankfully where i play, it does not allow blocking below the waste (everyone has to goto work on monday, right?) .. and it does not change the game that dramatically. If anything, it makes it a bit more difficult and challenging to make your blocks.
I watched that last night and it made me sick to my stomach - really.. Wiltshire had NO IDEA Lewis was hawking his knees for 20 yards .. don't get me wrong, Nik Lewis made a great block (if you have no conscious).. But Man - lets start protecting our hero's livelyhoods when they are done entertaining us at the end of their careers.
That block could have been in the chest; it still would have been a great block. still effective; and Wiltshire would be walking right now.
i hope he's alright .. i'm guessing he won't be .. but man did that ever look terrible.
StatiK76
GO BOMBERS!!!