knees knees knees

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!!!

It was a cut block , and Wiltshire could be out for awhile, and might be career ending, as Suitor pointed out. If Schultz can be fined for his hit on Wynn, then Lewis should be fined for his hit on Wiltshire.

.....I still don't agree sambo that you can fine a guy for a legit hit.....but like Staik said I do foresee the day when all blocking has to be above the waist to prevent stuff like this from happening....

....on a similar but differnt note, how do you guys see tackling below the waist.....I'm not talking about a plain old tackle that sees a player wrapped up with arms and dragged down, but say LaRose's tackle on Reynolds where he launched himself at Joffrey's legs to trip him up....the same argument IMO could be made that these types of tackles are, like cut-blocks, dangerous to the player and could result in injury...just a thought.....

i voted no, i know wut u are sayin and you have a good point, but the hit was legal, it happens sometimes. If we start on the knees what is next? the elbow? This is football and players will get hurt.

Those type of low hits happen 30 times
a game, just so happens Wiltshires knee
jammed and he probably hyper extended it.

The cut blocks to the side of the knee are far more dangerous.

BigGreenMachine,

Its funny, cuz i agree with you completely.

However, as Eskylo mentions that this happens to many times a game, and this was just an unfortunate result .. the knee injuries in both the NFL/CFL are occurring a heck of a lot. The increase in concussions was reason enough to make a helmet to helmet rule ..

its a real good point you make .. where do you draw the line? Concussions? Knees? Elbows?

Maybe i'm a bit of a wimp on the knee thing, since i went through it myself 12 years ago. Who knows .. its definately worth the discussion.

StatiK76
GO BOMBERS!!!

Then the league should reverse the fine on Schultz hit… either that or fine Lewis. Its called consistentency RW, if the league doesnt fine him, then it makes them look bad, and I disagree with you Eskylo, Wiltshire’s injury looks like its more than just a hyperextended knee. He couldnt even walk off the field, he had to be carted off.

.....Statik you noted that today's helmets are way more advanced than those of even a few years ago (certainly more than my Ridell of the early 80s).....maybe it's time to develope a decent lightweight knee brace that permits normal movement of the joint but protects against unusual movement....of course though that might just move the mechanism of injury to the next weakest spot, say the ankle.....

…the big difference though sambo (and I’m not sure why I should be explaining this) is the Schultz hit was deemed by the league to be a helmet-to-helmet hit, which is illegal…whether you agree with that decision is a different matter, but that is the difference, one is illegal, the other, while questionable from a moral pov, is not…

…and while I say questionable from a moral pov, I’m sure that Lewis meant no intent to injure on the play, it’s just one of those things that happen in a fast contact sport…I didn’t see any EEs objecting to the hit, which makes me think they understand its a risk in the sport they play…

Chop blocking means contacting an opponent at or below the knees at the time that opponent is already being engaged by another player, with or without actual physical contact.

Thats the official rule, but I think it should be amended to blocking at the knees on a player. The result of Lewis' block is that Wiltshire might be a career ending injury.

 No one on the Argos seemed to object to Schultz hit either, which tells me that was not a helmet to helmet hit, but the CFL may deem Lewis' hit to be illegal as well. The Eskimos should send in a tape and let the league decide if it warrants any further action.

PS-Schultz so called "helmet to helmet" was unintentional as well, and still got fined for it. There is no reverse angle on that Schultz play, and I find that very interesting , dont you?? It may show wether his helmet actually made contact with Wynn's, but for whatever reason, no reverse angle exists.

.....all good points sambo, and perhaps the EEs will send in a tape, although like I said before, the head of refs sitting next to the TSN commentators said the hit was legal, so I don't know what good sending in a tape will do....

edited

The ironic thing is…doctors already have that kind of knee brace waiting for any athlete who needs it. The only problem? It’s not preventative medicine…it’s for AFTER the injury! Kind of silly no?

Statik's post makes alot of sense(did I just say that?). But...to change the rules for protection reasons (I think) would be very hard to officiate. The other thing that comes to mind is to have all North American Football make all contact with the legs illegal.....ala Rugby and Australian Rules Football.

Tackling should be illegal too. The chances of injury while tackling are far too high. Flag football 4 life!

BGM I agree!
Well again do you want another rule (helmet to helmet hits) effect the game. This is a physical sport another rule that can be mis judged is not what the CFL needs. REgardless of the rules you put in place there will be injuries. Why not just make it flag football! Bad Idea bad! Thats fix the helmet to helmet hits as well remove it! They have helmets for a purpose. I can see spearing being a penalty aguy gets a helmet in the back! But other then that no more stupidy thanks!

Sambo read the rules again my friend The only time it is illegal for a receiver is at the line of scrimage. Did you not hear proffessor Suitor tell you that! I guess not. I see you are not grown up enough to let this issue go! Schultz was fined because of the stupid rule! Why do players have helmets for portection and the rule is vague at best. Get rid of the rule we have gone through this many times that is why it ias a gronw up thing to do is let it go until such time they do the right thing a remove it.

Well 05, maybe that a rule they should change as well, make it illegal to use a chop or cut block, no matter who does it or where it happens on the field.

Well then Sambo it is just another rule like the other one now won't it. It will be left up to the ref's discretion! And with your luck your team will get called. Seriously why don't we just remove blocking, tackles etc and you would be happy! Just maybe Sambo you should watch another sport! They have been playing like this for how many years.