I propose allowing video review of fights

[PromoTheRobot]

Most NFL officials can barely pay enough attention to a game, much less when players start pairing off and shoving each other. Why shouldn't the NFL allow video review of these scrums so as to properly see who throws the first punch and not just who retaliates.

 

The Patriots are trained to instigate fights to draw a retaliation, knowing officials never penalize instigation. The Patriot who got his helmet pulled off actually threw a punch at a Bills player while the officials were looking at the Gronkowski dust-up.

Edited December 5, 2017 by PromoTheRobot

[Manther]

I am for it

[Fadingpain]

I would prefer much less video/replay involvement in football games, not more.

 

I do see your point though; the technology would allow the officials to more fairly evaluate a big dust-up.

 

 

[klos63]

4 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Most NFL officials can barely pay enough attention to a game, much less when players start pairing off and shoving each other. Why shouldn't the NFL allow video review of these scrums so as to properly see who throws the first punch and not just who retaliates.

 

The Patriots are trained to instigate fights to draw a retaliation, knowing officials never penalize instigation. The Patriot who got his helmet pulled off actually threw a punch at a Bills player while the officials were looking at the Gronkowski dust-up.

link?

[PromoTheRobot]

1 minute ago, Fadingpain said:

I would prefer much less video/replay involvement in football games, not more.

 

I do see your point though; the technology would allow the officials to more fairly evaluate a big dust-up.

 

 

Well these kind of scrums, thankfully, are not common. But I think it's more important to penalize all guilty parties, not to let the I get away with crap.

[KD in CA]

Please God, no.   College already does this nonsense and it's terrible.  Yet another endless distraction/delay to the game.   Key guys getting tossed out of big games for glancing helmet to helmet hits that were clearly not intentional. 

 

And what, you think with some additional review suddenly the rules are going to apply equally to the Bills and NE???   Yeah, good luck with that.   A video review of yesterday's play would have ended with Hughes kicked out.

[PromoTheRobot]

1 minute ago, klos63 said:

link?

Watch any video involving the Patriots. Amendola (I think) took a swing at a Bill for no reason, just to draw a retaliation, which of course an official saw.

 

I just edited the title of this thread to specify fights, not all unsportsmanlike calls.

[klos63]

Just now, PromoTheRobot said:

Watch any video involving the Patriots. Amendola (I think) took a swing at a Bill for no reason, just to draw a retaliation, which of course an official saw.

retaliation penalties happen in every sport, hockey more than others. I can't imagine an NFL team would train their players to do that. Now, the Nordique did against the Sabres and it worked in the early 80's playoffs, but other than that, nope.

[Gugny]

10 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Most NFL officials can barely pay enough attention to a game, much less when players start pairing off and shoving each other. Why shouldn't the NFL allow video review of these scrums so as to properly see who throws the first punch and not just who retaliates.

 

The Patriots are trained to instigate fights to draw a retaliation, knowing officials never penalize instigation. The Patriot who got his helmet pulled off actually threw a punch at a Bills player while the officials were looking at the Gronkowski dust-up.

 

I don't know, Promo.  Getting into the heads of opponents has always been a big part of the game.  Hell, even Tre White triggered Gronk by holding him all day and getting away with it.  Unfortunately, Gronk's retaliation was a tad over the top.

[The Wiz]

5 minutes ago, Gugny said:

 

I don't know, Promo.  Getting into the heads of opponents has always been a big part of the game.  Hell, even Tre White triggered Gronk by holding him all day and getting away with it.  Unfortunately, Gronk's retaliation was a tad over the top.

You're not wrong about Tre but it's not like he was throw jabs at Gronk while covering him.  He was tugging on his jersey.

[Gugny]

2 minutes ago, The Wiz said:

You're not wrong about Tre but it's not like he was throw jabs at Gronk while covering him.  He was tugging on his jersey.

 

Absolutely agree.  And I'm not - in any way, shape or form - justifying Gronk's actions.  I'm just saying that baiting opponents into doing something that will hurt their team (lose focus, over-pursue, commit a penalty) is a part of the game.  If the Patriots* are being coached to get away with the first punch and it leads to a penalty against their opponents, then other teams either need to try to beat them at their own game, or be more disciplined.

[PromoTheRobot]

10 minutes ago, Gugny said:

 

I don't know, Promo.  Getting into the heads of opponents has always been a big part of the game.  Hell, even Tre White triggered Gronk by holding him all day and getting away with it.  Unfortunately, Gronk's retaliation was a tad over the top.

I'm talking more about catching fights away from the main action. The whole reason the Bills got shafted at the end of all that was because of retaliation away from Gronk instigated by Amendola. I want refs to be able to review that crap.

[Gugny]

3 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

I'm talking more about catching fights away from the main action. The whole reason the Bills got shafted at the end of all that was because of retaliation away from Gronk instigated by Amendola. I want refs to be able to review that crap.

 

I get what you're saying, but I'm reluctant to add another layer of responsibility instead of just fixing the problem.

 

Officiating just needs to be better/more attentive.  If we keep relying on replays to make sure calls are correct, etc., they might as well just have officials watching TV and throwing flags after every play is over.

 

Also, what's wrong with walking away?  If Amendola wants to poke and prod or throw a swing ... just turn and walk away.  If it was seen, there should be a flag.  If it wasn't, then you know walking away just saved your team from getting one.

[The Wiz]

5 minutes ago, Gugny said:

 

I get what you're saying, but I'm reluctant to add another layer of responsibility instead of just fixing the problem.

 

Officiating just needs to be better/more attentive.  If we keep relying on replays to make sure calls are correct, etc., they might as well just have officials watching TV and throwing flags after every play is over.

 

Also, what's wrong with walking away?  If Amendola wants to poke and prod or throw a swing ... just turn and walk away.  If it was seen, there should be a flag.  If it wasn't, then you know walking away just saved your team from getting one.

The problem is that you end up with more penalties per game and no one is going to want to watch.  You could have 12 refs on the field to cover each player and then the head ref and they would be throwing flags on ever play.

 

They say there is holding on every play in the NFL, the better/more attentive they are, the worse the game is to watch.

[Gugny]

2 minutes ago, The Wiz said:

The problem is that you end up with more penalties per game and no one is going to want to watch.  You could have 12 refs on the field to cover each player and then the head ref and they would be throwing flags on ever play.

 

They say there is holding on every play in the NFL, the better/more attentive they are, the worse the game is to watch.

 

Again .. we agree.  I've always opined that refs needs to focus on the actual plays.  If the ball is in the air deep left and an OL has a hand in a guy's face - don't call it.  It didn't affect the play.  If it's something egregious, then sure. But incidental contact or borderline penalties ... unless they are affecting the actual play, then leave them alone.

 

Officiating needs to be smarter more than it needs to be better.

[The Wiz]

9 minutes ago, Gugny said:

 

Again .. we agree.  I've always opined that refs needs to focus on the actual plays.  If the ball is in the air deep left and an OL has a hand in a guy's face - don't call it.  It didn't affect the play.  If it's something egregious, then sure. But incidental contact or borderline penalties ... unless they are affecting the actual play, then leave them alone.

 

Officiating needs to be smarter more than it needs to be better.

Hit the nail on the head right there.

[Not at the table Karlos]

11 hours ago, klos63 said:

link?

Just watch a patriots game in the last 15 years. Any one it doesn't matter they do it all the time. 

Edited December 5, 2017 by Not at the table Karlos

[4_kidd_4]

Anyone review the video footage of that broad trying to fight security in the stadium sunday?

 

Hilarious. 

[jimmy10]

If some things are reviewable, all things should be reviewable. 

[klos63]

46 minutes ago, Not at the table Karlos said:

Just watch a patriots game in the last 15 years. Any one it doesn't matter they do it all the time. 

you're gonna have to do better than that.

59 minutes ago, Gugny said:

 

Again .. we agree.  I've always opined that refs needs to focus on the actual plays.  If the ball is in the air deep left and an OL has a hand in a guy's face - don't call it.  It didn't affect the play.  If it's something egregious, then sure. But incidental contact or borderline penalties ... unless they are affecting the actual play, then leave them alone.

 

Officiating needs to be smarter more than it needs to be better.

I agree with this, just not the example of hands to the face, which I think is in part to protect against injury, but your point is valid. I've been talking about special teams penalties in the same context, there should be a different standard for holding or illegal blocks on kick returns, because they are called constantly and it hurts the game. Too many teams start drives deep in their own zone, leads to more conservative play calling and less scoring.