Fair warning: I don’t usually talk sports here. I know not everybody is a sports fan, so for those of you who are not into sports and/or football, you can skip this one.
So, this happened in the first quarter of the Raiders-Browns game yesterday. It’s a short GIF. Go watch. I’ll wait.
That play? Alden Key (Raiders #99) got called for roughing the passer on that play. Yeah, he did. There have been some really questionable roughing calls this season. Right, Clay Matthews? What with this new rule about not falling with full body weight on the quarterback, the calls have been coming left and right. But, come on. It’s football. It’s a full contact sport. Players fall down. Players fall down on top of other players. It’s one thing if a defensive player launches on the QB after he’s down, but to say he can’t knock him down and fall on him? What’s a 200+ lb. guy, in mid-air trying to make a play, supposed to do? Oh, wait, that’s right. He’s supposed to tear his ACL trying not to fall on the QB, like William Hayes in last week’s game.
Look, I know- the Raiders are the penalty team. I watch the games and most of the time, I am not saying “Oh, come on, ref, what was that?” I am saying “Oh, come on, Raiders Player, what was that?” But this? This was a bs call all the way. Key ducked his head so he wouldn’t hit Mayfield above the shoulders or helmet to helmet. He pulled back and pulled his arms off Mayfield. He didn’t even knock him down. Mayfield got backed up a couple steps. That was about as “rough” as the chest bumps players do after a big play. If these new QBs are such delicate little flowers that they can’t handle a little bumping, football is dead. And if that play was roughing the passer, they should change the last couple (also bs) calls on Clay Matthews to attempted murder. Geez.
Nobody likes to see players get hurt. Quarterbacks get paid the big bucks to lead their teams to wins. Unnecessary rough play should be penalized. But this is getting to the point where players are going to be afraid to tackle- or even strongly touch- anyone. Let them do what they were trained- and are paid- to do.
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Coming in December 2018: Two’s Company, a sci-fi novel in the space opera tradition.
Medusa “Deuce” Grainger is smart, confident, and as good a pilot as she is a poker player. A freelance shuttle jockey working for an independent terraforming company, she’s left her former life, and her father, behind. Mostly.
Now, her AI has downloaded another Personality off a wrecked ship, and he’s acting oddly ever since. Someone wants to sabotage her friend’s company out of business, evidence of tampering is being corrupted, and people have died. With an investigation looming that could shut down the company and cut off her main source of income, Deuce needs to figure out what’s going on. And she needs to do it fast, because there’s more at stake than anyone realizes.
Two’s Company is listed on Goodreads. If you like what you see above, I’d appreciate you adding it to your Want To Read list. Thanks!
Available now :
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And So On... 