Sherrod Martin fined 40K by the NFL

[Vagrant]

The head shots have to go. The league has to take initiative to get these kind of hits out of the game. It sucked ass that he went so high, but you have to hit within the new rules or you pay for it. I don't think this is Sherrod's first offense.

These guys are killing their brains, quite literally causing dead brain tissue, by taking the amount of hits they take to the head. It's unpopular to want to take head shots out of the game the same way it used to be unpopular to make hockey players wear helmets. But these guys have lives after football, they need to be healthy enough to enjoy them for all the enjoyment they give us.

The faster the game gets, the more concussions you see. The reason this didn't happen in the "old days", is that in those days there weren't any cyborg like freaks on steroids running 4.4 40's at 6-5 275 lbs. and diving into you at head to head contact. The human body and ways to make us faster, stronger, and meaner are developing faster than our brain's ability to recover from the bruising of having it slosh around inside your skull.

The next generation of NFL players will thank the pioneers involved in turning this game into something we can all enjoy with a clear conscious and the knowledge that these guys are not dying in front of our eyes one hit at a time.

Changes for safety, in any sports, are almost always met with rejection from "purists", that are unwilling or unable to recognize the differences in the game itself that demands these changes be made to protect the athletes.

[Dpantherman]

So if a player makes a dilebrate helmet to helmet and the refs did see and/or call it they should get a pass?

The punches were bad but not threating to the health of the player. Helmet to helmet are and is a rule that has been emphasised.

Wether or not you agree, Martin knew the rule and broke it for the second time. He deserves it.

Did he? the Receiver went into him. How anyone can dispute that is insane. It was as clear as day. the NFL is full of poo.

[Dpantherman]

punches are not bad to the health of a player? really? helmets off throwing punches in the middle of the field? thats a joke right?

[Cavscout]

It's not that the NFL needs the money, they are just covering their own butts in case someone eventually gets paralyzed and sues them. Then they can look back and say that they were trying to stop the hits...

[Vagrant]

punches are not bad to the health of a player? really? helmets off throwing punches in the middle of the field? thats a joke right?

As compared to the hit that Martin put on that WR? Not nearly. That's why in MMA the fighters are safer from brain damage then NFL players, because the speed of impact is FAR more damaging than the directness of the blow. You could get punched unconscious three times and not get as much brain damage as you would get from a hit that concussed you on a hit like the one Martin made. Even without losing consciousness. No human alive can throw a punch hard enough to slosh the brain back and forth as quickly as those high speed helmet to helmet hits can.

[Brooklyn Bully]

I would love to see some of the Veterans (as few as there may be), step in and help him pay this fine.

If Beason would have already got his big pay day, I bet he would pay it for him.

Martin can afford it.

But I have a problem with vets wanting the NFL to take care of them once they retire if their bodies are ruined. And by that, I mean future vets. I'm all for health insurance for the older guys that played when the game was rougher, but when current players whine that they "can't hit" anymore, they can't then turn around and say "take care of me when I retire". You can't have it both ways. Man up, accept this new rule no matter how lame it is, and learn how to tackle differently. If you're as good as you say you are, it won't be a burden on you. I know the NFL is trying to save money, but it's their game. Players shouldn't get to concuss guys left and right, then have the NFL shell out money for the concussed when they're old.

If you want to kick ass, go try the UFC. If you want to play football, don't be a bitch and accept the new rules of the game. If you can't tackle without leading with your helmet, you need to go back to training camp.

And we as fans need to shut up too. We bitch about the No Fun League, but then piss and moan about J-Stew getting hurt. We can be just as hypocritical as players.

[ElkinPanthersFan]

A runner doesn't have the same protection from the Helmet to helmet clauses. I mean I'm shocked this was never brought up from the Tampa game but in slow motion both Talib and another player hit Clausen in his helmet. Nothing was called as he was a runner. At some point, I'd say once you make the catch and hit the ground and take a step, you should lose the same protection from helmet to helmets.

You are taught how and where to hit when you are playing pee-wee ball. Once you begin to make a tackle and people lower their on head or only present you a small target, how can you change were you tackle in less than a second? You can't. More evidence, a couple weeks ago in the Giants/Eagles game. Manning threw a post route for Nicks and the safety over the top just stopped before he even got to Nicks to make a play on the ball cause he was worried where he would hit him. He literally just fell to the ground in front of him to stop him.

It is ruining the game.

[ElkinPanthersFan]

And in terms of their pay that is a whole different argument. Sports stars should not make more than the people that protect us or educate our children. They should have free healthcare provided by the teams for the rest of their lives after they play but that is just another aspect of our screwed up society. A PFC in the Army makes in one year about what Sherrod makes in a week. These guys have it good.

[Dpantherman]

As compared to the hit that Martin put on that WR? Not nearly. That's why in MMA the fighters are safer from brain damage then NFL players, because the speed of impact is FAR more damaging than the directness of the blow. You could get punched unconscious three times and not get as much brain damage as you would get from a hit that concussed you on a hit like the one Martin made. Even without losing consciousness. No human alive can throw a punch hard enough to slosh the brain back and forth as quickly as those high speed helmet to helmet hits can.

where did the original quote say not nearly? find and it show it to me, other wise im right.

Martin can afford it.

But I have a problem with vets wanting the NFL to take care of them once they retire if their bodies are ruined. And by that, I mean future vets. I'm all for health insurance for the older guys that played when the game was rougher, but when current players whine that they "can't hit" anymore, they can't then turn around and say "take care of me when I retire". You can't have it both ways. Man up, accept this new rule no matter how lame it is, and learn how to tackle differently. If you're as good as you say you are, it won't be a burden on you. I know the NFL is trying to save money, but it's their game. Players shouldn't get to concuss guys left and right, then have the NFL shell out money for the concussed when they're old.

If you want to kick ass, go try the UFC. If you want to play football, don't be a bitch and accept the new rules of the game. If you can't tackle without leading with your helmet, you need to go back to training camp.

And we as fans need to shut up too. We bitch about the No Fun League, but then piss and moan about J-Stew getting hurt. We can be just as hypocritical as players.

Stewart was a runner, so he gets no protection. helmet to helmet hits on them and players on Defensive dont matter (nice message btw).

Martin did what he was supposed to do. If you watch what happened. you will see that the reciever lead with HIS head into martin. So unless Martin falls backwards there will be helmet to helmet contact. The rule in itself is flawed, because all the offensive guys have to do is lean forward and they have a flag.

[Mvp2014]

he got that big goon on the giants earlier in the season, thats why its so high. If a receiver lowers the helmet and braces at the last second it shouldnt be a flag or fine, thats totally ridiculous. They are going to turn it into an art just like Paul Pierce and that throw up jumper where he always gets fouled, filthy.....

[MaineManPanther]

punches are not bad to the health of a player? really? helmets off throwing punches in the middle of the field? thats a joke right?

If you want to be tecnical punches can be, but the chance that they result in any significant probleam is pretty low.

Helmet to helmet carry a far greater risk to damage the players health.

So its really not hard to believe why Martin got fined worse.

[The NFL Shield At Midfield]

Actually guys I think I have to side with the league on this one, and here's why:

Just kidding it's total bullshit. Did Talib ever get fined for his head shot on Clausen?

[ElkinPanthersFan]

Then why dont we take the helmets per say away and go back to the old helmets. Make them with a bunch of padding and kevlar components, thus taking away then mentality of using them as a weapon. Joe Pa was talking about when helmets first came around that players took the mentality that they could use it as a weapon inflicting more damage. Why not take this aspect out again?

[chef17]

As compared to the hit that Martin put on that WR? Not nearly. That's why in MMA the fighters are safer from brain damage then NFL players, because the speed of impact is FAR more damaging than the directness of the blow. You could get punched unconscious three times and not get as much brain damage as you would get from a hit that concussed you on a hit like the one Martin made. Even without losing consciousness. No human alive can throw a punch hard enough to slosh the brain back and forth as quickly as those high speed helmet to helmet hits can.

In MMA they have gloves. Johnson and Finnegan didn't. I'm pretty sure a bare knuckle to the skull can do enough brain damage. The reason the helmets have padding is supposed to help prevent against concussions. And Martin's hit wasn't even that hard. So the fine is stupid. It shouldn't be that much.