Sheltered hits strip football of reputation

Big hits in football are considered dangerous today, but what people fail to realize is taking away hits in the sport essentially takes away from the game itself.

In football, when a player recklessly collides with another player it leaves athletes dazed and audiences in awe.

Football is the most popular sport in America, and let’s be honest, fans like to watch someone get laid out.

Football is a brutal contact sport, so players are going to get hit. There is no escaping it.

Concussions are currently a problem in football, but trying to address it by taking away hard hits is not the way to solve it.

Helmet-to-helmet hits, however, are one of the main causes of concussions among players. Using a shoulder pad to hit a player is considered clean, as well as legal.

These types of collisions can cause a player to be concussed or, even worse, sustain serious injuries. But it is ultimately the player’s decision on whether or not to continue his football career.

Contra Costa College safety Anthony Beaver Jr. suffered a concussion while playing football in high school, but he did not let that affect the way he plays.

Beaver is still out on the field laying out big hits and taking them.

Some CCC football players find it pleasurable to deal bumps and bruises to an opposing player, yet they do not like it when they are dealt to them.

Players should not be the victim of a big hit after the referee’s whistle blows ending a play, but getting struck during a play is likely going to happen.

Football equipment is supposed to reduce the effects contact brings, even if the collision is from an illegal hit.

The equipment has been upgraded in an attempt to help prevent concussions during play.

Football television advertisements are trying to teach little kids how to tackle and to  stray away from hard strikes.

Maybe the South Park episode “Sarcastaball,” which aired on Sept. 26 was right — this is how football will be in the coming years.

In the episode the show pokes fun at the NFL for placing restrictions on violent hits.

The NFL has even gone to great lengths to reduce the number of kickoff returns, moving the kickoff spot 5 yards ahead.

Even though reducing the number of kickoffs that are returned can be an advantage for a team that plays good defense, it also takes away from the game.

Taking away hard smacks has driven fans to think that football is going soft, changing the game they love.  
Player safety is important, but to take it as far as players getting fined for what used to be clean hits shows the direction the game is going.

It’s understandable to take away helmet-to-helmet hits, but for defensive players and fans, trying to take away all violent collisions will take the fun away from the game.