POLL Should AD be suspended?

[DJ Fieri]

Should he be suspended?

But, be informed.....discipline in practices are handled by the team and not the League. Former players coming out of the woodwork saying no he shouldn't, this is part of football.....it happens.

Vote and discuss.

 

[jarntt]

To be clear. The poll question isn't will he but "should" he?

For me it's an obvious he "should" be suspended. I mean I don't see how this is disputable unless you are our resident Rams fan who is possibly less objective than RTK.

But, I do not think he "will" be suspended. Hoping I'm wrong because he is a dirty piece of crap with many, many prior issues including choking multiple times, grabbing facemasks and trying to injure players by pulling them down multiple times and now hitting a guy with a helmet 3 times.

 

[fastforward]

No. The NFL policing training/practice issues would be a slippery slope. If they get involved they'll be required to police issues between teammates. Next it would be issues in private group sessions. I suspect the NFL will come up with a policy for 2023 and beyond where teams will lose training sessions or some other form of punishment if there are multi-player brawls. My answer would be the same if an opposing player had hit a Rams player. I could see a case for punishing a player hitting a player in a red shirt but that might give players in a red shirt the freedom to cause trouble.

 

[Schmoopy1000]

No. The NFL policing training/practice issues would be a slippery slope. If they get involved they'll be required to police issues between teammates. Next it would be issues in private group sessions. I suspect the NFL will come up with a policy for 2023 and beyond where teams will lose training sessions or some other form of punishment if there are multi-player brawls. My answer would be the same if an opposing player had hit a Rams player. I could see a case for punishing a player hitting a player in a red shirt but that might give players in a red shirt the freedom to cause trouble.

this isnt about a brawl. I am all for teams dealing with their own when it comes to fights.
This is about using a helmet as a weapon.
That should always be a suspend able offense.

 

[fastforward]

this isnt about a brawl. I am all for teams dealing with their own when it comes to fights.
This is about using a helmet as a weapon.
That should always be a suspend able offense.

You want to legislate what is, or isn't, allowed in a fight? How about kicking, how about biting, how about eye-gouging, how about...? Good luck. If the NFL starts suspending players teams will move practices behind closed doors to avoid suspensions.

 

[HaroldSeattle]

You want to legislate what is, or isn't, allowed in a fight? How about kicking, how about biting, how about eye-gouging, how about...? Good luck. If the NFL starts suspending players teams will move practices behind closed doors to avoid suspensions.

Won't be hard to rule using an object as a weapon will draw a suspension.

 

[Cyder]

Swinging the helmet as a weapon cannot be tolerated. Fights pop up all the time in during camp but there's a limit to what's acceptable and AD went over the limit

 

[fastforward]

Won't be hard to rule using an object as a weapon will draw a suspension.

So if a shoe comes off and you throw a shoe it's a suspension? If the hand towel comes loose and is thrown back it's a suspension? Easy to write rules always end up being hard to write.

 

[Dude]

So if a shoe comes off and you throw a shoe it's a suspension? If the hand towel comes loose and is thrown back it's a suspension? Easy to write rules always end up being hard to write.

Difference being that a shoe or towel striking someone’s head would not injure the person. Maybe a cleat would cause more damage if it struck the eye …. But, probably not major.

A helmet in the same scenario could cause major damage. Players need to stop doing that. It’s childish and uncalled for.

 

[HaroldSeattle]

So if a shoe comes off and you throw a shoe it's a suspension? If the hand towel comes loose and is thrown back it's a suspension? Easy to write rules always end up being hard to write.

Shoe with spikes used to slap a player in the face with the spikes? A towel? Only if they wrapped it around a players throat to garrote him I would guess.

 

[fastforward]

Difference being that a shoe or towel striking someone’s head would not injure the person. Maybe a cleat would cause more damage if it struck the eye …. But, probably not major.

A helmet in the same scenario could cause major damage. Players need to stop doing that. It’s childish and uncalled for.

Common sense dictates players hitting each other with helmets is dangerous and a bad look for the NFL. Obviously the NFL should be looking to change player behaviour. Obviously punishments should be more severe where injuries are sustained. That said suspensions aren't they way to go and suspensions without a prior player behaviour safety directive would be worse still. I'll let the NFL figure it out. I'm not defending Donald and if the NFL suspend him i'll shrug my shoulders and accept it.

 

[Dude]

Agree that fans are blowing this issue out of proportion because no one was injured, and the coaches have let it go as a minor skirmish. But yeah, using the helmet needs to be prohibited or else …

 

[UnrealTerm04]

Evidently its up to the Rams to discipline him. They won't and why would they? He is their all-star DL and why have him miss the season opener against the Bills.

 

[Cincyfan78]

No. The NFL policing training/practice issues would be a slippery slope. If they get involved they'll be required to police issues between teammates. Next it would be issues in private group sessions. I suspect the NFL will come up with a policy for 2023 and beyond where teams will lose training sessions or some other form of punishment if there are multi-player brawls. My answer would be the same if an opposing player had hit a Rams player. I could see a case for punishing a player hitting a player in a red shirt but that might give players in a red shirt the freedom to cause trouble.

Don't they already police practices, though? Time, length, how hard they are, pads, no pads? I get that a fair amount of that is likely covered in the CBA - and I do agree, it's a slippery slope to start regulating "fights" that break out - but, I'm not so sure that the NFL isn't already a part of that process as it is.

That being said - not sure what I would say...I see both sides. It was practice - I mean, we talkin' 'bout practice (in my best Allen Iverson)...but at the same time - someone did get suspended for doing the exact same thing in a game - and while we all know there is a difference - the act of this nature is not to be taken lightly.

Maybe suspended but only like 1 game - I mean, I think it rises to another level than just your average bru-haha fight in practice, but at the same time - I agree - I'm not sure that you can start suspending guys for the same things in games. Then what - fining/suspended for targeting, illegal hits....

I'm really up in the air about it all.....

 

[Wamu]

I was going to say he should only be suspended one game if the Rams played the Browns this season. But they don't play. So no suspension. If this would have happened in the regular season that's different.

 

[Battlelyon]

I voted yes, haven't changed my view once.

 

[pachyderm]

Suspended and fined

 

[PDay8810]

You want to legislate what is, or isn't, allowed in a fight? How about kicking, how about biting, how about eye-gouging, how about...? Good luck. If the NFL starts suspending players teams will move practices behind closed doors to avoid suspensions.

You ever play American football? Third grade Pop Warner tackle tells first day issued helmets (now day as well) to players about handling care. I can assure you all coaches explain it's protection and not a weapon. NEVER Ever swing your helmet at a person or object.

 

[Edonidd]

Nope.

To even pretend this was anything close to a fair and equitable policy they would have to broadly enforce this. Which would mean every single practice by every single team would have to be recorded and submitted for the league to review.

 

[PDay8810]

Nope.

To even pretend this was anything close to a fair and equitable policy they would have to broadly enforce this. Which would mean every single practice by every single team would have to be recorded and submitted for the league to review.

I guess they can send a daily copy to the league for review. What's dubbing one more copy and postage?