Pittsburgh Steelers Need Not Worry About ‘Dunking’

September 23, 2012; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham (80) dunks over the goal post after scoring a touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs during the third quarter of a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Chiefs defeated the Saints 27-24 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Ah yes, the NFL is at it again – going after the rules that are really ‘important’ to the game.  The ones that can really effect the outcome of those high stakes games.  No more does the NFL fan need to worry about a player taking things into his own hands and risking life and career in dunking the football over the cross bar of the goal posts.

Phew.  I was worried for a second, because, you know, that’s something that was really getting out of hand in this league.  It was tarnishing the shield. Something just had to be done.

Alright.  Enough of the hyperbole.  This new rule change is just garbage and B.S.

In case you were wondering, ‘NoFunLeague’ was trending like crazy on Twitter today after it was announced that one of the new rules instituted for next season will be to outlaw the goal post slam dunk after a touchdown.  Roger Goodell’s march to distilling this league into a ‘safe’ and ‘straight shooting’

sport

greedy form of entertainment just took one more large goose step forward.  What is the big deal about touchdown dances/celebrations anyways.

To be quite honest, I used to be a loud advocate to calm that stuff down.  “Act like you’ve been there before,” is a statement I’ve heard and often repeated when I see guys act like fools after making good plays – whether it’s interceptions, sacks, first downs, or touchdowns.  But now after time and time again we’ve seen this league focus on the more minor issues within the NFL.  And it’s making me change my tune.  Who cares what players do in the end zone?  Can we focus more on what they do from the snap of the ball to the whistle instead?

The league won’t take things head on (no pun intended) when it comes to player safety.  The league is so focused on helmet to helmet hits, that they won’t look down to their own legs and realize the threat of career ending injuries to players when they are hit below the thigh.  Yeah, ok, they’ve instilled the Tom Brady rule.  But why are quarterbacks the exception?  Linemen and defensemen alike are under the threat of having their careers ended or prematurely shortened by allowing year after year the garbage rule of players being able to dive at another’s legs.

The cut block has hurt so many guys it’s ridiculous.  Players hate it, so why keep it?  It’s a safety issue and should be addressed by making it outlawed.  And, let’s not stop with a simple penalty.  Make it a finable penalty.

Surprisingly, Aaron Rodgers had some good points while tweeting today.

Bingo.  It’s all about control for Goody Goody.  And, while players are still threatened with cut blocks, expanded regular seasons, playoffs, and any other garbage move that ultimately threatens the safety of each and every player, Big Ginger is slam dunking all his extra millions straight into the bank account.  Yup, let’s just worry about celebrations.  Oh and can someone tell me then why the Lambo Leap is not a penalty yet?

But don’t worry Steeler Nation.  The Steelers had already preemptively anticipated this no dunk rule by the NFL earlier when they signed the 5’9″ Lance Moore.  I think only Antonio Brown and Heath Miller are tall enough to dunk the ball.  So we can chalk that up as one penalty we won’t ever be seeing at Heinz Field.