Gregg Easterbrook: "[Mark] Barron should be suspended"

[Blaze688]

http://espn.go.com/espn/playbook/story/_/id/8363360/is-green-bay-sync-san-francisco-next-nfl-powerhouse

I was disheartened during the Panthers-Bucs game. Tampa's first-round draft choice Mark Barron made a vicious helmet-to-helmet hit on Carolina's Steve Smith at the sideline. "Ooooo, Smith gets rocked, that will look good on highlights ... he's a hard-hitting safety," Fox announcer Ron Pitts said admiringly.

"That's a slobber knocker," color man Mike Martz said of the hit, also approvingly, using a strange expression that NFL insider types seem to like -- check for the Hines Ward picture here. Martz continued in a gushing tone, "This is why they drafted [Barron]: form tackles, form tackles will stop them dead in their tracks."

Neither announcer pointed out that leading with the head is the single most dangerous thing a football player can do. Neither explained that "see what you hit" -- keep your head up -- is now being taught by the NFL, NCAA, National Federation of High Schools and Pop Warner as safe tackling. Neither mentioned that the hit occurred out of bounds. Both announcers held up to young players for admiration a vicious, dirty, dangerous move. Martz even called helmet-to-helmet contact a "form tackle," an extremely bizarre thing to say.

Officials did not flag Barron. But Roger Goodell has said that vicious helmet-to-helmet hits not penalized during a game can result in fines and suspensions when the front office reviews film. Commissioner -- no one will believe you mean this until there is a suspension, and Barron should be suspended. One vicious play like his, held up for admiration on network television, nullifies a whole year of work by the NFL to promote safety.

Pitts and Martz owe viewers an apology. They not only exhibited ignorance of football's "see what you hit" campaign, they expressed admiration for the sort of behavior that leads to broken necks. This was not getting the down-and-distance wrong or mispronouncing a player's name, this was encouraging young players to imitate an extremely dangerous example. Pitts and Martz's comments bordered on irresponsible.

After the game, Bucs coach Greg Schiano singled out Barron for praise. Rutgers player Eric LeGrand was paralyzed making an unsafe head-down tackle for Rutgers in 2010, when Schiano was coach. Schiano has observed for himself the terrible harm that can occur when football players don't "see what you hit." Yet he praises a player who made a violent helmet-to-helmet, head-down hit. Perhaps the NFL's claims to want to promote safer football are just a lot of hot air for PR purposes.

Woohoo!  National recognition!

[Pewterman]

This guy is such a little **CENSORED**.

[ufcguy32]

what a moron...dude get yourself another job and shut up. the hit was a good clean hit. smith was tip toeing and deserved to get the crap knocked out of him. get a clue bro.

[Morgan]

definitely helmet on helmet - and Barron led with his helmet

[Morgan]

[sunrisejeff]

Holy crap what an idiot.  I'm all for cleaning up the game but there was nothing dirty about that hit. If he would have launched himself them maybe but.......wow.

[Blaze688]

definitely helmet on helmet - and Barron led with his helmet

Honestly, it looks like Smith led with his helmet.

[snesfreak]

Yeah, this guy is an idiot.
Nothing to see here.

[sunrisejeff]

definitely helmet on helmet - and Barron led with his helmet

A) he was not defenseless
B) Smitty lowered his head into the hit so what was Barron supposed to do?

[GrimmReaper]

The helmets did hit. Heard it echo throughout the stadium. But, Barron was clearly leading with his shoulder. His form was good. It would be a shame if he were suspended for that tackle.

[Beatles123]

Smith lowered his helmet first if anything.

[GrimmReaper]

Watch it again, Barron leads with his right shoulder.

[blind melon]

The argument can be made that it was actually shoulder pad to shoulder pad...  the heads were just in the way...

http://m.youtube.com/results?q=mark%20barron%20steve%20smith

[blind melon]

And Smith goes in the direction of out of bounds on the hit...  no way a helmet does that and both walk away...

[bucinnj]

definitely helmet on helmet - and Barron led with his helmet

A) he was not defenseless
B) Smitty lowered his head into the hit so what was Barron supposed to do?

I saw exactly the same things.
Buc fandom aside.