NFL, Tom Brady , Bernard Pollard, Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots , Baltimore Ravens, Wes Welker, Stevan Ridley, Bernard Pollard dumbass
Bernard Pollard is well-known among NFL fans. Particularly Patriots fans. Not because he's a great player. He's not. It's because he's among the best in the league at injuring opponents. Particularly Patriots players, it seems.Pollard is the one who lunged at Tom Brady, hitting him below the knee and putting him out for the entire 2008 season.
When Wes Welker tore his ACL, Pollard was the nearest defensive player.
Last year, in the playoffs, he injured Rob Gronkowski, which eventually had more of an influence on the Super Bowl than many of the players who actually appeared in the game.
Last week, he hit Stevan Ridley square in the helmet, literally knocking him out of the game.
He was also fined $15,250 for an illegal hit on Welker in last week's game.
Perhaps that's why Pollard thinks that the added emphasis on player safety is going to ruin the NFL.
"Thirty years from now, I don't think it will be in existence. I could be wrong. It's just my opinion, but I think with the direction things are going -- where [NFL rules makers] want to lighten up, and they're throwing flags and everything else -- there's going to come a point where fans are going to get fed up with it. Guys are getting fined, and they're talking about, 'Let's take away the strike zone' and 'Take the pads off' or 'Take the helmets off.' It's going to be a thing where fans aren't going to want to watch it anymore."
The NFL is still as popular as ever, despite the added measures that the league is taking to try to protect their employees from headhunters like Pollard.
The problem is, Pollard's wrong.
If the league doesn't exist in 30 years, it will be because of the lack of star power to injury.
There's a much better chance that the league would suffer from journeyman guys like Pollard injuring superstars, more so than the current emphasis on trying to keep players on the field.
Then again... we shouldn't be shocked that Pollard's opinion is ignorant. That pretty much sums up his whole career.
2/17/13 | PurrsAlot | 1560 respect
stop improving the eqpt. Pain is relative... fox example... bare knuckle fighting is safer than fighting with gloves... gloves can give a concussion easier because it covers more area... go back to leather hats and the game will calm down considerably :)
2/17/13 | PurrsAlot | 1560 respect
hahahahaha
well if i had millions i would throw a tennis tournament and offer 10 million to each singles winner... but you have to play with a wooden racket! that would bring a lot of players out of retirement lol
2/17/13 | Portugalsrome | 36 respect
if they want to clean up the game... just go back to the original sport... leather helmets and no pads... we'll see real quick how tough they are then.
LMAO!!!! I think that would be interesting to watch, they would never allow it though unfortunately lol.. purrsalot you should go take rogers job lol!! ;)
2/12/13 | PurrsAlot | 1560 respect
yeah the risk of being mentally handicapped and physically disabled makes the millions worth the price of admission lol
if they want to clean up the game... just go back to the original sport... leather helmets and no pads... we'll see real quick how tough they are then.
2/12/13 | Portugalsrome | 36 respect
seems what the bloodlust has become anyway. People cheer when someone is taken out big time.
They don't care about the likes of Junior Seau. Or the 1000s of other players suffering from life long
head injuries.
I mean I don't know about going that far and giving players guns and knives and bats lol, but def just let it be maybe touch up accouple things but don't change the game.. next thing you know were gonna be watching peewee football only difference its grown men playing and winning millions of dollars instead of your sons playing for the love/fun of the sport
1/29/13 | rhracer | 982 respect
seems what the bloodlust has become anyway. People cheer when someone is taken out big time.
They don't care about the likes of Junior Seau. Or the 1000s of other players suffering from life long
head injuries.
Just like the gladiator days!
1/29/13 | PurrsAlot | 1560 respect
oh i think they should give the players guns and knives and bats... just let them thug it up
seems what the bloodlust has become anyway. People cheer when someone is taken out big time.
They don't care about the likes of Junior Seau. Or the 1000s of other players suffering from life long
head injuries.
1/28/13 | Portugalsrome | 36 respect
i think it will be around... unless an asteroid hits the earth.
your right in the fact he said he could be wrong and a lot of people are missing that fact and it will always be around I think as well. the worst I think that would ever happen is a lot of veiwers will stop watching.. they are getting to protective in my eyes, I mean its football what do you think is gonna happen?? I agree with the whole helmet to helmet and protecting the qb, but somethings there talking about changing is just ridiculous and if they do end up making those changes you might as well change it to flag football because I think itll have as many veiwers
1/28/13 | PurrsAlot | 1560 respect
he did say "I could be wrong..." duh! it's a multi-billion dollar enterprise
i think it will be around... unless an asteroid hits the earth.
1/28/13 | hclcdestin | 5753 respect
How Ironic!! Keep it up Bernie and YOU may not be around in 30 years!!!!!! I am a very big New England Patriots fan whether you care a flying f--- or not, i know you don't give a hoot! You should've been suspended for your 'cheap shot' on Ridley,and you 'purposely meant to injure Gronkowski.
MARK MY WORDS!! You are a Vicious THUG!!! You just wanna injure more players!!!
So you were fined 15K - You definitely deserve any punishment coming your way--
If you had any sense you'd stay away from New England - YOU may not be around in 30 years!!!
1/28/13 |
Jess
|
28535 respect
Regardless of whether or not Pollard's dirty (to be honest I haven't seen enough of him to know either way), I'm commenting on the main focus of this article. I think he's just being a big crybaby about being punished with a fine. This sounds like something one of the fans would say in a knee-jerk reaction to new rules or a penalty on a big hit. He's being a little over dramatic.
1/28/13 |
Pat
|
4557 respect
Even if we concede that Ridley lowered his head, that doesn't account for the rest of the plays. Nor does it account for the fact that Pollard obviously led with his helmet, as evidenced by the fact that it's the first thing that hit Ridley.
If Ridley hadn't lowered his head, Pollard would have hit him in the facemask or the neck, instead of the crown of his helmet. That doesn't suddenly mean Pollard's NOT a dirty player.
1/28/13 | jonnyvmobile | 1 respect
Watch the replay and get it right!! Ridley clearly lowered his head into Pollard's helmet, thus initiating the helmet-to-helmet contact that occurred, making Ridley turn into Raggety Anne. Nothing like twisting the facts for the sake of biased reporting.