Baltimore Ravens safety Bernard Pollard was recently fined $10,000 for a questionable hit on a Jaguars running back. He thinks the league’s approach to fines for illegal hits is not only inconsistent, but actually ‘killing football.’ In an interview with KILT in Houston via Sportsradiointerviews, Pollard was asked how the fines are impacting the game. Pollard said, "“Oh yeah, it’s most definitely killing the game. Because like I told reporters here in Baltimore, they’re taking away from it. This has been a game where, I say ‘do not tell somebody go run smack dab at 85 miles into that wall but be careful, you don’t do that. Don’t wear a seat belt but be careful. This is a game where it’s a car crash; this is a game where guys are putting it on the line; this is a game where coaches are trying to out-strategize other coaches across the field, and it takes 11 guys to get it done. So you’ve got 22 guys running around, they’re fit guys, and they’re running around hitting each other with helmets on. There’s no way you’re going to tell me be careful by doing that. I understand you want to tell the guys don’t hit helmet-to-helmet with blows or whatever else. But in some of these cases, you’re going to create some issues now, because like I told them, you’re going to get a lot of players that are going to make them eat their own words when they’re saying, ‘don’t hit with the helmet, don’t hit in the chest.’ Okay, I’ve got something for you — when a receiver is running full speed, he’s catching the ball, and I’m about to run into his knees when he don’t see me. So now, that’s what you’re going to get, and that’s going to lead to more injuries so you might as well strap the flags on to the side, take the helmets off and let’s just play flag football.†Source: The Redzone
