To Kenny or not to Kenny

[tmfr15]

Let me preface my comments by typing that Kenny Bell is one of my favorite players on the team. He brings that fun and competitive spirit to the game and he's fun to watch.

 

Now on to business....

 

Kenny's hit in the Big 10 Championship came up on Big Red Wrap Up tonight and the guys on the set, Blake and Adrian, said they felt the hit was one of the greatest they have seen and had no problem with it. Sorry, but I have to call homer on this one.

 

We can argue the penalty all day, but I am on the spirit of the rule here. Kenny hit a guy who didn't know a hit was coming. Not only did he hit a guy who wasn't looking, but he brutally leveled the guy.

 

I really think that these hits have to be taken out of the game. Tackling and blocking often involves collisions that can not be stopped and, quite frankly, that is why the guys were the gear they do (although a lot of them choose not to wear all of said gear).

 

As I am watching the play, I am thinking Kenny could have come under control there and basically walled off or disrupted the defender's path to Turner without laying him out like that.

 

As I said before, I like Kenny and I certainly would not want to see him go across the field on a shallow cross, look up for an elevated pass and get leveled by a defender.

 

I think sometimes people either get beat on plays and try to make up for it with brutality. Or they think they are sending a message by being brutal.

 

I don't think it's necessary and I was disappointed in the take by not only Adrian but also by a guy like Blake who had to quit because of excessive head injuries.

[Landlord]

Yes, he could have walled off or just got in the guy's way. Doesn't mean he should have. You play as tough, ferocious and hard as you possibly can within the rules; that's the idea of football, and other contact sports. It's not his fault the guy wasn't looking. If the guy was 30 yards away from the play and not looking, this would be an entirely different conversation and I would not be supporting him at all. However, since the player was a moment away from making a play on the ball carrier, he has put himself in the thick of things.

 

These kids know the risks involved in doing what they do. So do their parents, coaches, etc. Now I don't want to come across as some macho, bravado meathead not concerned with player safety, because I am entirely concerned with it. However, if something like this is truly "wrong", then it's up to the rulemakers to determine that and the players to follow the rules. Kenny followed the rules.

[Blackshirt316]

It was a legal hit and a good one.

 

Conact was made to the front shoulder, no helmet involved and the player was not in any position to believe himself to be defenseless, he was the one chasing down the ballcarrier for crying out loud.

[NUance]

^^ What he said. +1

[NUance]

To Kenny or not to Kenny?

Go to Bell.

 

 

lol

[HuskerThor]

It was a legal hit and a good one.

 

Conact was made to the front shoulder, no helmet involved and the player was not in any position to believe himself to be defenseless, he was the one chasing down the ballcarrier for crying out loud.

+1 You said it perfectly. That is how the game is played and the officials need to unpucker their poopers.

[tmfr15]

I would not be supporting him at all

 

a lot of people did support Eric Martin when he laid out a guy that was not close to making the play on Niles. Not saying you are one of those guys, but a lot of people decided it was OK for Martin

[jsneb83]

They teach you starting in pee-wees that when you are on defense, you should always have your head on a swivel or else you will get smoked. It's this guys own fault he got decleated by a 180 lb receiver. Bell led with his shoulder, not his helmet, and did not leave his feet, and there was no malicious intent.

 

Now about just walling the defender off, the defender was going full boar, which means if Bell just tries to slow him down, we would have gotten blown up, risking injury to himself.

[BIGREDIOWAN]

I think it was a legal hit so I'm not going to argue that point cause nothing is going to change my mind. I will say that something needed to fire the Nebraska sideline up and that seemed to help some. Also, it's gotta be frustrating to be getting beat like that and not being able to do much about it. Great hit Kenny............I literally almost lost my mind when he hit that guy.

[lo country]

Great, clean hit IMO. As those have said above, defender was chasing down Turner, Bell led with shoulder and leveled defender. He also didn't celebrate and upon seeing the defender down, even showed restraint by pressing his hands down when seeing the NU players reacting so as if to tell them not to celebrate as well.

 

Bell showed fired and grit, a characteristic that normally helps to motivate the team. Unfortunately, this didn't happen.

[Jmc9583]

It was legal and a bad call there is really nothing else to it. When ur teammate has the ball you try to block for him... If that was on the other side of the field yes probably unsportsmanlike and should've tried to just disrupt him

[Nobody]

head. on. a. swivel. there's a reason why it's proper technique.

[HUSKER FREAK]

Let me preface my comments by typing that Kenny Bell is one of my favorite players on the team. He brings that fun and competitive spirit to the game and he's fun to watch.

 

Now on to business....

 

Kenny's hit in the Big 10 Championship came up on Big Red Wrap Up tonight and the guys on the set, Blake and Adrian, said they felt the hit was one of the greatest they have seen and had no problem with it. Sorry, but I have to call homer on this one.

 

We can argue the penalty all day, but I am on the spirit of the rule here. Kenny hit a guy who didn't know a hit was coming. Not only did he hit a guy who wasn't looking, but he brutally leveled the guy.

 

I really think that these hits have to be taken out of the game. Tackling and blocking often involves collisions that can not be stopped and, quite frankly, that is why the guys were the gear they do (although a lot of them choose not to wear all of said gear).

 

As I am watching the play, I am thinking Kenny could have come under control there and basically walled off or disrupted the defender's path to Turner without laying him out like that.

 

As I said before, I like Kenny and I certainly would not want to see him go across the field on a shallow cross, look up for an elevated pass and get leveled by a defender.

 

I think sometimes people either get beat on plays and try to make up for it with brutality. Or they think they are sending a message by being brutal.

 

I don't think it's necessary and I was disappointed in the take by not only Adrian but also by a guy like Blake who had to quit because of excessive head injuries.

So basically you are saying that Kenny should have not blocked him and let him tackle Turner and get his ass chewed for not blocking him. got it

[HuskerNationNick]

 

This picture shows it all. Its not Kenny's fault the CB did not look up the field. In this photo, it shows Kenny in the guy's peripheral sight. Being a defender, your always suppose to keep an eye up field for blocks. This is not powder puff football. I understand instilling safety, but if a player follows the rules completely, there are going to be hits that are painful. That is why they freaking wear pads and helmets. Stuff like this is going to happen, and if its legal like this one, there should be no flag.

 

If Kenny was to lead with his helmet or a high hit, I could understand the flag. If Kenny was to hit the guy in the back, I could understand the flag. But to hit a guy, 100% legal, even according to the rule book, there should be no flag. If your engaging another player, your not defenseless. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out.

 

My boss is a huge Badger fan, he even loved that hit. He said there should have never been a flag, and the suplex Borland gave Martinez should have been flagged and possibly thrown out of the game.

 

Its not Kenny's fault he has tunnel vision. Lesson learned and I hope this doesn't effect Kenny's blocks in the future. Seemed like it did for the rest of the game.

[Husker Richard]

Now about just walling the defender off, the defender was going full boar, which means if Bell just tries to slow him down, he would have gotten blown up, risking injury to himself.

 

THIS! It was essentially kill or be killed in that scenario. He had no other choice.