Is Goodell making the right decision?

craig44

Cincinnati's Joe Mixon is seemingly upset by the NFL's handling of the Buffalo/Cinci game. To the best of my understanding, it appears Cincinnati will possibly be losing out on a home playoff game.

There are many questions to be addressed: Should Buffalo have been given a forfeit? should Cinci have been given the win as they were winning when the game was stopped? Should they have continued playing after the injury? Should the fans in attendance be given ticket refunds?

I had never heard of it, but in 1971, a Detroit Lions WR had a heart attack during a game and died an hour later at the hospital. They decided to finish that game after the player was stretchered off the field. I thought the Hamlin situation was unprecedented, but I guess it was not.

this is a terrible situation, I am still not sure if the right thing was done.

Darin

Just a tough situation, no matter how they handle it there are probably going to be some upset teams, players and fans.

Brick

If Hamlin was not recovering the game could not continue. With Hamlins recovery the game should continue where it left off this weekend or the week after the schedule is finished. Push everything back one week except the Super Bowl. That is probably not going to happen. The NFL does what is most advantageous financially. In 1963 a beloved President was assassinated on Friday. Sunday the NFL played as usual.

craig44

I keep thinking over scenarios. Of course, hindsight is 20/20 so that makes all second guesses just that.

I have worked jobs in the past where co-workers have died and we were expected to continue the day. I remember years ago that an aunt of mine literally dropped dead in aisle 6 in the Grocery store. Once they had her removed, the store continued business as usual.

In retrospect, I think they could have continued the game. It may sound insensitive, but they are professionals.

I could be convinced otherwise. Still not sure.

erikthredd

There's a scenario were each team lands the 1st seed so its pretty much a crap sandwich for all three teams involved (KC,BUF,CIN.) Looking at the bigger picture (Hamlin's recovery) all they can do is hope for the best and wait to see how the owners vote to rectify who plays where.

Darin

Craig I think it was best not to continue. Most of the players would not have been into the game mentally because they didn’t even know if a teammate or fellow player was going to survive.
It would have been a recipe for more injuries to occur. They need to be
100% committed to what’s happening on the field and that wouldn’t have been possible.

craig44

^^^^^ very possible. like I said, I reserve the luxury of changing my mind on this one. I have just been reflecting back on different personal experiences and those I have first-hand knowledge of. I do think those guys could have gone back out on the field and played. They actually finished the NHL game when Malarchuck got his jugular severed on the ice. they are very well-trained professionals.

Diggs was actually rallying the offense around him and yelling, trying to pump them up to continue before the decision was made to postpone the game.

Maywood

I know it will sound cold and callous as though I have a rock for a heart, but this is all over the top to me. Of course we feel bad for the injured player and the affect it had on the team(s) involved, but it's sort of time to move on already. I feel the game should have been continued but also understand the thinking of why it was stopped and eventually cancelled. As I posted in the NFL thread, now things will get real again and some teams will feel cheated and I expect fans to begin showing their "true" feelings after Sunday's games cement the playoff picture.

olb31

Roger never makes a good decision and he didn't for the playoff situation. Just move the playoffs back a week and don't have a week off before the super bowl.

AFLfan

@Brick said:
The NFL does what is most advantageous financially. In 1963 a beloved President was assassinated on Friday. Sunday the NFL played as usual.

True, but Pete Rozelle said that was the single biggest mistake he made during his tenure as commissioner.

AFLfan

@craig44 said:
I keep thinking over scenarios. Of course, hindsight is 20/20 so that makes all second guesses just that.

I have worked jobs in the past where co-workers have died and we were expected to continue the day. I remember years ago that an aunt of mine literally dropped dead in aisle 6 in the Grocery store. Once they had her removed, the store continued business as usual.

In retrospect, I think they could have continued the game. It may sound insensitive, but they are professionals.

I could be convinced otherwise. Still not sure.

I understand what you are saying here, but I think the game was a different situation. In the case of your aunt and I'm guessing the other jobs, those people did not die as the direct result of what they were doing at the time. Your aunt didn't die because she was reaching for a jar of tomato sauce. Perhaps she had a heart attack or something else and she just happened to pass in the store.

Damar Hamlin nearly died because of a hit he received during play. Had the game continued, players on both teams would be engaging in the exact same event that caused Hamlin to need CPR and nearly die. I agree with Darin and think to have to play again so quickly after witnessing what they did on the field could have resulted in injuries as a result of not being mentally engaged in play or even inadvertently changing the engagement of contact for subconscious fear of having a similar issue happen to them. Not to mention these people had worked, sweat, bled and hurt with Hamlin, so they would have a stronger emotional tie than the people working at the store who witnessed your aunt passing.

And just to be safe, I hope I did not sound callous about your aunt or co-workers. If so, I apologize. I was just trying to illustrate the differences as I see them.

GroceryRackPack

Without life there's no football...

galaxy27

i shudder at the mere thought of them attempting to finish that game last Monday. a lot of people already view the NFL as a dehumanizing entity; now try to imagine the fallout if things had taken a turn for the worse while they were attempting to complete the game at the behest of Goodell. talk about optics of the most revolting kind. there would have been a veritable mutiny and rightfully so.

Goldenage

Replay the game. Have all non player salaries proceeds go to Hamlin and his family as a donation.

perkdog

No decision Goodell could make would make everyone happy, I can't stand the guy but really its an impossible situation to please everyone

craig44

@perkdog said:
No decision Goodell could make would make everyone happy, I can't stand the guy but really its an impossible situation to please everyone

this is true. a real no win.

coolstanley

Cincinnati coach not happy.

perkdog

Cincy probably would have beat the Bills

pocketpiececommems

Move the season back a week. Play the game where they left off.

I don’t recall a baseball game being canceled after a batter was beaned or the pitcher got hit in the face and knocked out.

Players should also have a First Responders Shirt with a 3 on it Without them it would have been a different story

GroceryRackPack

@pocketpiececommems said:

Players should also have a First Responders Shirt with a 3 on it Without them it would have been a different story

Yes for Sure

Tabe

@pocketpiececommems said:
Move the season back a week. Play the game where they left off.

I don’t recall a baseball game being canceled after a batter was beaned or the pitcher got hit in the face and knocked out.

That's because there's a MASSIVE difference between cardiac arrest leading to CPR and somebody getting hit in the face.

Also, look up the name John McSherry to see how baseball handles similar situations.

Or Jiri Fischer and Rich Peverley in the NHL.

grote15

@Tabe said:

@pocketpiececommems said:
Move the season back a week. Play the game where they left off.

I don’t recall a baseball game being canceled after a batter was beaned or the pitcher got hit in the face and knocked out.

That's because there's a MASSIVE difference between cardiac arrest leading to CPR and somebody getting hit in the face.

Also, look up the name John McSherry to see how baseball handles similar situations.

Or Jiri Fischer and Rich Peverley in the NHL.

100%

And how is giving every other team in the league an effective bye while making the two potential top seeds in the conference play in addition to uprooting the entire postseason slate a better solution?

craig44

I think in retrospect the only fair thing would have been to either continue the game, continue it the next night or have Buffalo take a forfeit. It would have been tough, but these guys are professionals.