Former Patriots LB Bruschi Says He'd Target Foster's Hamstring

[Deus Irae]

I disagree. I think he's a dope.

Love the guy, dont get me wrong. But he's no better (imo) than Mark Schlereth.

Schlereth is pretty good, too. Perhaps the problem here is your inability to understand the role of a studio analyst.

 

[Mogamedogz]

The analyst's job is to talk about what's going on. If you've got a gripe, take it up with Foster, since he's he one who put his MRI on Twitter.

Bruschi did his job.

Just not well.

All he had to say, so to not put himself in the story, was something like "It's never to your advantage when the opposing team knows exactly where your weak spot is."

It was just the wording of it. That's all.

 

[Mogamedogz]

Schlereth is pretty good, too. Perhaps the problem here is your inability to understand the role of a studio analyst.

Or maybe there is no problem at all and our opinions just differ. Neither of us is right or wrong. Maybe, just maybe that's a possibility. I dont know.

As for Schlereth, id love to see what your opinion of him was during Spygate. Was he a solid Analyst then? He’s the same guy.

 

[Deus Irae]

Just not well.

All he had to say, so to not put himself in the story, was something like "It's never to your advantage when the opposing team knows exactly where your weak spot is."

It was just the wording of it. That's all.

Or maybe there is no problem at all and our opinions just differ. Neither of us is right or wrong. Maybe, just maybe that's a possibility. I dont know.

As for Schlereth, id love to see what your opinion of him was during Spygate. Was he a solid Analyst then? He’s the same guy.

First, let me note that disagreement with your wording doesn't make player a bad analyst. The entire point of bringing in players instead of the sort of geeks who already know how to work a camera is to get an inside view. Any putz can say "It's never to your advantage..." as you just did. Having the players doing the analyzing is so you can get exactly the sort of comments and insight that Bruschi gave.

As I said before, you just don't seem to grasp what the job's about.

As for Schlereth, you seem to be equating shill with analyst. Again, different jobs. Schlereth may say things that I find to be stupid, but so does pretty much everyone in the world. We're all stupid some of the time, after all. If I viewed everyone on the basis of just one incident, there'd be nobody I found worth watching on TV, and BB would be as big an idiot as every other coach in the history of the sport. It's about the body of work, and Schlereth is decent, though not spectacular, as an analyst.

 

[Raymond]

Or maybe there is no problem at all and our opinions just differ. Neither of us is right or wrong. Maybe, just maybe that's a possibility. I dont know.

As for Schlereth, id love to see what your opinion of him was during Spygate. Was he a solid Analyst then? He’s the same guy.

I don't know. I've seen Jet fans on their boards comment on how good they thought Bruschi is as an analyst.

Regarding Schlereth, he's an analyst too and he should stay away from the commentary.

 

[ausbacker]

More of the same. Great football player, terrible analyst.

Given this comment (and your subsequent flow on) I think I'll pass over your ability to make reasonable judgement on football commentators.

Bruschi & Harrison have offered a refreshing outlook in regards to football commentary and analysis. I expect Heath Evans to offer much the same.

 

[Ron Sellers]

Hitting a guy who has a weak hamstring in the hamstring most certainly is intent to injure.

So what are you suggesting? That once an injury is made public that the opposition should do everything in its power to avoid making any contact with that area; because to do anything otherwise would be 'unsportsmanlike', a 'dirty play', and 'intent to injure'?

 

[fair catch fryar]

Terrible analyst? I don't think so.

I agree. I think Bruschi is a great analyst. You can see why he was one of BB's favorite players.

 

[Run DMC]

I miss the days when Rodney and the boys used to put bounties on the heads of opposing players. Sigh....

 

[LetsGoBuffalo]

HOWEVER there is a FUNDAMENTAL difference between attacking an opponents weakness during the proper course of play, like hitting him in the mouth during a fight, and cheapshotting your opponent after the play is over, ala hitting him after the bell has rang.

As you say, Bruschi's comments were about what he would have done AFTER the whistle was blown.

Let's imagine for a sec that after Bruschi came back from his stroke it was learned that opposing OLs were weight distributing elbows and knees on his heart as they got up from the pile, after the play was dead.

Cool? OK? Gamesmanship?

 

[Deus Irae]

As you say, Bruschi's comments were about what he would have done AFTER the whistle was blown.

Let's imagine for a sec that after Bruschi came back from his stroke it was learned that opposing OLs were weight distributing elbows and knees on his heart as they got up from the pile, after the play was dead.

Cool? OK? Gamesmanship?

Excellent point, because trying to tweak a mild hamstring pull is exactly the same as hoping to induce a stroke.

 

[PatsFan24]

Somehow I have a feeling that if Bart Scot or James Harrison said the same thing, many of you who are defending Teddy would be screaming about it. Yeah I know that Teddy does not play anymore and those guys still do...the point is though the total homer thinking. We make our judgment on a situation based on who said it more so than what was said. Then we try to use an agrument to rationalise that thinking. How many people on here have vented over Jets players name calling and talking trash about the Patriots? How many wanted to hang Bill Polion over the "break his leg" comment years ago? Again, we use a personal bias to defend the actions of one of ours when we would rip them a new one if they were on the other side. Then we try and attack the people who don't defend him by saying they are not man enough and need to take up ballet as a way to hurt the spirit of someone who tries to tell us we are wrong. The psychology of this thread has been quite interesting.

 

[LetsGoBuffalo]

Excellent point, because trying to tweak a mild hamstring pull is exactly the same as hoping to induce a stroke.

So where would you draw the line? Stroke? Concussion? Spine injury?

What's "ok" to tweak, in your opinion, and what should be off limits?

I'd be interested to hear a very clearly defined interpretation from you on this as IMO it's a very slippery slope.

 

[PatsFanNM]

Wouldn't you guess that opponents would particularly stress the shoulder that Matt Light had an off-season injury on? And that he's been re-habbing all during camp?

That's the first thing I thought when I heard he was going to play against Detroit. Big guys whaling away at his arm.

How could it be any different? I imagine that's why he only played a limited amount.

 

[LetsGoBuffalo]

Excellent point, because trying to tweak a mild hamstring pull is exactly the same as hoping to induce a stroke.

I'd also be curious to hear your take on what's permissible after the whistle has beeen blown. Is it ok to "twist" a hammy (Bruschi's words) after the whistle but not lean on a chest? Or are both OK?

What is your position on this?

 

[Deus Irae]

So where would you draw the line? Stroke? Concussion? Spine injury?

What's "ok" to tweak, in your opinion, and what should be off limits?

I'd be interested to hear a very clearly defined interpretation from you on this as IMO it's a very slippery slope.

Sure....

Testing a minor injury, and stressing it, is a hell of a lot different than stressing a potentially fatal injury. Testing and stressing minor injuries is done by pretty much every team, and pretty much every player, from the very first competitive league in your life all the way through the best pro leagues in the world. Even in little and minor leagues, the idea was to find your opponents' weaknesses and exploit them.

I hope that helps.

 

[LetsGoBuffalo]

Sure....

Testing a minor injury, and stressing it, is a hell of a lot different than stressing a potentially fatal injury. Testing and stressing minor injuries is done by pretty much every team, and pretty much every player, from the very first competitive league in your life all the way through the best pro leagues in the world. Even in little and minor leagues, the idea was to find your opponents' weaknesses and exploit them.

I hope that helps.

Can you define "minor" injuries?

Can you also clarify, IYHO, whether this behavior is acceptable after the whistle, during the play, or both?

 

[Deus Irae]

Can you define "minor" injuries?

I could, but you'd argue it, so there's no use in doing so. As a general rule, go with injuries that don't generally involve permanent loss of skill and can take short times to heal, and frequently don't require anything but rest or a low level of medical care.

Can you also clarify, IYHO, whether this behavior is acceptable after the whistle, during the play, or both?

No, because both will vary by sport, league and history/tradition.

 

[The Scrizz]

Can you define "minor" injuries?

Can you also clarify, IYHO, whether this behavior is acceptable after the whistle, during the play, or both?

How about any injury that won't kill somebody? Easy enough guideline to remember?

And as far as after the whistle, pretty much anything goes as long as you don't get caught, always has, always will.

(But I just got Foster in the 1st rd of my fantasy draft so everybody lay off him!)

Why are we discussing football morality with a Buffalo fan anyway? Let's Go Back to Buffalo.

 

[WhiZa]

Can you injury a hamstring by contact? I think it has to turn to be affected.