Just how exactly are what rules changes ruining the game? From its inception, football has endured a lot of rules changes designed to improve safety. (e.g. the forward pass in 1906) Some rules changes are for clarity.
You make an unsupported assertion (ruining the game) followed by a question which assumes that the rules are perfect as is and don't need to be changed.
Originally Posted by: OlHoss1884
Duh. Thanks ol hoss for that lesson. I would never have known what I typed if you didn't explain to me what I was writing.
The point is the spot for the kickoff has been moved back and forth over years. Now arbitrarily giving the receiving team the ball at the 25 removes the incentive for the receiving team to return the ball when kicked into the endzone. It is punishing the the kicking team from doing their best ie: put the ball as far away from their own goal as possible and rewarding the receiving team for making no effort at all to return the ball.
As for the claim this is done for the sake of safety is a sham. If that was really the case the NFL would simply put the ball down at the 20 or 25 with no kickoff at all. Players still are injured when the kick returner downs the ball in the endzone.
As for other rules being changed there is also the issue of moving the PAT back. That is contrary to safety concerns. With the kick being moved back there is more chance of a miss so there is more incentive for defenders to try and block the kick and a greater chance for injury. Many times in the past players didn't even make much of an effort at all when the ball was placed at the 2 1/2 line. That is going to happen less now.
As for the rest of your comment do you really expect me to go back though every single rule change since the inception of the NFL and discuss whether or not it has been a good one? Or if it has been for the players safety or not? I sure will. Next week. The recent NFL changes to decrease the likelihood of injury stem from the fact they are scared to death of losing their pile of gold in a concussion lawsuit. Oh dear that is a wild and unsubstantiated statement on my part. Good thing this is the freaken internet and not a court of law. I am not required to justify my position to anyone when I make it.