Deacon's take: NFL too soft

[RamWraith]

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/sports/9993657.htm

Posted on Sat, Oct. 23, 2004

Deacon's take: NFL too soft
Former defensive end Jones longs for return to NFL's rougher days

Noting the sports world:

• Of the 225 members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, maybe no one is a better, blunter interview than Deacon Jones.

Jones, a fierce defensive lineman who perfected the head slap and invaded quarterbacks' nightmares through most of the 1960s and '70s, came to Charlotte on Tuesday to speak at our local Touchdown Club.

Among Jones' observations: The 2004 Panthers aren't tough enough.

Then again, Jones believes most NFL players aren't tough enough. As he said when I interviewed him before his speech: "These girls who play the NFL game today ought to be ashamed of taking all that money!"

Jones said today's NFL players, although larger, are much softer.

"You see them taking oxygen all the time on the sideline," Jones said, his voice starting to thunder. "They get tired after a series and have to come out. It makes me sick.

"Football is a game of pain! Of suffering! What do these players know about that?"

Jones also can't stand the NFL rules that protect offensive players and make the game less violently entertaining than he said it used to be.

"Fans today are getting less football," Jones said, "and paying a lot more money for it."

[Yodude]

Re: Deacon's take: NFL too soft

You gotta love Deacon and his attitude!

[RAMMAN68]

Re: Deacon's take: NFL too soft

We need Decon back on the line. Imagine Decon on one end and Little on the other. Scarry!

[RealRam]

Deacon Jones + Jack Youngblood = Holloween

My man: The Deacon!

No doubt, thirty five years ago, in terms of hits and injuries, the NFL was much more savage (of course, 50 years back, it was downright madness -- as in a real horror movie).

I can just imagine the Deek seeing one of those "roughing the QB penalties" of today, especially the ones that are so questionable.

Let's put Deacon Jones and Jack Youngblood in for a few games, starting Vs. the Dolphins! :angryram:

[RealRam]

Re: Deacon's take: NFL too soft

Don't get me wrong. 35 - 40 years ago there were penalties too; e.g., a late hit.

I did not see the Miami game but from what I've read I understand there should have been a roughing the QB against the Dolphins when Bulger was smeared to the ground after the ball was released. A LATE HIT...

Even Deacon Jones was adamant about dirty play. Referring to the guilty party, he said, "he must serve justice." And sometimes he himself would do the honors -- cleanly ... but clearly. Ouch!

I say put Bill Kollar as Rams DC and Deacon Jones to replace Bill as DL coach! :angryram:

[DJRamFan]

Re: Deacon's take: NFL too soft

The man speaketh the truth.