interesting discussion about what football is and is not, and how it should be played. if no one minds, i think i'll throw my two cents in without calling anyone names on the other side of the issue. i could care less about the packers or tampa bay, and even though sapp is a hurricane alum i've always considered him too boorish to like. with all that in mind here's my take, having not seen the hit but certainly having heard all about it.
i did play football, from pop warner through college, but that was 30 years ago. however, there were several things i was taught at every level:
1. whenever play was live, and a teammate had the ball, i should level anyone that i could get to before the play was dead, whereever they were. if i didn't, i would be benched.
2. paybacks were not only allowed, they were demanded. that is to say, if a teammate was cheap-shotted, the offender had to be caught and punished before the game was over (preferably with a legal hit). this could usually best and most easily be done when the action was far away on some other part of the field, as players are most likely to let up and not see the payback coming. if i didn't back up my teammates in this manner, i would be benched.
3. i was taught to use my helmet as a weapon, from the techniques to be used to being supplied with other protective equipment to minimize the impact of these hits. i know college and pro ball is trying to eliminate these hits, and i think their intention is laudable. i also think it is completely impossible to effectively police and unequally called. i have yet to see a running back called for drilling some cornerback or safety with his helmet at the end of a running play. i cannot see the distinction, and have seen plenty of db's put out of games in this manner.
4. it ain't pretty out there, and there are lots of big, fast, strong, mean men doing lots of nasty things to each other almost constantly. i think the players do a better job of policing the game than either the officials or the league.
