Wishing Keller Well.

[Spider-Dan]

Funny, I remember my high school and college coaches telling us to get our shoulders into the body. No one was ever taught to be a headhunter or go for the knees.

I presume you're talking about the same "high school and college coaching" that has resulted in this widespread danger of concussion the NFL is currently addressing?

Steve Young and Troy Aikman were in high school in the '70s, Junior Seau and Zach Thomas were in high school in the '80s, Jay Cutler and Clinton Portis were in high school in the '90s, etc.  It's not like players just started headhunting; the only thing that has changed is the awareness of the symptoms, instead of just saying "oh, guess he got his bell rung" and the like.

[Diehard_Dolfan]

I think a lot of hits to the head and knees are both more accident than head hunting or trying to take someone's knee's out.  I played football and I'm a big guy... I was pretty dominating on the defensive line and had many a player trying to take my legs out.  It was coached that way... the easiest way to get a big guy down, take his legs out.

I don't think anyone was ever trying to injure me... I was well aware that I could be injured on any play though.  The speed of the game is so fast and you're taught to hit through the guy. Many times you're trying to anticipate where the guy is going to be when you hit him. You may aim for a thigh but get a knee or aim for a shoulder and a guy ducks his head.

You never know what the guy you're trying to tackle is going to do.  I don't think there are guys out there actually looking to hit guys in the head or knees.... it's just an unfortunate part of the game.