So the Bruce Arians/Andrew Adam’s thing is really a thing? That slides to #1 on my list of things that were stupid this past NFL playoff weekend. Going now to #2 is the Burrow/Bengal/whistle thing. Another total waste of time talking about. In light of a fantastic NFL weekend.
Perspective People, Perspective
Have you ever been hit by a 70 year old person? I must admit I have been, so my angle may be skewed here. Because it was a playful punch from my Grandpa Kennedy, who was also a golden gloves boxer out of New York. So, even at 70, he had hands that moved with the quickness of a former golden gloves boxer.
I’m Drowning Here
But if you look at the play in question. Where the young Buccaneer Andrew Adams and Arians had their exchange. The Buccaneers had possibly recovered a muffed punt, late in the third quarter of Sunday’s wildcard playoff game against Philadelphia. Adam’s was trying to pull Eagles players out of the pile. A maneuver that can get a personal foul. One could even argue at that point of the game, with the Buccaneers in control, a penalty might not have hurt. But that’s not the point.
Bruce Arians is NOT happy 😳pic.twitter.com/H5Goxcee7S
— PFF (@PFF) January 16, 2022
Let’s Be Real
Any time there is an act of needless violence, there will be repercussions. Football is a violent sport. There must be civility on the sideline. But there’s not. There are coaches yelling. Players head butting. Blood, sweat, and tears. That’s an NFL sideline. On a good day. There is also coaching. And if your lucky, that coaching is good.
Which brings me back to Bruce Arians. He was not aggressively punching a player. There was no ill will. There was a lot of emotion. Which we love. There was also a coach trying to snap a young player out of a stupid act. The act of grabbing people and pulling them out of a post-whistle pile. That it just happens to occur directly in front of coach Arians was coincidental. That coach Arians uses the moment to coach em up is not.
In a society where there is constant turmoil over defining the standard norms, everything will be questioned. We get this. It should be so. But when it’s occurring between the lines of a football field. Even if there are millions of people watching. Let’s be sure to understand the difference between assault, and coaching. Sometimes the lines can be blurred. Which will always leave situations up for interpretation.
