Tyrone Brackenridge = helmet-to-helmet hit

[ArgoRavi]

Yes, I know that Brackenridge is a hard hitter but I have seen him deliver two dangerous helmet-to-helmet hits over the last three games. He knocked Brandon London out of Montreal's lineup with one and then delivered another one to Chad Simpson today. I know that defenders get fined for delivering these kinds of hits on QBs but should they not also be punished for these kinds of hits on non-QBs? Shouldn't there be a penalty on the field for such a hit as well?

[ArgoRavi]

The one on Kackert tonight is at least the third one that he has delivered this season. He put Brandon London out of Montreal's lineup. He delivered one on Simpson two weeks ago and he hasn't played since (although I can't confirm that it was Brackenridge's helmet-to-helmet hit that put Simpson out) and we saw what he did to Kackert tonight. I am not aware of Brackenridge being fined - and he sure as hell hasn't been penalized - for any of these hits. When is the league going to do something about this extremely dirty player?

[Will]

Interestingly a flag was thrown on that play, but it was picked up.

[Wobbler]

The hit on Kackert looked like a clear infraction to me.

[ArgoRavi]

For Jock Climie to just put it down as it just being football is wrong. It seems like it is the same guys - Brackenridge and Dee Webb come to mind immediately - who are making these helmet-to-helmet hits on a consistent basis.

[paulwoods13]

There clearly should have been a penalty on the play, and for a repeat offender there should be a suspension, not a fine.

[Will]

There clearly should have been a penalty on the play, and for a repeat offender there should be a suspension, not a fine.

Was a flag not thrown, but then picked up?

[ArgoRavi]

Was a flag not thrown, but then picked up?

That is what Gord Miller said.

[1argoholic]

Apparently Milanovich could have and should have challenged that play. So why do the Argos not know the rules? I was some po'd with that hit. The only thing of Brackenridges that touched Kackert was his helmet obviously knocking Kack silly for a bit. The play is dirty hands down.

[paulwoods13]

Was a flag not thrown, but then picked up?

I thought I saw a flag on the play, and was expecting they would call a head shot and negate the fumble. Would love to know what happened, i.e. if there was a flag, why was no penalty called?

[argolio]

I have no idea if that type of play is actually reviewable. No doubt Gord Miller repeats many things a spotter in the booth or some production assistant gives him, and we know they were dead wrong on Kiante Tripp playing his first game. Hopefully someone clears it up this week.

As to the hit, looked to me like Brackenridge dropped his head, used the crown of his helmet as the primary point of contact, hit Kackert's head, and wasn't in Kackert's direct line of vision so Kackert couldn't brace himself for that specific hit. It also was an open-field hit and not in a scrum. Seems like that should meet the conditions of whatever CFL rule(s) applies to be a penalty, though I'm guessing the rule is written in a more general way and leaves it up to the discretion of the officials.

[D-Gap-Willie]

The play is definitely reviewable, as in the Rule Book:
"5. Where a turnover is the direct result of a major foul which was not penalized

(e.g. clothesline which caused a fumble, face mask on a tackle when a

fumble occurs)

Note: The reviewable aspect of this play is that the alleged major foulwas the primary cause of the turnover. If there was no change of

possession, this play is not reviewable."

So, either Coach M and his staff weren't aware of this, or they did not believe that the hit was illegal and caused the fumble.
The rule on head hits is quite vague, and needs to be reworked IMO. Mind you my Rule Book is 2011, and there may be something more in a newer version --- or is there a newer version ?
The rule(s) :
"2, Article 4),

(f) Using the helmet to butt, ram or spear an opponent, including but not limited to,a passer, a receiver in the act of catching a pass, a ball carrier in the grasp of another
tackler or a ball carrier on the playing surface not attempting to advance,

(h) Contacting an opponent above the shoulders in an unnecessarily rough

manner, including the long snapper on kicks from scrimmage and convert attempts,"

[gilthethrill]

Brackenridge did not even attempt to wrap up Kackert. Seems unfair that Kackert suffered the concussion.

[Mulder]

Don't tell that to the riderfans who chalk it up as a punishing legal hit, and who are currently gloating and celebrating how hard it was. Even though a guy got injured.

[D-Gap-Willie]

There was nothing legal, ethical or sportsmanlike about that hit. It was plain and simply an attempt to injure. There is no place for that type of behaviour in football, at any level. If the League does nothing, we should make our feelings known to the League office, and encourage others to do the same, especially those in Montreal and Winnipeg.

[ArgoGabe22]

Milanovich called the Brackenridge's hit on Kackert helmet2helmet. He didnt know he could challenge it after Kackert's turnover #Argos #cfl

— Matthew Scianitti (@TSNScianitti) September 17, 2013

[OV Argo]

There was nothing legal, ethical or sportsmanlike about that hit. It was plain and simply an attempt to injure. There is no place for that type of behaviour in football, at any level. If the League does nothing, we should make our feelings known to the League office, and encourage others to do the same, especially those in Montreal and Winnipeg.

I disagree - BIG TIME. Kackert lowered his head to initiate contact - and you think Brackenridge - in an instant, in the heat of battle, decided he was going to try to spear the guy with his head instead of just trying to make a tackle ? - nonsense IMO (but I'll admit that it is i guess possible that was his intent, but i saw his shoulder making contact too) - and like Climie said, big hits happen in football, it's a tough game, and sometimes unintentional, helmet to helmet hits can happen and inuries can result. Unfortunate injury, but hardly a blatant intent to injure that some are suggesting IMO. Deliberate spearing, diving at a player's knees, cheap-shots, piling on, etc, deserve punishment - penalties, ejections, fines, suspensions. Do some want any / every big hit in football eliminated or banned from the game? - maybe a pro touch football league would be better ?

[Midnight Blue]

I disagree - BIG TIME. Kackert lowered his head to initiate contact - and you think Brackenridge - in an instant, in the heat of battle, decided he was going to try to spear the guy with his head instead of just trying to make a tackle ? - nonsense IMO (but I'll admit that it is i guess possible that was his intent, but i saw his shoulder making contact too) - and like Climie said, big hits happen in football, it's a tough game, and sometimes unintentional, helmet to helmet hits can happen and inuries can result. Unfortunate injury, but hardly a blatant intent to injure that some are suggesting IMO. Deliberate spearing, diving at a player's knees, cheap-shots, piling on, etc, deserve punishment - penalties, ejections, fines, suspensions. Do some want any / every big hit in football eliminated or banned from the game? - maybe a pro touch football league would be better ?

Watching a recorded version of the game, I remember one of the announcers or analysts pointing out that this wasn't a direct run-in towards each other; Kackert swerved left and then saw Brackenridge, who had also swerved left; Kackert then probably instinctively put his head down, as did Brackenridge. After they showed the replay again, that seemed like what had happened.

[D-Gap-Willie]

I guess we will agree to disagree - BIG TIME ! An "unintential " helmet to helmet hit is IMO still a big problem, and is the responsibility of the defender to avoid it. Why is an unitential head shot not penalized, while an unintential face mask is penalized ? I believe that both are a problem. Most of what you say is true, but I disagree on intent, and you admit that it is possible his intent was to injure. Brackenridge has a history, not only of hard hitting football, as pictured by Climie, but of going that extra step too far. Three players put out by head shots in four games is no coincidence; some players instinctively have an extra mean streak that takes them too far; some even train their instincts for that moment, and will spend hours of work giving head shots on tackling dummies. My experience and my opinion !

[Will]

#CFL announced it has fined Saskatchewan Roughriders safety Tyron Brackenridge for a dangerous hit to the head on Chad Kackert.

— Jamie Dykstra (@CFL_PR) September 18, 2013