Babe Laufenberg: Cheap-shot Rams were instigators of Tuesday’s camp brawl
By Babe Laufenberg
Email- brandonlaufenberg40@gmail.com
http://cowboysblog.dallasnews.com/2...were-instigators-of-tuesdays-camp-brawl.html/
Special contributor Babe Laufenberg, a Dallas Cowboys radio color analyst and former NFL quarterback, answered questions in a chat Wednesday. Here are some highlights:
Question: I heard a lot of comments that the Cowboys got their butts kicked in the fight yesterday. Maybe that’s true but in the video I saw, the Rams took quite a few shots at Cowboy players who had their backs to them. Not saying the Cowboys were innocent in the whole melee but from your view didn’t the Rams escalate the fight by taking a bunch of cheapshots?
Babe Laufenberg: Yes. A bunch of cheap shots. I understand they were not fighting by the “Marquess of Queensbury Rules” but they were cheap shots. Just watch the video of Jared Cook (#89) blindsiding Randy Gregory. Or Eugene Sims (#97) blind siding Ben Gardner. Throw Brandon Washington (#70) in there, and you have some real punk shots being delivered. The Rams have not had a winning season in the last 11 years. It looked like they were trying to take 11 years of frustration out on the Cowboys. If you are looking for instigators, you would need to point your collective fingers at the Rams. Just way beyond the bounds of what takes place in an NFL practice. Cowboys linebacker Andrew Gachkar cut on a screen play (you NEVER go low in a practice) then Gregory was clipped low on the next play. Really, shame on the Rams. It certainly did not reflect well on the NFL and wouldn’t be surprised to see the Rams organization issue a public or private apology.
Question: Lot of brawls in these joint practices. Do you think they’re a good idea? Is is worth the risk of injury?
Babe Laufenberg: I have always believed they were a really good idea, but I may be “evolving” in that view (we used to “flip-flop” now we “evolve”) Yesterday was downright ugly, and it was a minor miracle that no one was seriously injured. Dez Bryant took a clean punch to the face with no helmet on. What if he breaks his jaw like Geno Smith? So you are always dealing in risk-reward, and I am not sure the risk now outweighs the reward.
Question: Fairly harsh words on your part on Twitter today. Rams had the dirtiest practice you’ve seen? Could you elaborate?
Babe Laufenberg: It was just so far out of the realm of what NFL football looks like. There is a certain practice tempo, and certain ways you go about your work so as not to injure another player. And the Rams violated those rules. They know it. And have I seen every camp practice in the NFL over the last 33 years? Obviously not. But it was the most egregious violation that i have personally witnessed. And I am at every practice. I truly hope this does not sound condescending, but I think anyone who has played or coached the NFL game would say the same thing. Just my opinion.
By Babe Laufenberg
Email- brandonlaufenberg40@gmail.com
http://cowboysblog.dallasnews.com/2...were-instigators-of-tuesdays-camp-brawl.html/
Special contributor Babe Laufenberg, a Dallas Cowboys radio color analyst and former NFL quarterback, answered questions in a chat Wednesday. Here are some highlights:
Question: I heard a lot of comments that the Cowboys got their butts kicked in the fight yesterday. Maybe that’s true but in the video I saw, the Rams took quite a few shots at Cowboy players who had their backs to them. Not saying the Cowboys were innocent in the whole melee but from your view didn’t the Rams escalate the fight by taking a bunch of cheapshots?
Babe Laufenberg: Yes. A bunch of cheap shots. I understand they were not fighting by the “Marquess of Queensbury Rules” but they were cheap shots. Just watch the video of Jared Cook (#89) blindsiding Randy Gregory. Or Eugene Sims (#97) blind siding Ben Gardner. Throw Brandon Washington (#70) in there, and you have some real punk shots being delivered. The Rams have not had a winning season in the last 11 years. It looked like they were trying to take 11 years of frustration out on the Cowboys. If you are looking for instigators, you would need to point your collective fingers at the Rams. Just way beyond the bounds of what takes place in an NFL practice. Cowboys linebacker Andrew Gachkar cut on a screen play (you NEVER go low in a practice) then Gregory was clipped low on the next play. Really, shame on the Rams. It certainly did not reflect well on the NFL and wouldn’t be surprised to see the Rams organization issue a public or private apology.
Question: Lot of brawls in these joint practices. Do you think they’re a good idea? Is is worth the risk of injury?
Babe Laufenberg: I have always believed they were a really good idea, but I may be “evolving” in that view (we used to “flip-flop” now we “evolve”) Yesterday was downright ugly, and it was a minor miracle that no one was seriously injured. Dez Bryant took a clean punch to the face with no helmet on. What if he breaks his jaw like Geno Smith? So you are always dealing in risk-reward, and I am not sure the risk now outweighs the reward.
Question: Fairly harsh words on your part on Twitter today. Rams had the dirtiest practice you’ve seen? Could you elaborate?
Babe Laufenberg: It was just so far out of the realm of what NFL football looks like. There is a certain practice tempo, and certain ways you go about your work so as not to injure another player. And the Rams violated those rules. They know it. And have I seen every camp practice in the NFL over the last 33 years? Obviously not. But it was the most egregious violation that i have personally witnessed. And I am at every practice. I truly hope this does not sound condescending, but I think anyone who has played or coached the NFL game would say the same thing. Just my opinion.
