When Benard Pollard from the Ravens said football wouldn't exist in 20-30 years, I thought it was laughable, but I'm starting to agree with him.
The sky is not falling. 40 years ago the head slap and clothesline were legal. When they changed the rule many said the game wouldn't be around today. The game of football is evolving. I'm not saying you have to like the changes, but you're wrong if you think that this or any rule to regulate safety will kill the game.
True for most rule changes, however when they take the most basic and ancillary parts of playing defense and make it so that a zebra now has the power to eject someone from the game (for something that should be perfectly legal, see the clowney hit) that imho is not only bad for the game, it is an attempt to change it into something that is no longer "the game" Bottom line, I'm all for doing whatever they can to stop the head to head, obvious spear shots. Those are bad and those that do it should be punsished. However when you have working ref's, and I've seen or read accounts from at least 3 that said they would have ejected Clowney, then the system is broken before it ever gets started.
Regarding the Clowney hit, it was so spectacular because of the events that led up to that play. I was watching it live. The refs REALLY fucked up on a measurement and called it a Michigan 1st down. It was clear as a bell on TV that SC got jobbed on the call.....one of the shadiest things I've ever seen a bunch of refs do. Spurrier went apeshit but to no avail. Then, on the very next play......BAM! Clowney knocked that dude's head off and picked the rock up and justice was served. Possibly the best college football series of events that I've seen. That part gets lost when networks show Clowney's hit. I wish that they'd show the play before and illustrate the series of events that led up to the hit heard round the world. Go to the 2:30 mark of this video:
I remember watching the game live and not jumping up and down but I just said out loud, "oh my god, he's dead" I really thought he may have killed him. It looked like he got hit by a truck.
That is just it though, The initial hit wasn't to the helmet. You can see in the replay that Clowney clearly plants his facemask into the dudes chest. It was the secondary blow that knocked the helmet off. Even with this, too many ref's have said they still would have ejected him. It is grade A bullshit.
The initial hit is with the crown of his helmet. Not the face mask, not the forehead. It is clearly spearing, which has always been illegal. No question about it. he launched the tackle using his helmet as a battering ram.