Over the weekend, any casual – or even non-casual – fan of sports was treated to a smorgasbord of NFL highlights.

But unlike the usual bevy of exciting clips, Sunday night and Monday morning highlight packages contained something a little more unnerving than what we are accustomed to seeing.  The long bombs, spectacular runs and clutch performances were savagely interrupted by a few paralyzing hits made by defensive players on unprotected receivers.  And, in this case, the term “paralyzing” is not only meant to describe the force of the hits, but also the potential outcome from the impact.

The helmet-to-helmet hits executed by Brandon Meriweather, Dunta Robinson, and James Harrison were among the concerning highlights that have been replayed since the day that they occurred.

But is the repetitive airplay received by the hits proving to be part of the problem?

Mark Schlereth (EPSN football analyst and 12-year NFL veteran) wants to give the NFL a new name – - “the NHL…the National Hypocrite League.”  However, the issues surrounding this topic begin well before any of the players step foot on an NFL gridiron.

Every athlete in today’s professional sporting world grew up watching ESPN, SportsCenter, or something similar which would dazzle viewers with a taste of the best plays captured in the midst of all professional contests.  Therefore, fans are witnessing a breed of athlete that has been conditioned to make “SportsCenter-worthy” plays. 

This was a still moment from one of two malicious hits by Pittsburgh's James Harrison.

So, exactly what type of plays make ESPN’s flagship program?

Well, it’s probably easier to think about the type of plays that don’t make the program.  Properly executed bounce passes won’t make the cut.  Hitting the ball behind the runner to advance him to second or third base probably won’t be included.  And if you tune in to the “Plays of the Week”, odds are that you won’t see a clip of a perfectly square, wrap-up tackle.  Fans almost idolize the exciting players who make exciting plays.

Just take a minute to think about it from a procedural point of view.  The process starts back in high school (and in some cases, earlier).  Who gets noticed for their stellar play?  The player who always blocks their opposing number?  Or the player who scores the touchdown?  How about the player who properly makes sure that the floor is spaced?  Or are the rave reviews given to the team’s top playmaker and/or scorer?

We know what the answers to those questions are.  The top scorers, the top playmakers, the top home run hitters always move on to the next level – and in most cases, it ends up being a reward for selfish (or non-team oriented) behavior.  The most celebrated players get free rides to colleges and universities.  Then the most celebrated players at that level move on to get a regular paycheck for their skills.

There is virtually no reward for fundamental play.  In our athletic society, it only takes you so far…and then the SportsCenter effect comes into play. 

So, can we really blame Miami Dolphins linebacker Channing Crowder for the following comments after learning that the NFL will begin t0 further discipline playersfor vicious hitting: 

“I’m not going to run and hit a receiver and say, ‘OK, let me take my shoulder down to his stomach. I’m just going to run into him as hard as I can, which I was taught to do since I was 6 years old. Nobody’s going to change the way they hit. You can ask anybody in the league. The hell with it.”

“If they’re going to keep making us go more and more and more like a feminine sport, we’re going to wear pink every game, not just on the breast cancer months.”

While his comments are along the lines of what would be expected from defensive players, the truth is that most casual NFL (and non-Dolphins’) fans don’t even know who Channing Crowder is.  If a relatively anonymous guy like Crowder has this mentality, it would be fair to say that it exists in the minds of defenders across the league.

Falcons cornerback Dunta Robinson has honed his hard-hitting technique through years of competition.

The physicality of football makes it a sport that is unique in just about every sense of the word.  The players have the ability to inflict serious harm on one another if they so choose.  But why would they choose?

It’s easy to understand that there are players that may get under someone’s skin…or that a player may flat out not like.  But for players to say that they have no regard for the well-being of other players is a big much.

The most fitting analogy that comes to my mind is that of a policeman.  Law enforcement’s job is to protect and serve the public.  In the line of duty, casualties happen.  They happen to criminals, other cops and innocent victims.  But would you ever imagine the police adopting an “I-don’t-care-who-gets-hurt-mentality” when it comes to executing their job?  No.  Even when apprehending criminals, they are to have regard for the well-being of the rule breakers as well.

Likewise, players have the ability to make the sound play each and every time.  Let’s face it – if a defender is trying to hit an opponent in the numbers, he generally is not going to connect with his opponent’s helmet.  However, if the player starts out high, the worst can happen. 

When reviewing the footage of the infamous hits, it’s clear that Meriweather, Robinson, and Harrison all went specifically for the heads of their victims.  Those represent calls that are easy to make, and culprits who should pay a high price for their foul intentions.  And who really believes that Harrison is going to walk away from $22 millions due a tackle that may have been within the rules, yet blatantly belligerent?  Not me.

At the very core of the NFL, football is still a game.  A game that adults get paid to play at a high level.  A game that athletes dream of playing for a living.

But the utter carelessness of the guys under the helmets is threatening to turn that dream into a nightmare.

T Lamont is the owner, administrator and author of all content for Ball or Nuthin\'. Feel free to contact T Lamont with a question or comment at ballornuthin@gmail.com.  All created Ball or Nuthin' content is the sole property of T Lamont. Read more from this author