Faking NFL Injuries and NASCAR Wrecks

Jacksonville, Florida
By: Staff writer, J.E. Miller

Every once in a while the stars line up.  Apparently, this happened this past weekend in the NFL and at NASCAR.  At least that is what people are surmising.

During Monday night's New York Giants vs. Los Angeles Rams game in New York City,  it appeared that several of the Giants' players were faking injuries in order to gain an advantage on the field of play.  The first incident was noticed during a Rams' drive.  Two Giants' players simultaneously dropped to the ground and held their knees to end a Rams' no huddle offensive drive.  When the first player noticed the second player falling, he miraculously recovered.  Later, in another play, just when the Rams were about to hike the ball with insufficient Giants players on the field, a Giants' player faked an injury, thus avoiding a penalty against the Giants.  Watch this video and make your own call on whether they were "faking it."




Based on the speed at which both injured players recovered, Rams Head Coach Steve Spagnuolo complained to the NFL.  He suggested that the Giants' players were not injured at all, but had faked injuries for the team's advantage.

The NFL's response was immediate and clear.  Rule number 1,000,005:  Players are not allowed to fake injuries to stop play and gain advantage.  If a player commits such an infraction, the NFL warned that the player or his team could face fines, suspensions, or forfeitures of draft picks.

One can only speculate that, in response to the rule, the players will be sent to injury acting classes. Then, the NFL will reply with instant injury replays.

Meanwhile, over in NASCAR,  Jeff Gordon was complaining about a NASCAR driver who "supposedly" spun out his race car to gain an advantage for a fellow driver on his team.

At that race last Saturday in Richmond, driver Paul Menard, who was not in a position to win, spun out with 16 laps to go.  This brought out the caution flag.  It is suggested that Menard did this deed to allow his teammate Kevin Harvick the opportunity to beat Gordon once the caution flag was lifted.  The apparent strategy worked because Harvick won the race.

And, now the question is posed.  Is this mere strategy and "playing" within the rules or is this manipulative behavior and unsportsmanlike conduct that should result in penalties or fines?

Here's a lesson plan for the NFL, compliments of my sophomore college professor.  In changing poor behavior and/or disciplining with successful results, you must:

1.  Make the punishment SEVERE.  Suggestion:  If a player goes down for an injury, make him sit out for ten minutes of play and be evaluated by a NFL medical professional.  The NFL would be showing concern for injured players.  At the same time, make the coach face the stands for 3 minutes.

2.   Make the punishment IMMEDIATE.  Pull the player from the field of play immediately.

3.  Make the punishment CONSISTENT.  All NFL players should know, with 100% certainty, that if they do this twice that they will sit out the rest of a game and that the player and the team will be fined $25,000.

Read about NFL Rules for Head to Head Contact

NASCAR will be a little different and harder to implement the SEVERE, IMMEDIATE, CONSISTENT method.  But if they can prove without a shadow of a doubt that a driver did spin out on purpose,  on the first offense they should suspend the driver for one race and take one team race car out of the race.  I cannot imagine that a driver would purposely spin out his car at a high rate of speed.   How could you practice this move?