{"id":10339,"date":"2020-02-02T08:26:55","date_gmt":"2020-02-02T13:26:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/intramuralist.com\/?p=10339"},"modified":"2020-02-02T08:29:15","modified_gmt":"2020-02-02T13:29:15","slug":"targeting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/intramuralist.com\/?p=10339","title":{"rendered":"targeting"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In honor of today\u2019s big event \u2014 Super Bowl LIV (although not necessarily in honor of today being the second-largest day for food consumption in the United States)<\/em> \u2014 allow us to begin with what may at first appear to be a post about football. Granted, our intro is a mere analogy; this post really, remarkably, potentially, has very little to do with football\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTargeting\u201d is a penalty on the gridiron; it may be called at some point in today\u2019s game in Miami. Let us briefly expound, sharing the full NCAA (college)<\/em> rule from which the NFL has \u201cborrowed liberally\u201d:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2018Targeting\u2019 means that a player takes aim at an opponent for purposes of attacking with forcible contact that goes beyond making a legal tackle or a legal block or playing the ball. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some indicators of targeting include but are not limited to:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Launch \u2014 <\/em>a player leaving his feet to attack an opponent by an upward and forward thrust<\/em><\/strong> of the body to make forcible contact in the head or neck area.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A crouch followed by an upward and forward thrust<\/em><\/strong> to attack with forcible contact at the head or neck area, even though one or both feet are still on the ground.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leading with helmet, shoulder, forearm, fist, hand or elbow<\/em><\/strong> to attack with forcible contact at the head or neck area.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lowering the head before attacking by initiating forcible contact with the crown of the helmet.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTargeting,\u201d therefore, is the intent to tackle in an illegal, forcible way; it\u2019s thought to be a tackle with an intent to harm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let me go out on a semi-humble limb and suggest the rule\u2019s application is inconsistently called and highly controversial. Ask any Ohio State fan after their national semi-final vs. Clemson last December; the ruling can have a significant impact, for when \u201ctargeting\u201d is called, the person believed-to-be-the-offending player is eliminated from the rest of the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s the part that gets me\u2026 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Educated and uneducated observers are watching what happens\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They know the game; they know the rules, and they have passions, opinions, and convictions as to who is better, who is worse, who they like, and who they don\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They make all sorts of observations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And then they judge intent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let me be clear\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Without any direct insight into the heart and mind of the one who is believed-to-be-the-offending player \u2014 the one called for \u201ctargeting\u201d \u2014 observers feel capable and confident of making the call. Of judging, if you will.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In football, when calling \u201ctargeting,\u201d the officials are cognitively adding their piece to the story, so-to-speak; they are suggesting they know why the player did what he did without knowing what was in the player\u2019s head at the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So let me ask today\u2019s zillion dollar question\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where do we, friends, add to the story?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where do we allow our observations to dictate the narrative?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where do we feel capable and confident of making the call \u2014 of judging another\u2019s intent \u2014 even though we don\u2019t know what\u2019s in the heart and mind of another?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That no doubt, might actually change the story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Respectfully\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AR
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In honor of today\u2019s big event \u2014 Super Bowl LIV (although not necessarily in honor of today being the second-largest day for food consumption in the United States) \u2014 allow us to begin with what may at first appear to be a post about football. Granted, our intro is a mere analogy; this post really, … <\/p>\n

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