Two high school players have died in the last month from helmet-to-helmet hits. Damon Janes, 16, of New York and De’Antre Turman, 16, of Florida. Their deaths could have been avoided. Their deaths were unnecessary. Their deaths were a result of people playing like this.
That’s Nehemie Kankolongo of Wyoming delivering perhaps the most violent hit we’ve seen in quite some time. He does everything wrong on the play. With the crown of his helmet he launches himself forward at Air Force’s Anthony LaCoste. He does so at full speed. He was not flagged.
The good news is that LaCoste walked away from the play relatively unscathed, though, who knows what long term effects he’ll have. He was let back into the game sometime later, even managed to score a touchdown.
I’m troubled because he was let back in. I’m troubled because Nehemie celebrated after the hit. I’m troubled because, well, that’s not football. It’s reckless, it’s stupid, and frankly, it’s responsible for the deaths of those two teenagers.
I’m not sure what the long term solution is, I certainly don’t have the answer myself. But in the short term, Nehemie deserves a suspension, a lengthy one at that. Perhaps even 2-3 games. The message needs to be sent that treating your body like a missile isn’t ok. Treating your body like a weapon of mass destruction is conduct unbecoming a football player.
Stop the nonsense.
(Video via Andy Glockner)