Let Them Play Ball!

So, Adam Schefter (of NFL Network) reports in his blog that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is cracking down on illegal hits. He even went so far as to suspend "Buccaneers cornerback Elbert Mack one game for his helmet-to-helmet hit on Atlanta rookie quarterback Matt Ryan." Is this good or bad?

Goodell has distributed a memo to all teams that is required to be read or distributed to every player tomorrow. In part, his memo reads, "Player safety on the field is important to all of us in the NFL. Football is a tough game and we need to do everything possible to protect all players — offense, defense, and special teams — from unnecessary injury caused by illegal and dangerous hits." (http://blogs.nfl.com/2008/09/18/goodell-getting-tough-on-illegal-hits/) Good. That's what the rules are designed for. Nobody wants to see someone get hurt.

But there must be a balance. This is a somewhat slippery slope. Football is a full-contact sport. Everybody who plays professional football is aware of that and of the risks involved. Rules are in place to prevent excessive roughness, however there must be balance in enforcing the rules. Penalties change the course of a game. Is it really fair to not only enforce a penalty during a game, then also suspend a player for an entire game? Isn't it a little early in the season to try to establish a pattern of behavior and punish a player based on it?

What are your thoughts? When is enough, enough?