Football: Rams' Yausie suffers broken collarbone

Thanks to Neate for passing along, from Rod Pederson, the video of this hit by Sean Clark on the Rams' Matt Yausie. In a year with seemingly more violent football collisions than usual, Clark's actions unfortunately don't stand out anymore, but look at what he does:



It's hard not to label this a cheap shot (and the Rams are sending a copy of the play to the conference office). You can actually see Clark, who enters the frame at 0:18, change direction once the play ends (or just before it does) and veer off to hit a player who doesn't seem to be looking upfield. Yausie is slowing to a jog, acting like the play is over--because it is--and then out of nowhere he's lying on the ground with a broken left collarbone.

I know there's a hockey (sub-?)culture in this country that thinks someone skating with his head down deserves to be knocked unconscious, but what justification can Clark have for this? I can't hear the audio on the clip, if there is any, so the whistle might have been late and therefore he thought the ball was still live. But even if that's true, the Bisons' punt return isn't going to be any longer because of his actions--Yausie is not close to the ball carrier, and the ball isn't going to be moved upfield at that point anyway.

More important than whether the hit is illegal, Yausie's CIS career is possibly over. The fifth-year player, whose spiritual leadership (and wristbands) were tweaked in good fun here last month, is reportedly out for six weeks--which brings him to the weekend of the Vanier Cup.

At this point, the Rams could play in the championship game, but will Matt Yausie?

Related:
Injuries could prematurely end players' seasons [Ian Hamilton, Regina Leader-Post]
and the more vividly inquisitive WHAT'S BEING DONE ABOUT THIS? [RodPeterson.com]
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2 comments:

  1. Clark should be suspended the final two games of the season for that shot. An absolute cheap shot and a disrespectful play.

    Here's an opening for the league to send a message...

    ReplyDelete
  2. The other hit referenced in the Leader Post article is here. Both are pretty classless.

    ReplyDelete