Other Concussions and Player Safety Issues

[DB10]

Re: NFL Concussions

wouldn't it just become rugby with the forward pass?

 

[_shifty_]

Re: NFL Concussions

The real effects of the concussions wouldn't be recognized by the average fans. Players like Ted Johnson and Chrebet (whos on his last play converted a third and long despire getting knocked out making the catch) who would have had 10 each are really suffering right now. They both have pretty bad memory loss and a 'black clouding' in their head which really restrits their live. Johnson said many days he can't even get out of bed.

Someone like Collie is really going to have to be monitred pretty serverly so he doesn't get to many more, but of the course, Goddell truly cares about the players safety with his 18 game season and all

 

[Woodson]

Re: NFL Concussions

The real effects of the concussions wouldn't be recognized by the average fans. Players like Ted Johnson and Chrebet (whos on his last play converted a third and long despire getting knocked out making the catch) who would have had 10 each are really suffering right now. They both have pretty bad memory loss and a 'black clouding' in their head which really restrits their live. Johnson said many days he can't even get out of bed.

Someone like Collie is really going to have to be monitred pretty serverly so he doesn't get to many more, but of the course, Goddell truly cares about the players safety with his 18 game season and all

Very sad & disappointing that guys like Collie will have to consider early retirement. But having seen the footage of the hits on him which caused him grief/ concussion, couldn't fault 'em. They were within the rules of the game. Just a matter of bad luck for Collie really.

I found a very interesting article which is an OPEN LETTER to Roger Goodell from a former player, Nate Jackson of the Broncos, which underlines the makeshift rift in the league with all the 'politically correctness' which is the 'player safety policy'.

Nate Jackson's open letter to Roger Goodell

Good read that spells out the truth not the sloppy propaganda that Goodell is peddling.

 

[JeffDunne]

Re: NFL Concussions

If you don't want to risk getting hurt then don't take the cheque and sit in the stands.

Make helmets safer by all means and do all the research you can to prevent concussions. No problems with that.

The game is always going to be high risk/high reward.

 

[exe ex machina]

Re: NFL Concussions

Said it for ages.
Leave the rules how they were in the 80's/90's, or before Goodell messed with them.
Just revolutionize helmet technology.

 

[ERead]

Re: NFL Concussions

wouldn't it just become rugby with the forward pass?

Well, most of the other rules would remain. You'd have the natural inclination of an offensive player to not hurt their head/face and penalties against defensive players who strike the head, face or neck.

Of course, you couldn't stop the effect of gang tackles and other times when 1000 pounds of players land on the offensive player (without majorly changing the way the game is played) and I'd reckon that American football players wouldn't put themselves forward to have the face and ear mangling that many veteran Rugby players have.

Said it for ages.
Leave the rules how they were in the 80's/90's, or before Goodell messed with them.
Just revolutionize helmet technology.

GG, could you enlighten those of us who are really only familiar with the game under Goodell (well, at lease me) about what things were like?

I think helmet technology will save the day. Look at pads (the effectiveness measured against weight and size of the pads) from the old days compared to now. Helmets probably haven't moved ahead for a while.

 

[DB10]

Re: NFL Concussions

but without the helmet tackling would fundamentally change, to ensure player safety it would basically be have to be done rugby-style. if a player is helmet-less you couldn't have them launching into each other as they do currently, taking a receivers legs out from underneath him would have to be made illegal, and so forth. all tackling would have to be done around the waist. no hitting, per say, which is how it is in rugby.

agree on helmet technology. they should look into how F1 helmets are made. their heads and necks are subjected to extremes as well, yet when an F1 car ploughs into a wall from 300kp/h they walk away without a scratch most of the time let alone a concussion.

 

[drd23]

Re: NFL Concussions

but without the helmet tackling would fundamentally change, to ensure player safety it would basically be have to be done rugby-style. if a player is helmet-less you couldn't have them launching into each other as they do currently, taking a receivers legs out from underneath him would have to be made illegal, and so forth. all tackling would have to be done around the waist. no hitting, per say, which is how it is in rugby.

agree on helmet technology. they should look into how F1 helmets are made. their heads and necks are subjected to extremes as well, yet when an F1 car ploughs into a wall from 300kp/h they walk away without a scratch most of the time let alone a concussion.

F1 helmets are connected to the drivers shoulders via a HANS (Head and Neck Support)device that severely restricts head movement in an aim to prevent whiplash. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HANS_device

That would be practicable in NFL as the players wouldnt be able to look to the side, and the purpose of motor racing helmets is different to an NFL helmet. A large part of the reason there are no concussions in F1 is because there is no direct collision between the drivers head and another object like there is in contact sports where a players head can hit the ground or another player and get a concussion.

 

[MarcusP2]

Re: NFL Concussions

The great majority of impact in a motorsport crash would be absorbed by the car, not the helmet. Totally different to an NFL one.

 

[exe ex machina]

Re: NFL Concussions

In the "old days", or pre-Goodell days, the game was a lot better and transparent.

For instance, today, you see players all running in to make a hit and then all try and pull out and leap over falling bodies, players constantly turning around to officials calling for touchy flags.

Whereas as far back as pre-Goodell, players would finish every play off, leading with the helmet and shoulders as they were taught from peewee onwards thruout their life, no players appealing for flags, punters not taking dives etc.

Watch some XFL highlights...that's what the NFL was like pre-Goodell. It was transparent. Just athletes' speed and power not being held back from each other.

WRs going across the middle would get destroyed, it was treated as a credibility issue between team and team. This is our part of the field, you aint gonna come across here without knowing about it. There was absolutely no reason for the PI rules to be made touchier. Not like in the past WRs were being man-handled illegally, taken to the ground or something. The PI rules were just well-applied, players could jostle each other etc, there was a leeway for that, a line, and if it went beyond that line it would get flagged. But these days that line, that leeway, is far too touchy. It's like when the AFL brought in the hands in the back rule and decided to draw a stricter line on players jostling.

Watch some old footage of famous players like Jerry Rice, Dan Marino, Barry Sanders, and you will see those better rules in play, the better leeway. There was no reason for Goodell to mess with the game, except for his own ego, to leave a mark, finding things to change. The argument that Goodell is enhancing the game for TV and business....that's what he's doing but the game has always been a huge business and TV product. There are things Goodell is looking into to 'improve' concussions like banning three and four point stances. Things like that, the subtle nuances of the game that casusal fans are not aware of, Goodell is looking into in regards to 'safety'.

Helmet technology is the only thing that needs to be done to reduce the amount of concussions whilst retaining the same game it always was for many decades. What are the statistics for concussions this decade versus every other decade. There seems to be far more concussions today than in the past, and the game is definitely softer than the past, and the players not any drastic difference bigger and stronger than in the past.

I'd like to see some stats on concussions comparing the decades.

 

[drd23]

Re: NFL Concussions

What are the statistics for concussions this decade versus every other decade. There seems to be far more concussions today than in the past, and the game is definitely softer than the past, and the players not any drastic difference bigger and stronger than in the past.

I'd like to see some stats on concussions comparing the decades.

This wouldnt prove anything as concussions are far more readily picked up these days. Players are less likely to try to hide a concussion when they get one, and if they do try, they are more than likely picked up quite soon.

Also, the speed of the game has increased, increasing the likelihood of concussions as there is more force in each impact when compared to earlier decades

 

[exe ex machina]

Re: NFL Concussions

That's baloney about speed of the game has increased and more force in each impact.

There have been 4.20 guys in the NFL for decades, and many 4.80 type lineman at 290 lbs, or 4.50 type LBs at 250 lbs. There is far less impact today than pre-Goodell because players are pulling out more, not going at full speed with collisions, due to the fines and rules in today.

I read from a poster who is a medic, that he reckons a lot of concussions today are due to players not wearing mouthguards.

 

[Southerntakeover]

Re: NFL Concussions

I read from a poster who is a medic, that he reckons a lot of concussions today are due to players not wearing mouthguards.

LMFAO.

Well thats practically a medical certainty then.

I read from one guy whos sister is married to a guy who knows a doctor and he says that its the wearing of cotton socks that causes concussions!

Its not huge men charging at each others heads with hard objects in order to beat them unconscious at all.

 

[Southerntakeover]

Re: NFL Concussions

P.s. The XFL went bankrupt, and Vince McMahon is the last person who we should be aspiring to emulate when it comes to the health of employees and concussions. Google Chris Benoit.

 

[Woodson]

Re: NFL Concussions

Also, the speed of the game has increased, increasing the likelihood of concussions as there is more force in each impact when compared to earlier decades

Not buying this at all. More like the turnover league (AFL) when it comes to that 'speed has increased factor' not that it has improved their (AFL) game anyway. I see the NFL as a far superior athletic and more dynamic game that keeps you more entertained than the clanger happy AFL.

 

[exe ex machina]

Re: NFL Concussions

BillCody channel on Youtube, has a bunch of extended highlights of Buffalo games over the decades.

There was nothing wrong with the game from the 70's to 80's to 90's that required changing in the 00's by Goodell.

[youtube]9TomvQ4Nk3k[/youtube]
[youtube]1NTPaHzTDEU[/youtube]
[youtube]ARI6Vm_jL20[/youtube]

 

[hayes]

Re: NFL Concussions

That's just ridiculous. Any and every measure should be made to make sure there are as few concussions as possible. Why should players suffer things like depression, alzheimers and all the other illnesses that get caused by the brain damage you get from concussions just so you can watch people like James Harrison take pride in knocking someone out. Might be just me but I think the players have the right to have a life after the NFL.

 

[Woodson]

Re: NFL Concussions

That's just ridiculous. Any and every measure should be made to make sure there are as few concussions as possible. Why should players suffer things like depression, alzheimers and all the other illnesses that get caused by the brain damage you get from concussions just so you can watch people like James Harrison take pride in knocking someone out. Might be just me but I think the players have the right to have a life after the NFL.

Each player knows the risks hayes. No different to any other physical sport.
I agree with the Heavy fines. Have said that from the get-go. What I don't understand is how 'accidental helmet to helmet' contact is also considered flagrant. It's a violent sport. Many players have walked away from the game with their health intact believe or not. Others not so lucky. Just part & parcel or trading pain for the Big Bikkies!!

 

[ERead]

Re: NFL Concussions

We all have to remember that football helmets are specifically not designed to absorb concussive forces - those forces are being delivered straight to the head via hard foam designed to cushion against catastrophic blows.

The NFL is only just now understanding that thousands of little hits to the head is a problem, not just the single once-in-a-career massive head knock.

So now the work is beginning on a helmet that can protect against everything. It will be hard though. They will probably need to invent the foam required.

I wonder if we'll get to the stage where helmets are single-game-use because the foam, in order to protect against lots of minor head knocks as well as a possible massive blow, degrades over the course of an afternoon. You could perhaps reuse the shell and face mask in lower levels of football (due to cost).

 

[DB10]

Re: NFL Concussions

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=lukas/110113_bulwark_football_helmets

interesting.

 

[exe ex machina]

Re: NFL Concussions

Looks good.

We've seen this types of revolutionary helmet designs before. I don't have the link on me, it's probably in the beginning of this thread, or maybe some other long-ago thread, but there was another revolutionary helmet design that didn't make it.

But this one looks cool.

 

[drd23]

Re: NFL Concussions

Heres a new article on some new research that showed that even normal, non-concussive hits cause brain damage.

http://www.slate.com/id/2281515

In collisions, "G" is a unit equal to the force of gravity. A low-speed rear-end crash causes an impact of 10G to 30G. A high-flying soccer ball lands on your head with a force of around 20G. Then there's the high-school football player who, according to a recent evaluation by Purdue researchers, received a blow to the head during a game that carried a force of 289G—nearly 300 times the force of gravity.

The scary thing about the hit was not the size of the impact. It was that the young man had no visible symptoms of a concussion.
...
Nauman and his colleagues wanted to compare changes in the brains of football players who had suffered concussions with the "normal" brains of football players who were concussion-free. But when they scanned the concussion-free players a few weeks into the season and compared these pictures to the same players' preseason scans, they found that many had long-lasting brain changes.

What this means for the future of football is hard to say. Im sure that most players would still play, but it does raise a bit of an ethical dilemma. It also shows that teaching proper tackling technique and 'wrapping up' wont completely reduce the risk of long term brain damage, only lessen it

 

[ERead]

Re: NFL Concussions

Heres a new article on some new research that showed that even normal, non-concussive hits cause brain damage.

http://www.slate.com/id/2281515


What this means for the future of football is hard to say. Im sure that most players would still play, but it does raise a bit of an ethical dilemma. It also shows that teaching proper tackling technique and 'wrapping up' wont completely reduce the risk of long term brain damage, only lessen it

A few coaches in the US are trying to teach players to tackle more safely: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/26/sports/football/26tackling.html

 

[exe ex machina]

Study Finds Riddell Helmet Model Worn by Most Players to be Unsafe

Full article

Riddell, the company that makes most of the helmets worn in the NFL, is urging players to change helmet models after a study found that the model worn by 38 percent of players last season is not particularly good at preventing concussions.


Riddell’s VSR-4 helmet received a low one-star rating in a study of football helmets led by a Virginia Tech professor of biomedical engineering. But the Riddell Revolution Speed was the only helmet to get a five-stars rating.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

Re: Study Finds Riddell Helmet Model Worn By Most Players to Be Unsafe

I wonder if the study was funded by Riddell??