A sad, sad story... What to do about football?

NICOclubs sports and p0ker related discussion forum
User avatar
AZhitman
Administrator
Posts: 71061
Joined: Mon Apr 29, 2002 2:04 am
Car: 58 L210, 63 Bluebird RHD, 64 NL320, 65 SPL310, 66 411 RHD, 67 WRL411, 68 510 SR20, 75 280Z RB25, 77 620 SR20, 79 B310, 90 S13, 92 SE-R, 92 Silvia Qs, 98 S14.
Location: Surprise, Arizona
Contact:

Post

http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/04/01/br ... tml?hpt=C1

One of my favorite players... :(

What should be done?


User avatar
RCA
Posts: 8226
Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2007 8:09 am

Post

One of your favorite players was Falcon's offensive lineman Shane Dronett?


As for what needs to be done, it's a tough call.
I think it's difficult for things like this to happen to offensive lineman, I figured this was a LB, S or FB issue. The speed of the NFL is constantly growing and they are getting larger, so how do you stop both? Changing the rules leaves a bad taste in my mouth as a football fan.

Possible options...
- Weight restrictions
- Speed restrictions (lol)
- Changing of rules and more strict penalties for breaking them.
- Concussions become season/career ending injuries.
- More strict policy for those who have potentially suffered a concussion.

The nature of football is dangerous, so not sure what you can do outside of tainting the game or stopping it from happening all together.

User avatar
Bubba1
Moderator
Posts: 18355
Joined: Wed Oct 30, 2002 1:42 pm
Car: 2003 Nissan 350z
2008 Acura TSX
2008 Toyota Corolla S
2001 Toyota Avalon XLS

Post

AZhitman wrote:http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/04/01/br ... tml?hpt=C1

One of my favorite players... :(

What should be done?
Very good question. Not sure there is one easy solution without changing the basic nature of the game. And that goes beyond the NFL.

I suppose the NFL could do a few things like make the helmets bigger/more cushioned than they are now, get away from playing on artificial turf (carpeted concrete), mandatory rules for healing times for concussions, a max number of concussions (both of which would encourage underreporting). I know the NFL is doling out fines for certain types of hits, but in many cases, it's not a deterrent as some of the hardest hitters make the most money, so the fines only make players at the low end of the pay scale think twice. Suspensions for serious helmet to helmet hits, or fines based on base salary instead of dollars might be a better way to curb the behavior, but unfortunately those hits are the most popular highlight reels.

User avatar
Eikon
Posts: 11036
Joined: Sat Apr 24, 2004 3:20 am
Car: 71 240z, 93 Supra TT
Location: Lake Orion, MI
Contact:

Post

My wife proposed one of the best ideas to me.. LESS PADS!!!

Sounds retarded huh? Actually, when you think about it, it's brilliant. Those physical freaks of nature are so well padded that they can rocket themselves into other players with little concern for their health... until someone gets a concussion multiple times over.. which often doesn't manifest itself until years after they are done with football.

Take away most of the body padding, but leave the neck and helmet pads as they are most critical. I bet the reduction of waste to shoulder padding would slow those hits and make things less vicious.

I wonder if Rugby sees less injuries of that nature than the NFL does per capita? That would be a good test.

User avatar
AZhitman
Administrator
Posts: 71061
Joined: Mon Apr 29, 2002 2:04 am
Car: 58 L210, 63 Bluebird RHD, 64 NL320, 65 SPL310, 66 411 RHD, 67 WRL411, 68 510 SR20, 75 280Z RB25, 77 620 SR20, 79 B310, 90 S13, 92 SE-R, 92 Silvia Qs, 98 S14.
Location: Surprise, Arizona
Contact:

Post

Brilliant point.

Helmet improvements won't help - these collisions occur INSIDE the skull.
Mandatory healing time for concussions won't help - Linemen get hit 100 times a game.
Surface changes, helmet-to-helmet rules, etc... ALL pointless in Dronett's case.

Seth, I love her idea. Leather helmets ftw.

User avatar
Bubba1
Moderator
Posts: 18355
Joined: Wed Oct 30, 2002 1:42 pm
Car: 2003 Nissan 350z
2008 Acura TSX
2008 Toyota Corolla S
2001 Toyota Avalon XLS

Post

AZhitman wrote:Brilliant point.

Helmet improvements won't help - these collisions occur INSIDE the skull.
Mandatory healing time for concussions won't help - Linemen get hit 100 times a game.
Surface changes, helmet-to-helmet rules, etc... ALL pointless in Dronett's case.

Seth, I love her idea. Leather helmets ftw.
I'm not so sure minimal protection aids like leather is going to work either given the current violent way the game is played. Concussions seem to be a problem in rugby too, a similar sport that uses minimal protection. It just doesn't get same level of media exposure the NFL.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC155428/

I understand the NFL is working on the next generation softer helmet which is better able to absorb hits lessening the jarring to the skull.

User avatar
AZhitman
Administrator
Posts: 71061
Joined: Mon Apr 29, 2002 2:04 am
Car: 58 L210, 63 Bluebird RHD, 64 NL320, 65 SPL310, 66 411 RHD, 67 WRL411, 68 510 SR20, 75 280Z RB25, 77 620 SR20, 79 B310, 90 S13, 92 SE-R, 92 Silvia Qs, 98 S14.
Location: Surprise, Arizona
Contact:

Post

The movement of the brain inside the skull is the problem. Helmets do very little to mitigate that risk.

Leather helmets would cause players to, out of self-preservation, avoid hitting / being hit with / in the head.

User avatar
Bubba1
Moderator
Posts: 18355
Joined: Wed Oct 30, 2002 1:42 pm
Car: 2003 Nissan 350z
2008 Acura TSX
2008 Toyota Corolla S
2001 Toyota Avalon XLS

Post

AZhitman wrote:The movement of the brain inside the skull is the problem. Helmets do very little to mitigate that risk.

Leather helmets would cause players to, out of self-preservation, avoid hitting / being hit with / in the head.
Yes, I agree, but that only reduces the likelihood of a helmet to helmet collision, which is not the only way concussions occur. For example, there are probably more concussions when players get hit and slam their heads hard onto the ground. In those cases a leather helmet offers less protection from head trauma the current type.


Return to “The Sports Bar”