Injuries - Is football doomed if the game isn't made less dangerous?

[Seattle_Cat]

Here is a link to an article on Calvin Johnson, who had to give it up early due to injuries.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...om&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=editorial

 

[Hungry Jack]

I am starting to think so, but not in our lifetime.

 

[Seattle_Cat]

I am starting to think so, but not in our lifetime.

I guess doomed was too dramatic. It will likely continue, just not be so popular. I remember when the boxing, especially heavy weight, was a huge sport. It continues, but to much less attention.

 

[docrugby1]

There are some rule changes that could be implemented to reduce injuries. It would take some adjustment time to get used to the difference in tackling and running.

1.Penalize any running back that lowers his head/torso below 45*, in other words leads with his head

2. Eliminate the roll block tackle-all tackles must involve wrapping the arms

3. Eliminate any contact to the torso or legs by a tackler's helmet. Tackles must be made by shoulder contact wrapping the arms or by arms alone

4. No blocking below the waist anywhere

All of the above would change the nature of the game but if survival is the issue, rule changes will be required

 

[VirginiaWildcat]

Softshell helmets...made from the same material that they line the interior of the current helmets with. Take away the helmet as a weapon, and you've already taken a big step...

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

Auto racing has fatalities during events. NASCAR is thriving. So unless all parents of the world say little Johnny won't be strapping it on, I think it is here to stay. I agree with Virginia, that the future is likely linked to the evolution of the equipment, particularly the helmet. Some combination of rule changes along with equipment advances will be needed.

 

[Seattle_Cat]

Auto racing has fatalities during events. NASCAR is thriving. So unless all parents of the world say little Johnny won't be strapping it on, I think it is here to stay. I agree with Virginia, that the future is likely linked to the evolution of the equipment, particularly the helmet. Some combination of rule changes along with equipment advances will be needed.

A player can, or any human being, can get a concussion without a blow to the head. Whenever the body receives a severe impact the brain keeps moving inside the skull and can get concussed.

Concussions are not the only problem. Many players are virtual cripples in later years due to wear and tear on the body.

I think the game could still be enjoyable to watch without the severe impacts. I enjoy the battle of the wits more than the battle of muscles. I might be in the minority, though.

 

[Overly_Invested_Cat]

Here is a link to an article on Calvin Johnson, who had to give it up early due to injuries.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...om&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=editorial

Interesting question. I think the challenge with football is that kids start playing at a very young age, which makes participation a parental decision and it is becoming an increasingly difficult decision as more facts come out. Sports such as NASCAR, UFC will continue to thrive, because participation typically starts much later in life and is therefore more of an adult decision by the participants. I can foresee restrictions on participation until high school, both for safety reasons and because of the limited revenue generated at the youth level.

 

[shakes3858]

I guess doomed was too dramatic. It will likely continue, just not be so popular. I remember when the boxing, especially heavy weight, was a huge sport. It continues, but to much less attention.

Not doomed, there's too much money involved. Even college scholarships are going to be worth close to 1/2 a million soon. Then you have the NFL money.

 

[Gladeskat]

Auto racing has fatalities during events. NASCAR is thriving. So unless all parents of the world say little Johnny won't be strapping it on, I think it is here to stay. I agree with Virginia, that the future is likely linked to the evolution of the equipment, particularly the helmet. Some combination of rule changes along with equipment advances will be needed.

I also feel equipment design is key to the survival of the game, though eliminating stuff like spearing is also helpful. Many of the worst hits are helmet to knee collisions that cannot be reduced through rules changes. The worst concussions suffered by NU players last year (Harris and VanHoose) were helmet to knee type collisions.

 

[shakes3858]

Softshell helmets...made from the same material that they line the interior of the current helmets with. Take away the helmet as a weapon, and you've already taken a big step...

Do you mean something like a men's lacrosse helmet? My boss and I were discussing that.

 

[VirginiaWildcat]

Do you mean something like a men's lacrosse helmet? My boss and I were discussing that.

That might work. Aren't they similar to hockey helmets? Just anything that can give give as much protection as possible without a player feeling safe lowering his head like a battering ram.

 

[GlideCat]

That might work. Aren't they similar to hockey helmets? Just anything that can give give as much protection as possible without a player feeling safe lowering his head like a battering ram.

I have the argument a lot with rugby enthusiasts that give me the tired line about real men don't wear all the pads. If you watch the two sports (both of which I love) you can easily see that the pads give football players a sense of invincibility and the force and momentum of the collisions is much greater. As someone said earlier, the pads have little bearing on a concussion in a full on collision because it is the sudden jolting stop that swooshes the brain around in the skull. If we reduce the pads, we will likely reduce the violence of the collisions and reduce the career ending injuries. But it will also make football look a lot more like rugby where ball carriers are usually ridden down rather than flattened with a big hit.

 

[VirginiaWildcat]

But it will also make football look a lot more like rugby where ball carriers are usually ridden down rather than flattened with a big hit.

That would be a good thing. It would return football to the 20s-30s (from a tackling perspective, not a "Wing-T" perspective) and would be a HUGE step in limiting injuries...

 

[VFL-82-JP]

Football is too deeply a part of American culture to disappear...or even diminish from its position as America's #1 sport.

A hundred years ago, President Teddy Roosevelt formed a commission to find ways to lessen the hazards of college football. At the time, players were not getting injured...they were dying...at the rate of 10-12 a year.

So we've been here before. We've actually been in an even worse place, and found a way through.

We'll find a way through this challenge, as well. The equipment will improve, the rules will be adjusted, and the sport will continue to thrive, hopefully with significantly fewer traumatic injuries to our lads.

 

[GlideCat]

That would be a good thing. It would return football to the 20s-30s (from a tackling perspective, not a "Wing-T" perspective) and would be a HUGE step in limiting injuries...

The Wing T with a passing option is not all that different from Randy Walker's offense.

 

[VirginiaWildcat]

The Wing T with a passing option is not all that different from Randy Walker's offense.

Ever watched Notre Dame footage from the 30s and 40s? Really good stuff! (Hate the team...but love that old style of football)

 

[GlideCat]

Ever watched Notre Dame footage from the 30s and 40s? Really good stuff! (Hate the team...but love that old style of football)

They won or lost the game on how well they blocked. It was fundamental football as a true team sport.

 

[docrugby1]

The Wing T with a passing option is not all that different from Randy Walker's offense.

Tubby Raymond's Delaware winged T was a thing of beauty-misdirection and power blocking

In Virginia, a team that went winless adopted the single wing and won the state championship the next year-it may be the most powerful running formation of all time-unbalanced line with 3 backs to block plus 1 or 2 pulling lineman. The drawback is finding a tailback that could be the primary ball carrier and passer

 

[docrugby1]

I have the argument a lot with rugby enthusiasts that give me the tired line about real men don't wear all the pads. If you watch the two sports (both of which I love) you can easily see that the pads give football players a sense of invincibility and the force and momentum of the collisions is much greater. As someone said earlier, the pads have little bearing on a concussion in a full on collision because it is the sudden jolting stop that swooshes the brain around in the skull. If we reduce the pads, we will likely reduce the violence of the collisions and reduce the career ending injuries. But it will also make football look a lot more like rugby where ball carriers are usually ridden down rather than flattened with a big hit.

I will disagree with some of Glidecats opinions. I played rugby at a high level in the USA , New Zealand, Australia, Argentina and Great Britain

Anyone who has really played the game seriously does not use the argument about wearing pads. The games are different and only the goal line requires the type of collision tackle that occurs in football. However since there are usually 2-3 times as many tackles in a rugby match and high impact collisions as rucks
are formed, in reality there are probably similar numbers of dangerous impacts

Log on to ESPN3.com, put "rugby" in the search box , choose replay and watch the best of NZ and Australia games. You will get an idea of the amount of contact in rugby

 

[VirginiaWildcat]

The bottom line is Rugby players don't have to launch themselves at full speed headfirst into an opponent (also running/jumping at full speed) to break up as pass. Hardshell helmets often give players the false impression they can do this without consequence. The players these days are too big, too fast to have weapons like that on their heads. The hardshell helmets have to go...

 

[docrugby1]

The bottom line is Rugby players don't have to launch themselves at full speed headfirst into an opponent (also running/jumping at full speed) to break up as pass. Hardshell helmets often give players the false impression they can do this without consequence. The players these days are too big, too fast to have weapons like that on their heads. The hardshell helmets have to go...

The modern rugby game has as many high impact collisions as any football game. You are wrong to state otherwise.

The professional game is now played by athletes with superior cardiovascular fitness to any football team.

The game now incorporates a "concussion protocol" . A player suspected of having suffered a head injury is sent off the field with a substitute allowed. The player is examined by a physician and allowed to return if he passes the tests. I would estimate that about 5 players per game are sent off because of head injuries

The average weight of an 8 man forward pack ranges between 850-900 kg. There are no behemoths but they are not small men. Many forwards wear scrum caps which appear to be foam padded to protect their ears and head. A few backs wear scrum caps as well

Again use the ESPN app to watch the modern game. Watch how many tackles there are but also watch the contact as rucks are formed after each tackle. A phase is a tackle/ruck and maintaining posession Munster (an elite Irish team)won the European Rugby Championship a few years ago by maintaining possession for 117 phases to end the game. I believe that was about the last 8 or 9 minutes of the game

Rugby players do tackle differently but because of the sheer volume of tackles there are as many high impact head contact injuries as any football game

 

[VirginiaWildcat]

The modern rugby game has as many high impact collisions as any football game. You are wrong to state otherwise.

Did I state otherwise? I believe my statement was that the types collisions are different due to the helmets worn...