I have been trying to record and document the history of sports in my hometown and we have been interviewing as many of the older people as possilbe. A man who played high school football in 1939, 1940 and 1941, before going into the war his senior season, explained that they got fewer concussions back then because the helmets were leather and they didn't use their heads to run into each other. He said this, specifically, "Yeah, we didn’t have any concussions in those day. And I know why, the helmets you have now are big and have a lot of air in them. If you hit that, that’s where the concussions comes from." This is a smart man who is a published author. He might be on to something.

What do the stats say about injuries to the lower extremities? Football equipment evolved from protection to weaponry (e.g., spearing, face-up tackling, knocking a ball carrier down with no arm wrap, etc.) Now the rules-makers are trying to move it back in the direction of protection as less and less contact is being allowed below the waist, for instance. Have you felt a helmet lately to feel how hard it is? Same thing with shoulder pads. Players are so much bigger, stronger and faster than they once were. I don't see how anyone survives a shot to the knee from a big linebacker who has a 5-yard running start, especially if the runner cannot react before the collision. I used to comment on players who did not wear knee pads (I know it is a high school rule) but I don't really see how that little amount of cushion can retard a bad knee injury. Ask Ronnie Lott how it feels to have your fingers between two colliding helmets. I'm not saying football should be turned into a game for pansies but there's no doubt the incidence of severe injuries needs to be reined in somehow.

I have been trying to record and document the history of sports in my hometown and we have been interviewing as many of the older people as possilbe. A man who played high school football in 1939, 1940 and 1941, before going into the war his senior season, explained that they got fewer concussions back then because the helmets were leather and they didn't use their heads to run into each other. He said this, specifically, "Yeah, we didn’t have any concussions in those day. And I know why, the helmets you have now are big and have a lot of air in them. If you hit that, that’s where the concussions comes from." This is a smart man who is a published author. He might be on to something.

 

That's exactly why posted earlier that some think removing the facemask will cut down on head injuries.

What do the stats say about injuries to the lower extremities? Football equipment evolved from protection to weaponry (e.g., spearing, face-up tackling, knocking a ball carrier down with no arm wrap, etc.) Now the rules-makers are trying to move it back in the direction of protection as less and less contact is being allowed below the waist, for instance. Have you felt a helmet lately to feel how hard it is? Same thing with shoulder pads. Players are so much bigger, stronger and faster than they once were. I don't see how anyone survives a shot to the knee from a big linebacker who has a 5-yard running start, especially if the runner cannot react before the collision. I used to comment on players who did not wear knee pads (I know it is a high school rule) but I don't really see how that little amount of cushion can retard a bad knee injury. Ask Ronnie Lott how it feels to have your fingers between two colliding helmets. I'm not saying football should be turned into a game for pansies but there's no doubt the incidence of severe injuries needs to be reined in somehow.

 

Do you watch football? You make it sound that someone limps off on every play. The vast majority of lower leg injuries are not from shots but either getting twisted or from planting and cutting. Hardly ever do you see a Willis McGahee type injury to the knee from direct contact. Actually rules makers are driving players to hit lower and lower. That's what all the helmet to helmet rules are for.

That's exactly why posted earlier that some think removing the facemask will cut down on head injuries.

 

Simply crazy.

Simply crazy.

 

It's actually logical.

My son played 9 years of organized football. In that time he missed more than his fair share of games with injuries including but not limited to:

1. Broken ankle (tackled from behind)

2. Dislocated finger(s)

3. Tendonitis in achilles (over use)

4. sprained ankle (twisted on an exposed sprinkler head)

5. Separated shoulder (hard hit)

6. Torn Labrum (required surgery) See above, improper reduction of separation done by team mate on field to avoid trainer...

7. Hyper extended elbow and knee (on the same play) Illegal hit from opponent which resulted in 15 yard penalty

8. and assorted other injuries and cuts bruises and bangs

 

He returned to play after each injury, with the exception of the hyperextensions since it occurred two games deep into the playoffs his senior year. At no time do I think he ever was close to a concussion, in part to playing center in high school and TE in MS and elementary, but I think he was lucky and had good coaches who taught him the proper way to hit and block.

 

I think that is where it all needs to start, with good coaching and learning the right way early to hit and block, absent that I would seriously reconsider letting a kid play. Parents need to understand the game and what is good and what is bad.

That's exactly why posted earlier that some think removing the facemask will cut down on head injuries.

Thats very interesting. I would love if anyone knew, how many rugby players suffer from concussions?

 

I actually wouldn't put up too much of a argument if football went to that type of headd protection. It would force players to tackle more by actually wrapping up instead of leading with the head. With that said, I still wouldn't wwant to meet a 270 lb RB in the hole without a helmet lol.

It's actually logical.

 

The logical thing to do is to do what is already being done. Making striking with the helmet illegal. Why have deaths in football went down? Because coaching got better. We started teaching kids to tackle with their heads up and to stop running with there heads down. Remember the statistics earlier....342 deaths down to 82. Our cannot take all the risk out. No matter how many rules you put in. We are talking about bodies crashing into bodies here. If your talking about making helmets differently but taking the face mask off is kinda nuts to me. Why were they put on in the first place? Face protection?

Former Bengals S&C coach Kim Wood said this morning on WLW that kids should not play football until 8th or 9th grade because the muscles needed to protect the brain are not developed enough to handle the blows.

Former Bengals S&C coach Kim Wood said this morning on WLW that kids should not play football until 8th or 9th grade because the muscles needed to protect the brain are not developed enough to handle the blows.

That has been a stance by some people for a long time. There have been some people who I have heard for 10-15 years say that kids shouldn't play football until Jr. High School. He is talking about neck muscles. My first thought is, he's obviously a very knowledgable and aware person, but how much has he truly dealt with youth sports, and how many head injuries occur in football players under 7th grade.

 

If someone is truly concerned about players experiencing head injuries, I would think that person should say, "You should not play football AFTER 7th grade", that is when players are more susceptible to head injuries due the development of muscles that allow greater impact and greater speed. I don't have the numbers, if they exist, but I would have to say that more head injuries occur in the NFL, then College, and more occur in College, then High School, and more occur in High School, then Jr. High, and more occur in Jr. High, then youth sports. So, it would be safer to play football at the youth level then High School.

If kids weren't allowed to play tackle football until 8th or 9th grade, you would see the end of the sport bc all those kids would be lost to soccer, golf, and everything else IMO.

 

However, with that said, I've long been a supporter of kids not playing until at least 11 or 12 bc you have kids every year at the 6-7 or a bit older ages that get their butts knocked off one time and they are done with the sport forever.

 

On the other side of that coin, I know of a couple LL programs across the state who have implemented tackle football at the 7-8 year old level, and bumper cars would be more dangerous. Long story short..the league of these teams is HIGHLY controlled. Quick whistles. No blitzing..EVER. Running clock at all times, etc