"What Would the End of Football Look Like?"

[Birds of B'more]

What Would the End of Football Look Like?

Very thought-provoking read about how the head-injury crisis could affect the future viability of the sport. I personally don't believe that the likelihood of football disappearing is as great as the authors suggest. But it will be interesting to see what effects the head injuries, and the subsequent lawsuits, insurance issues, public opinion, etc. have on the game at all levels as time goes on.

[PrivateO]

He's half-joking, but my friend always suggests that to make the game of football safer, eliminate helmets. Just don't play with them.

While I don't necessarily agree with him as the idea is a bit extreme (I personally don't understand how mankind can invent things like atomic particle accelerators, space shuttles, etc. but can't create a safe football helmet), I do think the NFL needs to step up and spend a hefty amount of money researching better helmet styles and padding.

The helmet has become more of a weapon than something that protects.

[Can_of_corn]

He's half-joking, but my friend always suggests that to make the game of football safer, eliminate helmets. Just don't play with them.

While I don't necessarily agree with him as the idea is a bit extreme (I personally don't understand how mankind can invent things like atomic particle accelerators, space shuttles, etc. but can't create a safe football helmet), I do think the NFL needs to step up and spend a hefty amount of money researching better helmet styles and padding.

The helmet has become more of a weapon than something that protects.

Your friend might be right. I have seen studies that show that having protective gear like helmets causes the wearer to take risks that they would not ordinarily take.

[Birds of B'more]

He's half-joking, but my friend always suggests that to make the game of football safer, eliminate helmets. Just don't play with them.

While I don't necessarily agree with him as the idea is a bit extreme (I personally don't understand how mankind can invent things like atomic particle accelerators, space shuttles, etc. but can't create a safe football helmet), I do think the NFL needs to step up and spend a hefty amount of money researching better helmet styles and padding.

The helmet has become more of a weapon than something that protects.

I think Joe Paterno was on to something when he said that rather than eliminating helmets, just get rid of facemasks.

[Don Quixote]

I read this yesterday and found it quite interesting. It would be a hell of a thing if it turned out that way....

[flashjordnk]

While I don't necessarily agree with him as the idea is a bit extreme (I personally don't understand how mankind can invent things like atomic particle accelerators, space shuttles, etc. but can't create a safe football helmet), I do think the NFL needs to step up and spend a hefty amount of money researching better helmet styles and padding.

This is the legal sham that is the NFL PrivateO. THEY DO HAVE SAFER HELMETS! Imagine that. Does the NFL mandate players wear them? Nope. Does the NFL let players disclose the helmets they use? No...

It's all about money and legal protection. They could care less about player safety. This is a quote from TMQ article in February of 2011 no less. link

After the NFC title game, Rodgers told Peter King of NBC he thought his new helmet prevented the vicious hit by Peppers -- whom the league fined $10,000 for unnecessary roughness -- from causing another concussion. "As much as the new helmet feels uncomfortable and I'm still getting used to it, I'm really happy I was wearing it on that hit,'' Rodgers said to King. But King's report did not include the critical item of information that all other football players, and the parents of young players, need -- namely, what kind of helmet.

NFL teams may be squeamish about revealing which helmets players wear because they think such an action makes them liable for any harm someone might sustain after donning a helmet of that type.

Though the NFL has been encouraging players to switch to any of the advanced helmets mentioned above, the NFL does not mandate their use.

The NFL has become a business and IMO it will be interesting in the next 5 years if the NFL continues to creep closer and closer to Indoor Football. But I'm positive the league could do more actual good to help stop concussions rather than throwing silly flags at QBs on the ground, or throwing a flag every time there is a big collision regardless of what actually happened. Half the problem is the lawsuit that Jamal Lewis was a part of is all the more reason for the NFL to try and obscure what they are really trying to do because if there are long term problems they want to continually be not liable.