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The NFL has become more aware that concussions can lead to severe problems later on in a players life, I recently heard Dan Marino talk about that on the radio (keeping a player out longer now than in the past) and that he felt that this was a very smart move and wished they were more aware of complications when he played. Years ago, you had no chance to object, a week later you were expected to be in the game.
Concussions are very serious in all sports and I am glad the NFL is finally taking a stand to protect their athletes AND to be an example for the college, high school, and youth athlete that playing with concussions should not be done. I know there are some in the medical field who object to the thoughts that the NFL has put forth because they believe that this will lead to a "cookie-cutter" approach to concussions.

Concussions are a main concern to me because I've had a few and I know that there is very little to be done for a concussion. Sprained ankle-- piece of cake to treat. Torn RTC or torn labrum-- surgery, rehab, good to go. Concussion--sit and do NOTHING.

I personally am glad to see concussions in the media. People need to recognize that it's very serious and "getting your bell rung" is not something to be proud of.
We used to call a concussion "getting your bell rung." It was very common to have a concussion go out for a few plays and then go back in that game. And almost always you played the next week. This was also common in the NFL. Now that more information has come out and the spotlight has put on this situation new rules have been put in place and I am sure more will come. Borderline guys , guys that are just hanging on to stay in the league will try to cover their concussions up. They will lie about how they feel. They will do whatever they have to do to play. They dont want to lose their shot. The stars , the guys that feel secure in their posistion and job will be more likely to sit and for obvious reasons.

Its very easy to pass the tests that you are given. Have you been having headaches? No. Do you feel sick on your stomach? No. Have you been having any blurred vision? No.

If you want to play bad enough you can. Now maybe they have some better tests out there now I have no idea. But football players that want to play bad enough will find a way to play. Heck Ronnie Lott had a finger cut off so he could play.
Obviously we all know the potential dangers that exist from a batter being struck in the head by a 95mph fastball. It could have cataclysmic effects the moment of impact on the head.

I know that MLB tried last year to introduce a new batting helmet which we all got to see on here along with the myriad of spoof helmets from movies past. But what about the young player either last year or year before that was struck on the base of his neck on the back as he turned away and was killed?

How on earth do you keep that area safe? I don't know.
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quote:
Originally posted by Vicarious Dad:
I think helmets should be re-designed. Maybe, a few inches of foam on the outside of the hard shell would absorb enough energy to prevent someone's brain from rattling around. Might not look as cool, but it's your head.


Saw a report this week saying that the very FIRST thing that the NFL needs to do is to make the players wear the newest helments...



...apparently the players are routinely wearing 3, 5, and even 7 year old helments, that either are out of date or worn out...

...explains some things.

Cool
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Last edited by observer44
quote:
If you want to play bad enough you can. Now maybe they have some better tests out there now I have no idea. But football players that want to play bad enough will find a way to play. Heck Ronnie Lott had a finger cut off so he could play.


They have testing called IMPACT that was designed by neurological physicians from the University of Pittsburg Medical Center. It is much harder to cheat the computer. For the NFL, it's a drop in the bucket to pay for it. For high schools, some places won't see it for awhile because it's not cheap. It requires a baseline test done at the beginning of a season and then 24 hours after head injury. Then, they continue to test everyday or 2 until the scores are back to baseline.

quote:
Saw a report this week saying that the very FIRST thing that the NFL needs to do is to make the players wear the newest helments...


This would surprise me. I'm sure some of them are wearing the older style helmet, but to think that an NFL player is wearing a helmet that they've been using for 3-7 years would really surprise me.

There are many different choices out there as far as football helmets go currently. I would love to see everyone wearing some model of the Riddell Revolution, the Xenith Helmet, or the Schutt DNA. Again for the NFL, not a problem as far as costs. For others much more difficult as one of these helmets are nearly double the "standard" helmet..
My son suffered multiple concussions the summer preceding sophomore year in high school. The last was 4 days before the first game of the football season during a tackling drill.

We were very lucky in that the doctor that we took James to would not clear him to play football for several weeks and told us that he should sit out the year. James is now in his senior year of high school and has signed an NLI to play college baseball.

We live in a small community and it was very difficult for our son not to play football. He still misses it every day. What made things more difficult was explaining over and over again why he could not play. Most people did not understand as there is not enough information out there regarding head injuries. I like what the NFL is doing.

James wears a Wilson "Shock" catchers helmet and has since his sophomore season with good results. He says he likes it because he does not get his "Bell Rung" when a foul tip hits him square in the face mask as the helmet has small shock absorbers built into the mask.

If what the NFL is doing brings the effects of concussions more into the public eye and protects the players better......I am all for it. The effects of concussions can be very scary..... for what is seen short term and what cannot be seen in the long term.
I won't be so cold as saying that's part of the profession that they have chosen, but I will say that other professions are much more dangerous and I don't see headlines there. If the NFL was smart they would throw a ton of money into safety equipment much like NASCAR did and force make a subtle hint that the Players Association to do the same. There is a risk/reward to every profession and the last thing they should want is the government sticking it's nose into the problem because it is "trendy".
Last edited by rz1
quote:
Originally posted by Vicarious Dad:
I think helmets should be re-designed. Maybe, a few inches of foam on the outside of the hard shell would absorb enough energy to prevent someone's brain from rattling around. Might not look as cool, but it's your head.



I believe that its quite possible that in the future HS athletes will all wear helmets with facemasks while batting, fielding and pitching.....

Such is the way with the NFHS.....
Last edited by piaa_ump
When I was on the local Little League board, years ago, you cannot imagine the controversy when someone proposed putting face guards on the batting helmets. "It hindered their sight lines", they said, "it was uncomfortable", said others. It also could prevent someone from getting hurt. I mean, these are young kids!!!!

One of my sons suffered multiple concussions, scary concussions, the first one while playing basketball on the playground when he was in 7th grade. There is a cumulative effect, and now all he pretty much has to do is bump his head and he gets another one. The studies of how the brain reacts years later is enough for me to want to wrap all my kids in bubble wrap. He is afraid for how he will be able to function 10, 20, 30 years from now. It's really not a joke.


When I was subbing two weeks ago in a p.e, class, a 5th grader collided with another kid and "got his bell rung". He was down for a couple of minutes, and then he was woozy getting up. I sent him to the office--with another kid for support-----and called the office to report what happened. The secretary said he was a tough kid and that he was ok.

The kid was sent back to the gym. He really wasn't "ok". I sat him down next to me so that I could keep my eye on him and be there in case something happened. He said that his eye felt pressure, that he was a little dizzy. When his teacher came to pick up her class, I told her what happened, that really, the mom needs to be called. I don't know if she ever was. I was scared for the kid.

If the NFL's attention to concussions serves to bring attention to this injury, then that's good. You can get serious brain injuries without playing football. The more information that gets out to the general population, the better we can handle things like "getting our bells rung".
Last edited by play baseball

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