WHAT TO DO ABOUT NFL HEAD SHOTS

Part of me says this is a warrior sport and you let them play. But on reflection I think the following factors make that an untenable position:
-Increasing medical evidence that concussions have a dangerous cumulative effect over time
-Bigger and faster players than ever before
-A helmet designed to protect the skull, not the brain
-Inadequate quarterback skill levels leaving receivers vulnerable

Fans want the best players on the field and nobody wants to see catastrophic injuries or death on national TV (unless of course Mr. Ronald Wright is the victim). So I don't think my doing nothing approach works.

Now there are a whole range of possible solutions with varying impacts on the players and the game

-Remove helmets from the game
-Ban certain kinds of pass routes
-Ban zone defenses
-Fine offenders
-Suspend offender
-Mandate "bringing the arms" when tackling

My own view is only numbers 2,4, 5 and 6 above are possible. What I don't want to see is the danger element removed from the game entirely or the big hit always penalized. If it's a bang-bang play? Let it go. If the offensive guy changes his pad level at the last moment? Let it go. Brandon Meriweather should have been fined. The other two? I don't think so. What say you?

I think right now they are doing a pretty decent job of policing the helmet to helmet but they could do more. I like your number 4 and 5. Remember these guys are getting paid millions to risk it.

Putting any further restrictions would be like making all boxers wear head gear.

Soonermark890 wrote:I think right now they are doing a pretty decent job of policing the helmet to helmet but they could do more. I like your number 4 and 5. Remember these guys are getting paid millions to risk it.

Putting any further restrictions would be like making all boxers wear head gear.

We'll see how things get called for the rest of the seson.

marbleheadmaui wrote:

Soonermark890 wrote:I think right now they are doing a pretty decent job of policing the helmet to helmet but they could do more. I like your number 4 and 5. Remember these guys are getting paid millions to risk it.

Putting any further restrictions would be like making all boxers wear head gear.

We'll see how things get called for the rest of the seson.

It looks like they are going to get even more serious about stopping all those kinds of hits.

Soonermark890 wrote:

marbleheadmaui wrote:

Soonermark890 wrote:I think right now they are doing a pretty decent job of policing the helmet to helmet but they could do more. I like your number 4 and 5. Remember these guys are getting paid millions to risk it.

Putting any further restrictions would be like making all boxers wear head gear.

We'll see how things get called for the rest of the seson.

It looks like they are going to get even more serious about stopping all those kinds of hits.

If that's true they really are going to put the sport at risk.

marbleheadmaui wrote:

Soonermark890 wrote:

marbleheadmaui wrote:

Soonermark890 wrote:I think right now they are doing a pretty decent job of policing the helmet to helmet but they could do more. I like your number 4 and 5. Remember these guys are getting paid millions to risk it.

Putting any further restrictions would be like making all boxers wear head gear.

We'll see how things get called for the rest of the seson.

It looks like they are going to get even more serious about stopping all those kinds of hits.

If that's true they really are going to put the sport at risk.

Nah the players wont change how hard they hit they just wont aim at their head.

head hunting is a huge issue..and they want a 18 game season..come on.

Great topic Marble. I played sports (including football) and I was thinking about starting a thread with this topic last night, but it was late and I was tired.

The guys today are so damn big. So damn fast.

A guy named Percy Ellsworth went to my high school and was a football star (a few years older than I am, my brother played football and basketball with him). Ellsworth went to UVa and was an undrafted free agent. He played in the NFL from 96-01 at safety for the Giants and Browns.

When my brother or I have spoken with him over the years, Percy has remarked on several occasions how damn violent the game at the NFL level is. Almost everyone is a big fast SOB, with obscene strength.

Human beings who are fast (and have spent years stuffing down protein and throwing up weights), getting into collisions is going to result in alot of injuries, especially concussions.

I think today it isn't just the obscene size and speed combination of the players, it is their technique. Guys dip their head when tackling way too often. As my football coach always said, see what you hit. Alot of these guys have their damn head down upon impact. When you do that you are likely to spear a guy or end up face to face.

So start fining guys. Suspend guys for repeated head to head hits. And make it freaking clear to teams that they have to do a better job of making sure technique is a big part of every tackle.

As for the 18 game season:
It is stupid. NFL season is long and brutal for the players. Why do fans need an 18 game season??? Preseason you can watch your team. Then 16 regular season games. Then weeks of playoffs. The season is plenty long enough for fans!!!!!

captainanddew wrote:Great topic Marble. I played sports (including football) and I was thinking about starting a thread with this topic last night, but it was late and I was tired.

The guys today are so damn big. So damn fast.

A guy named Percy Ellsworth went to my high school and was a football star (a few years older than I am, my brother played football and basketball with him). Ellsworth went to UVa and was an undrafted free agent. He played in the NFL from 96-01 at safety for the Giants and Browns.

When my brother or I have spoken with him over the years, Percy has remarked on several occasions how damn violent the game at the NFL level is. Almost everyone is a big fast SOB, with obscene strength.

Human beings who are fast (and have spent years stuffing down protein and throwing up weights), getting into collisions is going to result in alot of injuries, especially concussions.

I think today it isn't just the obscene size and speed combination of the players, it is their technique. Guys dip their head when tackling way too often. As my football coach always said, see what you hit. Alot of these guys have their damn head down upon impact. When you do that you are likely to spear a guy or end up face to face.

So start fining guys. Suspend guys for repeated head to head hits. And make it freaking clear to teams that they have to do a better job of making sure technique is a big part of every tackle.

As for the 18 game season:
It is stupid. NFL season is long and brutal for the players. Why do fans need an 18 game season??? Preseason you can watch your team. Then 16 regular season games. Then weeks of playoffs. The season is plenty long enough for fans!!!!!

Nice post. I played small college ball and the day after a game it took til the middle of the afternoon to feel like my joints were working even a little. That was with 240 pound lineman ruinning 5.2 40's and 210 pound LB's running 4.9's and 185 RB's running 4.8's. I can't IMAGINE the day after a pro game.

The most interesting suggestion I've heard is introducing a rule they have in rugby where a tackler must bring his arms when he tackles.

Back in High School,when we used leather helmets,we didn't have this problem.