Concussions and Football. What are we going to do?

[futuremd]

No helmets?

Leather helmets?

More rules?

...kill football? 

 

[mr marcus]

they'll never kill football

 

[memo]

They're training kids in heads up football now, which should help reduce the risk of injury to the head. 

Injuries will still happen though, guys are 300 pounds running at each other full force. There's not much you can do. Especially when you are a running and someone clips you while you're in the air.

 

[Peep Game]

You really have to start at the 1st level of football, the little leagues. Sure, it'll take a hell of a long time, but through pure attrition, you would have [mostly] correct form tackling leading up to the pros. Still, you can't simulate football and try easing up while playing (as evidenced by the Pro Bowl since about 2005, and especially last year's). These injuries will happen with the type of sport football is, but there's not any reason that these extra violent, paralyzing collisions can't be lessened.

 

[matt53]

I think the measures that have slowly been implemented will prove to be efficient over time. Players are starting to see that a big hit may not be worth a 15 yard penalty and with Pop Warner coaches teaching proper form, things are heading in the right direction

 

[champcruthik]

Have our children play soccer instead. Not completely serious, just a personal preference for raising my kids in the future.

 

[Kimchi Papi]

Have our children play soccer instead. Not completely serious, just a personal preference for raising my kids in the future.

This feature on ESPN's OTL had me shook...

 

[champcruthik]

Makes two of us, brotha. Never good to live life in fear, but our children can still play competitive sports without risking even a 0.1% head injury. Soccer, basketball, baseball, etc. I mean how many children really have the genetics, athleticism, and desire to be D1 football players with dreams of a NFL career? The percentages are low.

 

[Coupé It]

My child will never play football. I love the sport and I have close friends of mine who played all the way up to the D-1 level and even they feel the same way.

As for making it safer, get rid of helmets and return back to leather ones. No one will start launching their heads then. It will never happen tho, the iconic football helmet part of the culture now. Don't think football will become safer tho.

 

[nooera]

Lol @ you dudes in here saying you wont let your kids play football if they wanted to play. Might as well wrap your kids in bubble wrap and put them inside of one of those big *** hamster ball joints Your kids are just as likely to take a baseball to the face or fall onto the hardwood and break their head than they are to get a serious injury on a football field. It's little kids wearing full body armor running around with kids their size also wearing full body armor. That's the wussification of America for you, doe.

 

[champcruthik]

Completely weak argument. Proactive precautions and paranoid worrying are two very different things, my friend. No one said they won't let their kids run in the park with their friends.

 

[Kimchi Papi]

I guess we all can't be hard like NooEra.

 

[champcruthik]

I guess we all can't be hard like NooEra.

He's taking the Mike Golic approach, clearly. Can't say I've ever found myself agreeing with Golic.

 

[nooera]

I guess we all can't be hard like NooEra.

Its not about being hard fam its about having played football from a young age and in high school and knowing that that **** is fun as hell. It teaches discipline, hard work, and comraderie (sp) on a level that other sports cannot. And you get to pop people. Rough house. Young men used to enjoy that type of stuff. Hitting drills at the end of practice was the only fun part. Now the media is blowing this whole concussion thing out of proportion and have yall in here claiming you will NEVER let your children play football NO MATTER WHAT. Let your kids play whatever sport they want and let them decide which is for them. They're not going to get hurt playing football any more so than they will get hurt playing on the monkey bars at recess.

 

[champcruthik]

You're talking to somebody who also played football all through HS. I still stand by my statement regarding my own children. You act like young middle school and HS kids can't develop hard work, camaraderie, and discipline through other organized sports or activities.

 

[Kimchi Papi]

I used to be a black belt in TKD & was going into kick boxing. I've been knocked out & have knocked someone out. It's not fun on either end (for me). I was hazy for at least 2 weeks after when I was knocked out. As for the guy I knocked out, I snapped his head back so hard with a kick that he didn't come to for a long time & it scarred me to death.

Don't want to see that happen to my son. He takes TKD (brown belt) & plays soccer (3-0 so far this season, he's scored 3 goals so far)...I can't imagine what the kid's mother goes through every day & the bills that are mounting for her...

 

[futuremd]

Have our children play soccer instead. Not completely serious, just a personal preference for raising my kids in the future.

RIght here with you.

I spoke with this neurosurgeon who was like "yeah, my kids aren't playing baseball or football. They can run track or learn to play soccer and basketball if they want some 'contact' here and there." I even did Karate for a few years when I was a kid.  

 

[mez 0ne]

This feature on ESPN's OTL had me shook...

 

[DCAllAfrican]

Wasn't going to make a new thread, for what.

But came across this Tweet and made me look at what was already on here on this topic.





The answer would be an easy no for me.

 

[wayniac211]

Hell yeah.. free edu, free board, free food, yambz ...... shieeet.
I come from a background where football and rugby is implanted at a young age and had a couple concussions but some of y’all straight wussy foot for real..

 

[DCAllAfrican]

Hell yeah.. free edu, free board, free food, yambz ...... shieeet.
I come from a background where football and rugby is implanted at a young age and had a couple concussions but some of y’all straight wussy foot for real..

Folks are wussy foot because they don't want to risk getting CTE and Concussions? (You have a MUCH higher chance of getting both playing football before you hit me with a "WhatAbout")

You are a grown man, man. This is what you honestly believe?

 

[wayniac211]

Folks are wussy foot because they don't want to risk getting CTE and Concussions? (You have a MUCH higher chance of getting both playing football before you hit me with a "WhatAbout")

You are a grown man, man. This is what you honestly believe?

Hell yeah.. I’m a grown *** man.. and I take care of my seeds.. instead of worrying about what goes on outside of home, worry about what goes in the home.. I’ve taught my boys how to properly tackle (rugby style) and allowed them the option if THEY wanna play.... 16 yr old son started playing at 14 cause he’s a big fast Tongan kid and his cousins pressured him.. I was against it but lil homie starting Mike LB for his varsity squad and loves it. 6’2 215 bad *** .. proud of my son.. let em play if they want..

 

[DCAllAfrican]

Hell yeah.. I’m a grown *** man.. and I take care of my seeds.. instead of worrying about what goes on outside of home, worry about what goes in the home.. I’ve taught my boys how to properly tackle (rugby style) and allowed them the option if THEY wanna play.... 16 yr old son started playing at 14 cause he’s a big fast Tongan kid and his cousins pressured him.. I was against it but lil homie starting Mike LB for his varsity squad and loves it. 6’2 215 bad *** .. proud of my son.. let em play if they want..

I hear all that but it is still wild as hell that anyone that doesn't want their kids to play because of the risks is considered "wussy style." - That is all.

 

[wayniac211]

True.. extremo ,, saw the word wussy style up top page and thought it was funny. .. boys are rough.. let em be rough and let the aggression out.. just teach em to be smart about it..

 

[DCAllAfrican]

True.. extremo ,, saw the word wussy style up top page and thought it was funny. .. boys are rough.. let em be rough and let the aggression out.. just teach em to be smart about it..

There is no way to be "smart about" experiencing collisions.

Yes, you CAN properly tackle the right way but you only control your body.

Also, you know there are dozens of ways boys can get their aggression out. It doesn't have to be through football.