Consussions in the NFL - a serious topic

[Monkeydad]

What, if any, changes should be made in regards to the handling of concussions in the NFL? This season, there seems to be an increased number of severe head injuries despite advancing technology in helmets and protection. Clinton Portis, DeSean Jackson, Ben Reothlisberger, Brian Westbrook, Kurt Warner, Troy Polamalu and many other stars are missing time due to concussions.

The NFL has tightened down on rules regarding them. No longer does a team doctor's approval adequate to return, now a team doctor AND an outside physician must BOTH approve a return to action.

Ben Roethlisberger and Clinton Portis are both recent examples of players being approved by team doctors but not returning because of failing to get both clearances...or personal opinions that they need to sit out further.

Despite a ridiculous number of rule changes to protect QBs (Tom Brady rules), it's seems to be happening more frequently to higher profile players.

It's a matter that is literally concerning life and death, at least quality of life beyond football.

Discuss. Anything that can be done? Changed?




An example of a career-ending concussion:

[mlmdub130]

nice just watched it again, thanks buster

as far as concussions go, this game has gotten so much faster and stronger than it used to be, and i think at this point in time the gear hasn't caught up with the players. but in the next few years i think we will notice a change throughout the leaguge where all players wear the same helmets chin gaurds ect. right now there are different helmets that can be worn to help with comcussions but alot of players don't wear them, so i think they will all be forced to wear those big ass space helemts, and by forced i mean forced the things look dumb as hell

[dmek25]

Aikman was on P.T.I yesterday talking about this issue. i agree that its a fine line between protecting the players, and the product not looking like football anymore. and players like Hines Ward really need to get educated, because he sounded like a total jackass, in regards to Roethlisberger

[Monkeydad]

Athletes in every sport are getting bigger, stronger and faster.

If anything, the padding and protection is constantly being re-engineered to be LIGHTER to make the players faster (thanks, Nike).

Could the equipment manufacturers have a large piece of the fault?



However...we need LESS rules, they're watering down the quality of play and aren't calling them consistently anyways. (Jason Campbell was knocked out last week, picked up and thrown headfirst onto the turf...if this was Brady...there would have been a penalty, fines, suspensions...

Ron Jaworski was on Mike & Mike this morning and said he had something like 32 concussions over his career.

It will be interesting to see how it affects Troy Aikman and Steve Young later in life, they had a ton of them. They're seemingly fine now, great speakers and commentators, for now. Others have not been as lucky though.

[mlmdub130]

Originally Posted by Buster

Athletes in every sport are getting bigger, stronger and faster.



It will be interesting to see how it affects Troy Aikman and Steve Young later in life, they had a ton of them. They're seemingly fine now, great speakers and commentators, for now. Others have not been as lucky though.

this is the only sport where they hit as hard

wait til they are 60 their brains will be like mashed potatoes

[SmootSmack]

When I walk around here I see so many former NFL players (and other sports) who are relatively young yet move around like they belong in an old folks home. Years of killing their bodies day after day has taken its toll and they now feel the long-term effects of aches, pains, and broken bones. But when they're playing they don't think about what will happen in 5-10-15 years when they're retired and can barely move around.

Just like a guy like Mike Webster didn't think while he was winning his Super Bowls as a Center for the Steelers that he was sustaining brain damage that would leave him homeless and dead by age 50.

But anyway, before I digress too far, I'm glad Goodell and then NFL front offices are working to enact these changes because most current players don't seem to realize the long-term dangers they're putting themselves in. And I can understand it, there's a gladiator, show no weakness mentality at play here.

And the fans don't understand it either. That's why we have people say Portis is a punk who only cares about his money since he's not playing. It's why the clip of Aikman getting drilled by Arrington is here. I don't think Buster posted it to show the dangers of concussions, but rather to show how "awesome" it was that Aikman got rocked like that.

[mlmdub130]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

Just like a guy like Mike Webster didn't think while he was winning his Super Bowls as a Center for the Steelers that he was sustaining brain damage that would leave him homeless and dead by age 50.

And the fans don't understand it either. That's why we have people say Portis is a punk who only cares about his money since he's not playing. It's why the clip of Aikman getting drilled by Arrington is here. I don't think Buster posted it to show the dangers of concussions, but rather to show how "awesome" it was that Aikman got rocked like that.

yeah bradshaw talked about him on the pregame last week, crazy

those people are morons

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by Buster

Athletes in every sport are getting bigger, stronger and faster.

If anything, the padding and protection is constantly being re-engineered to be LIGHTER to make the players faster (thanks, Nike).

Could the equipment manufacturers have a large piece of the fault?



However...we need LESS rules, they're watering down the quality of play and aren't calling them consistently anyways. (Jason Campbell was knocked out last week, picked up and thrown headfirst onto the turf...if this was Brady...there would have been a penalty, fines, suspensions...

Ron Jaworski was on Mike & Mike this morning and said he had something like 32 concussions over his career.

It will be interesting to see how it affects Troy Aikman and Steve Young later in life, they had a ton of them. They're seemingly fine now, great speakers and commentators, for now. Others have not been as lucky though.

The equipment if anything gets better each and every year so thats not the issue.

[tryfuhl]

Originally Posted by firstdown

The equipment if anything gets better each and every year so thats not the issue.

I don't think he said it's not advancing, just not fast enough to make these issues more likely to go away.