Discussions about eliminating kickoffs in college football have begun (CBS)

[sufandu]

It would be interesting to see the actual data on this. Intuitively the thought here seems correct. I have to say though that in all the games I have watched over the years, I could easily count on one hand the number of injuries on kick offs. Punts on the other hand ...

I bet there were a lot of injuries you didn't see. Lot's of guys getting their bell rung.

 

[sufandu]

I have mixed feelings about this. I love the excitement of a big play on special teams and it's the one time the opposing team can't completely plan to take the ball out of the hands of the guy that may be a team's best playmaker. At the same time, I don't think a guy should have to become a vegetable for my entertainment, and I don't buy the argument "they knew what they were getting themselves into." Nobody understands the damage they're actually doing to their body until it's too late, especially in the invincible years of their teens and 20's.

 

[orangezen]

put both lines on the 50 ...kicker and returners on 20s ..

 

[RF2044]

I have mixed feelings about this. I love the excitement of a big play on special teams and it's the one time the opposing team can't completely plan to take the ball out of the hands of the guy that may be a team's best playmaker. At the same time, I don't think a guy should have to become a vegetable for my entertainment, and I don't buy the argument "they knew what they were getting themselves into." Nobody understands the damage they're actually doing to their body until it's too late, especially in the invincible years of their teens and 20's.

Ditto. I think that the problem is that the players are just too big, fast, and strong nowadays. 50 years ago, you were "big" if you weighed 260 pounds. Now, there are linebackers bigger than that, and a few safeties approaching that size.

Not sure that there is much more that can be done with the equipment to improve things.

 

[NJCuse97]

We are taking the "foot" out of football. A name change is in the works. Licensing and new revenue opportunities abound!

 

[CuseLegacy]

 

[sufandu]

Ditto. I think that the problem is that the players are just too big, fast, and strong nowadays. 50 years ago, you were "big" if you weighed 260 pounds. Now, there are linebackers bigger than that, and a few safeties approaching that size.

Not sure that there is much more that can be done with the equipment to improve things.

I think there's a lot of truth to that. I also think that at some point tackling evolved into hitting. I think that if a guy crosses his arms over his chest and lowers his shoulder into a guy instead of making an attempt to wrap up, it should be a penalty. It can't happen because it would be too hard to enforce at game speed, but finding someway to force guys to use correct technique would help. Incidentally we've been horrible about that in our secondary the last few years.

 

[RF2044]

I think there's a lot of truth to that. I also think that at some point tackling evolved into hitting. I think that if a guy crosses his arms over his chest and lowers his shoulder into a guy instead of making an attempt to wrap up, it should be a penalty. It can't happen because it would be too hard to enforce at game speed, but finding someway to force guys to use correct technique would help. Incidentally we've been horrible about that in our secondary the last few years.

No doubt--the padding got good enough that people could launch themselves and use their bodies as weapons. They wouldn't do that if they weren't less protected.

 

[sufandu]

No doubt--the padding got good enough that people could launch themselves and use their bodies as weapons. They wouldn't do that if they weren't less protected.

I know it's not exactly the same, but I'd like to see head injury statistics from rugby.

 

[RF2044]

I know it's not exactly the same, but I'd like to see head injury statistics from rugby.

I work with a guy who is South African--huge rugby fan. He and I have talked about the differences between the two games, and I think you are touching on something important. Number one, those guys don't wear pads, so they hit cleanly [at least at the professional level, not talking about club rugby, etc.]. Above the knees and below the shoulders.

And if some makes a dirty hit, the players "police" it themselves and put a hurt on the guy the next play for taking a cheap shot. So it rarely happens, and if it does it is more accidental [someone getting knocked down and then taking out someone else's knees, for example].

Because those guys don't have head protection, they aren't launching themselves like missles, either, because they stand just as likely a chance of injuring themselves as the person they're trying to put a big hit on.

Not writing this as an advocate of rugby over football by any means, just pointing out that there are qualitative differences between the sports associated with the presence or absence of armored padding.

 

[CuseLegacy]

Go back to leather helmets and shoulder pads

 

[Finwad32]

Guaranteed, there would be a large decrease in head injuries... Possible increase in fatalities, but large head injury decrease

 

[OttoMets]

I think there's a lot of truth to that. I also think that at some point tackling evolved into hitting. I think that if a guy crosses his arms over his chest and lowers his shoulder into a guy instead of making an attempt to wrap up, it should be a penalty. It can't happen because it would be too hard to enforce at game speed, but finding someway to force guys to use correct technique would help. Incidentally we've been horrible about that in our secondary the last few years.

Couldn't agree more - it is tough to police at game speed, but it could be coached out of kids from a young age. And all this would be easier if the meathead broadcasters and sports highlight shows didn't go out of their way to celebrate this sort of hitting. There's too much glorification of dangerous plays.

 

[sufandu]

Couldn't agree more - it is tough to police at game speed, but it could be coached out of kids from a young age. And all this would be easier if the meathead broadcasters and sports highlight shows didn't go out of their way to celebrate this sort of hitting. There's too much glorification of dangerous plays.

I remember a play toward the end of Ray Lewis's career where someone caught a pass going over the middle. Lewis didn't even have to move, he crossed his arms over his chest and jumped to the side and up into the guy's chest just as he caught the ball almost sending him into a backflip. The broadcasters were falling all over themselves yelling, "He's still got it!" He didn't even have to do anything but protect himself and let the guy run into him at full speed not knowing Lewis was there because he was concentrating on catching the ball.