OT: WNY HS FB player dies from helmet-to-helmet hit

[zibby]

http://www.buffalonews.com/city-reg...uring-football-game-dies-in-hospital-20130916

 

[stuckinbig11]

crap, about 20 miles from where I grew up

 

[Orangetradition44]

That's horrible. Far too young to die. As a parent, it's heartbreaking. Makes me secretly hope my son losses interest in football, which is sad, because I LOVED it growing up and have always felt it was the greatest team sport I've ever been exposed to.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - http://tapatalk.com/m/

 

[Faegan]

It has to start with the NFL cracking down. I saw a ludicrous number of targeting hits on Sunday. It's insane.

 

[Millhouse]

It has to start with the NFL cracking down. I saw a ludicrous number of targeting hits on Sunday. It's insane.

there is a simple way to make things better - the mark kelso steve wallace foam cap


this sport is so stupid

 

[SmilinBob]

there is a simple way to make things better - the mark kelso steve wallace foam cap

this sport is so stupid

It's about the $, not stupid. $ are their #1 priority and honestly somebody ought to look into the possible kickbacks helmet makers have been making to some NFL officials because this is beyond common sense.

This problem can be fixed.

 

[Millhouse]

It's about the $, not stupid. $ are their #1 priority and honestly somebody ought to look into the possible kickbacks helmet makers have been making to some NFL officials because this is beyond common sense.

This problem can be fixed.

might be both, in the long run not doing anything about will eventually cost them money

 

[GoCuse14]

Yeah this is down in my neck of the woods, saw reports on it on Facebook. Sad stuff.

 

[SWC75]

might be both, in the long run not doing anything about will eventually cost them money

The NFL stuck with Riddell, who wanted players to continue to use an inferior product and scared players away from Procap by saying that it would kill them.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-...g-concussion-seen-quashed-by-nfl-riddell.html

 

[SWC75]

Padded helmets is not a new concept:

In the late 50's and early 60's Duke, Ohio State, Cornell and Harvard used to wear them.

 

[Millhouse]

Padded helmets is not a new concept:

In the late 50's and early 60's Duke, Ohio State, Cornell and Harvard used to wear them.

those helmets are great aside from the face being completely exposed ha

 

[Pyle]

The NFL stuck with Riddell, who wanted players to continue to use an inferior product and scared players away from Procap by saying that it would kill them.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-...g-concussion-seen-quashed-by-nfl-riddell.html

Wow...just wow...

 

[Tobias Funke]

That's horrible. Far too young to die. As a parent, it's heartbreaking. Makes me secretly hope my son losses interest in football, which is sad, because I LOVED it growing up and have always felt it was the greatest team sport I've ever been exposed to.


-

Agree horrible news

Question for the board. Knowing what we know about head injuries and the risk involved with the sport. Do you let you son play?

 

[SWC75]

Here is an interesting discussion of why the padded helmet experiment was abandoned back then and what should be considered now. Basically the weight of the helmet and the greater friction upon impact increase the likelihood of neck injuries, even as it protects against concussions.

http://www.helmethut.com/Dr.Ken5.html

 

[Millhouse]

Here is an interesting discussion of why the padded helmet experiment was abandoned back then and what should be considered now. Basically the weight of the helmet and the greater friction upon impact increase the likelihood of neck injuries, even as it protects against concussions.

http://www.helmethut.com/Dr.Ken5.html

that's valid - if the padding is really heavy, the dangers of the added mass can offset whatever benefit you get from softness (kinda like boxing gloves)

but as long as the padding is light, the benefits of a cushion decreasing the force at any one instant will prevail

i gotta think it's easy enough to reduce friction by making coating slippery and soft

 

[SWC75]

I still think that a lot of it is technique. Danny Parkins once said on his shot that "Dick Butkus made his living on helmet to helmet hits." He was trying to argue that H-H hits have always been basic to the sport. I went to You-Tube and watched three Dick Butkus highlight tapes, apparently from different seasons as there were no repeat plays. I never saw and H-H hit. Once Dick led with his helmet into a player's shoulder, but not the head. Here's one:

Dick was a classic technical tackler- coming in with his arms out to capture the ball carrier, hitting hard with a shoulder, wrapping up and pulling the guy down. The rough stuff would come after he had control of the guy. He might twist something or throw him roughly to the ground. But he never targeted the other guy's helmet and launched his own helmet after the target. That's a bad tackling technique not only because of the potential for injury, (to either player), but because you could deliver a glancing blow and the runner might bounce away and keep running. These kids who try to drill a guy with their helmet are jsut trying to get on a a highlight reel, not win the game.

 

[Tornado91]

Unfortunately, the most vulnerable part of the body is also the weapon of choice for many tacklers. Every advance in helmet technology designed to soften the blow also makes it a more realistic tool for tacklers. The boxing glove analogy is appropriate- protect the weapon and punches can continue for the whole fight without consequence. It should come as no surprise that the introduction of boxing gloves was accompanied by a surge in ring deaths (but fewer cosmetic injuries).

Very sad story. I played football until college- we have girls, and I told my wife when our first was born I was relieved we wouldn't have to worry about football.

 

[stuckinbig11]

Yeah this is down in my neck of the woods, saw reports on it on Facebook. Sad stuff.

Where are you?

 

[stuckinbig11]

Agree horrible news

Question for the board. Knowing what we know about head injuries and the risk involved with the sport. Do you let you son play?

My younger son played a couple years, hurt his knee (not bad), and dropped the game to focus on lacrosse. I am sure glad he hurt his knee because he was good enough in the defensive secondary that he might have played in college also. Some of my current friends have young sons, and they all hope to encourage sports other than football.

 

[GoCuse14]

Where are you?

Iowa now. I am originally from Jamestown area. Went to Southwestern. Wrestled against Westfield and Portville, we didnt play football against these schools though. In fact this was actually the first time I heard that Westfield and Brocton were combined.

 

[SUFan44]

Iowa now. I am originally from Jamestown area. Went to Southwestern. Wrestled against Westfield and Portville, we didnt play football against these schools though. In fact this was actually the first time I heard that Westfield and Brocton were combined.

I am from Westfield, went to Westfield Academy and Central School.

It's a terrible shame what happened. Both towns are sick over it.

Having played football for Westfield, it's terrible to think that I could have been that kid. It can literally happen to anyone.

FYI - Westfield and Brocton are just combined in athletics for now. The two schools are in the process of merging. Can't really decide how I feel about it - it's basically going to make my old school a ghost town. But that's the price that these small communities pay for the cost cutting that occurs at the state level.

 

[GoCuse14]

I am from Westfield, went to Westfield Academy and Central School.

It's a terrible shame what happened. Both towns are sick over it.

Having played football for Westfield, it's terrible to think that I could have been that kid. It can literally happen to anyone.

FYI - Westfield and Brocton are just combined in athletics for now. The two schools are in the process of merging. Can't really decide how I feel about it - it's basically going to make my old school a ghost town. But that's the price that these small communities pay for the cost cutting that occurs at the state level.

Thinking back we may have played Westfield...but we were garbage when I played, won 2 games maybe my senior year...1995. They have gotten a lot better since that time.

 

[SUFan44]

Thinking back we may have played Westfield...but we were garbage when I played, won 2 games maybe my senior year...1995. They have gotten a lot better since that time.

I remember a really good basketball player that ended up at Siena - Justin Miller I believe? Think I was either his age or a little older. Also Maceo Wofford was really good - ended up at Iona.

Don't think we ever played Southwestern in football - but it is possible. Don't actually think we played in any of those three sports - much different sizes of schools. Only one we probably could have competed in was baseball.

 

[GoCuse14]

I know for a fact we wrestled. I wrestled Jimmy Cunningham a few times, he was a good wrestler who unfortunetely passed on too early. As well as wrestling Brad Smith. You may be right about football and hoops though. With wrestling back then there was only small school large school...we were just below large school.

Miller was younger than me, I think my little sisters age. Maceo was from Jamestown High. Both good basketball players. I recall seeing Justin get into a game in the NCAA's on tv.

 

[Guinness]

Agree horrible news

Question for the board. Knowing what we know about head injuries and the risk involved with the sport. Do you let you son play?

Nope.

I love the sport and know first hand what concussions can do to you. I understand that injuries come with all sports but football seems to be the only one that comes with the risk of brain damage.

My son is 9 and so many of his friends are already playing football. For me it simply is not worth it. There are so many other team sports he can play.