This is pretty big news | Syracusefan.com

This is pretty big news

Wow, that's going to put a scare out there. Does that refer to live scrimmage only or other contact drills.
 
What if all coaches refused to coach under those rules, so there was no FB. Bet the rule would change to something reasonable
 
About 30 years ago my grandfather told me something that being a teenager I laughed off and automatically thought was ludicrous because he was old and I was young and knew everything. A little bit of background he played football at Holy Rosary here in Syracuse and at Manhattan and Appalachian St in the late 20's and early 30's. As most of you know this is when people wore leather helmets. He said to me, "Boy, the helmets that these players wear today will eventually ruin the game." When we played, we tackled with our heads up, with a proper form. Today, players lead with their heads and actually use their head/helmet as a battering ram". I have always remembered this and the last few years I cant help but think there is SOME truth to it. It may not be the whole reason, but i cant help but think my grandfather was much smarter than I gave him credit for. As a society we glorify blows to the head on Sportscenter and the like, because violence is what sells, not a proper form tackle. I don't know the right answer, but I cant see football being the same in 20 years.
 
I don't pretend to have an answer, but for kids that haven't played football before and start in 9th grade, they're in for a rude awakening on game day. You have to learn not only how to hit, but to GET hit in a practice setting. I think this actually works against safety as much as it helps.
 
Girls soccer is the most concussed high school sport. I guess we should limit them to 15 minutes of running with the ball. Same with hockey. Let's limit them to 15 minutes with skates.. But that would be dumb...
 
I don't pretend to have an answer, but for kids that haven't played football before and start in 9th grade, they're in for a rude awakening on game day. You have to learn not only how to hit, but to GET hit in a practice setting. I think this actually works against safety as much as it helps.
Without proper technique, you get hurt. Some helicopter Mom's/Dads may have just hurt a bunch of kids .
 
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This seems really stupid. Never played football, but the vast majority of kids who played high school football end up fine physically. There's risk in everything and as other pointed out, this seems like it will make things more dangerous.

PA and NY prep schools are going to get some athletes.
 
didnt the Ivies already do pretty much this in football the last year?
 
At Don Bosco we went live everyday the equivalent to a full game no joke it was a scrimmage every day
Same in our town. One of the few states that still have doubles, because they understand that football is to teach hard work and discipline.
 
so the only time they can really come into full contact is games now? Is 15 minutes even enough time to really be worth it

Sounds like Rutgers fans discussing their sex lives...maybe that's where the idea got started. ;)
 
About 30 years ago my grandfather told me something that being a teenager I laughed off and automatically thought was ludicrous because he was old and I was young and knew everything. A little bit of background he played football at Holy Rosary here in Syracuse and at Manhattan and Appalachian St in the late 20's and early 30's. As most of you know this is when people wore leather helmets. He said to me, "Boy, the helmets that these players wear today will eventually ruin the game." When we played, we tackled with our heads up, with a proper form. Today, players lead with their heads and actually use their head/helmet as a battering ram". I have always remembered this and the last few years I cant help but think there is SOME truth to it. It may not be the whole reason, but i cant help but think my grandfather was much smarter than I gave him credit for. As a society we glorify blows to the head on Sportscenter and the like, because violence is what sells, not a proper form tackle. I don't know the right answer, but I cant see football being the same in 20 years.
Your grandfather was a most prescient man. Indeed, hard helmets guaranteed this. Face masks made certain that guys felt OK leading with their face right into shoulder pads or helmets, to block or tackle. Then improved helmets meant players would decide to us their helmets as weapons.
 
I don't pretend to have an answer, but for kids that haven't played football before and start in 9th grade, they're in for a rude awakening on game day. You have to learn not only how to hit, but to GET hit in a practice setting. I think this actually works against safety as much as it helps.
It does. It will cause at least as many problems as it helps address.
 
I believe football is an extremely violent sport. And I question how much time kids spend in such a violent activity. But my fear would be that more kids will get hurt from this rule. If you’re going to play games, you have to prepare for the collisions. I’m not sure 15 minutes each week would do that.
 
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The addition of a layer of hard plastic to the protective equipment is what has led us to this point. The hard exo layer with a layer of cushion behind it has allowed players to deliver huge blows without injuring themselves. This is in addition to promoting bad technique of using the head to strike with as others have noted.
To save the game we have to commit to actually making the equipment less protective, so that there is again a physical limitation imposed on players for using bad technique (striking with the head) or delivering dangerous blows.
The trick would be to phase in changes to the gear so that the accompanying changes in technique happen naturally over time. If we went to soft padding cold turkey there would be so many injuries it would pretty much end football. If we do nothing, same thing.
 
The violence is why so many boys LOVE football. The lessons of hard work, discipline, character and selflessness are well learned. Required if you don't want to get your arse kicked.(literally)

Limiting to 15 minutes takes away the part so many boys love. More will be injured, and less will play. Frankly, that's the goal.
 
Your grandfather was a most prescient man. Indeed, hard helmets guaranteed this. Face masks made certain that guys felt OK leading with their face right into shoulder pads or helmets, to block or tackle. Then improved helmets meant players would decide to us their helmets as weapons.


You are 100% correct, I totally forgot until you wrote this. He said exactly that about the face masks as well. Thank You for helping me remember that!
 
You are 100% correct, I totally forgot until you wrote this. He said exactly that about the face masks as well. Thank You for helping me remember that!
My grandfather always said that the most clean football, the most pure football, ended with the arrival of facemasks. He would have hated football after guys started lowering their heads to use helmets as battering rams. To him, football was about guys with their heads up, seeing the plays they make, using eyes and arms and legs and shoulders.

Late in life,.he became aware of both Gaelic football and Australian Rules (which are very similar), and he liked both of those.

Nobody today would go back to leather helmets. So to keep harsh things away we need very strict rules to punish players who lower their heads at all and make contact with the head. If we don't, the game might get ruined. With NJ leading the way.
 

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