Severe football injuries

[jpd]

In all my years of following the NFL, this past year has had the most injuries on a per-game basis that I've *ever* seen What in the wide, wide, world of sports is a goin' on?

[posternutbag]

I am not sure that there have been more injuries, but without a doubt there have been a disproportionate number of injuries to high profile players.

Part of it is that players are so big and so fast that there are no rules (short of making it flag football) that will protect players. I like to point out that Allen Page, a HoF defensive tackle in the 60s and 70s, went about 6' 4" and 245 lbs. Julio Jones and Dez Bryant are 6' 3" and 220. So wide receivers today are almost as big as defensive linemen 40 years ago. Cam Newton is almost as big as "Mean" Joe Greene was.

It is a two fold problem. You can't have players that big and that fast crashing into each other and not have injuries. The other factor is physiological. The connective tissue that holds us together (tendons and ligaments) are hard to strengthen relative to muscle. You get guys who are so big and strong that they literally tear themselves apart.

[Acousticado]

As much as I like football.....perhaps it’s a sport where the male human has physically evolved beyond (whether naturally or artificially) the protection potential of gear and safeguarding serious injury such that said evolution largely can no longer compete with the rigours of the game. If that makes sense...

[Tico]

Football injuries?
What happens to the footballs?
Do they pop and deflate?

[Otterhound]

Just a guess , but it could be that this recent spinal injury was caused by the aggravation of an already existing condition .
Similar to what is believed to happened to Wayne Rainey .
Football really is not that dangerous , it is simply a very visible venue . There are far more dangerous/deadly true sports out there . Fortunately , they are not as visible and therefore not currently under attack .
Football is , in reality , is actually a fairly safe game to play because the injuries/consequences are rarely life threatening .

[Dru Edwards]

It's not just football. Hockey sidelines some guys for a while too. No reason for a full face mask not to be mandatory. Remember when Sidney Crosby took that puck to the face breaking his jaw? A visor doesn't help in that situation.

[Acousticado]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

It's not just football. Hockey sidelines some guys for a while too. No reason for a full face mask not to be mandatory. Remember when Sidney Crosby took that puck to the face breaking his jaw? A visor doesn't help in that situation.

I agree totally, especially that players grow-op through junior level with full-face protection. IMO, it should be mandatory. In fact, I have no sympathy for an NHL player who sustains facial injuries, and although the collective agreement won’t allow it and it’ll never happen, the player shouldn’t be paid while out where it is determined that proper facial protection would’ve prevented the injury. The players are too busy wanting to look cool and be easily recognizable.

[Otterhound]

Originally Posted by Acousticado

I agree totally, especially that players grow-op through junior level with full-face protection. IMO, it should be mandatory. In fact, I have no sympathy for an NHL player who sustains facial injuries, and although the collective agreement won’t allow it and it’ll never happen, the player shouldn’t be paid while out where it is determined that proper facial protection would’ve prevented the injury. The players are too busy wanting to look cool and be easily recognizable.

If this were true , there would be no helmets .
Maybe they should all be forced to use full Goaltender gear .

[Acousticado]

Originally Posted by Otterhound

If this were true , there would be no helmets .
Maybe they should all be forced to use full Goaltender gear .

And there you have it!

[SpiderTrap]

I dont watch Sports , not interested , never went along with the " crowd " ...News now coming out about very serious undetected brain injuries from years of getting the noggen banged around . I suspect those Resume or Psycho Job Questions like What favorite sport did you play in high school or college ? Has nothing to do with the reader's interest in sports .....

[jpd]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

It's not just football. Hockey sidelines some guys for a while too. No reason for a full face mask not to be mandatory. Remember when Sidney Crosby took that puck to the face breaking his jaw? A visor doesn't help in that situation.

Yup.....and have you noticed how the helmets in all sports fail to protect when there are high impact collisions...and then the dummies do *head-butts* to congratulate each other

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by Acousticado

I agree totally, especially that players grow-op through junior level with full-face protection. IMO, it should be mandatory. In fact, I have no sympathy for an NHL player who sustains facial injuries, and although the collective agreement won’t allow it and it’ll never happen, the player shouldn’t be paid while out where it is determined that proper facial protection would’ve prevented the injury. The players are too busy wanting to look cool and be easily recognizable.

I'm with you Tom, hockey helmet with full face protection should be required. Gotta admit though that players looked cool back in the pre-80s without helmets. Guy Lafleur racing down the ice with hair flying back.

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by Otterhound

Just a guess , but it could be that this recent spinal injury was caused by the aggravation of an already existing condition .
Similar to what is believed to happened to Wayne Rainey .
Football really is not that dangerous , it is simply a very visible venue . There are far more dangerous/deadly true sports out there . Fortunately , they are not as visible and therefore not currently under attack .
Football is , in reality , is actually a fairly safe game to play because the injuries/consequences are rarely life threatening .

Football is not dangerous?
Ok so the long-term crippling effects from years of brutal collisions of some of the most powerful and fastest human beings on the planet on their bodies is of no consequence. Sorry, but you're very very wrong.
I love the game but the athleticism, physicality and speed of it has become so magnified, these guys will suffer from it and many of them as early as their forties.
I personally know a number of guys who played at the collegiate level in the 1960's who had really bad issues before they turned 50. Things like surgery on shoulders, spine, hips, knees, hands, feet ...you name it.
If you could stand on the sideline of a major college team game as I have, up close and personal, the sheer physical brutality of it would take your breath away.

[aknow]

Originally Posted by Otterhound

Just a guess , but it could be that this recent spinal injury was caused by the aggravation of an already existing condition .
Similar to what is believed to happened to Wayne Rainey .
Football really is not that dangerous , it is simply a very visible venue . There are far more dangerous/deadly true sports out there . Fortunately , they are not as visible and therefore not currently under attack .
Football is , in reality , is actually a fairly safe game to play because the injuries/consequences are rarely life threatening .

Football is safe? Wrong--I've treated many nfl players. Talk to their wives, evaluate them in their 60's , if they can still ambulate and speak/think clearly. I watch pro football, but it's very Cro Magnon- and to pay some cheesehead $200-$500 million dollars to be called the head of the nfl is insulting.
And ask nfl wive's how those big nfl contracts really work!

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by jpd

[/U]

Yup.....and have you noticed how the helmets in all sports fail to protect when there are high impact collisions...and then the dummies do *head-butts* to congratulate each other

Helmets help only to a certain degree. Those high impact collisions can protect the skull from breaking but the brain is still moving. Not sure what technology can do to prevent that, limit injuries but I don't think it can prevent concussions. Hoping I'm wrong on that.