The conversation surrounding concussions has been growing over the past couple years in football and especially in the NFL. As more research comes out we are learning that not only do big hits to the head cause concussions but all the small ones can have a similar cumulative effect. It is kind of like watching a T.OCHO show marathon. The first couple episodes are pretty easy to recover from, you could just fire up some Arrested Development episodes or turn off the TV altogether. But if the T.OCHO show watching goes unchecked the chances of your head exploding increase exponentially.
The same is true with concussions, you can take the small hits but eventually they will accumulate and manifest themselves in the form of a concussion. By decreasing the small brain impacts you decrease concussion probability. Many players in the NFL wear old technology, loose fitting helmets with their chinstraps hanging loose. It looks cool when a helmet pops off but the brain doesn’t appreciate it. It is impossible to measure how many brain injuries could be prevented by enforcing current equipment rules but why doesn’t the NFL start there? The NFL fines players for having the wrong color socks or the wrong color chinstrap, why not require them to wear properly fitted, high tech helmets that decrease the risk of concussion? Make them buckle their chinstraps. A warning and then a 5-yard penalty on the second occurrence would be a sufficient deterrent.
In all honesty, the NFL and Roger Goodell have to go one of these routes right? You can’t just operate under one set of rules for 7 weeks, change the rules mid-week and then fine the players who were playing under the old rules for infractions based on the news rules can you? Oh wait, that is exactly what they did and the players are confused more now than ever. Fortunately for the NFL their product is still the best of any of the major leagues, they still have the biggest TV contracts and they still have loyal fans. If David Stern wasn’t so busy making sure the NBA product was second-rate the NFL wouldn’t just be losing market share to college football.
A word of advice to Goodell and his advisors, you better figures this out quickly without diluting your product or else with your 3 ½ hour games and incessant commercial breaks you might find yourself going the way of MLB. (Translation: people only care during the playoffs).
Hopefully something like this will come to the rescue - http://www.wired.com/playbook/2010/08/better-football-helmet/
YOU JUST GOT BURNED
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