Mike Pereira: If the new rules don’t reduce concussions, the kickoff is gone

[mgteich]

No one is talking about ELIMINATING concussions.

IMHO, your idea that the number of concussions can't be reduced is simply silly. That position implies that there are no possible safety equipment or rules that could reduce concussions.

The instant discussion is about kickoffs. Obviously, the number of concussions would be reduced if there were no kickoffs. Those plays have a certain number of concussions associated with them.
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SO
For me, the issue is reducing the number of concussions. That is also the issue for the league, the players and parents throughout the country.

Concussions won't decrease unless you completely dismantle the sport and start from scratch. It's folly to think otherwise.

 

[Kontradiction]

No one is talking about ELIMINATING concussions.

IMHO, your idea that the number of concussions can't be reduced is simply silly. That position implies that there are no possible safety equipment or rules that could reduce concussions.

The instant discussion is about kickoffs. Obviously, the number of concussions would be reduced if there were no kickoffs. Those plays have a certain number of concussions associated with them.
====
SO
For me, the issue is reducing the number of concussions. That is also the issue for the league, the players and parents throughout the country.

And this conclusion is based on what data? The NFL has yet to make this public.

 

[mgteich]

This is the same league that didn’t know what the Ideal Gas Law is. You’ll forgive me if I’m skeptical of their studies on kickoffs.

You will get lots of "likes" for wanting to maintain the violence of the game. How about going back to leather helmets. Why not? After all, equipment changes are not able to reduce the number of concussions.

 

[mgteich]

And this conclusion is based on what data? The NFL has yet to make this public.

As I said, your position that safety equipment and rules changes CANNOT reduce the number of concussions is silly on the face of it. It is not a matter of "proof".

We could play the game with leather helmets and no penalties for hits upon the head. We could play with current situation. One could improve equipment and rules.

Sure, it's possible that there are no possible ways to improve the equipment or rules, and the that we have the best possible situation (or close) today. I hope that this is not the case, or football will be vying with boxing for popularity in 20 years (or sooner).

 

[mgteich]

Any data needs to be shared with the the players not the public.

And this conclusion is based on what data? The NFL has yet to make this public.

 

[Kontradiction]

You will get lots of "likes" for wanting to maintain the violence of the game. How about going back to leather helmets. Why not? After all, equipment changes are not able to reduce the number of concussions.

Ironically, going back to leather helmets may actually be what reduces the number of concussions substantially. You’d have to deal with the occasional cracked skull, but concussions would go way down.

As I said, your position that safety equipment and rules changes CANNOT reduce the number of concussions is silly on the face of it. It is not a matter of "proof".

Sure it is. There are either sub-concussive or concussive collisions that happen on literally every play in a football game. Maybe even multiple. There is zero data to support that more concussions occur on kickoffs than, say, collisions in the trenches which even Omalu said were the most dangerous positions in football. How would you legislate that? Do offensive and defensive linemen not deserve to have their brains protected or are the kickoff specialists more important? Shall we institute a 10 second rush rule after the snap?

Sure, it's possible that there are no possible ways to improve the equipment or rules, and the that we have the best possible situation (or close) today. I hope that this is not the case, or football will be vying with boxing for popularity in 20 years (or sooner).

It’s already on the way and the ironic reason is because of these rules changes. The game is being systematically ruined and, short of manipulating the data, there will be no way to reduce concussions without destroying the fundamentals of the sport. This sport is INHERENTLY VIOLENT. These men are alpha males in peak physical condition that can run faster than any other human in recorded history while weighing in excess of 240 lbs. Concussions will happen in generous amounts regardless of what you try to institute to stop it (short of turning the sport into flag football). Don’t like it? Don’t watch it.

Any data needs to be shared with the the players not the public.

On the contrary, it should be released to both. After all, it’s the public’s money that the NFL is earning.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

You score and kick the extra point. Now the offense has the ball again at 4th and 15 (no “the”) in their own territory. Other than in late game situations, they will always opt to punt the ball back away.

Not sure why you keep throwing “the” in there.

Problem with that approach is that it has no good analog of the surprise onsides kick. Yes, you could do a fake punt, but that that's less of a surprise than a surprise onsides kick is.

 

[Joey007]

Problem with that approach is that it has no good analog of the surprise onsides kick. Yes, you could do a fake punt, but that that's less of a surprise than a surprise onsides kick is.

How rare are suprise onside kicks? You might see one or two per year. Not a big part of the game.

And I’m not sure how a fake punt would be less surprising.

 

[sambam94]

This is not an issue of us noticing. It is an issue of data. If the new rules don't reduce the number of concussions ON KICKOFFS, then kickoffs will go. And that is as it should be.
Yes, some players will be less valuable, and some cap money might be moved to another player.

There is something unstated. If there is no decrease in the number of concussions, the NFL has little future in the US, other than perhaps at the level of boxing or the WWF.

and what if concussions from passes over the middle don't decline..eliminate passing??

 

[lancerman]

and what if concussions from passes over the middle don't decline..eliminate passing??

The NFL is banking on the idea that the kickoff is not an important enough part of the game for fans to leave. Passing is so fundamental at this point that you wouldn't change the game that much. Most kickoffs end in a touchback as it is. Now they just want to skip the formality and the variable of a possible run back.

The play is already damaged.

 

[captain stone]

Periera acting as a mouthpiece for the league again, I see.

IF he were honest, what he should've said is:
If the new rules don't reduce concussions, then the kickoff is NOT TO BLAME.

 

[Jlaff]

I've never quite understood how football gets more attention than hockey when it comes to concussions. Maybe it's nothing more than the prevalence of helmet to helmet contact in football.

I've played both, and the collisions in hockey (at least at the more junior levels) are happening at much higher speeds than they are in football.

And as I type this I realize I currently have a headache for no apparent reason, ugh.

 

[XLIX]

I've never quite understood how football gets more attention than hockey when it comes to concussions. Maybe it's nothing more than the prevalence of helmet to helmet contact in football.

I've played both, and the collisions in hockey (at least at the more junior levels) are happening at much higher speeds than they are in football.

And as I type this I realize I currently have a headache for no apparent reason, ugh.

I'd say there is less direct force of impact on the head in hockey as the players tend not to be as big plus direct hits to the head are less common.