Changes Football Needs Soon

I

iowamike21

Well-Known Member
Just saw a report on football injuries, including a comment from Troy Aikman in which he said if he had a 10-year-old son, he wouldn't want him to play football. Teddy Roosevelt threatened to ban football when severe injuries were so common around 1900. The rules were different then, and that was the change made to save the game then.

Now may be time to save football again. How?

* Gradually introduce a weight limit until, within five years, no one over 275 pounds can play college football. (See wrestling)
* Change to softer helmets and no face masks. (Mike Ditka has advocated this for awhile, among others.)

Right now many skilled players cannot play major college football because they just aren't big enough. So anyone who suggests weight limits would be "unfair" is simply wrong. It would be more fair than the situation we have now.

In addition, weight limits would reduce the need for such grueling off-season workouts. The game was played that way until around 1980 and quality did not suffer.

By removing the emphasis on gargantuan, artificial sized players, the incentive to use HGH, steroids and other substances is mostly eliminated.

The concussions occur because bigger and bigger players are colliding with greater and greater force behind the weapon of the hard plastic helmet and face mask. Redesign the helmet, remove the face mask and that will change tacking techniques that will reduce both the number and severity of concussions.

When high school teams around the country are filled with linemen at or over 300 pounds, something's wrong. It wouldn't be too hard to fix it.
 


Good idea. Because when something is at its most popular, it is good to change it radically.

Maybe while you're at it, you should tell Justin Bieber to shave his head and record some Gregorian Chants, and American Idol should turn into a wacky Sit-Com featuring a mean mother in law.
 


I will say this, IowaMike21.

I won't comment on any of the other stuff, but I agree in principle on the weight issue. When guys are so big that they are in great physical condition and can get through training camp but they can't play an entire game, that is an issue. Now they just rotate guys in because of that issue instead of addressing the real problem, which is these guys are so heavy they can be in great shape but they can't carry that weight around for a full game. That is one reason Korey Stringer died in camp. Problems compounded by being so large that his body couldn't take it. A guy that was 190 pounds wouldn't have that happen to him.

What they should do is make the limit a little higher than you suggest, however. Reggie White went at 303, I believe, and was not out of shape. I believe 310 would be good, and some of that might depend upon height. 310 at 6'6" is different than 310 at 5'11".

When some guys take 50 pounds off upon retirement, that should tell you something.
 


The biggest hits come from guys much less than 275.

Maybe they could just remove tackling alltogether and change it to the NFFL?

Removing the facemasks would result in blood all over the field, wouldn't really create a less dangerous image.
 
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They should put sharp points on facemasks so anyone that tries to grab them instinctively lets go.
 


iowamike21 said:
Just saw a report on football injuries, including a comment from Troy Aikman in which he said if he had a 10-year-old son, he wouldn't want him to play football. Teddy Roosevelt threatened to ban football when severe injuries were so common around 1900. The rules were different then, and that was the change made to save the game then.

Now may be time to save football again. How?

* Gradually introduce a weight limit until, within five years, no one over 275 pounds can play college football. (See wrestling)
* Change to softer helmets and no face masks. (Mike Ditka has advocated this for awhile, among others.)

Right now many skilled players cannot play major college football because they just aren't big enough. So anyone who suggests weight limits would be "unfair" is simply wrong. It would be more fair than the situation we have now.

In addition, weight limits would reduce the need for such grueling off-season workouts. The game was played that way until around 1980 and quality did not suffer.

By removing the emphasis on gargantuan, artificial sized players, the incentive to use HGH, steroids and other substances is mostly eliminated.

The concussions occur because bigger and bigger players are colliding with greater and greater force behind the weapon of the hard plastic helmet and face mask. Redesign the helmet, remove the face mask and that will change tacking techniques that will reduce both the number and severity of concussions.

When high school teams around the country are filled with linemen at or over 300 pounds, something's wrong. It wouldn't be too hard to fix it.
Click to expand...
Why don't we just make it a video game and let the mocha drinkers play it with joy sticks? OMG!!!
 


iowamike21 said:
Just saw a report on football injuries, including a comment from Troy Aikman in which he said if he had a 10-year-old son, he wouldn't want him to play football. Teddy Roosevelt threatened to ban football when severe injuries were so common around 1900. The rules were different then, and that was the change made to save the game then.

Now may be time to save football again. How?

* Gradually introduce a weight limit until, within five years, no one over 275 pounds can play college football. (See wrestling)
* Change to softer helmets and no face masks. (Mike Ditka has advocated this for awhile, among others.)

Right now many skilled players cannot play major college football because they just aren't big enough. So anyone who suggests weight limits would be "unfair" is simply wrong. It would be more fair than the situation we have now.

In addition, weight limits would reduce the need for such grueling off-season workouts. The game was played that way until around 1980 and quality did not suffer.

By removing the emphasis on gargantuan, artificial sized players, the incentive to use HGH, steroids and other substances is mostly eliminated.

The concussions occur because bigger and bigger players are colliding with greater and greater force behind the weapon of the hard plastic helmet and face mask. Redesign the helmet, remove the face mask and that will change tacking techniques that will reduce both the number and severity of concussions.

When high school teams around the country are filled with linemen at or over 300 pounds, something's wrong. It wouldn't be too hard to fix it.
Click to expand...

A much simpler solution. Take away all the padding and the helmets, and make it rugby.
 


iowamike21 said:
Just saw a report on football injuries, including a comment from Troy Aikman in which he said if he had a 10-year-old son, he wouldn't want him to play football. Teddy Roosevelt threatened to ban football when severe injuries were so common around 1900. The rules were different then, and that was the change made to save the game then.

Now may be time to save football again. How?

* Gradually introduce a weight limit until, within five years, no one over 275 pounds can play college football. (See wrestling)
* Change to softer helmets and no face masks. (Mike Ditka has advocated this for awhile, among others.)

Right now many skilled players cannot play major college football because they just aren't big enough. So anyone who suggests weight limits would be "unfair" is simply wrong. It would be more fair than the situation we have now.

In addition, weight limits would reduce the need for such grueling off-season workouts. The game was played that way until around 1980 and quality did not suffer.

By removing the emphasis on gargantuan, artificial sized players, the incentive to use HGH, steroids and other substances is mostly eliminated.

The concussions occur because bigger and bigger players are colliding with greater and greater force behind the weapon of the hard plastic helmet and face mask. Redesign the helmet, remove the face mask and that will change tacking techniques that will reduce both the number and severity of concussions.

When high school teams around the country are filled with linemen at or over 300 pounds, something's wrong. It wouldn't be too hard to fix it.
Click to expand...


Sorry but I don't agree with one thing in your post. Why fix what isn't broke?!?!
 


Absurd - iowamike21 if you actually agree with that nonsense you posted you should be required to wear a bra and panties every time you want to post on this forum.
 






PJHawk said:
farmgirl do you have a favorite wacky sitcom?
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I guess you could qualify The Big Bang Theory as a "wacky" sit-com, so I'll pick that.

Also PJ, I ask that you retract your previous statement, because wearing a bra and panties to post does not indicate one wants to lame-up football!
 




Maybe they should all chug on over to mamby-pamby land and play some flag football.
 


theboat said:
The biggest hits come from guys way less than 275.

Maybe they could just remove tackling alltogether and change it to the NFFL?

Removing the facemasks would result in blood all over the field, wouldn't really create a less dangerous image.
Click to expand...

Yeah, the worst hits aren't from the huge guys, it's the Bob Sanders type guys who come at you 100 mph. So obviously the logical solution would be to limit speed. Nobody can play if they run the 40 in less then 6.5 seconds.

Most people think these suggestions are insane, but I agree they'd be great. In the original post he said that these changes would be more fair. I not only agree, but I think that the changes should involve other sports too.

Basketball players are way too tall. Should be a limit there.

And baseball...I'd love to be a Major league pitcher but could never realize that dream because I'm not good at pitching and don't throw very fast. Fair? I don't think so. Imagine how much safer the the game would be if a batter got hit by my 70 mph fastball instead of one of those 98 mph deathballs that they throw in today's game.
 


theboat said:
The biggest hits come from guys way less than 275.

Maybe they could just remove tackling alltogether and change it to the NFFL?

Removing the facemasks would result in blood all over the field, wouldn't really create a less dangerous image.
Click to expand...

This.

Sorry, but if you watch football you see that the "new" concussions are coming from 200 pound guys that fly around and hit people. A weight limit would do nothing to stop that unless you make the weight limit 150.

In terms of QB concussions caused by linemen, 25 or 30 pounds isn't really going to make a difference. It's generally the hit against the ground that causes the concussion more than anything.

In terms of face masks. Remove a few concussions and insert 100 facial fractures.

However, I do like the idea of encouraging athletes to work less in the off season by enforcing new rules. (insert sarcasm)

Remember, just because it was in an "article" doesn't mean it's good. And if Troy Aikman had a ten year old son maybe he could hang out with him instead of being a lame commentator.
 


iowamike21 said:
Just saw a report on football injuries, including a comment from Troy Aikman in which he said if he had a 10-year-old son, he wouldn't want him to play football. Teddy Roosevelt threatened to ban football when severe injuries were so common around 1900. The rules were different then, and that was the change made to save the game then.

Now may be time to save football again. How?

* Gradually introduce a weight limit until, within five years, no one over 275 pounds can play college football. (See wrestling)
* Change to softer helmets and no face masks. (Mike Ditka has advocated this for awhile, among others.)

Right now many skilled players cannot play major college football because they just aren't big enough. So anyone who suggests weight limits would be "unfair" is simply wrong. It would be more fair than the situation we have now.

In addition, weight limits would reduce the need for such grueling off-season workouts. The game was played that way until around 1980 and quality did not suffer.

By removing the emphasis on gargantuan, artificial sized players, the incentive to use HGH, steroids and other substances is mostly eliminated.

The concussions occur because bigger and bigger players are colliding with greater and greater force behind the weapon of the hard plastic helmet and face mask. Redesign the helmet, remove the face mask and that will change tacking techniques that will reduce both the number and severity of concussions.

When high school teams around the country are filled with linemen at or over 300 pounds, something's wrong. It wouldn't be too hard to fix it.
Click to expand...

You have some interesting ideas about helmut redesign but your comments reagarding a weight limit are off base and I could not disagree more. They have a sport like that now...it's called soccer. I want to see big strong men battle each other. And contrary to your statement you won't see many high schools with 300 lbers. Sure there are some, but not many. People are getting taller and bigger. That is just the way it is. We don't need a sport designed for shrimps. Let them play soccer.
 


How about going back to the old substitution rules from the Nile Kinnick era. Players must play both ways. Large players would never be able to cut it.
 




Iowafarmgirl said:
Also PJ, I ask that you retract your previous statement, because wearing a bra and panties to post does not indicate one wants to lame-up football!
Click to expand...

Good point. Would you suggest an open cup baby doll thong and pasties instead?
 


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