OT: The concussion topic
With alot of talk going on right now about concussions and what to do with the players that get them,I have a idea that may or may not be a idea. I have seen reports that say a player that has received a concussion should sit out up to a month. This is something that I'm fine with,whatever is best for the player I'm all for. However in college you have 85 scholarship players and in the NFL a 53 man roster. If you allow a player to sit a month that can make it a big loss to college and even more so to a NFL team. So my idea is to move from 85 schollies in college to 95 and in the NFl from a 53 man roster to 65-70. There for if players to get injured they would not have as much pressure to return to quick. What do you guys think?/ Is there a better way to resolve this problem??
December 30th, 2009 at 4:24 PM ^
Like Leach's firing, result in more intelligent conversation about concussions. At the end of the day, perhaps, Leach can look back and say "At least my firing was not in vain, for, I have helped to open the dialogue of concussions, in the hopes of a speedy resolution"
December 30th, 2009 at 4:26 PM ^
Those players would be talentless (relatively speaking) and the backups that were gonna play still would, so it wouldn't be a huge incentive as for fixing the quality of play. I agree that they need to do something and I think all levels are headed (no pun intended) in the right direction. Hard to know if it is enough though as problems tend to creep up later in life.
December 30th, 2009 at 4:43 PM ^
"Quality of play" shouldn't even remotely be at issue here. If sitting a concussed player for a month is beneficial to his health, it's a good thing.
Regarding scholarship limits, Title IX provisions pretty much guarantee that they won't go up. If a rule like this were to be enforced, you'd just see more walk-ons on the field.
December 31st, 2009 at 2:31 AM ^
how well the team would perform shouldn't matter, but I don't see how adding more and more players to the depth chart would be an incentive to the coaches to rest their starters.
December 30th, 2009 at 8:26 PM ^
Just because you add more players doesnt mean they wont have talent. Granted they will not be as good as the starters but you never know. Roy Roundtree didnt start and filled in very nice. I understand your point some what but just doesnt think it holds true.
December 30th, 2009 at 4:52 PM ^
bubble wrap is the only way to truly prevent concussions
December 30th, 2009 at 5:26 PM ^
Ever see the movie "bubble boy". Won critical reviews for its portrayal of a boy in a bubble. Perhaps they could consult with football and create a new and improved "bubble"
December 30th, 2009 at 5:31 PM ^
face it. we all are addicted to a game that is violent and cannot be made safe. we are willing to live with this. there is no new helmet (even bubble wrap), and no new rule changes that will alter this fact appreciably . some counter, "well, if not football, what would these boys/young men do for fun instead, and might that not be even more dangerous?" maybe. concussion is brain damage, or death of a number of brain cells, which is generally agreed to be irreversible. "minor" implies that there are no detectable residual neurological deficits. more serious closed head injuries , or accumulated multiple minor ones, result in permanent and obvious neurological functional loss (e.g. memory and other mentation, learning, reasoning, abstract thinking deficits, motor coordination loss, double vision or disturbed vision, abnormal involuntary movement disorder, e.g. m. ali with pugilistic parkinson's , motor weakness, sensory loss, mood and behavioral disturbances, bowel and bladder problems, etc.) in short, the brain does everything and is everything that makes us, us. and losing even small parts of it can be devastating, for life. the brain should be cherished and protected as it is our most precious (some would argue, second most precious!) organ. the kids that we obsess over are in fact our modern day gladiators. we as a society, and as individuals, are willing to sacrifice their safety and well being for our entertainment. head injury, spinal cord injury, and permanent bone and joint injuries are the price the players pay to take this sacred field of combat. nothing really changes. make no mistake, there is an ugly, dark side to all this glory. go blue!