OT'ish? Pop Warner settles concussion lawsuit

The physicality of the game lends itself to that.

The war references says more about our ignorance of war--of which there is no analogous situation in civilian life--than our approach to the game of fooball.

Having read through the entire thread, as I normally do here, lots of good ideas tossed out imo. Would expect nothing less from this site.

I think perhaps, DenverRob stated best what I believe also, the importance of teaching form tackling, and form tackling does contain protective measures for both the tackler and the tackled, is of far more importance than the absurd idea that  limiting the number of tackles made, if not performed correctly, will lessen the likelihood of injury.  My God, that's just ridiculous. You start off with dummies, making sure players understand the importance of "putting bonnet on it" as I always taught, i.e., making sure your helmet is directed at the football and not on offensive player's head or body and continually build on each step. The protective measures I hint at above include the correct shoulder roll prior to contact to help stablize neck, and like anything else, when taught correctly and through a serious number of repitions, becomes just as much of a habit as watching the midsection of runner, correct positioning, wrapping and lifting, etc.

I was actually very proud when this topic was being discussed just a few weeks ago, one of my former players started a thread on facebook with the headline "This is the way Coach _ _ _ _ _ and my asst. in title only, he was every bit the h.c. I was, Coach _ _ _ _ _ taught us how to tackle.  I was both proud and humbled that so many of my former players - still having a bond today - commented on thread with nothing but positives as to stressing safety above all else.

Many of you, especially those that played at a higher than h.s. level, probably suffered more than the one concussion I did at the h.s. level. I look back at the helmets we used in the late 60s and am thankful that I only suffered one. And as a h.s. qb, that damn concussion came as a result of me throwing a block of all things. Things will happen, it is tackle football, do it hard, clean, and in the safest manner possible. 

Cutting tackling in ALL practices is the worst idea ever. It will lead to players not learning how to take a hit and have way more injuries. Why is this you ask? players that do not learn how to take a hit will stop before contact ...

and that will lead to a tremendous amount of injuries.

You "can't ban tackling," but you can take away all of the advantages of hitting hard.  Here are a few simple rule changes that could keep the game from being banned in a few years.

1. Take change of possession for fumbles out of the game.  

2.  Don't allow a receiver to be hit until he has possession.  

3.  Don't ever allow a defensive player to deliver the "second hit:" crashing the player into the ground.  

4.  Start calling unnecessary roughness whenever it happens.  This includes any hits after someone is out of bounds or has scored a touchdown.  It includes any hits on the QB unless the step has already started.  

People would bitch about this at first.  Many would call it the "pussification of football."  Ultimately, though, most of those who bitch would either be defensive players and coaches or couch potatoes who would spend a month in the hospital if they ever sustained the impact of one serious tackle as it is delivered today.

Most of all, concussions and impact injuries would be more like they are in basketball: less often and less severe.

Your theory sounds nice and gives me a warm fuzzy feeling inside.  Problem is if you do not properly train young athletes how to properly engage in physical contact until they are as big, as fast, as strong and, in many cases, as filled with testorone as they will be in their entire life you open pandoras box.  Would you turn a 16 year old loose behind the wheel of a race car before they are very well trained at how to control such a machine?  Certainly not.  Young men still playing contact sports at 18 are likely pretty skilled athletes.  Big, fast, strong....Dangerous machines if not properly trained.

I had my son in checking clinics two years before he was going to be allowed to check in  hockey games.  Some of you will ask why.  Some will think I am batshit crazy.  I may just be the latter, but I did this to prepare my son for what was to come.  Good coaches teach how to hit, when to hit and most importantly how to protect yourself.  My son and others he still plays with, I was not the only one doing this, benefitted greatly. 

Contact sports are dangerous.  Simple as that.  They are made less so when those playing are well trained, well coached and well prepared. 

Or maybe we should not make children smash into each other for parental entertainment.

Kids don't know any better.  If adults want to do it, fine let them do it.