Wednesday, January 28, 2009
'Three-hundred pounders,' Part II
Hub Blog initially missed this story on football head injuries. Some sobering close-up shots of brain cells -- one normal, one not-so normal -- can be found here. ... I hope this report doesn't lead to parental hysteria about kids playing football. But if the football establishment doesn't act, it's going to hurt the game's popularity in the long run. Hub Blog's solution: Weight limits for players. Past rants here, here and here on the subject. ... I initially balked at weight limits for professional players, but I think it's time. This is how absurd it's getting:
There's definitely other measures teams can take to address the problem -- better medical treatment, helmets, mouth guards, etc. But the weight of players, especially those in high school, is downright obscene.
Update -1.29.09 -- More on big men, big hits, big headaches:
Hub Blog initially missed this story on football head injuries. Some sobering close-up shots of brain cells -- one normal, one not-so normal -- can be found here. ... I hope this report doesn't lead to parental hysteria about kids playing football. But if the football establishment doesn't act, it's going to hurt the game's popularity in the long run. Hub Blog's solution: Weight limits for players. Past rants here, here and here on the subject. ... I initially balked at weight limits for professional players, but I think it's time. This is how absurd it's getting:
Despite the success and popularity of the Chicago Bears’ William Perry, known as the Refrigerator, 300-pounders were not common in the N.F.L. in the 1980s. By the summer of 2005, though, more than 600 players weighing 295 pounds and above were listed on training camp rosters.
There's definitely other measures teams can take to address the problem -- better medical treatment, helmets, mouth guards, etc. But the weight of players, especially those in high school, is downright obscene.
Update -1.29.09 -- More on big men, big hits, big headaches:
Forget for a moment that doctors from Boston University’s School of Medicine felt the need to use the national media spotlight on the big (Super Bowl) game to publicize its latest research. Concentrate instead on what they had to say, which has to be troubling to anyone who has ever strapped on a helmet and pads.
Repeated hits to the head aren’t just causing damage on the field. They may be killing former players.
