Rubgy vs Football

[imbondz]

Since rugby players always say rugby is more dangerous cuz they play without pads, it'd be interesting to know what the level of concussions occur in Rugby, especially in Australia where it's a main sport.

I'd love for todays' players to play with these older helmets and see how tough they are then. I can't stand when players come out and complain that the league is being babies by fining illegal hits, and changing rules that define what hits are legal, when 90% of them are on steroids, and those who complain are using their helmets to knock players out, instead of using fundamental tackling. You're never taught to tackle with your head.

http://www.onlyhelmets.com/userfiles/image/Old%20School%20Football%20helmet.jpg

[TigerJ]

I'm sure there have been coachs around who said at some point, "Guys, ya gotta use your heads in this game."

[Slim]

I have U-18 rugby national championship ring. Not wearing traditional helmets does make you focus more on wrapping up and "dipping" the opponent.

[Mr. Miyagi]

I've said this all along. You want to reduce concussions in football? Take away their helmets. Leading with the head tackles will drop to almost zero immediately.

[BLeonard]

I've said this all along. You want to reduce concussions in football? Take away their helmets. Leading with the head tackles will drop to almost zero immediately.

I've said the exact same thing. IMO, many players feel that, because they have the helmet, they are protected from damage to the head and, as a result, use it as a weapon.

If the helmet's not there, the leading with the head tackles won't be either, because the players will stop doing it.

-Bill

[ParanoidAndroid]

Someday, someone is going to fly in just as a players helmet is ripped off and crush the helmetless guys skull.

[THE END OF ALL DAYS]

There is no way they are taking helmets off football players.

[Cali512]

No NFL player is on steroids. Its not that easy anymore. If your suspended for Maryjuanna, then your not getting away with any roid use. Think people!

[Buddo]

No NFL player is on steroids. Its not that easy anymore. If your suspended for Maryjuanna, then your not getting away with any roid use. Think people!

How naive can you possibly be?
The NFL and NFLPA even now haven't agreed to a way forward for testing for HGH, and yet you think guys aren't juicing?
The testing done by the NFL, is nowhere near as strict or frequent, as that done to top class athletes.
I don't doubt for one minute, that there are a lot of guys who are doing stuff out of season, that will help them. The NFL simply doesn't test people enough, or frequently enough, to determine what they do.

[MidnightVoice]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/shortcuts/2013/jan/28/american-football-rugby-more-dangerous

While American football may be a niche interest in the UK, rugby is often seen as similarly dangerous – so should David Cameron be as worried as President Obama? Not according to Jim McKenna, a professor of physical activity and health at Leeds Metropolitan University (and a rugby coach). He points out that American footballers tackle with their heads, butting each other in a way seldom seen in rugby. "They butt the opposition and their head is the tip of the missile, with an enormous body of weight behind them," says McKenna. Meanwhile, the helmets and padding the US sportsmen wear can actually make the situation worse, he thinks, encouraging them to use more force.

In rugby it is spinal injuries from scrums that are the most dangerous (110 rugby players in Britain have been paralysed by playing the game). Allyson Pollock, a professor of public health, says that she is very worried about amateur rugby players, and especially children. Coaches, she says, are not properly trained to look out for the signs of concussion or taught how to deal with it – although it can have serious problems for children's learning and cognitive functions. She would like to see large-scale studies of the effects of such injuries, and says the sport establishment needs to think carefully about tackles. In 2010, she called for scrums to be banned after a study found that 190 rugby matches at Scottish schools resulted in 37 injuries. "Most children are not going to go professional, so why are their bodies being mauled and mashed and battered?"

[imbondz]

No NFL player is on steroids. Its not that easy anymore. If your suspended for Maryjuanna, then your not getting away with any roid use. Think people!


LOL

[imbondz]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/shortcuts/2013/jan/28/american-football-rugby-more-dangerous

While American football may be a niche interest in the UK, rugby is often seen as similarly dangerous – so should David Cameron be as worried as President Obama? Not according to Jim McKenna, a professor of physical activity and health at Leeds Metropolitan University (and a rugby coach). He points out that American footballers tackle with their heads, butting each other in a way seldom seen in rugby. "They butt the opposition and their head is the tip of the missile, with an enormous body of weight behind them," says McKenna. Meanwhile, the helmets and padding the US sportsmen wear can actually make the situation worse, he thinks, encouraging them to use more force.

In rugby it is spinal injuries from scrums that are the most dangerous (110 rugby players in Britain have been paralysed by playing the game). Allyson Pollock, a professor of public health, says that she is very worried about amateur rugby players, and especially children. Coaches, she says, are not properly trained to look out for the signs of concussion or taught how to deal with it – although it can have serious problems for children's learning and cognitive functions. She would like to see large-scale studies of the effects of such injuries, and says the sport establishment needs to think carefully about tackles. In 2010, she called for scrums to be banned after a study found that 190 rugby matches at Scottish schools resulted in 37 injuries. "Most children are not going to go professional, so why are their bodies being mauled and mashed and battered?"

thanks, great article. so your options are being paralyzed for life, or blowing your brains out at 45-50 because your brain is fried and makes you crazy. those are your only two options. lol.

[Buddo]

The biggest lesson that the NFL can learn from rugby, is how to tackle properly. Done properly, even relatively small guys, stop some seriously large guys, in their tracks.
The point made about helmets being used as part of trying to stop someone, in the NFL, is well made. The biggest difficulty, is the level of protection that NFL players wear elsewhere. Without some form of protection to your head, you could get quite badly damaged off of some of the body armor that gets worn.
It isn't just 'helmet to helmet' hits that are an issue though. There are some pretty suspect cases of 'helmet to knee' that occur, also.
I believe there's good enough reasons for not allowing helmets in the NFL, that some sort of serious investigation, should be made into it.