but could we something along the lines of these be put into use by the NFL/NCAA for actual games and not just practice?

A scrum cap on top of a helmet? What good does that do?

The question of a padded helmet has come up before, and I believe the drawback is it can cause the helmet to maintain contact longer with the opposing player - which transfers more force to the head.

Where's the Gipper...

(04-08-2014 09:16 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  The question of a padded helmet has come up before, and I believe the drawback is it can cause the helmet to maintain contact longer with the opposing player - which transfers more force to the head.

and allows the neck to be further twisted...

Honestly, padding on both sides of the shell is probably the best way to go. See Mark Kelso and Steve Wallace of the NFL.

http://www.buffalorumblings.com/2012/7/3...falo-bills

(04-09-2014 12:44 AM)CommuterBob Wrote:  Honestly, padding on both sides of the shell is probably the best way to go. See Mark Kelso and Steve Wallace of the NFL.

http://www.buffalorumblings.com/2012/7/3...falo-bills

Protecting the outside of the head is not the issue. Head snaps and the force of contact shakes the brain inside the skull causing a mini-trauma every time it occurs. The cumulative effect of hundreds and thousands of these per year causes CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy).

Brain research has demonstrated that football will inevitably cause disabling and life shortening brain damage to a significant percent of players - especially linemen. The game is inherently unsafe. There is no helmet design that will change that.

Football should be compared with boxing. There is simply no way that bashing someone's head repeatedly is a good idea. Both sports are barbaric regardless of how much we enjoy them.

How very original!

Or, we could cut traumatic brain injuries a touch, but not eliminate them, by adopting a rugby style below the waste only tackling rule.

(04-09-2014 08:57 AM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  Or, we could cut traumatic brain injuries a touch, but not eliminate them, by adopting a rugby style below the waste only tackling rule.

Yep. or just give them the old leather headgear. Bet they would not use their heads as weapons anymore...

Some background info on those black skullcaps.

http://www.syracuse.com/orangefootball/i...rt_m-rpt-2

Whatever is safest, regardless of how it looks, should be used. Now, if these skullcaps aren't actually safer, then it's a pointless show, but at the end of the day, I'd want my own kids in the safest gear if they're going to be playing the game.