Had a concussion last year and aint messing around....giving back his $$$(ala Chris Borland) and walking away....

@the-gipper said:

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=chris+borland&FORM=HDRSC2

One point I've not heard is that some people are more prone to be concussed than others. I think this is true, if for no other reason than "chin" variations in boxers, but can find no articles supporting this.

Interesting contrast yesterday between Borland's thoughtful interview for ESPN's OTL and anecdotal stories by Mark Schlereth and Louis Riddick.

Schlereth claims he cannot remember a pro game where he was not at least momentarily dazed, "saw stars" or "had his bell rung". For him it was part of the game and going out was never a consideration. But he had no idea that the effects of all these episodes could be cumulative.

Riddick recalled a pre-season game in his rookie season when he had to ask what his assignment was before every play because a collision had knocked the playbook out of his head. As a 9th round pick trying to make a team, there was no way he was going out.

Both men talked about how the culture of the day did not allow missing time due to a concussion unless you'd been knocked out. And then you went back in as soon as you were functional again.

Both men talked about what they did not know about concussions at the time and what the NFL did know at the time.

@thenew23 said:

Yes, as I said clearly before I'm not stupid and realize a 100% effective helmet for concussion is impossible (which is why it's in quotes). But to repeat myself, I see technology being available to reduce the rate of concussions and those helmets being mandatory sooner than later.

@jrb12711 said:

Ahh... yes... the concussion-proof helmet...

I had Eddy Lacy on my fantasy team last year and I remember the opener when they played Seattle the announcers were discussing his "concussion-resistant" helmet he wore in that game. They made a big deal about the design, weight, shape, etc...

He suffered a concussion in that game...

@logicisforsquares said:

No dount a team in disfunction. They can't even get players on board a year to stay.

@browns_fucking_rule said:

i agree with hx.

Football isn't supposed to be safe or injury free... the same way MMA isn't supposed to be safe or injury free. These guys are supposed to risk it all, that is why they get paid so much.

Everything they do to make this game more safe ends up taking away from the game and devalues the greatest players of the past. Nobody ever forces these kids to play the game and if they really turn it into a soft game then they need to start paying these guys a lot less.

I like this viewpoint!!!!

@mudfly said:

We have the Niners at home this year too

@utzie said:

I am pretty shocked by this concussion in soccer article too, it's an injury I have rarely heard of happening in the sport.

And I watch soccer 4-5 times a week all throughout europe.

And the 49er's???...never have I seen a team melt down so quickly...and folks think the Browns have all the problems....ha!

Football isn't supposed to be safe or injury free... the same way MMA isn't supposed to be safe or injury free. These guys are supposed to risk it all, that is why they get paid so much.

Everything they do to make this game more safe ends up taking away from the game and devalues the greatest players of the past. Nobody ever forces these kids to play the game and if they really turn it into a soft game then they need to start paying these guys a lot less.

@tour2ma said:

I think most people who smoke would tell you differently but I don't do it so I don't know.

I hear ya, I understand that at the end of the day nothing is going to make the game concussion free. Without looking at the concussion rate in the NFL though, it just has always seemed to me that the technology of a helmet could be created to bring that number down a good amount. Even if it was something that say took it from 60% to 35% (not real numbers) it would still make the game way safer.

@tour2ma said:

No such thing exists... same as the "light cigarette".

There are helmets that flex to absorb a fraction of the impact energy, but there is none that can appreciably change the deceleration of the skull to prevent the brain from impact it.

As said above, tackling has to change.

+1

As for the helmet... It's physics. And the science simply says it's not possible.

Think of it this way... people (the brain) in a car's passenger cabin (the skull) surrounded by the rest of the car (the helmet). So long as nothing penetrates the cabin, the way passengers are hurt is by their impacting the cabin (dashboard, seat back, steering wheel) when it decelerates fasters than the people do.

Whatever you do outside the cabin (energy absorbing bumpers, crumple zones, etc.) all are negligible in preventing people from flying forward in the cabin upon impact UNLESS they are anchored to the cabin by using seat belts. Even the advent of in cabin devices like air bags offer little protection unless seat belts are also used.

So far there are no seat belts for the brain...

Really? For 100x more money than then the average salary. Sign me up.

If I live 60 years like a pro athlete does, retire at 35 then doing and going where ever you want and if invest correctly can provide for my whole family for generations, versus living 75 years working till I'm 65, and probably dying from the same disease or something worse than these guys do. Sign me up. I watched as 57 year old co worker that had been at the steel yard I worked at since he was 18 doing one of the worst jobs on earth pulling in 35k a year, get crushed/cut in half by rail car that came unhooked and blindsided him. I'm sure he would have taken the high life and died of head trauma if given the choice.

@tour2ma said:

Well, I'd make the argument that vaping is a "light cigarette". I mean we definitely agree, I'm just saying having no knowledge of how it works that someone will probably make a helmet that drastically lowers concussion rates. How or what time frame I don't know, but it seems possible to me.

@kvoethe said:

I stand corrected.

I grew up in an area where soccer was essentially non-existent, so I guess I always assumed that a majority of the injuries were lower body.

@jrb12711 said:

I think what I'm more surprised at is that there isn't more solid technology on a "concussion-proof" helmet. I mean, I know there are some out there like Wes Welker has worn but there's nothing league-wide.

No such thing exists... same as the "light cigarette".

There are helmets that flex to absorb a fraction of the impact energy, but there is none that can appreciably change the deceleration of the skull to prevent the brain from impact it.

As said above, tackling has to change.

@kvoethe said:

It's really not that crazy of an idea-people in rugby get hurt a lot but because they don't wear helmets it's just natural to not lead with the head. I think what I'm more surprised at is that there isn't more solid technology on a "concussion-proof" helmet. I mean, I know there are some out there like Wes Welker has worn but there's nothing league-wide. I think that's the next step that some company is going to make billions on when they are required.