Unpopular Opinion (Helmet Covers)

[wmcovol]

Not too many times.

I remember when we weren't allowed water in July and August practices.
Change is good when it saves lives and makes people safer to live life after football.
They'll improve the product so they don't look like pumpkins on their heads.

Our high school coaches screamed “get away from the water” constantly during 2.5-3 hour practices.

I’ve always felt the outside of the helmet should be softer in order to absorb some of the impact.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

Yeah I’ll say it. If they would all learn how to tackle properly, they wouldn’t need the helmet pads. Today, players are taught to lead with their heads and try to knock the opposing player down. Why? I sure don’t know.

Denying that CTE was a problem well before the "new era of leading with the head" seems problematic given that older ex NFL players show an overwhelming tendency to have CTE.

Why, then, is it so prevalent in older players who donate their brains for study?

Researchers Find CTE in 345 of 376 Former NFL Players Studied | Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine

 

[BACKDOC]

......or the players

Helmet covers look terrible, but they add protection to players.

I would be surprised if we don't see them required in the next 10 years.

Or the players are cyborgs.

 

[smokeycoonhoundUT]

I would assume that if they become required they would find a way to make them look a little nicer

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

I think it does not matter if their safety effectiveness is proven or not. The ppl that have big $$$ to lose if college football keeps getting softened to the point of losing eyes/$$$. They will virtue signal with anything to keep the money rolling in. Just as long as ppl think their doing something to make it safer. They don't want to go to tag football and lose millions.

Wearing a more protective head gear is neither virtue signaling nor diminishing the physicality of the game

 

[volroadwarrior]

Maybe they could make targeting legal again with added protection.

 

[37620VOL]

Yeah I’ll say it. If they would all learn how to tackle properly, they wouldn’t need the helmet pads. Today, players are taught to lead with their heads and try to knock the opposing player down. Why? I sure don’t know.

Because you can't always square a guy up and drive for five... and it's more effective than an arm tackle

 

[wmcovol]

Maybe they could make targeting legal again with added protection.

Targeting should never be allowed. Defenders should be taught to play the ball not attack a defenseless player.

 

[GulfCoasterVol]

 

[KnoxRealtorVOL]

View attachment 569115

I actually think they look pretty cool

 

[Volfanstucknga]

Remember when helmets had style?

Ahh yes, from the days of an average offensive lineman in college football was 6'-1" 221#. The speed and size of players "post food additives" is so much greater.

 

[ftsandersvol]

 

[KTrain]

Wearing a more protective head gear is neither virtue signaling nor diminishing the physicality of the game

I did not say it did , I just said they will do it whether it does or not . You can have studies and get it to agree with the narrative you want, if you are paying for the studies. It probably does make it safer, I'm just saying there's a contingent that will do anything to kick the can down the road. I mean to get a real study they would have to wear them for a number of years and compare to the previous equal number of years to get results of CTE with and with out.

 

[DonDiego]

Remember when helmets had style?

Back when men were men. Bad News looked like he was about 42 when he was in college..lol

 

[peaygolf]

Back when men were men. Bad News looked like he was about 42 when he was in college..lol

My grandmother said......" He was either the nicest person in the world..........or the meanest. No in between."

 

[Mustng959]

Ahh yes, from the days of an average offensive lineman in college football was 6'-1" 221#. The speed and size of players "post food additives" is so much greater.

My grandfather played offense and defense on the line for the Vols. He was the heaviest on the team at 250 lbs. Twas back in 1921.

 

[lukeneyland]

I believe it was Troy Aikman who said if football went back to leather helmets it would solve the problem of leading with the head.

Dudes actually died on the field in the leather helmet era. The benefit modern helmets provide grossly outweigh any negatives. A concussion is preferable to a cracked skull

 

[Brave Volunteer]

A safety with the Buffalo Bills, Kelso, used to wear one during games. It was slightly different, but painted to look like the helmet.

Is that to keep the players from getting pregnant?

 

[temptn]

""

 

[Ghost of Archvol]

Of course. I am 100% behind a progressive mindset as it pertains to health and safety. If it protects our kids, it should strongly be considered. This coming from a guy who had at least a couple of concussions in middle and high school football. My road rage probably comes from those.

 

[TennesseeTarheel]

So glad this topic has come up. I have been wondering what the black square is on the back where sometimes it looks like there is (maybe) a GPS box in there. Or am I over-thinking it?

 

[OldLofter]

I would assume these guys didn’t use their heads as weapons?

THAT is a bad assumption!

 

[SoilVol]

IIRC: During the leather helmet era, tackling was more reminiscent of rugby techniques. But also, guys were smaller. You still had some violent tackles and some tragic moments as mentioned. The players that really needed facemasks and helmets ended up being linemen though, because they'd bang their faces and heads every play. That's one area where early football really differed from rugby was the blocking. You can't block in rugby, you can't tackle high, the runner can't lower his head, and scrums (where they interlock and roll the ball in) are controlled.

So even if you added some of the safety elements of rugby to minimize violent tackles, what people don't often consider is the violent blocking. Blocking is where most of the head to head banging during each play occurs, not tackling. So maybe we start requiring the helmet caps for linemen and go from there.

 

[SpookyAction]

Back when men were men. Bad News looked like he was about 42 when he was in college..lol

Just look at that first generation of Baseball hall of Famers. They looked like they were 70 in their 20s. I expect part of it is sun damage, smoking, and very low BMI.

 

[SpookyAction]

Ahh yes, from the days of an average offensive lineman in college football was 6'-1" 221#. The speed and size of players "post food additives" is so much greater.

I still remember the first 300 pounder in the NFL (I ever saw) was Louis Kelcher, DT of the Chargers @1980.

I just read Roger Brown (Lions and Rams 60-69) might have been the first.