Thread: For those who complain how "soft" the NFL is becoming.

Stories like this are why the NFL should be and is focused on player safety. I'm sure people will respond with the "they know what they are signing up for argument" but when a freaking game is doing this to people's minds/bodies, I don't see how any reasonable person could argue against increased safety measures.

I just pasted pertinent excerpts from the article...

The death of former Atlanta Falcons safety Ray Easterling has been ruled a suicide, Richmond police captain Yvonne Crowder told FoxSports.com on Saturday.

Crowder told the website that Easterling died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at his home in Richmond, Va. Easterling's wife, Mary Ann, announced the news on Thursday, but declined to release the cause of his death.

After his playing days, Easterling started to suffer the consequences of the years of bruising hits, his wife said. He suffered from depression and insomnia, and as his dementia progressed, he lost the ability to focus, organize his thoughts and relate to people, she said.

"It's been a progression over the last 20 years," she said. "It's very sad to see."

"Half the time the player puts themselves back in the game, and they don't know what kind of impact it has," she said. "Somehow this has got to be stopped. It's destroying people's lives."

Former Chicago Bears safety Dave Duerson also committed suicide a year ago, shooting himself in the chest after having made arrangements to donate his brain to the Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy at Boston University's School of Medicine. A researcher determined Duerson suffered from a "moderately advanced" case of chronic traumatic encephalopathy. The study indicated the damage to Duerson's brain affected his judgment, inhibition, impulse control, mood and memory.

Full article...

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/78...mitted-suicide

The game is much faster now then it was back then. Although there were less rules and you could basically lynch mob someone. Todays football players are bigger, stronger and faster. So without modifying things players are at even a bigger risk for serious injuries. Us fans dont like it but when you put yourself in the football players family's shoes then you would understand. I like seeing physical football but I never what to see someone injured.

Technology and equipment need to get better too though and not just a focus on rules. Remember, someone finally realized that a facemask could protect your face and moving the goal post from the front of the endzone to the back would protect you from running into a pole. lol! So, I'm all for player safety but at least they should try and keep it as exciting as possible.

The original UFC's were so bad ass because it was no rounds, no weight classes and basically no rules. But with ratings, money and lawsuits, rule changes will always follow.

I think the NFL is going about it wrong. UFC fighting is THE fastest growing sport in the world. Boxing USED to be a top three sport, and now it has fallen completely off the map due to them making changes to "make it safer." First it was changing the weight of the gloves, then the padding...blah blah blah

UFC doesn't hide from the controlled violence that is a PART of their sport, they EMBRACE it. The NFL has become America's sport, but it didnt' become that because of the 'soft' NFL that we are seeing today. It became a NATIONAL PASSION because of the hard hitting. Please don't tell me that the NFL is more dangerous than NASCAR racing. Don't tell me that the NFL "has" to be careful because of lawsuits. NASCAR has drivers sign waivers before EVERY race. The NFL could do the same thing.

Eventually, on the road that Goodell is taking this sport, it will nearly eliminate contact all together. If you take away the "number one reason for injuries" from the NFL, then that means it leave #2 as the #1 reason. Eventually, that will then have to be removed from the game.

This sport is becoming something that would have NEVER made it our nations PASSION, while hiding behind "concern" for those that WILLINGLY participate. The police, fire departments, military... all go into their DANGEROUS jobs knowing that they could be dreadfully injured while on duty. Don't tell me that those participating in football, who's very description of the game, doesn't tell them that dangers of injury are present.

Originally Posted by Ravage!!!

This sport is becoming something that would have NEVER made it our nations PASSION, while hiding behind "concern" for those that WILLINGLY participate. The police, fire departments, military... all go into their DANGEROUS jobs knowing that they could be dreadfully injured while on duty. Don't tell me that those participating in football, who's very description of the game, doesn't tell them that dangers of injury are present.

Dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb argument. Just because they KNOW the risks doesn't mean the NFL shouldn't be obligated to make the league as safe as they can. Based on that logic, why ever create pads or helmets? I mean, the players know it's dangerous so no need in protecting them right?

Originally Posted by BaileyTheBest

Dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb argument. Just because they KNOW the risks doesn't mean the NFL shouldn't be obligated to make the league as safe as they can. Based on that logic, why ever create pads or helmets? I mean, the players know it's dangerous so no need in protecting them right?

No, based on what you are saying, the NFL should follow its policy of changing rules to minimize player injuries.... as it continues to hide behind that "guidline" with every rule change it makes. If that is TRULY the case, then the NFL needs to do what would eliminate injuries. Irradicate tackling altogether, right? Why are they beating around the bush with this? Injuries occur in football because the sport requires grown men to run into one another (or at least it used to). So if running into one another is causing injuries, why are we keeping that around at all??? Doesn't really make sense to what they proclaim they are trying to do.

Instead of running away and changing the sport, embrace the game as it is. We KNOW its a violent sport, and that is why we watch the game. Quit trying to hide from it and try to make it something its not. Other sports aren't running and hiding from the dangers that exist. Why is the NFL? Why is the most popular game in the USA, the sport that has captured our passion, the gladiators of our modern era, changing to make it "nice?" Doesn't make sense. It's diminishing the very game we hold close, and this path will absolutely RUIN the game of football as we know it. No one wants to watch a game that doesn't have kick-offs, QBs can't be hit, WRs MUST catch the ball before they can be stopped.....and the players wearing flags around their hips.

There is a reason we don't watch soccer in the States. We LIKE and WANT our contact. We WANT to watch the smashing, the hitting, the CRUSHING blows that make us go "OOOOHHhh MAN, did you see that HIT!?!?!" Its what brings us back for more.

Deny it if you want. Try to pretend that the fans aren't interested in hard hits and smashing contact if that makes you feel righteous. But the truth is in the numbers. The NFL has tried to eliminate the hard hits because it attracts more WOMEN to the sport. It's been shown that women are more interested if they don't see the controlled violence that has made this sport wonderful. Don't believe for a moment that it truly has to do with "protecting the players"... or protecting the NFL from lawsuites. The hypocrisy in which they claim the reasons behind their rule changes are sickening at best.

I really don't believe that there is enough that the league can do to make it safe for the players, other than going to flag football, and no, I am not trying to be a smart***. My opinion is that it should come down to the individual teams responsibility to monitor injuries much better. If a player as much as demonstrates that there is a possibility he has suffered a concussion during a game - take him out, do NOT put him back in, and have him thoroughly checked out. If he has suffered a concussion, then put a time limit on when he will play another game, based on the severity of the concussion. If that means it was severe, and he has to sit out the remainder of the season, so be it.

Originally Posted by BaileyTheBest

Dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb argument. Just because they KNOW the risks doesn't mean the NFL shouldn't be obligated to make the league as safe as they can. Based on that logic, why ever create pads or helmets? I mean, the players know it's dangerous so no need in protecting them right?

Lots of jobs are dangerous. Not many jobs have as much oversight, and money thrown into safety. Start a thread about west virginia coal miners and I will feel sorry for those guys.

Little League is dangerous.....2 kids killed in the last week.

I'll be first...they knew of the risks going in. And they can make millions. They can walk away whenever they choose to. While I agree that some safety measures are necessary (defenseless receiver if he truly is defenseless and the ball has passed him, etc) when they completely change the game, I have to disagree. Removing the kickoffs? Really?

Evolution of the NFL and safety rules....

http://nflhealthandsafety.com/commitment/evolution/

Originally Posted by Nomad

Evolution of the NFL and safety rules....

http://nflhealthandsafety.com/commitment/evolution/

Obviously I did not read all of those rules, but there are a BUNCH that have been implemented, and that is what I meant when I said there is no way they can totally protect the players from being hurt, unless they change to flag football.

Originally Posted by BaileyTheBest

Dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb argument. Just because they KNOW the risks doesn't mean the NFL shouldn't be obligated to make the league as safe as they can. Based on that logic, why ever create pads or helmets? I mean, the players know it's dangerous so no need in protecting them right?

I would buy into this BTB but the reality is the numbers don't support the safety measures taken. In the end, my suspicion is head injuries, CTE, concussions etc... will remain about the same. Players know how to fake the system to stay on the field. They know they need to stay on the field or the "next guy up" will take their job.

Originally Posted by BaileyTheBest

Based on that logic, why ever create pads or helmets?

Depending on what you read and whom you believe there are 4-5 BETTER helmets that have dramatically better concussion and safety numbers than those the NFL uses. The NFL REFUSES to address or acknowledge that in any way due to contractual arrangements! It is about money on both sides of the equation: league and players.

Steroids and their affects have been known for years. Despite better testing and education, PED's are still a major issue in pro sports. I dont feel bad for a player whose health is dramatically affected because they sold their body to PED's for a shot a millions. They made that choice. Not me. But that is said to highlight the fact that the league can go overboard on safety and the players, some anyway, will always find a way to cheat the system.

Originally Posted by Denver Native (Carol)

Obviously I did not read all of those rules, but there are a BUNCH that have been implemented, and that is what I meant when I said there is no way they can totally protect the players from being hurt, unless they change to flag football.

True! I found the site interesting though I found the site just randomly searching the interweb. Football will never be a "safe" sport as long as it's a collision sport. If a person reads the site, it's the Safety Committee that comes up with the rules and ironicly Ronnie Lott is one.

A stay-at-home mom with depression can commit suicide. It's a stretch to try to connect the physicality of the NFL to someone suffering from depression and say that if it was a safer game that this wouldn't happen.

Whatever BTB thinks, I think the exact opposite.