NFL DOC: BARRING CONCUSSED PLAYERS "DEFINITELY COULD BE SOMETHING IN THE FUTURE"

[RoanokeFan]

NFL DOC: BARRING CONCUSSED PLAYERS "DEFINITELY COULD BE SOMETHING IN THE FUTURE"

"Stanford wide receiver Chris Owusu went undrafted during the NFL's lengthy
seven-round draft over the past few days. It's not because of his talent -- the
NFL Draft Scout guys had him pegged as the 35th-best wideout in the draft. It's because of his concussion
history -- three in 13 months -- and that sort of history could eventually
prevent players from entering the NFL.

At least Dr. Robert Cantu, the
co-chair of the NFL's head, neck and spine committee, says that it "definitely
could be something in the future" anyway. Cantu spoke with Jim Trotter for an
article in the latest Sports Illustrated and conceded the possibility
of instituting "preemptive measures to keep concussed players out of the NFL"
(Trotter's words) "definitely could be something in the future" (Cantu's). The
doctor also said, however, that "the concrete data isn't there right now" to
warrant doing such a thing. But it's at least, apparently, something that's
being considered.

"What's going to help in the future is we'll not only
be able to look at [a player's] history of concussions, but we'll be able to see
structural changes on imaging studies that aren't available now," Cantu said.
"Or there will be bio markets in the blood or spinal fluid that will allow us to
identify individuals who have already had brain injuries that we can't detect
right now. These things will greatly aid making those judgment
calls."

The current NFL process of eliminating players from consideration
for playing is simply merit-based: Owusu is an example of how health can be a
big factor in determining value for college players jumping to the pro game.
(Ask Washington running
back Chris Polk about this too.) One team's general manager told Trotter that
Owusu is "off our board" because of his concussion issues and that "it wouldn't
matter if he was RG3, he'd still be off our board."

The possibility of
the league stepping in and preventing someone from attempting to play
professional football because of health reasons would likely raise some legal
issues, but the NFL's already put an artificial age barrier in place for
potential prospects, so doing the same for health reasons, based on the premise
of increasing player safety and limiting liability, is certainly a possibility
on the future.

My colleague <a href="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/story/17445973/owusu-chasing-his-nfl-dreams-but-teams-will-think-twice-about-him/rss">Pete
Prisco wrote about Owusu at the combine</a> and pointed out that, even with
Owusu's injury history, it's tough to tell a kid to quit chasing his dream. But
the NFL, always a reality-check-filled business, will apparently consider doing
that at some point in the future."

[ibbill]

Wow we can ask a gps in our car where is the next gas station the message goes to outer space and back down to the gps and tells us where it is in 1 second.

We can't make a helmet that will at least stop some if not all of the concussions.

[RoanokeFan]

As the lawsuits increase, the options will get more oddball. It's hard to argue a "concussion threshold."

[THE_New_York_Giants]

[quote user="ibbill"]Wow we can ask a gps in our car where is the next gas station the message goes to outer space and back down to the gps and tells us where it is in 1 second.

We can't make a helmet that will at least stop some if not all of the concussions.[/quote]
Helmets cause most of the concussions. If they want less concussions and less injuries in general, no shoulder pads and a soft leather helmet. That way people can't launch themselves and use their pads as weapons. Players would actually have to learn how to tackle again. It would completely change the game, but there would be exponentially less injuries.

As for RF's last statement, a lot of high schools have instituted a rule of "3 concussions and you can't play contact sports".

[RoanokeFan]

[quote user="THE_New_York_Giants"][quote user="ibbill"]Wow we can ask a gps in our car where is the next gas station the message goes to outer space and back down to the gps and tells us where it is in 1 second.

We can't make a helmet that will at least stop some if not all of the concussions.[/quote]
Helmets cause most of the concussions. If they want less concussions and less injuries in general, no shoulder pads and a soft leather helmet. That way people can't launch themselves and use their pads as weapons. Players would actually have to learn how to tackle again. It would completely change the game, but there would be exponentially less injuries.

As for RF's last statement, a lot of high schools have instituted a rule of "3 concussions and you can't play contact sports".[/quote]

It's really hard to fight that approach when you see the types of residual effects multiple concussions have years after leaving the sport.

[jomo]

[quote user="RoanokeFan"]As the lawsuits increase, the options will get more oddball.* It's hard to argue a "concussion threshold."
[/quote]Change is necessary and inevitable. No one wants to see more Jim McMahons and Earl Campbells. There will be fundamental changes to the game which leave me a bit melancholy. It will be interesting to see whether the game excites us as much in 20 years.

[RoanokeFan]

[quote user="jomo"][quote user="RoanokeFan"]As the lawsuits increase, the options will get more oddball. It's hard to argue a "concussion threshold."
[/quote]Change is necessary and inevitable. No one wants to see more Jim McMahons and Earl Campbells. There will be fundamental changes to the game which leave me a bit melancholy. It will be interesting to see whether the game excites us as much in 20 years.[/quote]

If it's exciting me in 20 years, I will be ONE HAPPY CAMPER!!! []

[THE_New_York_Giants]

[quote user="RoanokeFan"][quote user="THE_New_York_Giants"][quote user="ibbill"]Wow we can ask a gps in our car where is the next gas station the message goes to outer space and back down to the gps and tells us where it is in 1 second.

We can't make a helmet that will at least stop some if not all of the concussions.[/quote]
Helmets cause most of the concussions. If they want less concussions and less injuries in general, no shoulder pads and a soft leather helmet. That way people can't launch themselves and use their pads as weapons. Players would actually have to learn how to tackle again. It would completely change the game, but there would be exponentially less injuries.

As for RF's last statement, a lot of high schools have instituted a rule of "3 concussions and you can't play contact sports".[/quote]

It's really hard to fight that approach when you see the types of residual effects multiple concussions have years after leaving the sport.
[/quote]

My nephew had a teammate who wasn't allowed to play sports in his high school because he had 3 concussions in the same ice hockey season. They told him he couldn't play anymore so he transferred schools where they'd let him play and he got 2 more and is already having issues stemming from it.

[ibbill]

[quote user="RoanokeFan"][quote user="jomo"][quote user="RoanokeFan"]As the lawsuits increase, the options will get more oddball.* It's hard to argue a "concussion threshold."
[/quote]Change is necessary and inevitable. No one wants to see more Jim McMahons and Earl Campbells. There will be fundamental changes to the game which leave me a bit melancholy. It will be interesting to see whether the game excites us as much in 20 years.[/quote]

If it's exciting me in 20 years, I will be ONE HAPPY CAMPER!!!* []
[/quote]

I will break the Goverment in old age checks if I have another 20 years