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The fact there are no pads or helmets actually makes Rugby safer. In American Football people rush into each other at almost full speed, which can lead to seri

The fact there are no pads or helmets actually makes Rugby safer. In American Football people rush into each other at almost full speed, which can lead to serious brain damage. In Rugby, if you were to rush into each other at that sort of speed you would become seriously injured, so brain damage isn't as prevalent.

jfoutz 9y ago
Well. probably more injuries, but much less serious. American Football, if you get hurt, you get hurt really bad
- Goronmon 9y ago
  Removing helmets in football without removing almost all forms of contact will likely lead to deaths, which would hard to describe as "much less serious" than brain damage.
- kerbs 9y ago
  Worse - you get hurt irreversibly, sometimes mortally, very slowly over time. A broken leg is often the least of your problems compared to multiple concussions or the cumulative effects of CTE.
icelancer 9y ago
>> The fact there are no pads or helmets actually makes Rugby safer. This is oft-cited but before helmets, NFL players were dying at a pretty rapid pace [0], and this is before advanced strength and conditioning. NFL players rush into each other at full speed knowing the risks. Why would that change if you removed protective padding that has been proven to do very little? [0]: One such article on the topic: https://paleofuture.gizmodo.com/19-football-players-died-in-1905-but-calls-for-reform-1277528900 https://paleofuture.gizmodo.com/19-football-players-died-in-...
- Clubber 9y ago
  Yes, Teddy Roosevelt is credited for saving football. In 1904, there were 18 deaths in college football alone, and there weren't that many colleges and not that many games. http://www.history.com/news/how-teddy-roosevelt-saved-football http://www.history.com/news/how-teddy-roosevelt-saved-footba...
- patmcguire 9y ago
  It's the hard helmets vs leather that's the the issue, the hard helmet lets players use their head as a weapon. Injuries were also caused by a lot of plays that are illegal today - flying wedges and various dirty blocks (clipping, chop blocks).
ransom1538 9y ago
"In American Football people rush into each other at almost full speed" 300lbs, running 5seconds for 40 yard, 2% bodyfat -- straight at you -- head down -- helmet first. Oh yeah. They trained on smashing into bags for this for 10 years.
- maxerickson 9y ago
  Very few players that big are that fast or that trim. Lots are a bit faster and around 230 or 250 lbs though.
- Thriptic 9y ago
  It's true that NFL players suffer enormous head injuries, but let's not be hyperbolic. No one in the NFL is anywhere near 2% body fat; people are not trying to spear other people head first (there are rules explicitly banning this as well as any intentional helmet to helmet contact); most players are well under 300 lbs; most hits aren't occurring anywhere near full speed etc.
  - switchbak 9y ago
    Many of the more serious impacts occur at high speeds, some at full speed. Special teams (kickoff, punt return, etc) are particularly bad for this. There are players on the payroll that are kept for just this purpose.
    - evilduck 9y ago
      Player positions with more high speed impacts aren't necessarily linked to greater lifetime CTE risks because they might have fewer total impacts during their career. Linemen might even be worse off with many more "lesser" impacts. The big high speed hits from a safety draw attention, but they're pretty infrequent. A lineman is pretty much guaranteed a consistent head impact every play. https://www.inverse.com/article/37934-nfl-funded-study-brain-injury https://www.inverse.com/article/37934-nfl-funded-study-brain...
  - moorhosj 9y ago

jfoutz 9y ago

Well. probably more injuries, but much less serious. American Football, if you get hurt, you get hurt really bad

Goronmon 9y ago
Removing helmets in football without removing almost all forms of contact will likely lead to deaths, which would hard to describe as "much less serious" than brain damage.
kerbs 9y ago
Worse - you get hurt irreversibly, sometimes mortally, very slowly over time. A broken leg is often the least of your problems compared to multiple concussions or the cumulative effects of CTE.

icelancer 9y ago

>> The fact there are no pads or helmets actually makes Rugby safer. This is oft-cited but before helmets, NFL players were dying at a pretty rapid pace [0], and this is before advanced strength and conditioning. NFL players rush into each other at full speed knowing the risks. Why would that change if you removed protective padding that has been proven to do very little? [0]: One such article on the topic: https://paleofuture.gizmodo.com/19-football-players-died-in-1905-but-calls-for-reform-1277528900 https://paleofuture.gizmodo.com/19-football-players-died-in-...

Clubber 9y ago
Yes, Teddy Roosevelt is credited for saving football. In 1904, there were 18 deaths in college football alone, and there weren't that many colleges and not that many games. http://www.history.com/news/how-teddy-roosevelt-saved-football http://www.history.com/news/how-teddy-roosevelt-saved-footba...
patmcguire 9y ago
It's the hard helmets vs leather that's the the issue, the hard helmet lets players use their head as a weapon. Injuries were also caused by a lot of plays that are illegal today - flying wedges and various dirty blocks (clipping, chop blocks).

ransom1538 9y ago

"In American Football people rush into each other at almost full speed" 300lbs, running 5seconds for 40 yard, 2% bodyfat -- straight at you -- head down -- helmet first. Oh yeah. They trained on smashing into bags for this for 10 years.

maxerickson 9y ago
Very few players that big are that fast or that trim. Lots are a bit faster and around 230 or 250 lbs though.
Thriptic 9y ago
It's true that NFL players suffer enormous head injuries, but let's not be hyperbolic. No one in the NFL is anywhere near 2% body fat; people are not trying to spear other people head first (there are rules explicitly banning this as well as any intentional helmet to helmet contact); most players are well under 300 lbs; most hits aren't occurring anywhere near full speed etc.
- switchbak 9y ago
  Many of the more serious impacts occur at high speeds, some at full speed. Special teams (kickoff, punt return, etc) are particularly bad for this. There are players on the payroll that are kept for just this purpose.
  - evilduck 9y ago
    Player positions with more high speed impacts aren't necessarily linked to greater lifetime CTE risks because they might have fewer total impacts during their career. Linemen might even be worse off with many more "lesser" impacts. The big high speed hits from a safety draw attention, but they're pretty infrequent. A lineman is pretty much guaranteed a consistent head impact every play. https://www.inverse.com/article/37934-nfl-funded-study-brain-injury https://www.inverse.com/article/37934-nfl-funded-study-brain...
- moorhosj 9y ago