FOOTBALL SAFETY 

   There’s a lot of national conversation about football safety, particularly the helmet.  There’s deep concern about concussions and brain damage.  
   I played high school football 75 years ago and a little in college after my military service.  I don’t think it is the equipment that causes injuries.  I think it is the change in rules all in the interest of making football more of a spectator sport, and thus more $$$.

   When I played we played both ways.  We did not have offense, defense, and specialty squads.  No mass substitutions.  We could substitute only two players at a time, and only during an official timeout.  Consequently, you had to be able to play both offense and defense.  You had to be able to play multiple positions.  If you were on defense and there was a turnover and you looked around in the huddle and there was no left end, but three guards, guess who got to play left end?  We could not go full bore the entire game, thus we paced ourselves. Many games were won in  the 4th quarter by the team with the players in the best of shape.  We had hard leather helmets.  We did not have face guards thus we were careful as to exactly where we put our heads.

   Today with specialty teams they play full bore for a few minutes and then go set on the bench and rest.  When there is a turnover a whole new fresh team comes on the field.  Individual substitutions are random and made at will.    With padded hard plastic helmets and face guards players have a sense of infallibility.  They make no attempt to protect their heads.  Other equipment padding adds to the feeling. The football is smaller and shaped more like a bullet to facilitate the passing game and spectacular catches.

   Granted, today’s rules make the game more spectacular, but at what price?