League to consider widening Field to CFL Standards

Agree, do think some ideas should head south, like the no fair catch/5 yd bubble on kicks

Otherwise..I don't believe they realize what this would look like out on the field.

I hope it is round filed

 

Technology should trump this idea.
Unless they don't have it.

 

They shouldn't ban HGH for starters. The benefits of improved healing would be to the NFL's advantage. There's no other sport where HGH could be more useful.

 

I say whatever people choose to willingly put into their body for whatever reason, is their business.And you can't expect men who do unhuman things to heal in an unhuman fashion without any help.

 

Yeah its not going to look good in 10-15 years most of the players that played in the 90s and on killing themselves because of the brain trauma received while playing in CFB and NFL.

 

Most of the players? Game has been vicious for a long time. And the equipment wasn't nearly as good as it is today (and I'm sure it could be better). Most of those players haven't killed themselves.

 

trying to get that game they call football in candada some recognition

 

True but players have gotten bigger and faster. So hits are more violent.

 

This is ridiculous. Most of the players will be killing themselves? What?
Sure we see some isolated random incidents of this happening but to throw out a blanket statement that has no fact behind to back it up and isn't very realistic at all.
You may want to rethink your logic.

 

Except this isn't really an issue of isolated and random incidents. Theses issues are becoming more and more common and severe. And really the problem is that the problems we are seeing now are from the game that was played 10-15 years ago. The problems associated with today's game are unknown.

 

Players are pampered more than ever. The game has become cushy in recent years compared to past era's.

 

So most players from that time will be killing themselves.
Sorry but that is absolutely laughable.
Fifty one percent or more will take their lives.
There is no way in hell that ever happens.

 

http://www.bu.edu/cste/

 

Brain trauma is evident but I want to see the suicide rates if you got 'em.
Did more than half of the player's brains that were studied die by suicide?

 

So you agree that CTE is evident, but your claim is the chances of someone with CTE committing suicide, correct?

 

My comment was directed at most players committing suicide as a result so yes.
I never said brain trauma was an isolated incident.
I thought you were able to comprehend my point.

 

Then the answer is to stop playing the game altogether. Wider side lines do nothing IMO.

Of the study you cited, how many were linemen or LBs where the field won't even matter as the head trauma exists on every play regardless?

 

Not sure. Wider field will absolutely help some. Its just one part of the puzzle.

 

I guess. But, if the difference is marginal, is it worth throwing the entire history of the game out the window? All the records, etc. IMO, it is too radical of a change for a minor impact in player safety where I feel other areas could be more beneficial to players. Maybe take a look at helmet technology? I don't know the answer, but think of the ramifications of widening the field. I can't accept that as an NFL fan....living in Canada with the CFL.

 

They already area looking at helmet technology. They pretty much are addressing this through every possible channel. Certainly nobody likes to see the game change, but its definitely preferable to the game ceasing to exist.

 

All the helmet tech in the world won't stop the whiplash that rattles players brains on good form tackles as it is.

 

That is the thing, it won't cease to exist. There will always be athletes signing on the dotted line. Even 20 years from now when we have a more complete study pertaining to the short and long term effects of playing the sport. There will always be people willing to accept those risks and play. The compensation compared to what they would receive in the corporate (non-executive) or blue collar work force will always be higher and essentially justify the risk they are personally accepting.

It is what it is. If you can't get players to sign, then you consider making the drastic changes.

 

Here is a pretty good article discussing the differences between CFL and NFL.

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_...ow-concussions-research-their-effects-players

Some excerpts;

The bold is surprising actually.

 

Except these players don't know the risks. The NFL literally just acknowledged that football causes CTE in 2011. Their legal liability is large enough to put them under ten-fold.

 

You'd have to think current and future contracts indemnify the team and league of such things in lieu of the current class action. I would imagine so, if that is legal, not sure.

And I do understand that not all risks are known. That's why I said in 20 years players will still sign the contracts. By then we should have an accurate study no? I personally would accept the risks if a team was interested in me.

 

You can't just indemnify everything that could possibly happen. When you take a job, the employer has an inherent obligation to make those aware of the risks associated. In 20 years the game is going to be much different than it is now, just like the game now is different than it was 20 years ago. You may accept the risks that you believe to exist, but would you accept the risk if it were a 75% chance of death by age 45? The league doesn't have time to wait and see the results of studies. The game is rapidly evolving, and so are the risks.

 

If those odds ever materialize, there will be no more football. It is that simple. Nothing can prevent the fall of the sport with indictments like that.

 

Exactly. So if you're the NFL, what do you do? If it were me, I'd be doing everything conceivable to prevent head injuries.

 

The CFL just started doing their own study. Look at one of my excerpts from above. On three brains that have had a history of multiple concussions, there were no signs of CTE - interesting. I am not saying that concussions don't cause CTE, but it is interesting nonetheless.

Also, the CFL just began their study and as the article states their sample size is modest. We may see equivalent ratio of head injuries - even with the wider field. My point exactly. The CFL is being cited as a safer league, but no one can be certain of that. This consideration to go to a wider field may all be useless. The result being a dramatically different NFL product with the same risks.

 

I can't describe to you how much I HATE this idea! It's impossible to express how stupid I think this idea is.