Football Helmet Warning Label - Neatorama

Football helmets always come with warning labels these days, because the companies that make them do not like being sued when football players suffer brain damage. But Schutt Sports goes a little further than the others. The last lines say:

“No helmet system can protect you from serious brain and/or neck injuries including paralysis or death. To avoid these risks, do not engage in the sport of football.”

Of course, the language of warning labels comes from the legal department, not the marketing department, and is intended to minimize liability. But if sports equipment manufacturers are this aware of the inherent dangers of the sport, maybe we should rethink whether American football is worth the risk. Link - via Deadspin

(Image credit: Stefan M. Duma)

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George Will says that "Football combines the two worst things about America: violence punctuated by committee meetings."

I don't enjoy it either, but I'm not one for watching sports of any kind. I'd rather play than watch.

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So, is the implication here that soccer / "football" is a safer sport than American football? A simple Google search would indicate that this is simply not the case. Tens of thousands of people are seriously injured or killed across the globe as a result of playing soccer, including the same concussions, broken limbs and paralysis suffered while playing US football. The helmet warning above could easily be placed on a pair of soccer cleats, since the only way to ensure that you never suffer an injury while playing soccer is to never play soccer in the first place. The idea that soccer is a "safe, non-contact" sport is the big lie now being fed to US parents. And in response to the inevitable statement that "soccer is the most popular sport in the world:" McDonald's is the most popular restaurant in the world.

Not judging soccer; it's just not as safe as you think.

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They say there's about 10 minutes of actual play time during an entire game...what's the point? And yes, another American here.

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I'm American, and I don't get it either. It appears to be a series of meetings followed by people trying to knock each other down. And a weirdly-shaped brown ball plays some role in it.

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Not being an American but having watched a couple of games and being an avid rugby fan, I think that the use of so much protective equipment in American football gives the players a false sense of security and leads them to be more reckless and to launch themselves into tackles they would otherwise avoid. More and more studies are being published that show that early-onset dementia is linked to playing sports such as rugby and American football, at higher rates than found among amateur boxers.

People will continue to play both sports but perhaps thought should be given to informing potential players of the real risks of their chosen game.

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