This paper studies the evolution of football equipment and how each piece of equipment has changed the game. It begins with a discussion of the origins of American football and its storied history. The second section then explores how each piece of protective equipment is used and how they have positively and negatively affected the sport. The third section examines the fact that injuries that have increased despite the evolution of different equipment and will focus, most importantly, on the helmet and concussions. It continues by looking at the ways the NFL is attempting to make football safer for its players. The paper concludes with a summary of how football has evolved over time and how the different pieces of equipment has helped changed the game.
Conclusion
The purpose of this paper was to analyze the evolution of football equipment from how it has changed over time. I also looked at how each equipment change has affected the game from rule changes to play style. It was to also highlight the main topic of concussions in the NFL, because of the Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy
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At first players did not use protective gear, but now it is a major requirement. Football in its origins have fallen further away from the similar game rugby with equipment like the helmet and shoulder pads have been able to revolutionized the American game as we see it today. The beginnings of American Football arose from the England game of Rugby. Which was a rough and brutal game with rules very similar to today’s American game. The sport was created by Walter Camp, who also known as the “Father of American Football”. With his help football has become a worldwide played and loved sport. Walter Camp made sure his dream of an American game different from rugby was made, with each change in the game he was one step closer to perfection from the helmet to the shoes Walter changed the
American football has quickly become America’s favorite sport, nothing like turning on the TV on a Saturday or Sunday and watching some football with friends or family. Whether you love it or hate it there is no denying that football has become one of the most popular sports on the planet. Despite the controversy surrounding the dangers of football, it has still developed into a multi-billion dollar industry. Pretty much everyone has heard of football or the stars that surround it, but few people know how football got its start. Football is believed to have descended from the ancient Greek game of harpaston.
As football developed into one of the most popular sports in America during the 20th century, it became associated with idealizations. In his framing of Friday Night Lights as an antihero model, Robert Kerr establishes how football developed into the quintessential model of being a gentleman. Walter Camp, one of the earliest coaches and promoters of the game, felt that its standard of excellence emphasized being an honorable and respectable men, going as far as to say that “Whatever bruises he may have in the flesh, his heart is right” (Kerr). By portraying early football players as virtuous men, the sport established a facade that incorporated sportsmanship, tradition, and morality, effectively obscuring its savage nature. Football became
With these solutions to consider, football will continue as a safe sport while avoiding health concussions that might impair the football players
Solving this problem involves not only educating the public, but also eliminating head-first tackles and providing better equipment. Undoubtedly, football is a difficult, treacherous sport but currently no measures are being taken to improve players’ safety. Small things could make a big difference in the NFL. People are getting hurt before our very eyes, and we don’t do a thing about it, we should be appalled our lack of action and let it motivate us to make improvements and needed
This is one of the biggest advancements in helmet technology or one of the worst ones. In one perspective they provided more padding and protection for the football player. On the other hand it gave the players the ability to use it as a weapon on the field and gave them the confidence to hit other players with their head, where before they were scared to use their head. Once players found out they could use their heads they began to use it more often and in some instances these hits left players unconscious and concussed. Concussions are a bad deal in any sport and if a player is concussed and doesn 't say anything and gets another one it can lead to permanent or long term brain damage or in the most severe cases even
Now more fans can get tickets to go see and enjoy the game comfortably. Fifty years ago, there also was no media to cover with football scores, games, players, plays, and positions. But today our media is covered with football information so everyone knows what’s going on whether they want to know or not. You can now get info on the football game wherever and whenever you want. Concussion rates found that there had been a decrease of players getting concussions.
For example, better protective head gear and rules against head butting would allow less permanent damage and head-on-head contact. These changes could make the sport much safer for players, including young children that are being put in danger by playing football. The dangers of football concealed by the NFL were detrimental to the lives of many players, young and old, and their loved ones.
With the recent advances in technology the head injuries experienced by National Football League players has been made more noticeable to the public. So the public has raised an eyebrow, questioning who will take responsibility to battle the issue of brain injuries in the National Football League. This subject involving player safety isn’t anything new, “In fact, a quick search of historical press reports shows that football related concussions have been associated with deaths and debilitating injuries since the late 1800s”(Lange 178). In football one of the most important parts are player safety. In fact, players wear equipment such as helmets, to help prevent head injuries.
As an avid NFL fan over the years, and someone who has watched many games, I have noticed the NFL’s shortcomings in protecting the safety of its players C. Thesis: There are many topics of discussion when it comes to the NFL concussion
People believe that concussions and deaths are the results of football, but the good outweighs the bad and the concussions can be prevented Football should not be banned because it keeps kids off the streets and into the classroom. In Michael Lewis’s “The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game,” a homeless boy is given a second chance by getting the opportunity to play football in high school. This heartwarming story about a teenager, Michael Oher, proves that football and other
It wasn’t until President Theodore Roosevelt’s son got injured in the game that he enforced a football reform. Almond relays the message that Football is a prime example of American innovation at it’s best. He claims that overtime, Football transformed from a deadly sport that had no organization to “controlled violence.” Almond believes that this reform is beautiful in nature which I have to disagree with. Although broken arms, ribs and pulled ligaments can be painful, they can be effectively treated by doctors this day in age.
American football has many different aspects that helped change America today. Football has earned millions of fans to the game every year. The sport has changed and helped various people strive through life. At the same time, football has caused many downsides that have changed people’s lives forever. Through the beginning to now, football has been filled with many impacts and injuries that have changed the game.
Between Klay Thompson’s concussion during Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals and the gut wrenching helmet-to-helmet collision Morgan Brian and Alexandra Popp had during their Women’s World Cup match, concussions are once again on sport’s forefront. These injuries serve as a reminder that it isn’t just the traditional warrior-esque sports facing protocol revisions. While Brian’s injury proved to not be a concussion, similar incidents like the collision of Chelsea midfielder Oscar with Arsenal goalkeeper David Ospina earlier this season have left fans with jarring reminders that player safety needs optimization. While the soccer world is championing a revised substitution policy that protects players while leaving the game’s three substitution
Research Project: NFL Concussions The project that I decided to research was concussions in sports, focusing on the National Football League. Though the NFL is famously known for being hammered with controversy surrounding concussions, they are trying to improve the health and safety measures to prevent them from happening, and to protect players. These measures are usually tagged with a term called “Concussion protocol”. This term has been thrown around for years by announcers, coaches, players, and probably the most by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
Adrenaline pulsing through my body and anxiety filling up in my stomach, I quickly throw on my football gear and head out to the practice field. It’s a nice hot day in Ocala, Florida, with the sun beating down on our necks, we stand side by side in line waiting to be picked to play second, third, or fourth string in a play. Waiting in anticipation, each of us grinding our teeth, watching first string pure athletes colliding against each other like gladiators to have possession of a ball made at one-time of “pig’s skin”. To some people, the game of American football makes no sense, whether it’s the idea of trying to protect a ball or running and passing it to make a goal for your team. People like this, see the concept of football and understand why millions of people love it; but to them the sport is pointless and causes way too many casualties.