Check Your Head
by H.F. Salisbury
With respect to Richard Harris’ family, I’m going to focus on football as we have a game tonight against BC. I’m really hoping for a Bomber win…it would be the greatest tribute to Coach Harris. His passing certainly over shadows what amounts to a simple game of football; however, as I’m sure he would remind us all if he were here… life must go on.
There has been so much discussion this week in the CFL about helmet to helmet contact and concussions. Seems like this subject is a hot button issue for many sports leagues including the NFL, NHL, etc. An interesting question has been circulating with much debate - are other CFL teams really gunning for Buck Pierce and trying to injure our “Glass Quarterback?” He’s certainly had his fair share of brutal hits/sacks after only 4 games. My opinion; honestly, I don’t know… I mean every play the Defense tries to sack the QB. I know the CFL is looking at revamping rules to protect its players (most notably quarterbacks) but there is another piece to the puzzle that until now has been overlooked for the most part. The protection that the equipment issupposed to provide.
Tony “Tee” Martin and I have been commenting for weeks now about helmets flying off of players when they are getting hit. I can’t even tell you how many lost lids there were in the Bombers/Stampedes tilt. Finally, mainstream media picked up on this and I’m surprised it has taken them so long to do so. The TSN broadcasting crew made numerous comments during the Toronto game. The ever in-coherent Matt Dunigan (no stranger to concussions himself) even noticed and commented between strange on air ramblings about how “he could really go for a margarita right now.” Allan Maki of the Globe and Mail wrote an excellent article pointing out what Tee and I have been observing for weeks. CFL players can’t keep their helmets on and if they are coming off at the point of impact, really, how much protection are the players getting out of them???
So why is this happening??? Reasons cited range from the absurd “this always happens early in the CFL season until players get their helmets adjusted properly,” to “there’s a problem with the new helmets and the chin straps being incompatible.” Really folks…these are lame excuses. The one reason that makes some sense is the “skull caps” used to prevent sweat from getting in players eyes makes the helmets want to pop off due to reduced grip. Still, are you telling me that in 2011, between the CFL, Players Association, and helmet manufactures nobody can design something that would keep the sweat out while still keeping a helmet on?!?!!?!
Here is my take…do your helmet up properly or don’t go on the field. It ain’t protecting you if you are not wearing it. In college football, if a players helmet comes off the play is stopped. I think the CFL should adopt this. I actually believe that if your helmet comes off, the play should be stopped and the offending player should get a delay of game penalty. If you go onto the field with only two of the four straps done up… penalty.
If sports leagues such as the CFL are really concerned about concussions and player safety, maybe they should put as much time into researching real preventable options that promote fair play AND proper equipment safety as leagues do studying concussions. I think we have lost our way. Let’s not be reactive and study concussions as the damage is already done. Let’s find a balance between being proactive and reactive if/when we need to be. Until something changes, all players on the field are going to have to take it upon themselves to check their priorities related to safety, fair play, and equipment before somebody gets seriously injured.
Check your head before someone has to do it for you.
