Concussions in American Football

[KYPack]

Now this is one cool thread.

I've played both rugby and football. I've been out 3 times, twice in football and once in rugger. Mad is correct, rugger is slower. In rugby, it's transition sport. you go from offense to defense in a split second. You must be able to change your play to correspond to the situation on the field. The continous play on a larger field means the players are moving all the time. Some of the collisions are just as brutal as football, but there just aren't as many of 'em due to the nature of the game.

Nutz, you sound like a total animal, but I guess we all knew that shit already. In my first rugby match, I felt stark naked out there with no shoulder pads or helmet. Once I got my sea legs, I too, really cleaned out some guys with form tackles and a few guys complimented my on my hard hitting. But the coach and some senior guys had to work with me that next week in practice. Those hard hitting tackles that you make in football are usually a detriment in rugger. In Rugby, the ball carrier must release the ball when you take him down to the pitch. By going flat out and really blasting the ball carrier, you take yourself out of the play and greatly lessen your shot to get the ball for your side.

Rugby has most of the contact around the ball. In football, I've gotten the shit knocked out of me when I was yards from the ball or the play by players blocking. There is no blocking in rugger, it's called obstruction and is a penalty.

You really have to change your act around to go from football to rugby. I've seen many guys who did what Nutz was talking about. if you don't make the switch you will hurt yourself and soon quit the game. Some of your football skills serve you well on a rugby pitch. I never lost my skills at making the low, hard form tackle hitting my opponent at a faster pace than he was hitting me. That's common to both games.

In rugby, I never watched tacklers like you do in football. Ruggers don't usually tuck the ball in the crook of their elbow and blast their opposite number. You hold the ball in both hands and are scanning the pitch. I want to find a teammate with a crisp pass or make a well placed kick to an open piece of ground. A kick in rugby is an offensive weapon. If you can make to the ball before your opponent, you retain possession and keep on rollin'.

Man, I'm gettin' fired up just typing this.

Somebody get me a time machine. I wanna play just one more match.

[Tarlam!]

See Shep, this is where we need to differentiate between Unionj and League!!!!! Fundamentantal to the disussion, IMHO. What KY says about releasing the ball as a carrier upon hitting the turf is only relevant in Union. But the way one releases the ball is specific so the opposition has a VERY hard task gaining possession. It's very fluent, but honestly, in today's game kickers are more important in Union.

I'll explain: What we all know to be a TD in football is called a Try in both Union and League, the difference is, the ball must be grounded as opposed to just crossing the plain. Got it?

So, I was in a pub in England one day and on the big screen England was playing South Africa. There was this guy with a little terrier and every time the UK kicked a (field) goal the terrier would do a sommerault! Now, I was amazed. I asked the owner what the dog does when the team scores a try; "I don't know" he said. "I've only had him for 5 years".......

League is a totally different animal. There is something like a line of scrimmage and the are 4 "downs" but we call the tackles. In that way, it's a lot like football. Believe me, we crunched heads in League. In Union, the socalled Rucks were brutal.

[Tarlam!]

Have you actually been to an NFL or high level Division I college game in the past 5-7 years? There are violent collisions you just do not see in a rugby match. Sorry but its pretty clear to me why there are more concussions in football then there are in rugby regardless of the padding/helmets.

Actuelly, yes. But what happens in Green Bay, STAYS in Green Bay.

[KYPack]

I hear ya Tar.

In a discussion btw you and I about league would be one sided.

I know very little about league and have never played it. Rugby union is sparsely played over here, but league is vitually non-existent. it's played in tiny pockets in the NE US and in other places, but the number of players in this country is very small.

When people in the USA talk about rugby, they mean rugby union 99% of the time.

[Tarlam!]

Shep, they are both wonderful sports as is Aussie Rules. But ever since I was a littl'en and saw the men in the helmets, that's all I wanted to play. I got really lucky being born in Vienna, cause 100 miles east i'de have been behind the curtain. I was extremely fortunate to be raised in one of the greatest countries in the world. So, I am in no way complaining. I just truly, in my heart, believe I'd have been an outstanding hockey player, a great TE and a useful LB.

All positions that, in Oz, are useless. But, I had a hell of a growing up in Oz as it was - without concussions!!! Call me a freak, certainly a Neandertal, I just loved the physicallity of it all.

[Deputy Nutz]

I think I got 2 concussions playing football. I really can't pinpoint either of them and say for sure that I had one or didn't have one, but after my sophomore year I mostly played defensive and offensive line. Sure I caught a couple of knees to the helmet but I think with head injuries the offensive and defensive lines are the safest positions to play.

I know for a fact I got one in Rugby and it was my fault. Rugby sucks if you don't like running. I was a prop and I couldn't for the life of me understand why the biggest guys on the pitch had to run the most. To fucking exhusting for me. Outside of the running I didn't find the sport all that hard to figure out, find openings and be quick and accurate with the pitch and have dirty greasy speed to break the corner. Game of angles, and spliting holes in the defense. I like the pace of the game, but I wish the field was about half the size.

[Deputy Nutz]

Tarlam, I think you would have flourished as a split end in the game of kings. You had some good hands for a European.

[Tarlam!]

Nah, too slow for a WR, but a heck of a tackler and, well, let's face it, your throws made me look great. If any TE has a QB with your precision, he's at worst a second day pick (under the new draft procedure).

Now, you played prop? This will sound really awry for non concussed rugby knowledgables, but, I played inthe engine room. The position, ladies and gentlemen, in commonly known as "The Hooker".

[VermontPackFan]

Actuelly, yes. But what happens in Green Bay, STAYS in Green Bay.

Good point...lol

[MadtownPacker]

BTFW - has anyone called this fucking dingo out for calling us American concussion getting pussies???

[Tarlam!]

BTFW - has anyone called this fucking dingo out for calling us American concussion getting pussies???

Um, yes. You just did. And, you are pussies for getting concussions with all that body armour and shit. Hey, you inventented the most beautiful game in the world. But, your're pussies.

Now, I'm old, but I'll tell you this: if I picked 53 to play the Pack out of my high school in the SB, we would have anniahlated them. We cracked our heads in League (Huge ddifference to Union, and what most of you call "Rugby"). We would have just fucking killed 'em. And, we'd have done it without a QB. Cause, you really can win this game without a QB.

Oh, and without helmets.

[KYPack]

Um, yes. You just did. And, you are pussies for getting concussions with all that body armour and shit. Hey, you inventented the most beautiful game in the world. But, your're pussies.

Now, I'm old, but I'll tell you this: if I picked 53 to play the Pack out of my high school in the SB, we would have anniahlated them. We cracked our heads in League (Huge ddifference to Union, and what most of you call "Rugby"). We would have just fucking killed 'em. And, we'd have done it without a QB. Cause, you really can win this game without a QB.

Oh, and without helmets.

Well Tar, my first reaction was, "good God man, have you taken leave of your senses"?
Then I figured you'd gotten back on the old kickpoo joy juice or were joking or both.

Couple things. You get knocked cold in contacts sports, hat on or no hat on. As to the jibe about people wearing helmets getting knocked out are pussies, don't you figure if you've committed yourself that fully to a play you probably aren't a chickenshit? It's a stupid crack, but I figure you were just funning.

Ruggers strapping on the gear and beating American footbballers asses? NFW.
Rugby by definition outlaws blocking. Blocking technique and shedding blocks is a real skill. It takes years to learn and perfect those skills. It'd take the OZ's a good bit of time to be effective at both blocking and shed enough to take on a football team.

Forward passes are a penalty in Rugby. They are a way of life in American football. Again it would be a huge learning curve to develop a passing attack on a team of neophytes. There are individuals on National rugby sides from various countries that could play American football. There might be a couple guys who could even play in the NFL.

But a whole team of Oz's dominating American football becuase all the lads from down under are SOOO badass?

That's a pipe dream to the Max.

[Tarlam!]

No way, Shep. League players learn to tackle. Hard. Fucking hard. So, my mock 53 is going to stop anything you can throw at me, and I mean anything. Now, on offense my team might struggle, but we are crafty buggers.. Without concussions.

Absolutely no way you guys could beat League plus Rules players. Union is a game for itself, and I have no problem admitiing that.

[Tarlam!]

Forward passes are a penalty in Rugby. They are a way of life in American football. Again it would be a huge learning curve to develop a passing attack on a team of neophytes. There are individuals on National rugby sides from various countries that could play American football. There might be a couple guys who could even play in the NFL.

But a whole team of Oz's dominating American football becuase all the lads from down under are SOOO badass?

That's a pipe dream to the Max.

You're actually suggesting that the forward pass is the difference make? You, Shep? Or, you'Äre suggesting we couldn't organise some type of yard gainig offense? There is no way to make this bet, but I would so love it. Oz would kick your collective asses.

[Zool]

You're actually suggesting that the forward pass is the difference make? You, Shep? Or, you'Äre suggesting we couldn't organise some type of yard gainig offense? There is no way to make this bet, but I would so love it. Oz would kick your collective asses.

Imagine an NFL defense has to only worry about stopping the running game of a team that has no conventional blocking skills. 10 in the box with 1 deep. Basically a goal line D at all times against a team who has never really practiced that sort of thing. You'd be better off with an arena league team. They'd at least have a chance.

If the situation was reversed and you had an NFL team trying to play the top rugby team in a rugby match, well that would be a different story.