The Death of Boxing?

[0james0]

I'm going to have to start a which is harder thread, but also, both players of both sports are massive and all muscle. There is no splitting them in terms of size or athleticism.

[marbleheadmaui]

I still can't see how it is more dangerous than rugby. I posed rugby quite a bit and US footy a little and loved the fact I had pads on. Made me feel safe!

I can't stop comparing it in my head like pro boxing and amateur boxing with head guards and bigger gloves!

Here's a VERY simplified analogy for Rugby anf Football.

In boxing's bare knuckle days how were punches thrown? Straight and designed to cut as much as anything else. Why? Because the bare human hand couldn't handle anything else.

Add wraps and gloves and now what happens? The hook and the uppercut are developed and punches are thrown to crash home on bone, not to scrape and cut. The hand now has "padding" which enables the creation of more violent techniques.

Football is also far more violent simply because blocking is allowed. You have 14-16 men crashing together as hard as they can on every play BEFORE people begin getting after the ballcarrier.

[generalbulldog]

I loved playing football, but I hate what its done to my body. I'm just 28 and I've had a separated shoulder (one two occasions, same shoulder..injured it a 3rd time playing lacrosse), dislocated numerous fingers, a mild heat stroke, "over training" and from hitting the way I did and lifting all the weights I had to lift to prepare myself for games I suffered a partially slipped disc in my back. I never lost consciousness from a hit (football or otherwise), I've never been diagnosed with a concussion, but I do wonder if I've had one (I mean I've been hit in the head any number of times....FLUSH). I have suffered from bouts of depression, perhaps from getting hit in the head, I don't know. Just know this...I was a very good player in high school, and there were any number of players that took more knocks than me and I've suffered pretty bad as far as I'm concerned.

I've thought that if I have kids I might not let them play football...and that's big coming from me, I'm usually Mr. Manifest Destiny, but its a dangerous sport...most dangerous one I've played and in lacrosse they gave me a 6 foot metal pole and allowed me to hit people with it, and of course I boxed a bit.

There are studies being done now that says many football players have some form of brain damage. You're looking at from pee-wee football to hs to college and then the pros. Even less physically demanding positions like wide receiver are having guys with messed up brains. It's a highly physical sport on the human body overall even if it's not on the highest level.

Funny you mentioned it, but I've suffered from bouts of depression also and so did my friends who played hs football. I sure wonder what sort of head trauma accumulates just on the hs level alone.

[marbleheadmaui]

I loved playing football, but I hate what its done to my body. I'm just 28 and I've had a separated shoulder (one two occasions, same shoulder..injured it a 3rd time playing lacrosse), dislocated numerous fingers, a mild heat stroke, "over training" and from hitting the way I did and lifting all the weights I had to lift to prepare myself for games I suffered a partially slipped disc in my back. I never lost consciousness from a hit (football or otherwise), I've never been diagnosed with a concussion, but I do wonder if I've had one (I mean I've been hit in the head any number of times....FLUSH). I have suffered from bouts of depression, perhaps from getting hit in the head, I don't know. Just know this...I was a very good player in high school, and there were any number of players that took more knocks than me and I've suffered pretty bad as far as I'm concerned.

I've thought that if I have kids I might not let them play football...and that's big coming from me, I'm usually Mr. Manifest Destiny, but its a dangerous sport...most dangerous one I've played and in lacrosse they gave me a 6 foot metal pole and allowed me to hit people with it, and of course I boxed a bit.

There are studies being done now that says many football players have some form of brain damage. You're looking at from pee-wee football to hs to college and then the pros. Even less physically demanding positions like wide receiver are having guys with messed up brains. It's a highly physical sport on the human body overall even if it's not on the highest level.

Funny you mentioned it, but I've suffered from bouts of depression also and so did my friends who played hs football. I sure wonder what sort of head trauma accumulates just on the hs level alone.

I played four years of small college ball. Two diagnosed concussions (and I'd bet a couple of more that weren't) , two cases of heat stroke, back surgery, busted fingers and one knee and one shoulder that just don't quite work right anymore.

I'd do it all again as I found it enormously rewarding, but I really do wonder.

[Andre]

Interesting points here. On another note MMA with its greater exposure now and the less glove padding, more blood allowed to spill, (well ignored) and allowing to punch when on the ground with no give in that case for the head between the fist and ground; I would imagine they will be targeted before we are with more padding rules and zero hitting while down.
I think they have already taken some of the focus off us in regards our detractors.

[El Kabong]

I think smaller gloves mean less brain damage but maybe more structural damage (cuts, broken noses, broken orbitals, detached retinas) just a theory.

[0james0]

Having researched it more, they are both equally as dangerous in their own rights.

US football is impact, lots of it, gradual bone crunching above the waist. More tackles as you can hit off the ball and hit most plays.

Rugby is brutal in terms of being stamped on and physical injuries. (see cauliflower ear as an example) You get hit less, but you have no padding.

If there was no padding, American football would have more serious injuries. I think the fact is you need the padding just to play the game.

[Andre]

I think smaller gloves mean less brain damage but maybe more structural damage (cuts, broken noses, broken orbitals, detached retinas) just a theory.

Think you are right. Fights dont go for as long either so the percussive build up is less.

Then again if you can punch a head thats on the ground in thinner gloves that cant be good.

[generalbulldog]

College football player who committed suicide had brain injury - CNN.com

I remember this story a few months back about a Pennsylvania lineman, at 21 only he had developed severe CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy). At first it's usually only found in boxers or NFL veterans that have long careers.

Thomas was a lineman, a position that endures as many as 1,000 hits to the head per season. Recently, neurologists have suggested that such blows to the head could be deceptively severe, even if the player does not feel any pain or show any symptoms. The accumulation of such strikes to the head could cause long-lasting damage.

Lyle did mentioned in a few posts back that he might not let his kids play football, funny but I also remembered a few retired NFL guys saying that also. And i can understand why. Because the sport is just so physically debilitating and thinking about it in a way American football is the boxing of team sports.

If in the future I have a son and he has a good foot, I'll let him be field goal kicker or punter. The only positions I'll let him play

[El Kabong]

I played offensive line, defensive line, linebacker, and all of the special teams...looking back on not only how much I hit or how hard I hit but just the manner in which I hit I would be surprised if I hadn't had SOME injury, I'm absolutely shocked I never lost consciousness or had a diagnosed concussion.

I remember a drill we were doing in practice one day. 1 on 1 o-lineman pass blocking vs a d-lineman. The offensive players had their helmets off in order to teach the player to pass block correctly (which I knew and could do better than anyone on the team). So my turn comes up, well me being a 17-18 year old and thinking I'm a bad ass and having a flair for psychological warfare I ignore the purpose of the drill and with my first motion after engaging the defensive lineman I repeatedly headbutt him in the helmet (a move best used when I was wearing my helmet, but still, I used this moment to make my teammates fear and respect me) it shocked the other player so much he stopped the drill and of course I had a bloody nose, but that's the attitude I had.

Whenever I hit someone (and this may be a difference between football and rugby you're looking for james) the points of impact were my shoulders and my forehead (always with my neck bowed to keep me from breaking it)...my hands and forearms were mainly used AFTER the initial impact.

[marbleheadmaui]

Having researched it more, they are both equally as dangerous in their own rights.

US football is impact, lots of it, gradual bone crunching above the waist. More tackles as you can hit off the ball and hit most plays.

Rugby is brutal in terms of being stamped on and physical injuries. (see cauliflower ear as an example) You get hit less, but you have no padding.

If there was no padding, American football would have more serious injuries. I think the fact is you need the padding just to play the game.

THAT is the better understanding.

[generalbulldog]

I've noticed something. Lyle, myself, and Marblehead have had posts that pisses people off where we really don't give a shit. And all 3 of us have played football. Maybe it's brain damage?

[marbleheadmaui]

I've noticed something. Lyle, myself, and Marblehead have had posts that pisses people off where we really don't give a shit. And all 3 of us have played football. Maybe it's brain damage?

Or it could be we're just a-holes.

[El Kabong]

I've noticed something. Lyle, myself, and Marblehead have had posts that pisses people off where we really don't give a shit. And all 3 of us have played football. Maybe it's brain damage?

Or it could be we're just a-holes.

I've got brain damage