jaguars.com Message Board / Football / NFL at Large / Removing the Facemask from helmets? / Latest Posts

RE: Removing the Facemask from helmets?

JaxJagsForever — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 09:23:56 GMT

If they practiced chasing down the runner but not tackling, chances are somebody will grab a face mask. The fact that players practice tackling forces defensive guys to not use the face mask because coaches are right there, ready to do something.

During games, players just think, "I have to get him down any way I can," and grab the guy's face mask because that is the easiest thing to hold onto when he tackles an opposing player. So I really think the problem is players know to not grab a FM if they are trying to tackle their teammates because they do not want to hurt friends and coaches are ready to say, "Grab his shoulder pad." During games, players think nothing matters more than putting a runner on his butt because they are playing to win and do not have time to think about anything else.

If my theory is correct, the solution would be giving quarterbacks, tight ends, wide receivers, fullbacks, and halfbacks replicas of opposing player jerseys to force all of the defensive players to stop thinking, "I don't want to hurt my friend," because all they see is the opponent's uniform. It would be interesting to see if my idea can be verified or is just false logic. What do you think?

RE: Removing the Facemask from helmets?

Bejeezus — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 21:51:17 GMT

[quote][b]MandarinMustang07 (10/24/2008)[/b][hr][quote][b]Bejeezus (10/24/2008)[/b][hr][quote][b]MandarinMustang07 (10/24/2008)[/b][hr]One blow to the face with the top of one's head and there goes your nose, teeth, career, and possibly life, no way they do that.[/quote]

They played with the current style plastic helmet, without facemasks, in the 50's. Guys figured out how to tackle so they didn't get too messed up. They didn't lead with their head. Of course, like Vic said, back then they could closeline the crap out of guys.

I think today's players would learn and adapt really quickly.

It'll never happen in a million years, though.[/quote]

I thought that was leather, or was it plastic afterwards.[/quote]

Plastic helmets were in use as early as 1939, but they were so poor and prone to shattering that plastic ended up banned by the NFL from the mid-40's until the 1950's. The same with face masks. The NFL didn't even require helmets [i]at all[/i] until 1943. Plastic helmets made a comeback in the 50's. Face masks made a return in 1955, either a single clear plastic ribbon or the classic steel bar. The other variations followed.

I read in SI a long time ago that face masks still weren't required equipment until 1962 IIRC, but I can't verify that year online. I was a teenager when I read that, so it was at least 15 years ago, and my memory is fuzzy.

I found a picture of Bobby Layne from January 1960 that shows him holding a Squeelers helmet [url=http://www.curseofbobbylayne.com/images/sportmagazine.jpg]w/o a mask attached[/url], so it was at least beyond the '59 season. [url=http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?player_id=126]Bobby Layne[/url] was one of the last NFL players to play without a face mask. At the link you can see him with the ~~Lions~~ Squeelers in the 1950's plastic helmet without a mask (correction, it's actually the Squeelers, I think. Hard to tell in B/W).

A few articles I ran across while researching :)

[url]http://www.popularmechanics.com/outdoors/sports/4281378.html?nav=RSS20[/url]

[url]http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/10/16/sports/highschool/football/22_26_5210_15_07.txt[/url]

[url]http://www.curseofbobbylayne.com/blbio.html[/url]

RE: Removing the Facemask from helmets?

git'er_done — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 20:35:44 GMT

I usually never miss out on a sarcastic comment, but I actually thought Vic was serious on this one.

Horrible idea anyway. You're basically replacing one source of grievous player injury with another, so I don't see how it protects players. Leave it to Mike Ditka to come up with a gem of an idea.

RE: Removing the Facemask from helmets?

MandarinMustang07 — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 20:30:21 GMT

[quote][b]Bejeezus (10/24/2008)[/b][hr][quote][b]MandarinMustang07 (10/24/2008)[/b][hr]One blow to the face with the top of one's head and there goes your nose, teeth, career, and possibly life, no way they do that.[/quote]

They played with the current style plastic helmet, without facemasks, in the 50's. Guys figured out how to tackle so they didn't get too messed up. They didn't lead with their head. Of course, like Vic said, back then they could closeline the crap out of guys.

I think today's players would learn and adapt really quickly.

It'll never happen in a million years, though.[/quote]

I thought that was leather, or was it plastic afterwards.

RE: Removing the Facemask from helmets?

Bejeezus — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 17:31:22 GMT

[quote][b]MandarinMustang07 (10/24/2008)[/b][hr]One blow to the face with the top of one's head and there goes your nose, teeth, career, and possibly life, no way they do that.[/quote]

They played with the current style plastic helmet, without facemasks, in the 50's. Guys figured out how to tackle so they didn't get too messed up. They didn't lead with their head. Of course, like Vic said, back then they could closeline the crap out of guys.

I think today's players would learn and adapt really quickly.

It'll never happen in a million years, though.

RE: Removing the Facemask from helmets?

MandarinMustang07 — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:24:57 GMT

One blow to the face with the top of one's head and there goes your nose, teeth, career, and possibly life, no way they do that.

RE: Removing the Facemask from helmets?

Michael Lee — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:16:27 GMT

Hines Ward was on “PTI” on Thursday and when they asked him about playing without a facemask, he said no way. There you go."

Afraid someone will wipe that smirk off his face.

RE: Removing the Facemask from helmets?

JacksJags — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:01:32 GMT

[quote][b]DragonFury (10/24/2008)[/b][hr][quote][b]KingIngram052787 (10/24/2008)[/b][hr]I don't think it was meant to be taken literally.[/quote]

:yeahthat:[/quote]Not meant to be taken literally, but he was 100 % serious when he said it. It is true too, take them off, and you won't have some of the injuries you see today.

RE: Removing the Facemask from helmets?

DragonFury — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 15:29:14 GMT

[quote][b]KingIngram052787 (10/24/2008)[/b][hr]I don't think it was meant to be taken literally.[/quote]

:yeahthat:

RE: Removing the Facemask from helmets?

KingIngram052787 — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 15:20:21 GMT

I don't think it was meant to be taken literally.

Removing the Facemask from helmets?

Bjagfan — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:54:11 GMT

I don't think that's a good idea at all.

"Ask Vic" today
http://www.jaguars.com/news/article.aspx?id=7373
"Andy from Fort Collins, CO
I read that Mike Ditka suggests taking the facemask off the helmets to dissuade the players from using their helmets as weapons. This on the very same day that you suggested likewise in “Ask Vic.” Clearly, you two must have planned this in advance.

Vic: I’ve been saying it for years. Boxing trainers will tell you that the more you pad boxers’ fists, the more punches they’ll throw and the more head shots the other guy will sustain. A guy with a sore hand doesn’t punch as hard or as often as a guy who doesn’t have a sore hand, right? Hines Ward was on “PTI” on Thursday and when they asked him about playing without a facemask, he said no way. There you go."

This is NOT a good idea. Suppose you land face first in the turf at the bottom of a pileup?