04/18/24
October 18, 2010
Rutger defensive tackle suffers spinal cord injury.: Rutgers junior defensive tackle Eric LeGrand suffered a spinal-cord injury in the Scarlet Knights' 23-20 overtime win over Army on Saturday and is paralyzed below the neck, the school announced Sunday.
posted by sgtcookzane to football at 09:55 AM - 8 comments
Here's the broadcast video. I'm getting tired of hearing the same platitudes being tossed out whenever another player is sacrificed to this sport. He led with his helmet and was taught since childhood to put a hat on somebody. Paralyzed players, concussions and lifelong catastrophic brain trauma are inevitable consequences of football, and every year the players get bigger and the consequences become more severe.
I quit following boxing because of the brutality. I'm getting close to throwing in the towel here too.
posted by rcade at 02:57 PM on October 18, 2010
That was hard to watch.
posted by justgary at 03:04 PM on October 18, 2010
Waiting for the day players reclaim the graceful art of the wrap-em-up tackle. Not only does spearing hurt both guys, it has resulted in a giant uptick in missed tackles. It's sloppy and it makes for bad play. Would help if guys like the Steelers' Harrison weren't shamelessly declaring their full intention to hurt people on the field.
posted by brookish at 03:51 PM on October 18, 2010
Watching a video of this yesterday made me sick to my stomach. So sad. And special teams is the WORST with this sort of stuff...full speed chaos with guys who feel like they have to be kamikazes or else lose their spot on the team.
He led with his helmet and was taught since childhood to put a hat on somebody
I know I was. I still think that is the correct way to teach... you just hammer into them to NEVER hit with your head down and hitting with the crown of your helmet, that's where the injuries happen. There's really no other options..you lead with your shoulder your going to tear it up (or miss the tackle). The other option is throwing a shoulder+forearm into someone (which is what Harrison did to that Cleveland receiver) and that's perceived as worse and you don't wrap up so again, more risk for missed tackles. The pure "old school" tackle is putting your facemask right in the guys chest and hooking his legs with your hands. If the ball carrier lowers his head as you attempt to do this your'e going to hit helmet to helmet. Not sure it's ever getting away from that or how it could.
But having said that, what's disturbing to me in the video is it looks like he had his head up and hit with the front part of his helmet. I didn't actually think you could get paralyzed with that type of hit.
posted by bdaddy at 05:01 PM on October 18, 2010
Would help if guys like the Steelers' Harrison weren't shamelessly declaring their full intention to hurt people on the field
Harrison said he has no intention of INJURING people but every intention of HURTING them. There IS a difference and I can guarantee you almost ever single NFL player playing today has that same mindset (except maybe the CB's) .
posted by bdaddy at 05:05 PM on October 18, 2010
I think that's a rationalization on his part. How exactly would he hit someone hard enough to knock them out for a series vs. hard enough to give them a concussion? Harrison intentionally hit an offensive player in the side of his helmet with his helmet, knocking him out briefly. Where is the line he didn't cross that showed he did not intend to injure him?
posted by rcade at 05:50 PM on October 18, 2010
And where were the penalties on Harrison?
posted by cjets at 06:04 PM on October 18, 2010
I was watching "America's Game" the other night on NFL Network as the CFL game was blacked out in Canada. I realized that the game has changed a lot, even over 15 years and is far more physical and violent today. Several hits over the weekend were amazing and you realize that even over 15 years player are bigger, stronger, and faster. I know equipment is better and better today but I got this sick feeling in my stomach that you are going to see more and more serious injuries, despite the leagues' efforts to crack down on head shots.