Nice post. Payton really deserved that ring after all the years he put in with those shitty teams.

I'm sure you've seen this.

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Heard an interesting take on it. Rather than MORE protection, maybe we need LESS protection. There's this idea in the game that the equipment makes players invincible, so they throw themselves into the play head-first with abandon. Lineman are especially susceptible because they use their heads as battering rams on every play. Conversely, there isn't the same instance of brain injuries in rugby players because, being completely unprotected by equipment, they tend to protect their own heads.

I think the same thing may apply to today's hockey players. A poster called make the case (TQM?) highlighted a couple of hits last week that resulted in unconsciousness and probable concussions. It seems to me that truly vicious hits have increased since helmets were mandated.

I doubt that US audiences would stand for it, but if we dialed back the armor just a bit, would players be a little more cautious and maybe safer in the long term?

*Didn't mean to be a wet blanket on such a positive post, but I'm interested in other sports fans' thoughts.