Helmets and Playing Surfaces.
Let's get a little granular and boring (without losing our personality here).
I am first going to discuss helmets. Originally, there were no helmets which of course led to an innumerable amount of injuries. Next were what we affectionately call “Leatherheads”. Leather helmets, or Leatherheads, did actually do a better job than I think they are given credit for. The current helmets used in Rugby, though made with more modern technology and materials, are a derivative of the Leatherheads. Next were the original hard helmets. These actually made things worse because they did not have the protection inside of them that later models and since they were hard, they were used as weapons, causing injuries to both tackler and ball carrier. The hard helmet has had multiple iterations over time, now with inflatable padding in the helmet to absorb contact and prevent concussions. There are some models that have a combination of air and foam in them kind of similar to some mattress models. We also now have guardian caps and similar products that go on top of the helmet to help prevent head injuries. I believe these types of products SHOULD BE REQUIRED for player safety and not be optional as they are in the current leagues going today sans the A7FL which uses more of a rugby style head covering.
My point is proper head protection is finally being taken seriously by football at large and it's quite frankly 40 years late to the party. We can't right the wrongs of the past but we can make sure to not make the same mistakes in the future. There are rules related things we can get into here as well, but I will save that for another post. Proper equipment is key for keeping players safe, healthy, and having them enjoy longer, more prosperous careers on the field. We all have heard the saying by now that the NFL stands for Not For Long.
Now onto playing surfaces where in the outdoor game, the debate between grass and turf has quite frankly gotten out of control. Here is the truth, both grass and turf have their shortcomings. They are also completely dependent on what they are placed on top of. Players tend to advocate for grass for valid reasons, however, if the grass is on top of a bad surface and/or does not drain properly, there is the potential for some serious problems. While turf does drain better and is more weather resistant, it is harder on the joints which contributes to the increase in non-contact injuries to players, though that increase has almost exclusively occurred in the outdoor game. This is because playing surfaces in the indoor game are actually much more stable. They have better foundations underneath them, they don't require drainage, and they are protected from the elements. Even in domes in the NFL, you have the rubberized turf which can still be harsh on the joints. Arena/Indoor football does not have the same issue there, hence why the Arena/Indoor game has a lower occurrence of non-contact joint injuries such as ligament tears in the knee.
In regards to both helmets and playing surfaces, we have come a long way from where things originally were, let's give credit to where it is due. However, there is still more that can be done. There is still room for innovation in the Guardian Cap product category and there is definitely more room for improvements and innovation as it pertains to playing surfaces. As far as the Guardian Cap stuff goes, I am personally excited for the improvements and innovations that are to come from that product category. As far as playing surfaces go, I believe there is the ability to create a playing surface that gives us the benefits of both grass and turf without any of the drawbacks. If Tom Brady can have his dog cloned, we can create weather resistant fake grass that is a pleasure to play football on.