OT: BARILKO’S BACKYARD: Dispatches from Leaf Nation’s Northern Front

[WeWantACup]

SHIELDED FROM REALITY

Last Friday, there was a story in the Raleigh (NC) News & Observer,announcing that Eric and Jordan Staal were wearing visors in practice, and would wear them for their next scheduled game the following Tuesday. As far as breaking stories go, it barely moved the needle. From a hockey perspective though, it was massive. It signified movement in an area that, throughout the modern history of the NHL, had been accustomed to glacial progression. How, you may ask, will two brothers’ decisions to screw a piece of clear plastic to their helmets help to trigger a change in the fundamental course of a sport? Allow me to explain…

http://wewantacup.com/headlines/1460-barilkos-backyard-dispatches-from-leaf-nations-northern-front

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[leafspring*]

Equipment manufacturers and available technologies to change their product has to be top of the list of changes to the game. The chunk of armour on elbow pads and shoulder pads suggests to me that there needs to be a equipment name change because they are not (pads).

The strength,power,fitness of todays players makes the other eras look sick and to add to that they add armour(outside plastic) to the well oiled athletes. Equip manufacturers are injuring players and it is a very serious issue to me as a fan.

Bury the plastic underneath for christ sakes its ridiculous.

 

[thewave]

Equipment manufacturers and available technologies to change their product has to be top of the list of changes to the game. The chunk of armour on elbow pads and shoulder pads suggests to me that there needs to be a equipment name change because they are not (pads).

The strength,power,fitness of todays players makes the other eras look sick and to add to that they add armour(outside plastic) to the well oiled athletes. Equip manufacturers are injuring players and it is a very serious issue to me as a fan.

Bury the plastic underneath for christ sakes its ridiculous.

The plastic should be buttered between for most effectiveness

 

[leafspring*]

The plastic should be buttered between for most effectiveness

I would equate this dangerous gear to giving boxers the ultimatum that they are going back to bare knuckles boxing. Its junk gear and it injures players alot.

 

[thewave]

I would equate this dangerous gear to giving boxers the ultimatum that they are going back to bare knuckles boxing. Its junk gear and it injures players alot.

The plastic inside the armor is the best of both worlds, its has to be comfortable as well. Armor on the outside is worse then bare knuckles, knuckles collapse back with impact, plastic does not. Put a roll of pennies in your fist then punch someone and they will probably be knocked out cold because it stops the give of all the joints in your hand. Now hit someone with brass knuckles or even plastic knuckles even worse then the pennies you get it.

 

[leafspring*]

The plastic inside the armor is the best of both worlds, its has to be comfortable as well. Armor on the outside is worse then bare knuckles, knuckles collapse back with impact, plastic does not. Put a roll of pennies in your fist then punch someone and they will probably be knocked out cold because it stops the give of all the joints in your hand. Now hit someone with brass knuckles or even plastic knuckles even worse then the pennies you get it.

Its just wrong that the league allows the gear to remain as is. There is a certain amount of comfort in knowing your gear is not going to injure a opponent also. I like hard hitting but every time you see the invincibility complex players have wearing it makes you wonder if it would be a more honourable game if they toned the gear down significantly.

I would like to see just once all these studies on concussions caused from fighting focus the same time and energy on the effects of a collision to the neck/head/whiplash and general forces to the body in todays game focusing on the gear. The gear has eliminated the fear of injury to a very large degree.