New safety rule proposal for NFL RBs. Emmitt Smith says NFL has lost its mind

[Mav]

Originally Posted by notorious

Wow, kids are getting concussions in Pop-Warner? WTF?


I have been involved in some fairly massive shots through Jr High and HS, (giving and receiving) and never got a concussion. I guess I am just lucky.

Yeah. I thought the same thing. in high school, i was the gunner on punts, i was the wheel on kickoffs, i set crack downs on lbs, i dont ever recall getting a concussion. Saw stars a couple times. shrugs....who knows

[jAZ]

Originally Posted by Alex Smith Fan

Yeah. I thought the same thing. in high school, i was the gunner on punts, i was the wheel on kickoffs, i set crack downs on lbs, i dont ever recall getting a concussion. Saw stars a couple times. shrugs....who knows

I remember doing a drill in 7th Grade where each player stood in the center of a circle of other players and the coach would call out a player number who would rush in and try to level the person at the middle. That person would get slammed good each time often without having any idea where the hit was coming from. I guess the point was to develop improved awareness and to learn to take hits.

In the end, it played a role in my choosing not to keep playing football in HS. It also seems like, looking back, exactly the kind of drill the may have left kids with concussions that we never knew about.

[Mav]

Originally Posted by jAZ

I remember doing a drill in 7th Grade where each player stood in the center of a circle of other players and the coach would call out a player number who would rush in and try to level the person at the middle. That person would get slammed good each time often without having any idea where the hit was coming from. I guess the point was to develop improved awareness and to learn to take hits.

In the end, it played a role in my choosing not to keep playing football in HS. It also seems like, looking back, exactly the kind of drill the may have left kids with concussions that we never knew about.

Bull in the ring. Yup. Remember that one.

[Brock]

Originally Posted by jAZ

I remember doing a drill in 7th Grade where each player stood in the center of a circle of other players and the coach would call out a player number who would rush in and try to level the person at the middle. That person would get slammed good each time often without having any idea where the hit was coming from. I guess the point was to develop improved awareness and to learn to take hits.

In the end, it played a role in my choosing not to keep playing football in HS. It also seems like, looking back, exactly the kind of drill the may have left kids with concussions that we never knew about.

what a pussy.

[jAZ]

Originally Posted by Brock

what a pussy.

Yes, that's exactly it.

[jAZ]

Originally Posted by Brock

what a pussy.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/02/04...ion/index.html

[ghak99]

Originally Posted by jAZ

I remember doing a drill in 7th Grade where each player stood in the center of a circle of other players and the coach would call out a player number who would rush in and try to level the person at the middle. That person would get slammed good each time often without having any idea where the hit was coming from. I guess the point was to develop improved awareness and to learn to take hits.

In the end, it played a role in my choosing not to keep playing football in HS. It also seems like, looking back, exactly the kind of drill the may have left kids with concussions that we never knew about.

If this is the drill that pushed you out of football, it's a damn good thing your vagina never saw the field in an actual tough physical game.

[jAZ]

Originally Posted by ghak99

If this is the drill that pushed you out of football, it's a damn good thing your vagina never saw the field in an actual tough physical game.

Some of you people are exactly the problem.

http://web.archive.org/web/201008071...icle/6418/6533

Dear Coach,
Our son's coach was trying to do a bullring drill last night. I have heard nothing positive about this drill, plus have heard a lot of associations have banned or just stopped using it. What are your feelings on this drill?

Thank you,

Concerned parent

Hi Parent,

This is a drill that was in fashion a long time ago and one you do not see used as much today. The premise of the drill is that it will develop toughness in the individual players.

A Bull in the Ring drill is where a group of players form a circle with one player in the center. One at a time, the players in the ring attack the player in the center by charging at him. The player must adjust his position and try to neutralize the attack, then reset and prepare for another player. The drill continues until the coach calls an end and puts another player in the center.

My feeling as a coach has always been to use my valuable practice time conducting drills that teach a technique or skill that the player can and should use when playing the game. I never felt that this drill served that purpose.

Often when we as coaches use a drill of this nature, it has the opposite result. The players may go through with the drill, but in the end it often is cause for them to no longer have the desire to continue to play football. Developing this desire to play is something every coach should try to promote.

Every practice drill should be built on teaching, repetition and understanding by the player and designed to increase the opportunity for the player to enjoy success on the playing field and not to have needless contact.

My hope would be that this coach would introduce his players to feeling comfortable with contact by teaching safe tackling and blocking techniques in supervised drills that carry over to actions in a game.

Coach Tom Bass

Coach Tom Bass, the technical writer and advisor for USA Football, is a 30-year NFL coach who has also authored several books, including "Play Football the NFL Way" - the first "how to" book ever authorized and published by the NFL. Coach Bass is happy to personally autograph his books to you. Book ordering information can be found at http://www.coachbass.com/.