Concussions, concussions, concussions!

First of all let me say this, football is a very violent game. Any game that has 200-300+ lb men running full steam into each other, a lot of time with a full head of steam, is going to have a lot of injuries. Head traumas, broken bones, multiple sprains, it's all going to be normal when you are doing an activity that the human body is simply not designed to do.

The NFL, NCAA, and High School athletics will never be able to legislate injuries out of the game unless they close up shop all together.

At this very moment, the NFL is in the process of building new rules, which will be instituted this Sunday, which will call for fines and suspensions for what will be determined "vicious" hits.

I have no problem with this. This is not the Roman Coliseum and we are not blood thirsty enough to be cheering for somebody to die or even be paralyzed for life.

I simply think that while this is probably a step in the right direction, I think the NFL is heading at this problem from the wrong starting point. What the NFL needs to do is start mandating safety and start fining for "safety violations" like they do for "uniform violations."

There is "optional" equipment which needs to become mandatory.

First and foremost, the league needs to institute a five yard penalty against any player that loses his helmet during the course of a play. Why? Because helmets are designed for that not to happen. This only happens when the helmet is not properly worn or fit to the player. You see this all the time, players not properly buckling their chin strap. This leads to a loose fitting jiggling helmet which is far less effective when the player is hit.

Furthermore, it has to become a necessity for all players to wear mouth guards, preferrably professionally fit by dentists mouth guards. Are you telling me these millionaires can't afford it or the billionaire owners can't pay a couple hundred extra bucks to get these players proper mouth guards?

The neck roll has been around forever. This should be a mandatory piece of equipment. Bryan Cox is the last player I can remember seeing the neck board, perhaps Urlacher wore won a few times, I can't remember, but this piece of equipment also helps prevent the nasty head jarring from hits.

Furthermore, NFL films has to start focusing a bit on players wearing proper safety equipment, so that kids watching see it.

By showing kids that their NFL idols are trying to play as safely as possible the habits will grow in little league and high school where the majority of football is played in the United States.