Scrap helmets and pads, improve safety and technique

the one in that study is a rugby style scrum cap head gear, less plastic shell than an NFL style helmet

«Two teenage hockey players died in
summary New Brunswick ^ a result of brain
injury suffered while playing minor-league hockey.
Both players wore hockey helmets. The first was
body checked and fell. He suffered several con¬
tusions of the cerebral cortex and hemorrhages in
the brain stem without fracture of the skull. His
condition was aggravated by previous minor head
trauma. The second player was hit by a hockey
stick and suffered a depressed fracture of the right
temporal bone with cerebral contusion and hemor¬
rhage. It is emphasized that: (1) the so-called
protective helmet of amateur hockey players gives
only limited protection, even in minor accidents;
and (2) a minor brain concussion with loss of con¬
sciousness may set the stage for subsequent lethal
brain damage, even in the absence of skull fracture
or epidural hematoma. Further experimental studies
are being planned in collaboration with the Depart¬
ment of Mechanical Engineering of the University
of New Brunswick, Fredericton, to measure certain
features of the protective hockey helmets in view
of their lack of effectiveness in preventing brain
damage.

This quote was from a 1966 study on hockey helmets by Dr. Melvyn J. Ball a Canadian Researcher from the Dept. of Pathology, Uni of Toronto

This is ludicrous. The problem with your whole argument is that you're quoting studies from 1966 and studies from 1945-1999. You can quote studies till the end of time, but where are the studies that show that player safety has actually improved or declined in the last 13 years since your last study? The argument that players would hit less hard if they didn't wear helmets and pads is unsustainable. These are young guys in their 20s and 30s who think that they are indestructible, and if you take away helmets and pads you might as well change half of the rules and destroy the whole game we know as professional football. Plus you would have to change everything in the college and high school ranks as well, maybe even down to peewee football! It's just insane to screw with everything at this point. It's simply a knee-jerk reaction to all of this hoopla with player safety.