Turn Back the Clock?

The Wall Street Journal had an unusual take on the concussion debate last week: "Retire the Football Helmet," as the headline read. The argument put forth by Reed Albergotti and Shirley S. Wang is a provocative one that has been voiced off and on for some time. Helmets create a sense of invincibility that encourages athletes to collide with greater force and use the hard surface of their helmet to inflict the maximum amount of ass-whupping - "Helloooo, Brian Dawkins!" - on opposing players.

For proof that bare heads don't necessarily mean broken skulls, simply travel Down Under. Australian Rules Footballplayers eschew head protection, kick some serious butt on the field (as with rugby, tampons are de rigueur in the first-aid kit for dealing with frequent broken noses), and are 25 percent less likely to sustain a head injury than NFL players.

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