It's time for sports entertainers to start wearing head gear

[audiencewatching]

The helmets that trainees wear in NXT. Similar to amatuer wrestling helmets.

This opens up merchandising, branding, legitimate feel to the bout and brain cushioning from impacts.

At first it might not look to cool but the long term benefits out weight that transition period.

Thoughts?

[FAR5222]

No

[Aboutreika18]

Don't helmets potentially increase the risk of head injuries because of the false sense of security?

I'm pretty sure I saw a study about this with regards to American Football a while back.

[1 Free Moon-Down with Burger]

You mean SKULL gear/Cole.

[________ has left the building]

No. What people need to do is checked out by doctors whenever they get their bell rung in a match or get knocked out. And take the time to heal from injuries instead of ignoring it and rushing back to prove their toughness. Headgear is no guarantee for safety or total protection from concussion.

[Push R Truth]

[DrBackflipsHoffman]

You should have the one guy wear it, have him come out proud of his helmet, pointing at it and telling the crowd "LOOK AT MY HELMET!" and talking about how great his helmet is. Telling everybody that replicas of his helmet are for sale now so all the fans can have a piece of his helmet. Everybodyh chanting for the guys helmet. Coming out without it at first, then teasing his helmet, telling everybody he's going to get his helmet out. Asking the crowd "DO YOU WANT TO SEE MY HELMET!!?!?!" and everyone going "HELMET! HELMET!"

[cactussam]

Feb 9, 2016 8:14:07 GMT -5 audiencewatching said:

Similar to amatuer wrestling helmets.

Thoughts?

Wrestling headgear (they are in no way called helmets from my 10+ years of doing it) is largely just to protect the ears, primarily from cauliflower ear and do nothing to prevent concussions. Hell, as seen with football, helmets don't do a lot to prevent concussions.

[karl100589]

Feb 9, 2016 8:29:21 GMT -5 Push R Truth said:

[Push R Truth]

Feb 9, 2016 8:38:01 GMT -5 karl100589 said:

Feb 9, 2016 8:29:21 GMT -5 Push R Truth said:

[mcstoklasa]

I do wonder how it feels on the head when you get slammed hard onto the canvas with like a spinebuster or something. Probably rings your bell. Dunno about headgear though. I think non-fans would mock the 'fake' sport for having that.

[Prince Petty]

I honestly don't think wearing a helmet would help with concussions, as is proving to be the case in the NFL. The problem is from the brain sloshing around inside your skull (tm Michael Cole) rather than the actual impact on the outside of it.

Guys just need to be more aware of the danger of concussions and the threat of CTE, and figure out ways to work that minimises the risks.

[kidglov3s]

They should replace the ring with a bouncy castle.

[Mozenrath]

I don't think a helmet is the way to go, but I will say flying headbutts should be highly restricted, like piledrivers, if not banned. The curbing of chairshots to the head has been a good thing, but this move has been more trouble than its worth. More regular checkups and mandatory time to recover should also be part of it.

[What?]

There has been so much chatter about making the NFL helmets "safer" with cash going to research, and numerous rule changes. At the end of the day, football should not be sterilized..because it will still have the health risks, except it will not be as enjoyable to watch.

Same with wrestling. It is a physical occupation and there is no getting around that, no matter what mumbo jumbo we hear about "awareness". Whether we are fans or not, and I am...I'm also aware that the human body is just not made for things like this.

Young people should understand the risks and get in at their own discretion, but you can't sterilize it. It doesn't do anything beyond showing a gesture that the organization "cares."

[JCBaggee]

Helmets would also obscure peripheral vision and make it more difficult to hear in the ring, creating a MUCH more dangerous scenario.

Additionally, if you're not going to wear other gear, what's the point? Do you want a dude wearing a helmet to be slammed headfirst into your torso, even by accident?

Stuff like flying headbutts need to just go, or at least be reduced to incredibly rare occasions.

[A Platypus Rave]

Feb 9, 2016 8:37:47 GMT -5 cactussam said:

Feb 9, 2016 8:14:07 GMT -5 audiencewatching said:

Similar to amatuer wrestling helmets.

Thoughts?

Wrestling headgear (they are in no way called helmets from my 10+ years of doing it) is largely just to protect the ears, primarily from cauliflower ear and do nothing to prevent concussions. Hell, as seen with football, helmets don't do a lot to prevent concussions.

yeah Headgear does nothing for actual head protection save for your ears... I mean there's almost nothing to it.

[MichaelMartini]

How bout not doing suicide dives every match?

[Welfare Willis]

Feb 9, 2016 8:19:30 GMT -5 Aboutreika18 said:

Don't helmets potentially increase the risk of head injuries because of the false sense of security?

I'm pretty sure I saw a study about this with regards to American Football a while back.

It's akin to moral hazard or unintended consequences. A moral hazard is a situation in which one party gets involved in a risky event knowing that it is protected against the risk and the other party will incur the cost. The classic example being car insurance. Those with car insurance will drive faster than those without car insurance. Behavioral economics is pretty damn interesting.


Anywho back to the topic, I understand the OP's concern for the wrestler's safety, but I think more research needs to be done on if these helmets reduce risk.

Feb 9, 2016 8:29:21 GMT -5 Push R Truth said:

Hulk Hogan's career in porn took an odd turn when he became Captain Fist.

[Vice honcho room temperature]

Feb 9, 2016 9:31:03 GMT -5 What? said:

There has been so much chatter about making the NFL helmets "safer" with cash going to research, and numerous rule changes. At the end of the day, football should not be sterilized..because it will still have the health risks, except it will not be as enjoyable to watch.

Same with wrestling. It is a physical occupation and there is no getting around that, no matter what mumbo jumbo we hear about "awareness". Whether we are fans or not, and I am...I'm also aware that the human body is just not made for things like this.

Young people should understand the risks and get in at their own discretion, but you can't sterilize it. It doesn't do anything beyond showing a gesture that the organization "cares."

You can take measures to mitigate the unnecessary risk and damage out. Hell the NFL did that all the time before the awareness of brain injuries. Its the reason clothesline tackles are illegal. Its why you can't grab the face mask to make a tackle. Its why they made helmets mandatory in order to prevent skulls from being cracked open.

Still helmets or head gear do not prevent concussions. You'd be better off mandating mouth pieces in order to prevent concussions.