The Wiz of Odds

Guardian Cap Aims to Cut Down on Concussions

A company based in Georgia has come up with a protective device that could dramatically reduce the number of concussions suffered by players.

The Guardian Cap fits over a player's helmet and although it looks a bit unusual, it weighs only a third of a pound. It doesn't absorb water and is aerodynamic.

A recent report by CNN's Sanjay Gupta stated that high school players take, on average, 650 blows to the head every season. Most of those hits come in practice and teams are looking for added protection for players.

Tapping Into the World of Paranoid Coaches

Finally, a device to guard against an unscrupulous opponent! Ramone Ward, an enterprising young man on Long Island, came up with the ingenious idea to profit off paranoia football coaches. It's called the "Coach Guard."

Something tells us you'll be seeing this in Southeastern Conference games by the end of the month.

It Is Time to Do Away With Helmets?

Hard-shell helmets, which were designed to prevent players from suffering catastrophic injuries like fractured skulls, became popular in the 1940s. But helmets also created a sense of invulnerability that encouraged players to collide more forcefully and often use their head like a weapon, resulting in a dramatic rise in concussions.

In other contact sports like Australian Rules Football, players seldom suffer concussions because they don't use their head when attempting to tackle.

Although doing away with helmets in American football could fundamentally change the game, more researchers say it might be the only way to reduce the alarming rate of concussions.

Thanks to Penn State Clips.