Since I missed the airing of the CNN presentation last weekend, I will be setting by recorder to make sure it gets the re-airing this weekend. (There is, of course, a basketball game to work at the same time.)
In the meantime, the ESPN Outside the Lines piece that took on Riddell and described their marketing campaign on their revolution helmets as being questionable was very informative for the public. The article exposed the issue of Riddell trying to quote a 2006 study that found a 31% reduction rate in TBIs with their helmets. The problem with this claim is that the critics of this study find it to be seriously flawed with a big conflict of interest since Riddell financed the study. The ESPN piece also describes the Virginia Tech helmet comparison study in some detail and how the independently funded study's findings. It is worth the time to watch the video that is posted by following the above link.
ESPN also turned the spotlight on to the helmet reconditioning industry and exposed some serious flaws in that process as well. They describe a particularly scary situation where a 1 year old helmet is likely to be returned to a school with parts that are much older or mismatched that compromise the safety of the helmet. While this is certainly beyond the reach of any individual to change these practices, I think that a sufficient outcry across the football world will get more done. This industry has too much at stake to cut corners and needs to increase the standards to which they perform. None of these inconsistencies are excusable especially when you are dealing with young athletes.
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