Better still - Rugby!!!!
“Better still - Rugby!!!!”
My gut feeling is the perceived protection of a helmet allows players to stick their heads where they do not belong. No doubt there are some benefits to helmets but I do believe such a study would show the advantages/disadvantages of helmets.
After starting for two years at quarterback for the USC Trojans, taking the team to two Rose Bowls and a national championship, Pat Haden went to Oxford on a Rhodes scholarship. However, when he was invited to join Oxford's rugby team, he declined, saying, "I love my body too much."
No shoulder pads, fantastic conditioning, minimal headgear (protecting against cauliflower ears,) and plenty of violence.
The injuries are considerably less because one can't run at 100% into the body of an opponent without reciprocal injury.
Remember Rugby players eat their dead!