Alright, so you wanna know why them football fellas, the NFL boys, don’t always wear them mouth thingies, the mouthguards? Well, let me tell ya, it ain’t as simple as you might think. It’s a whole mess of things, like a chicken coop after a fox got in.
First off, them rules, or lack thereof, is a big part of it. You see, the NFL, they got rules for everything, right? Gotta have the right color gloves, can’t show too much leg, gotta wear somethin’ under your shirt… but them mouthguards? Ain’t nobody really checkin’ on that. It’s like, “Wear ’em if ya want, don’t if ya don’t.” Kinda like tellin’ a kid to eat his vegetables, ain’t it? They might just hide ’em under the table.
Now, some of them boys, they say them mouthguards is just plain uncomfortable. Imagine runnin’ around like a chicken with its head cut off, tryin’ to catch a ball, and you got this big ol’ chunk of plastic in your mouth. They say it makes it hard to breathe, hard to talk, hard to yell at your teammates when they mess up. One fella, a quarterback, I think his name was Eli somethin’, he said it’s supposed to be centered, but it just ain’t never stayin’ put. So, they just spit ’em out, stick ’em in their helmets, or even let ’em dangle like a loose tooth.
- Too big
- Too small
- Uncomfortable
And let’s be honest, some of them mouthguards, they look like somethin’ a baby would chew on. All colorful and shaped funny. Them players, they want to look tough, not like they’re suckin’ on a pacifier. So, they might just skip it altogether, or wear one of them little ones, the kind that barely covers their teeth.
Then there’s the whole thing about breathin’. You try runnin’ and jumpin’ and yellin’ with a big piece of plastic in your mouth. It ain’t easy! Them boys need all the air they can get, and some of ’em think them mouthguards just get in the way. They wanna be able to shout plays, yell at the ref, and maybe even cuss a little bit, without havin’ to worry about chokin’ on their mouthguard. And besides, some of them quarterbacks, they need to be able to talk to their fellas, ya know, tell ’em where to go. Hard to do that when you sound like you’re garglin’ marbles.
And don’t forget, them boys are tough. They think they don’t need no mouthguard. They’re runnin’ into each other like bulls in a pasture, gettin’ knocked around, and they think a little plastic ain’t gonna do nothin’ to protect ’em. They figure, “I’ve been playin’ since I was a kid, never wore a mouthguard, and I’m still here, ain’t I?” But that’s just plain stubbornness, if you ask me. Like my old mule, Jed, he never liked bein’ told what to do neither.
But here’s the thing, them head injuries, they’re scary. We’re hearin’ more and more about it these days, ain’t we? And even if them mouthguards don’t stop a concussion, they can sure help protect your teeth and jaw. I seen a fella get his teeth knocked out once, and it weren’t pretty. Looked like a corn cob after the hogs got to it. So, maybe them boys should think twice before they toss them mouthguards aside. A little bit of plastic might just save ’em a whole lot of pain.
So, it’s a mix of things, see? Loose rules, comfort, lookin’ tough, breathin’ easy, and plain ol’ stubbornness. It’s a wonder any of ’em wear ’em at all, if you ask me. But hey, they’re the ones out there on the field, takin’ the hits. I’m just sittin’ here on my porch, watchin’ ’em on the TV, shakin’ my head and wonderin’ why they don’t listen to their mamas.
Now, where’d I put my glasses… ah, here they are. These things are more trouble than they’re worth, just like them mouthguards, I reckon. But I need ‘em to see, just like them boys need somethin’ to protect their teeth. It’s just common sense, ain’t it?
Tags: NFL, mouthguards, football safety, player safety, equipment, injury prevention, concussions, rules, comfort, performance
