Why do americans wear so much protection in their sports compared to other countries?

Question

E.g american football and lacrosse.

Here in Ireland we play hurling which is the fastest field sport in the world yet only some players wear helmets and there is no padding etc

Answer 1

i do admit we wear allot of equipment like i play girls lacrosse we dont wear a lot of padding we wear goggles, a mouth guard  and thats it but boys lacrosse wears helmets and allot of other equipment girls lacrosse isn't as tough as boys lacrosse but alot of people say that girls lacrosse players should wear more equipment. But don't you think you would be safer with equipment? i mean I've seen Hurley and it is a really rough sport. and i agree with the guy who wrote the first answer people here are allot bigger, i go to ireland every year and i don't think i have meet one fat kid. so its kind of negotiable but I think i'de be able to play harder if i wasn't as worried about nocking a tooth out, getting a bloody nose or breaking a few bones.

Answer 2

I think the question is... wtf are you fishing for anti-Americanism?? Seriously??

Padding = SAFETY PRECAUTION... guess the Irish just don't care about their personal safety. Which obviously makes them 100x more hardcore.

Is that the answer you were hoping for?

Answer 3

In America we have personal injury lawyers.

Answer 4

We have much bigger athletes over here.  You guys are what? 160 pounds?  Try playing football with 280 pound linebackers who run 4.5 forty yard dash, you wont be beggin for pads, you will be beggin for paramedics to rush you to a hospital.

Answer 5

1. No stick checking in hurling. In Lacrosse they beat you with the stick.  

2. Rugby and Gaelic football contact sports. American Football collision sport. busting the wedge on a kickoff in football is like being in a car accident.

3. We are smarter???

4 Have Teeth??? (except in south or Hockey Players)

5. More Lawyers.

PS we have more Irish men (of Irish decent) than Ireland

Answer 6

To protect our handsome, beautiful, magnificent, top rate,

A-1, pretty faces and bodies!