and every other team in the league. And it's not close.
And before you complain about my repeating that line about it not being close - I used to post regularly and now I make about 5 football posts a year. Today happened to be my had to make 4 of them, and all of them all about the team and the sport. So really, nothing to complain about. Anyway, it's as good as 90% of the schtick I see here. And I have seen a lot here.
So here is my question - now that we KNOW that blows to the head give a significant chance of long-term brain damage, how do you justify watching the sport? (And I think the same thing about soccer and hockey, this is not just about football.) Should I give up watching the sport entirely? Is it going to come to that in the end for all of us? Can football ever be fixed to protect the head, and still be tackle football? I wonder if, a few years from now, all these sports are going to be consumed - financially, legally, morally, with this question.
Yes, I know the players "choose" to accept the risk, although I think for many of them it is not a very fair choice. But this is not about what they do - I don't control that directly - it's about "what should I do"? It's a serious matter for me - I am close to a number of young people who WILL play football no matter what I say.
There are some risks we just don't accept anymore in sport. We don't have real gladiators anymore - spears and swords are not acceptable. When does brain damage become unacceptable?
As for the argument that we have people do dangerous things in sport in place of real war and violence - check the newspapers. There's plenty of real war and violence.
Again, I am not a football hater. When I can tell you that Mark Bavaro fumbled later on in the game with "the catch" (and Bavaro just about never fumbled) - well, I probably love it too much, for whatever reason. So I want to know what you really think - what do we have to do about this? Or is there just no solution?
Glad Wilson got out without a tradgedy.
They operate within an industry where the side effects of football are well known, before and after the lawsuits wrt to concussions came.
It's really no different than asking a logger if he knows that if his harness snaps he will probably never walk again. Or if a coal miner knows if his risk of lung cancer is x% higher than the national average. Or if a cop knows that a drug bust gone wrong could mean a shootout.
standard occupational hazard. Except these guys are all making 500k minimum.
Living is a safety hazard. Every day anyone wakes up they are at risk of getting killed or injured. Cope with it & get on with your life or commit suicide if you can't cope that much. That's the only other way you can be assured you won't have to worry about anyone getting killed or injured any more.
Go figure...
Link - ( New Window )
I grew up playing football and took some shots. Though my career ended in highschool. I came out no worse for wear.
Was I and everyone I know that played lucky? I am friends with some D1 football players and the same, no worse from wear at this moment. Though we don't know the future.
Are all these studies slanting the information on brain damage associated with football....I'd guess yes. However, there is a correlation to head damage with any physical sport.
As a parent, I know the risks associated with the game. However, I love the sport and If my son wants to play I'd be all for it. In fact a part of me hopes he will want to play.
Does that make me a bad parent?
It would be good for the players and good PR for the NFL.
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Which, in turn, can often lead to a sudden, random burst of posting?
I had always wondered what was behind your posting....
Lulz.
Now that I'm aware that routine blocking and tackling condemn many players to a future of brain damage, I've had to admit that continuing to watch the game -- until this problem is solved -- is immoral. I've made peace with that and I'm watching it anyway, and forgiving myself.
If there's a God, and I have to stand before Him on that fateful day, I doubt it will be the worst thing I have to answer for -- but I'm guessing the hours I spent watching football won't help get me into heaven.
(I'd say NTTAWT but, of course, there is.)
(I'd say NTTAWT but, of course, there is.)
Hey now...
It would be good for the players and good PR for the NFL.
The NFL is doing certain concussion/head injury research. It was part of the lawsuit settlement in 2013 (i think).
Probably the best way to take a stand against this issue is for you to give up posting about the sport entirely.
Head-related injuries won't go away altogether in this type of sport, but hopefully new equipment research, proper tackling techniques and penalties/fines do something to lessen the instances.
I grew up playing football and took some shots. Though my career ended in highschool. I came out no worse for wear.
Was I and everyone I know that played lucky? I am friends with some D1 football players and the same, no worse from wear at this moment. Though we don't know the future.
Are all these studies slanting the information on brain damage associated with football....I'd guess yes. However, there is a correlation to head damage with any physical sport.
As a parent, I know the risks associated with the game. However, I love the sport and If my son wants to play I'd be all for it. In fact a part of me hopes he will want to play.
Does that make me a bad parent?
Personally, it is my belief, that if you allow your child to engage in contact sports where head trauma can be inflicted regularly on the playing field, I 100% think you are a poor parent and irresponsible. That's my personal belief. There are lots of decisions as a parent you make for your child that just goes-- no explaining needed; this is one of them for me.
If/when I have children, they wont be allowed to play football before highschool. If they are serious about football, I am positive I can find them professional training off the field to prepare them before highschool. I wont allow them to head the ball in practice with any sort of serious velocity if they play soccer.
Although children are small, and head trauma can be tied to f=ma, meaning the mass x acceleration, it doesnt preclude damage because the forces are so low. Watching peewee football is as awkward as it gets; a bunch of ducklings with bobbleheads.
Just say screw it, make the field huge like a soccer field and make it flag football.
It would be good for the players and good PR for the NFL.
I'm for good and great helmet research. But the problem is that the brain bounces around inside the skull when the head gets hit. No matter how great a helmet is, a bang on the head causes the INTERIOR of the brain to move and probably hit itself against the skull.
Given that, I just don't know if anything can be done about this problem.
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Should kids be banned playing football? If we know there is a chance our kids might have some long term mental damage, even if the chances are small?
I grew up playing football and took some shots. Though my career ended in highschool. I came out no worse for wear.
Was I and everyone I know that played lucky? I am friends with some D1 football players and the same, no worse from wear at this moment. Though we don't know the future.
Are all these studies slanting the information on brain damage associated with football....I'd guess yes. However, there is a correlation to head damage with any physical sport.
As a parent, I know the risks associated with the game. However, I love the sport and If my son wants to play I'd be all for it. In fact a part of me hopes he will want to play.
Does that make me a bad parent?
Personally, it is my belief, that if you allow your child to engage in contact sports where head trauma can be inflicted regularly on the playing field, I 100% think you are a poor parent and irresponsible. That's my personal belief. There are lots of decisions as a parent you make for your child that just goes-- no explaining needed; this is one of them for me.
My son just started 4th grade and is now playing tackle football for the first time. Sorry to disappoint you as a parent.
It does make me feel a little better though that you disappoint me as a BBI poster.
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In comment 11836191 rob13934 said:
Quote:
Should kids be banned playing football? If we know there is a chance our kids might have some long term mental damage, even if the chances are small?
I grew up playing football and took some shots. Though my career ended in highschool. I came out no worse for wear.
Was I and everyone I know that played lucky? I am friends with some D1 football players and the same, no worse from wear at this moment. Though we don't know the future.
Are all these studies slanting the information on brain damage associated with football....I'd guess yes. However, there is a correlation to head damage with any physical sport.
As a parent, I know the risks associated with the game. However, I love the sport and If my son wants to play I'd be all for it. In fact a part of me hopes he will want to play.
Does that make me a bad parent?
Personally, it is my belief, that if you allow your child to engage in contact sports where head trauma can be inflicted regularly on the playing field, I 100% think you are a poor parent and irresponsible. That's my personal belief. There are lots of decisions as a parent you make for your child that just goes-- no explaining needed; this is one of them for me.
My son just started 4th grade and is now playing tackle football for the first time. Sorry to disappoint you as a parent.
It does make me feel a little better though that you disappoint me as a BBI poster.
no, no offense taken, seriously. It's your decision to make, not mine.
How so?
A lot of these guys get free rides to college where they can major in anything they want in order to earn a salary they can support a family on. That's already a head start on 90% of America.
I feel sorry for the older players. The information back than was scarce. Anyone going in now knows full well the risks. They also know that even on a practice squad they'd probably earn double the salary of that first post college career job.