Is Football a Dying Sport?

[RedArgo]

How many centuries where people smoking tobacco? Once scientists figured out the risks and lawyers convinced a jury that big tobacco had been hiding the fact, the lawsuits were flying.

The NFL is already involved in law suits about what they knew and when about head injuries. I just find it likely that the NCAA and high schools will eventually be targeted too. I'm not saying I agree, just my opinion that it will happen sooner or later.

ORIGINAL: ilovestrategy

ORIGINAL: RedArgo

What could end football is not injuries to the adults who play in the NFL, but injuries that occur to children playing in high school and before. Once some high school ends up on the wrong end of a multi-million dollar law suit over brain injury, schools will have to make tough decisions about the future of continuing football programs.

But how many decades have people been playing high school football?

[Titanwarrior89]

Your probley correct.

ORIGINAL: RedArgo

How many centuries where people smoking tobacco? Once scientists figured out the risks and lawyers convinced a jury that big tobacco had been hiding the fact, the lawsuits were flying.

The NFL is already involved in law suits about what they knew and when about head injuries. I just find it likely that the NCAA and high schools will eventually be targeted too. I'm not saying I agree, just my opinion that it will happen sooner or later.

ORIGINAL: ilovestrategy

ORIGINAL: RedArgo

What could end football is not injuries to the adults who play in the NFL, but injuries that occur to children playing in high school and before. Once some high school ends up on the wrong end of a multi-million dollar law suit over brain injury, schools will have to make tough decisions about the future of continuing football programs.

But how many decades have people been playing high school football?

[rhondabrwn]

Wow... so much vitriol...

1. Thanks Reb, for your support, you are a true gentleman

2. Yes, I'm in Arizona... home of the looney rightwing radicals that have made this state the biggest joke in the Union, but they don't represent me and we're working hard to throw these jerks out of office and turn the state the Blue. Which I do believe we shall do by the 2016 and possibly 2014. AZ went for Mittens, but the Dems took 5 out of 9 congressional districts... a huge swing. You probably didn't notice.

3. Surprisingly, you all missed my concern. I realize people get concussions and broken bones and pulled muscles in sports and that is the risk they take. However, this article is about slow, incremental brain damage from heavy contact that has shown up in 33 out of 34 brain autopsies of deceased NFL players including several whose suicides are linked to said brain damage. That is what I found alarming and why I would be very much in opposition to my grandchildren playing football (though my sons are Snowboarders so I doubt that football is going to be an issue - though I'm not all that happy about extreme snowboarding either, but you don't get incremental brain damage from every run down a mountain... just don't hit a tree). The point is you can blow out a knee in any contact sport and live a decent life... if you end up brain impaired... it's a real tragedy. If you all want to put your kids in Pop Warner football and get them on that track knowing the risk reflected in this article, go right on ahead. I'm not telling you what to do.

4. I don't see any hypocrisy in my supporting a woman's right to serve in combat. I'm not talking about assumed risk, I'm talking about unknown risks like serving in Viet Nam with Agent Orange getting sprayed on top of you and all the vets who came home to cancer, birth defects, diabetes and a host of other Agent Orange ailments while the government pretended that they were all making it up. BTW... I also support women competing in sports against men if they want to try it. I'm not saying someone should force a male team to take on women players, but if they have open tryouts and a woman beats out a man for the position... why not?

5. Someone implied I was a troublemaker who started a thread and then didn't come back to take the heat and respond. I'm on an off-grid ranch with solar power and when it clouds up I don't have the power to spare to fire up the computer and get online. I'm also busy all day taking care of all the animals, managing my power and water systems, cutting firewood plus doing things like laundry, housecleaning, baking and cooking. This is the first time I've had a chance to sit down since I got out of bed this morning. That's pretty a pretty typical day. Matrix forums are not my priority... staying in touch with my family, friends, and former students on Facebook is a priority. Which is why you haven't seen much of me lately... I'm working harder in retirement than I did working! I'm also still working out on a daily basis to get toned up, lose weight, and whip my Diabetes.

6. Some of you really need to chill out on the politics. I've got paranoid neighbors with guns making casual threats about killing that is really scary. Nothing good is going to come of people taking their political views to the point of violence instead of peaceful and respectful debate. Yes, I'm a feminist, progressive, liberal, but you don't see me making personal attacks against people. If I ever do, chastize me severely because I believe in honest, open, debate and discussion, and respectful disagreement if it comes to that.

7. Oh yes, someone mentioned boxing... one of the reason boxing has fallen out of favor to a great extent is the problem of brain damage affecting boxers. Doesn't Mohamed Ali suffer from brain dysfunction from his boxing career? I wouldn't want my grandchildren taking up boxing either. We had a Dean of Students back at Pinon who was a former champion boxer in the Marines. Very impressive, then about two months into the year he began having trouble speaking. It was eventually diagnosed as brain lesions from... you guessed it... his boxing. They let him go at the end of the year and I heard he went on Social Security Disability because he couldn't work. It wasn't pretty to see this happen.

Is that everything?

I've got nothing more to say on the issue.

[ilovestrategy]

ORIGINAL: H Gilmer

I just find it very hard to believe that there is this magnifying glass on football when you have several sports where the objective is to beat the opponent senseless. Boxing, MMA, UFC...

I'm not wilting daisy or whatever they call it. I participated in an amateur boxing club. Two of the guys on in my club went on to win titles in amateur boxing - one in the bantam weight and one in welterweight.

Hell, I loved watching boxing as a kid and still like watching a good boxing match, but about 80% of the punches in pro boxing go straight to the head. You would think they'd be more worried about that.

I've got to put in my 2 cents here since I did my share of full contact fighting in the 90s. Yes, there is a chance of a concussion in MMA and the UFC, but it's waaaaaaaaay lower than boxing for a couple of reasons. And brain damage? Forget it. First, because you have shots at all parts of the body from head to toe. Second, a lot of the matches are won by submission from joint locks. And third, brain damage is pretty non existent because MMA fighters use 6 once gloves. That means you can get knocked out in one punch. Concussion? Maybe. Brain damage? No.

Boxing is different. Shots are waist level and above with a lot more shots to the head. Plus you have heavier gloves, which means you can take a lot more shots to the head and keep going, compared to MMA where you're going down after a couple of hits. Brain damage is from the cumulative shots over time.

I'm not trying to sound like a know it all, and I'm not, but MMA is something I've personally had experience in. Fractured ribs and broken toes are the dangers, not brain damage. But trying teaching the media that. [:@]

[rodney727]

Make no mistake football pays the bills especially on the college level. As in any sport there is always a chance of serious injury. It is a risk that every student and parent accepts. Let me put it this way... You leave your house to go to Walmart . You park in lot and get out of your car... You take two steps and trip on a small stone fall down and hit your head and injure your spine and god forbid you can't walk. Who's fault is it? Is Walmart liable? Of course not. Students before they play anything are informed of the risks and that's for each sport.

ORIGINAL: RedArgo

How many centuries where people smoking tobacco? Once scientists figured out the risks and lawyers convinced a jury that big tobacco had been hiding the fact, the lawsuits were flying.

The NFL is already involved in law suits about what they knew and when about head injuries. I just find it likely that the NCAA and high schools will eventually be targeted too. I'm not saying I agree, just my opinion that it will happen sooner or later.

ORIGINAL: ilovestrategy

ORIGINAL: RedArgo

What could end football is not injuries to the adults who play in the NFL, but injuries that occur to children playing in high school and before. Once some high school ends up on the wrong end of a multi-million dollar law suit over brain injury, schools will have to make tough decisions about the future of continuing football programs.

But how many decades have people been playing high school football?

[parusski]

ORIGINAL: Missouri_Rebel

Ah Salon. The self loathing America hating one sided hypocrisy site. I have no interest in reading their agenda..er..opinion. Really. They have already proved themselves unworthy many times.

Still doesn't change my feelings on what I posted.

I read it, which made me wonder why some people don't just find a more "enlightened" country to move to. But Rhonda is not a bomb thrower. I have always liked R.

I disagree with some members about politics, but I never get angry at anyone. Although quiet often some people have tossed insults my way(as happens when I try to have these discussions in the real world) it is not cool to resort to nastiness.

Intolerance is intolerably![:D][;)]

[vonRocko]

"Make no mistake football pays the bills especially on the college level."
Yeah, at the expense of academics and learning. The culture of college football is distastefull, look at penn state. There is a local college near me that can't afford a library expansion, but they just installed a new sport stadium. Where are their priorities?

[rodney727]

The only thing I find distasteful is how Iowa loses to its rivals every year. College football is a time when good friends get together its deeply imbedded in American culture . It's personal and a sense of great pride.

[rhondabrwn]

ORIGINAL: parusski

ORIGINAL: Missouri_Rebel

Ah Salon. The self loathing America hating one sided hypocrisy site. I have no interest in reading their agenda..er..opinion. Really. They have already proved themselves unworthy many times.

Still doesn't change my feelings on what I posted.

I read it, which made me wonder why some people don't just find a more "enlightened" country to move to. But Rhonda is not a bomb thrower. I have always liked R.

I disagree with some members about politics, but I never get angry at anyone. Although quiet often some people have tossed insults my way(as happens when I try to have these discussions in the real world) it is not cool to resort to nastiness.

Intolerance is intolerably![:D][;)]

Right on, my friend

Would like to see you change that "Wyoming, Liberals not allowed" statement though. I'd like to visit Wyoming some day and would hope I would be welcomed [:)]

[parusski]

ORIGINAL: rhondabrwn

ORIGINAL: parusski

ORIGINAL: Missouri_Rebel

Ah Salon. The self loathing America hating one sided hypocrisy site. I have no interest in reading their agenda..er..opinion. Really. They have already proved themselves unworthy many times.

Still doesn't change my feelings on what I posted.

I read it, which made me wonder why some people don't just find a more "enlightened" country to move to. But Rhonda is not a bomb thrower. I have always liked R.

I disagree with some members about politics, but I never get angry at anyone. Although quiet often some people have tossed insults my way(as happens when I try to have these discussions in the real world) it is not cool to resort to nastiness.

Intolerance is intolerably![:D][;)]

Right on, my friend

Would like to see you change that "Wyoming, Liberals not allowed" statement though. I'd like to visit Wyoming some day and would hope I would be welcomed [:)]

DOH! Normally my real life "liberal" friends roll their eyes at the "no liberals allowed". But since you are a fellow traveler on this all important journey...I shall take it down. I, as a CONSERVATIVE, welcome everyone.[:)]

[rhondabrwn]

ORIGINAL: parusski

ORIGINAL: rhondabrwn

ORIGINAL: parusski




I read it, which made me wonder why some people don't just find a more "enlightened" country to move to. But Rhonda is not a bomb thrower. I have always liked R.

I disagree with some members about politics, but I never get angry at anyone. Although quiet often some people have tossed insults my way(as happens when I try to have these discussions in the real world) it is not cool to resort to nastiness.

Intolerance is intolerably![:D][;)]

Right on, my friend

Would like to see you change that "Wyoming, Liberals not allowed" statement though. I'd like to visit Wyoming some day and would hope I would be welcomed [:)]

DOH! Normally my real life "liberal" friends roll their eyes at the "no liberals allowed". But since you are a fellow traveler on this all important journey...I shall take it down. I, as a CONSERVATIVE, welcome everyone.[:)]

Much appreciated You can't convince people to switch to your point of view if you don't engage with them! I'll bet a "face to face" with you guys would be quite interesting. All are welcome at Rainbow's End ranch (and no, that's not a GLBT statement, it's a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow statement [:D] )

[rodney727]

Are gdi's welcomed in Wyoming ?

ORIGINAL: parusski

ORIGINAL: rhondabrwn

ORIGINAL: parusski




I read it, which made me wonder why some people don't just find a more "enlightened" country to move to. But Rhonda is not a bomb thrower. I have always liked R.

I disagree with some members about politics, but I never get angry at anyone. Although quiet often some people have tossed insults my way(as happens when I try to have these discussions in the real world) it is not cool to resort to nastiness.

Intolerance is intolerably![:D][;)]

Right on, my friend

Would like to see you change that "Wyoming, Liberals not allowed" statement though. I'd like to visit Wyoming some day and would hope I would be welcomed [:)]

DOH! Normally my real life "liberal" friends roll their eyes at the "no liberals allowed". But since you are a fellow traveler on this all important journey...I shall take it down. I, as a CONSERVATIVE, welcome everyone.[:)]

[ilovestrategy]

ORIGINAL: rhondabrwn


3. Surprisingly, you all missed my concern. I realize people get concussions and broken bones and pulled muscles in sports and that is the risk they take. However, this article is about slow, incremental brain damage from heavy contact that has shown up in 33 out of 34 brain autopsies of deceased NFL players including several whose suicides are linked to said brain damage. That is what I found alarming and why I would be very much in opposition to my grandchildren playing football (though my sons are Snowboarders so I doubt that football is going to be an issue - though I'm not all that happy about extreme snowboarding either, but you don't get incremental brain damage from every run down a mountain... just don't hit a tree). The point is you can blow out a knee in any contact sport and live a decent life... if you end up brain impaired... it's a real tragedy. If you all want to put your kids in Pop Warner football and get them on that track knowing the risk reflected in this article, go right on ahead. I'm not telling you what to do.

My point is that brain damage is an occupational hazard in a certain profession. And yes, being a professional athlete in the NFL is an occupation. These are full grown men with experience in football. They know what they are getting into. And they are well paid.


But to answer your thread title, football is far from being a dying sport. Not even close.

[Sarge]

ORIGINAL: RedArgo
football is already the most expensive sport for schools, so some may make the choice to drop football. I don't know of any schools considering it either,

no its not, it the only profitable sport at the HS level..........[;)]

Do you have any idea what that would do to ALL other sport programs and tuitions for that matter, well I do ... I coached HS baseball and I’m here to tell you Football literally pays for every other sport an still brings in BIG money for winning schools . Now bring that up one notch to NCAA, good luck with funding every other sport at the NCAA level not to mention faculty cuts, tuition skyrocketing along with a host of other “football” funded resources……………..it would decimate many schools

[rhondabrwn]

I should mention that Football is my favorite sport to watch (when I watch sports). The closest thing to military tactics (SPI had a game called Scrimmage back in the day that reduced football to unit counters and various performance factors as you gamed a play one hex at a time).

So, I'm not cheerleading the possible demise of the sport, just concerned about these long term brain injuries that, if confirmed, need to be addressed with rule changes, better protective gear and an awareness by the players that they need to protect their heads from aggressive contact.

And my concern for my grandkids, of course, though since my younger son actually cracked his spine doing a dangerous Snowboard jump and flip that nearly put him into a wheel chair for life, I have equal concerns about the grandkids snowboarding (which I'm sure they will definitely do, both sons are really into the sport).

Forgive an old lady her fears.

[parusski]

ORIGINAL: rogo727

Are gdi's welcomed in Wyoming ?

ORIGINAL: parusski

ORIGINAL: rhondabrwn




Right on, my friend

Would like to see you change that "Wyoming, Liberals not allowed" statement though. I'd like to visit Wyoming some day and would hope I would be welcomed [:)]

DOH! Normally my real life "liberal" friends roll their eyes at the "no liberals allowed". But since you are a fellow traveler on this all important journey...I shall take it down. I, as a CONSERVATIVE, welcome everyone.[:)]

What the heck is a gdi??


rhondabrwn, I just changed the "liberal thing", how do u like it now?? Also, I never get angry at those with wrong..er different opinions.[:D]

[parusski]

ORIGINAL: rhondabrwn

I should mention that Football is my favorite sport to watch (when I watch sports). The closest thing to military tactics (SPI had a game called Scrimmage back in the day that reduced football to unit counters and various performance factors as you gamed a play one hex at a time).

So, I'm not cheerleading the possible demise of the sport, just concerned about these long term brain injuries that, if confirmed, need to be addressed with rule changes, better protective gear and an awareness by the players that they need to protect their heads from aggressive contact.

And my concern for my grandkids, of course, though since my younger son actually cracked his spine doing a dangerous Snowboard jump and flip that nearly put him into a wheel chair for life, I have equal concerns about the grandkids snowboarding (which I'm sure they will definitely do, both sons are really into the sport).

Forgive an old lady her fears.

On the tolerance thing, let's see something completely different. Sorry, but this is just hilarious:

Virginia Beach, Va. – "Everything seems picture perfect on Victor Road in the Hilltop Manor neighborhood of Virginia Beach, until you see the sign posted in Jeanine Wenger’s front yard that reads, “Parking reserved for the neighborhood A–hole only.”

http://wtkr.com/2013/02/01/beach-neighbors-in-heated-dispute-over-sign/

[rhondabrwn]

ORIGINAL: parusski

ORIGINAL: rogo727

Are gdi's welcomed in Wyoming ?

ORIGINAL: parusski




DOH! Normally my real life "liberal" friends roll their eyes at the "no liberals allowed". But since you are a fellow traveler on this all important journey...I shall take it down. I, as a CONSERVATIVE, welcome everyone.[:)]

What the heck is a gdi??


rhondabrwn, I just changed the "liberal thing", how do u like it now?? Also, I never get angry at those with wrong..er different opinions.[:D]

So much better! Brings out that inner sweetness that we all know and love about you

[rodney727]

Gosh darn independent !

ORIGINAL: parusski

ORIGINAL: rogo727

Are gdi's welcomed in Wyoming ?

ORIGINAL: parusski




DOH! Normally my real life "liberal" friends roll their eyes at the "no liberals allowed". But since you are a fellow traveler on this all important journey...I shall take it down. I, as a CONSERVATIVE, welcome everyone.[:)]

What the heck is a gdi??


rhondabrwn, I just changed the "liberal thing", how do u like it now?? Also, I never get angry at those with wrong..er different opinions.[:D]

[berto]

ORIGINAL: rogo727

Gosh darn independent !

I'm "gosh darned" then.

I'm a post-partisan independent, but with strong, profound libertarian leanings: left-wing foreign policy, social issues; right-wing economics. A true libertarian, not a ("far right") wolf in (libertarian) sheep's clothing. (In the mid 1970s, I was Secretary and newsletter editor of the Libertarian Party of Illinois.)

I've voted for Libertarian Party candidates for most of my adult life. A small handful of Democrats (Obama in 2008, much to my later regret; I had my good reasons), and even fewer Republicans. Sat out a few elections, too.

I dislike Republicans (for their stupidity and venality), and loathe Democrats (for their venality, their cultural values, but especially their moral smugness and arrogance). A pox on both their houses, I say.

But mainly I've put politics behind me. Don't want to discuss it (walked away, no, ran away from the "A new ACW" forum thread), try not to think about it. At my advanced age, I just want to spend the few good years left in me enjoying Early Music, hi-tech computing, history, and -- yes! -- war gaming.

From my facebook About page:

Post-partisanship, anyone?

Facebook is my new political DMZ.

If I read politically hyper-partisan, ideologically slanted Wall posts--especially snarky, disparaging, disrespectful ones--I will unfriend the poster!

"Why Can't We All Just Get Along?"

Indeed, I've unsubscribed (if not outright unfriended) several dozen facebook "friends", both left and right, over the course of the last election.

Football? Before, I was a casual fan. As a youth, I was obsessed with baseball. The 1994–95 Major League Baseball strike killed my interest in baseball, all sports in fact.

Am I a curmudgeon? Yes, guilty as charged. [;)]

If anybody cares. Stepping off my soapbox now...

Shalom.