Posted on 02/03/2019 7:42:40 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
President Donald Trump, in an interview aired on Super Bowl Sunday, said he “would have a hard time” letting his youngest son Barron play football, but would ultimately let him decide.
Responding to host Margaret Brennan on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Trump said of 12-year-old Barron playing football: “If he wanted to? Yes. Would I steer him that way? No, I wouldn't.”
“I just don't like the reports that I see coming out having to do with football,” Trump said. “I mean, it's a dangerous sport, and I think it's really tough.”
The National Football League has come under some fire in recent years for reports of long-term brain damage in current and former players due to repeated blows to the head, known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE.
The NFL has attempted to ameliorate the health issue through rule changes and improvements in equipment, which Trump acknowledged the limitations of.
“The helmets have gotten far better, but it hasn't solved the problem,” Trump said, adding later he’s “heard NFL players saying they wouldn't let their sons play football. So. It's not totally unique, but I — I would have a hard time with it."
The New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams play for the NFL title tonight in Atlanta.
The small schools really should try a small-sided version of the game, which has a long history in sparsely populated Plains states. Play a seven or eight man, single platoon game with limited substitutions. That's real football, and it's fun. It's the way backyard pickup games are played. Or shift to rugby to reduce injuries. Or just stick with soccer, lacrosse, basketball, wrestling, track, etc.
Bad, narrow analogy.
I don’t care who Barry Sanders is.
“Or shift to rugby to reduce injuries.”
Surely you jest——rugby can be very dangerous.
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If the sport went back to thick sweaters and leather helmets, a lot of the injury problems would sort themselves out quickly. The plastic and foam armor players wear throughout high school and college enables players to develop bad habits and take dangerous risks with little outward effect. Minor injuries would increase, probably cutting some careers short, but the kids looking for a pro career would adjust their behavior to be better at staying healthy, not just getting bigger and faster. Also, if a guy got his bell rung on a play and got knocked out of the game, it would be an obvious and increasingly rare thing, not dozens of small car crashes accumulating each game over a career.
Darrell Green Hall of Fame Induction Speech Highlights
This guy is a class act, too.
With single platoon, limited substitution football, players would have to go both ways, so they'd have to have a wider range of skills. With limited substitution, there also wouldn't be position specialists like punters and placekickers; they would be replaced by real football players. It would be a better game, especially if we also widened the field to rebalance offenses and bring the run back into the game.
Crouch is 39 I think, and still playing professional football (soccer) effectively.
And while I’m at it … big time football needs to tell the television networks that they’re taking the game back. No tv timeouts to disrupt the flow of play. Speed up the game. Once again, the NFL fatties would have to downsize if they couldn’t count on long rest breaks every few minutes.
My town’s team won the state division 1 high school state championship last year. Outside of the offensive and defensive lines, most difference maker players were under 6’0 200 lbs. You are both wrong. But if you would like to keep digging, here’s a very good shovel:
https://georgiadogs.com/roster.aspx?roster=1058&path=football
“If the sport went back to thick sweaters and leather helmets, a lot of the injury problems would sort themselves out quickly.”
I agree completely.
Although it may seem counterintuitive, WORSE helmets are actually SAFER.
He looks better suited to basketball.
Why isn’t football broken into categories like wrestling? Bantamweights, heavyweights.
They should do something about the shape of that ball, too.
Agreed. Eliminate the helmets and other padding. The players would quickly stop trying to inflict serious injuries to each other. As it is now it is about taking out your opponent through pain and injury.
In the current situation with public opinion of the Trumps, he would be a target for the other players to try to hurt, badly.
Its counter intuitive but I have long maintained that the best way to reduce head injuries is to take away their helmets.
No one is going to lead with their head if they don't have a helmet on.
But if you would like to keep digging, here’s a very good shovel:
https://georgiadogs.com/roster.aspx?roster=1058&path=football
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Thanks but I couldn’t care less.
Back in 1962 - 1965, I was a cheerleader for an inner-city high school in Rochester, NY. Our football team were undefeated City Champs for three years straight because we had the biggest line. I believe at the time, there were a total of 8 or 9 schools in the Rochester School District. Our defense line averaged at least 250, if not more. Our basketball team back in those days consisted of one tall white guy, and yes, we were City Champs then too.
Basically, you want your child to succeed. Part of that desire is to steer them into sports they are built for. If your son isn’t built for football, find a more suitable sport.
Football is not a game for pussies. There is the risk of injury in almost every sport. Many on the Left would like to outlaw football. They think it is too violent and encourages toxic masculinity.
“On the fields of friendly strife are sown the seeds that on other days, and on other fields will bear the fruits of victory.” General Douglas MacArthur.
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