Posted on 08/22/2015 8:34:30 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
Despite all the knowledge we have about the dangers of playing tackle football, I do not expect the sport to disappear from American culture any more than I count on the extinction of cigarettes.
Football is deeply ingrained in America’s fabric. Eliminating its presence would be a more arduous task than turning the Titanic away from an iceberg. The game is deeply embedded with advertisers and the American economy, as well as millions of Americans who spend significant amounts of money to support their favorite teams.
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“This is our societal dilemma” usually translates as “Oh dear. I feel compelled to retire to the fainting couch.”
Correct and 240,000 concussions per year suffered by our youth players, should we as a society pay that price?
meanwhile, the unstoppable Cubs wildcard machine moves on ...
ChiSox are hanging in.
It’s a dilemma at the high school and college levels as they aren’t getting paid and are kids. At the pro level, now that the information is out there’s not really a dilemma. The league has taken steps, concussions are down, hopefully they’ll take more steps, and at least the players know the risk.
Major League Baseball, because they want to be America’s Game again.
My problem is the lack of self policing from players. Thus all the fruity celebration dances and chest slapping displays.
Freegards
But isn’t the problem playing enough football to get to pro-level skillset? And to my understanding it’s not just concussions, but also repeated milder blows to the brain? I don’t see how you can get rid of that in football.
Freegards
Kids will still play football. I wouldn’t encourage it, but it’s going to happen. Those milder blows are generally considered undiagnosed concussions. You can never get rid of it, you can never get rid of injuries as a whole. But you CAN reduce it. Better rules, better enforcement of the rules, better equipment and better training. Those are always the keys. The NFL says concussions were down 25% last year, they could be blowing smoke, or not. Hopefully not, hopefully the steps they’re taking are working. And will be followed at the lower levels. And there’s other tricks for the lower levels. Switch all football that’s below high school to flag, there’s no reason for 12 year olds to be beating each other’s brains out. Flag football rewards speed and vision, makes for better players anyway.
Football seems to potentially have much more scope to limit repeated blows to the brain than boxing for sure. I tend to think it is also simply much too big to go the way of boxing, but might end up looking much different someday.
Freegards
I hate this bullshit. I played 7 years of competitive football as a fullback and linebacker in high school and college. Stopped during my junior year in college after my 2nd knee surgery. Also played rugby for 15 years. I knew the risks. I estimate I suffered at least 5 major concussions besides the torn cartilage in my knee.
As a soon to be 45 year old man I am paying the piper. Arthritis, pain all the time in my back, knees, shoulders, etc. I was still able to serve 20 years in the army and pass all my flight physicals as a UH-60 pilot. Bottom line is that it’s all self-inflicted trauma. I volunteered. Even my 2 separated shoulders from airborne training. I was dumb enough to volunteer. I earned my jump wings but screwed my shoulders up for life. Oh well.
Or sit on the couch and be a pussy your whole life. Sorry for the harsh language, but there it is. I feel bad for 5 year old kids with cancer. Not grown men getting concussed playing football.
waiver trades are not happening. not sure why they wait til the last day or 2.
BoSox’ DeAza is available for the asking. maybe the price is too high.
In boxing you have to hit people in the head. But you don’t have to in football. Just look at the horsecollar tackle (grabbing a guy by the back of his shoulder pads and hauling him down). They got tired of that tackle blowing out people’s hammies so they outlawed it and now you only see a couple a year. You can make the players stop leading with their heads and stop aiming at the heads the same way, and the league seems to be succeeding. And it will work even better when the lower levels are teaching the new way.
Awful pitching from the Cubs lately (’cept today) but they’ve been scoring like SOBs.
It’s amazing that my putrid Pale Hose are only 5 back in the loss column of WC2.
My daughter’s (then) boyfriend lost an appointment to West Point due to a concussion suffered wearing a leather helmet playing rugby.
Yeah, actual blows to the head could be limited. But any abrupt change in direction of the body can also give a concussion or jar the brain, it doesn’t just have to be a blow to the head. Tackling, the body hitting the ground takes it’s toll on the brain, even if there was no actual blow to the head by player or ground. There’s no helmet that will stop the brain hitting the inside of the skull if there is a big enough change in direction fast enough.
Freegards
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