Time to phase out high school football? (middle school, colleges)

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by Saintmarks

We end up on opposing sides in many of these discussions so I gotta shout out when we are on the same page. There is NO activity that removes all risk. The pros of football far outweigh the risks, especially if taught correctly. What's next? Baseball.... line drives could kill you. Basketball? well, that one might be safe enough to keep, but kids get injured playing that too. Swimming.... kid might drown.

Spent more time in a doctor's office from my daughter's cheerleading than my son's football playing.

There is a proper place for everything Perhaps there is room to review some of the rules and make the game safer. But do away with it? Our need to be in control of every possible negative outcome is bordering on the ridiculous..

Why not just take the smashing out of it? Kids can still learn the same skills, teamwork, etc., without putting their bodies and their future at risk.

I played myself but that would have been fine with me.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Why not just take the smashing out of it? Kids can still learn the same skills, teamwork, etc., without putting their bodies and their future at risk.

I played myself but that would have been fine with me.

Hundreds of millions of kids have played football without risking their future. The number of life threatening injuries is so low, yet they get the media coverage.

[Ted Bear]

Football appeals to the lowest common denominator among guys. It provides "he man" entertainment, while generating billions of dollars for some already wealthy individuals. As such, it isn't going anywhere any time soon.

Despite the lip service which the owners and league give to "improving the safety of the sport"....and I think they probably have improved it, but not to a level where it is "safe" (it never will be as long as you have two objects colliding at speed)...they make a ton of money from the game. Watch some of the training camp films that HBO puts together. They don't talk abut health and happiness; they talk about the players as a piece of meat and only care about how fast he can run, or how hard he can hit. Owners don't give a hoot about the individual, there are plenty more where that one came from should he be incapacitated along the way.

What is a further shame and tragedy is that we have elementary and high school parents and children with such egos who are easily convinced that they are the local hero (and soon to be college/NFL star making millions) that they mindlessly engage in such unsafe behaviors because they believe it imparts real "standing" in their community (and it does among the least educated). Little do they realize that they are just tools (pawns, if you will) used to create corporate and individual wealth with little or no concern for the individual.

But wearing a Nike shirt which costs $80.00 is SO cool because some NFL player with a 50 year life expectancy wears one..... and won't I be the envy of the school if I have one too? Well, yes, among a small group of folks who don't give a damn about you or your life, you will.

[flamadiddle]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Hundreds of millions of kids have played football without risking their future. The number of life threatening injuries is so low, yet they get the media coverage.

True, it's probably statistically more dangerous for them to drive to/from school. This thread is crazy. I can't even believe what I'm reading... The whole world has gone nuts.

fwiw, some of my best childhood memories came from playing football! All the way from pee wee league through high school... the determination, teamwork, camaraderie, etc. I gained through playing football was priceless.

[Carolina Knight]

Football is too popular to phase out of high school, middle schools and little leagues.

[CMMom]

Originally Posted by cqholt

I hope he got an education because that injury is not life threatening, but may end his football career. Without football, he would not have been able to get a free college education.

A little light reading for you. Like I said, I love watching football, but I will not permit my kid to knowingly put himself at risk for something like concussions or CTE. Yes, I realize there are dangers in other sports, but I've never seen reports of widespread CTE in the NBA, MLB, or even NHL. It's pretty unique to football.

In New Study, 96 Percent of Former NFL Players Show Brain Damage - The Atlantic

[glovenyc]

Blasphemy

[onemanarmy]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Football is not dangerous is kids are taught the proper technique.

Football is dangerous compared to other sports, which is my greater point. It can be played safer, but it's still dangerous. It's just inherently a dangerous sport, thus why professional football players live shorter lives. Property technique cannot mitigate mass times velocity long term. I love the game, played the game, luckily I survived the game, but it's not a game for children.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by onemanarmy

Football is dangerous compared to other sports, which is my greater point. It can be played safer, but it's still dangerous. It's just inherently a dangerous sport, thus why professional football players live shorter lives. Property technique cannot mitigate mass times velocity long term. I love the game, played the game, luckily I survived the game, but it's not a game for children.

The chances of HS players getting into the NFL are less than 1%, they have a better chance winning the lottery.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by CMMom

A little light reading for you. Like I said, I love watching football, but I will not permit my kid to knowingly put himself at risk for something like concussions or CTE. Yes, I realize there are dangers in other sports, but I've never seen reports of widespread CTE in the NBA, MLB, or even NHL. It's pretty unique to football.

In New Study, 96 Percent of Former NFL Players Show Brain Damage - The Atlantic

Yet, you still allow them to ride around in cars, which are much more dangerous than playing football and the leading death of kids.