NFL Playoffs

You’re right the Advanced computer models are backing off from their earlier forecast for Kansas City and are now
going for 20 F at game time with a 15 mph wind.

 

It is a game that is essentially an abstraction of our combative tendencies and many people do seem to find this thrilling,

The league is constantly updating rules to make it "safer" though, most notably penalizing helmet to helmet hits and protecting the Quarterbacks from all kinds of hits, it seems to me like the regular season and the playoffs are almost officiated in completely different ways now. I've seen some plays in the playoffs, which definitely would have been called penalties in the regular season but they allow more physical play during the playoffs.

I think they can only do so much to remove the "violence" from the game while still maintaining the integrity of it.

 

I don't get the big deal. It's sport. We wanna see big collisions
Big hits, mind blowing athleticism. That's what the players thrive on.
You might pick up good seats at the ballet for 225$, but that's not what we're going to the stadium to watch.

I think flag football might be more fitting for some. they can sit on the bleachers with the Electric car racing fans.

 

I dont have an ethical issue with watching adults play football but I do think university and NFL teams are going to start seeing a diminishing pool of players because people are starting to see ethical issues with letting their kids play football.

 

Really? What do they find unethical about letting their kids play football?

 

Offensive and defensive line players tend to have the shortest NFL careers. They say NFL really stands for Not For Long.

As uniform and padding technology improved from the days of leather helmets, we've seen much less life long injuries.

But I say let your kids play ball! Let them rough house, get injured, and develop a competitive spirit, and build character!

 

I agree.
It's just different when all that is part of your everyday job.

 

The fact that there's a link between tackle football and brain damage

Maybe ethical is the wrong word, actually. It's just more of a safety issue and people are more aware of such things these days

I'm not making an argument for or against letting your kids play football, but the tide is turning against it. Like letting your kid roll around in the backseat without a seatbelt or car seat, and letting them roam around the neighborhood unsupervised. It's just one of those things that will fall by the wayside eventually because parents are more cautious these days

 

yeah, they all sign their kids up for soccer instead, ignoring the studies that show that soccer is at least as dangerous as football.

 

Actually, there is a lot of concern over people in the modern era of Football as well, hence the rule changes.


A kid can develop their skills and competitive spirit by playing flag football, while they are in their prepubescent years at least. Playing a decade's worth of tackle football by the time they reach college does seem a bit insane.

However, if they want to pursue Football in college, they are going to have to know how to tackle and I think at least a few years of being used to being tackled.

 

-shakes head-

What a pack of Mary's.

 

Play rugby!

 

Oh they wouldn't like that, if the snowflakes aren't happy with their children playing football with shoulder pads and helmets they certainly aren't going to let them play men's football without them.

 

I would seriously consider not letting my son play football. Why would I allow him to risk permanent brain damage for what is very likely to be only a few years of playing football? The evidence is quite damning and there are many other sports out there that are not as risky. It does not make good sense, especially from at a younger age.

 

I'm seriously considering bearing many children right now just so that some of them can play football if they want to.

 

Heading a soccer ball can cause brain damage too for prepubescent kids.

Boys need rough ‘n’ tumble play

 

Brain damage is by far the most extreme and least likely scenario of a sports injury lol. Since civilisation we've been competing against each other, it's apart of us to have a competitive nature and it had always been an outlet for people to bond.

Now that we see women sports all over the world it galvanises that all people and genders have this competitive spirit. For competitive people, injury is just a small concern, so if I had a child and they have this competitive gene which I think they would hopefully, I would not shield them from a false reality of brain damages, that if you play football you might get brain damage.

I wouldn't do that. I'd be more than happy to get involved in my child's interests and take the utmost care of what I can control such as high quality protective gear etc. We live in a world where we teach our children they have the opportunities and advantages to become anything they want to be so if my son or daughter told me they'd love to win the superbowl, or the Daytona 500, or the Stanley cup and whatever female sports eqivalents then I would support that decision.

The reality is more children hurt themselves being children, riding bikes and falling out of trees than getting serious brain injuries from playing football and I've never heard a pro athlete ever say they wish they'd never participated in a sport that ended their athletic career. I'm sure there might be, but I've never heard that aaaand I would highly question the integrity of that "athlete" if they did.

I went to university and graduated sports medicine, so this topic is touchy to me. The reason the course existed is because, people want to compete and sometimes they get injured and then I'm there to manage that injury so they can get back to being healthy and able to compete. I spent 4 years on this course so I know my stats and figures.

 

Anyhoo back to business.

 

It's actually extremely likely, if you've been paying attention. Even the NFL is beginning to admit this. I understand your point though, that kids need to roughhouse and be kids and get hurt in order to learn. You're right! I would not prevent my children from learning these important lessons. But why sacrifice their most important asset, their brain, for a few years of playing a specific sport? This is a significantly increased risk of suicide, erratic and violent behavior, dementia, memory loss, etc.

"Degenerative Brain Disease Found In 87% of Former Football Players: Study"

Brain Disease Is Common in Former Football Players: Study

"
The link between football and traumatic brain injury continues to strengthen. Now, one of the largest studies on the subject to date finds that 110 out of 111 deceased NFL players had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disorder associated with repetitive head trauma.

Several studies have linked CTE to suicidal behavior, dementia and declines in memory, executive function and mood. Professional athletes may be at higher risk for CTE because of their high likelihood for concussions and other traumatic brain injuries; up to 3.8 million sports-related concussions occur in the United States each year. In 2016, a health official with the NFL acknowledged the link between football and CTE for the first time."