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ESPN Football Analyst Walks Away, Disturbed by Brain Trauma on Field

nytimes.com

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Re: ESPN Football Analyst Walks Away, Disturbed by Brain Trauma on Field

#31

Post by addicted »

It's become increasingly difficult for me to watch football as well. I really enjoy the sport, but the research is pretty unforgiving.

I can still justify watching the NFL because the players are getting paid very well, and at least at this point are aware of the risks.

But it is impossible for me to justify watching college anymore. I was always leary of the billion dollar contracts conferences were signing, while severely punishing the players for accepting a jersey from a relative (and at the same time refusing to ban coaches who systematically engaged in illegal activities). But throw in the brain trauma stuff and it's impossible to excuse an academic institution doing this anymore (especially since they also get tax benefits as well).

Re: ESPN Football Analyst Walks Away, Disturbed by Brain Trauma on Field

#32

Post by specialist »

criddell wrote: post #8
TheMagicHorsey wrote: post #6

What about the sponsorship of daredevil sports like free climbing, wing suits, etc., by consumer companies like GoPro and Redbull. I feel that we are supporting these companies with our purchases, and then they in turn create social media spectacles by giving these people an incentive to do dangerous stunts. Recently a wingsuit daredevil died while livestreaming on Facebook, watched by his young daughter and wife. It…

I think one difference is that we don't have free climbing and wing suit programs in middle schools. It's one thing if you are an adult and are being paid to participate, it's another when you are a kid and playing is your ticket to a college education. I'm in Texas so my view on football is warped, but the intensity that kids play football with is nuts.

Grew up a football fanatic.

Older me now thinks mixing scholastics and athletics is nuts. I remain unclear why tax payers are subsidizing professional sports by funding their farm system. And their stadiums. And their monopolies.

I now favor a european style club system over any intramural sports.

Government and sports should not mix.

Re: ESPN Football Analyst Walks Away, Disturbed by Brain Trauma on Field

#33

Post by scott_s »

rm_-rf_slash wrote: post #5

Football is America's gladiator sport. For all the fun, the money, the excitement, the money, the drama, the bombast, the cheerleaders, and even the money, we should remind ourselves that American football is a very violent sport rife with injury and long term disability, and our participation as passive spectators and consumers makes us just as responsible for the incentive structure that harms so many young men for…

The way I think it may change is the way most cultural changes happen: the aggregate of small decisions made by individuals.

As more understanding of the eventualities (not "risk") of brain damage become ingrained in how people view football, perceptions may change. I think people may start to view football more as say, smoking. More parents may not sign up their kids for football, or discourage them from playing in high school. Kids may make the decision themselves, as they will grow up with the eventualities as background information. With less players in the pipeline, football programs may shrink.

I know the standard objection is still "some players, particularly poorer players, will still play." And that may be true, but the NFL and college teams power is that football is culturally significant. And it's culturally significant because so many people see it as the main American sport. It's quite possible more people will not see it as the main American sport, which will decrease its cultural significance, which can decrease the power and influence of the NFL, college and even high school teams.

I'm not saying this will happen, but that it may happen. I do think it's likely.

Re: ESPN Football Analyst Walks Away, Disturbed by Brain Trauma on Field

#34

Post by cmurf »

Bud wrote: post #29
cmurf wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think the post is depressing and masochistic. I think football fans are depressed masochists, and they get their temporary fix with vicarious participation in a gladiator sport. The more fans pay for tickets, the more contracts go up in price, the more justification for violence they feel entitled to receive. OH, these guys are getting paid a million bucks at least, I would do that!

Except they aren't getting paid a million bucks. College football (and even high school football) account for a very large slice of all football revenue. NCAA football is a multi-billion-dollar business. Those athletes are spending 50% or even more than 50% of their entire productive football careers playing college ball, they are incurring a very high risk for permanent brain injury, and they are NOT getting paid. (…

Sure, and the excuse here will be "but they will get an instant pay out on day 1 when they're finished with school and get a contract!"

There is no possible rational conversation you can have with a fan of college football about the disproportionate blood sucking they're responsible for. These spectators are parasites. Conversing with them rationally is just as likely as conversing with a tick. They're ignorant. They don't care, they don't want to care.

Addition: And paying them big time doesn't make it right. That's just more gladiator mentality. The idea of affixing them with more glory makes their sacrifice, and lifelong injuries OK, because they're being fairly compensated for it. Don't fix the sport, don't become less violent, no one change anything except pay the gladiators better.

Re: ESPN Football Analyst Walks Away, Disturbed by Brain Trauma on Field

#35

Post by RankingMember »

NegativeLatency wrote: post #13
rm_-rf_slash wrote: post #5

Football is America's gladiator sport. For all the fun, the money, the excitement, the money, the drama, the bombast, the cheerleaders, and even the money, we should remind ourselves that American football is a very violent sport rife with injury and long term disability, and our participation as passive spectators and consumers makes us just as responsible for the incentive structure that harms so many young men for…

Is rugby safer? I'd actually be interested in watching rugby on tv. Never been a fan of football due to all the stopping and setting up plays, makes the game move too slowly to be interesting.

I think it might be simply because the risk to the person doing the hitting is much greater given they're not covered in pads/helmets. People still get wrecked in rugby, but I think there are less battering-ram style hits.

Re: ESPN Football Analyst Walks Away, Disturbed by Brain Trauma on Field

#36

Post by wavefunction »

alistairSH wrote: post #23
beachy wrote: post #17

Speaking as someone from a rugby-playing nation, where mostly players wear no protection except mouthguards and shin pads, American Football is spectacular but insane. Wearing protective helmets just ups the ante as players launch into each other with full force. In rugby, you don't tackle someone like that as you'll hurt yourself, and fail to stop the opponent. Rugby is a plenty violent sport, and has its own health…

The other difference is rugby limits the contact to the guy carrying the ball to a greater degree than American football. In the US version, the majority of players on the field will have contact on the majority of plays.

Also, I don't see too many 350lb corn-fed rugby players when I've watched compared to American football.

Re: ESPN Football Analyst Walks Away, Disturbed by Brain Trauma on Field

#37

Post by komali2 »

beachy wrote: post #17

Speaking as someone from a rugby-playing nation, where mostly players wear no protection except mouthguards and shin pads, American Football is spectacular but insane. Wearing protective helmets just ups the ante as players launch into each other with full force. In rugby, you don't tackle someone like that as you'll hurt yourself, and fail to stop the opponent. Rugby is a plenty violent sport, and has its own health…

This is how I feel about boxing vs MMA.

Boxing gloves are huge and massively padded, meaning you take hit after hit after hit, bouncing your brain around like a ball. MMA gloves are only padded enough to maybe prevent you from breaking your knuckles, and maybe prevent your knuckles from breaking someone's jaw. If you threw the kind of punches people throw in boxing with MMA gloves on, you'd wreck your hands.

That one is safer than the other has been discussed before:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/mixed-martial-arts-safer...

https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/20/science/which-is-more-dan...

Re: ESPN Football Analyst Walks Away, Disturbed by Brain Trauma on Field

#38

Post by fish_fan »

dpeck wrote: post #25
Jesus_Jones wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm about in the same position. As a middle aged guy, the past 10 years I have watched more and more nfl football, and I'm becoming increasingly leary. I hate seeing a big hit. Take that part out and I can continue to watch. But it's hard to see how they can take the hitting out, it's such a part of the game.

Big hits in general aren't what is causing the long term injury. CTE seems to disproportionately effect linemen that seldom experience a "big hit" but hundreds of small impacts every day during practice and play. The brain injury is most concerning, rules can adjust and technology gets better to mitigate the larger impacts, and outside of outlier catastrophic events I think many who have played will trade worn out jo…

Right, even a ball to the head can cause CTE. It almost seems like playing with heavy padding, helmets, etc has caused more injuries by encouraging players to deal and take this small injuries.

Re: ESPN Football Analyst Walks Away, Disturbed by Brain Trauma on Field

#40

Post by sb52191 »

TheMagicHorsey wrote: post #6

What about the sponsorship of daredevil sports like free climbing, wing suits, etc., by consumer companies like GoPro and Redbull. I feel that we are supporting these companies with our purchases, and then they in turn create social media spectacles by giving these people an incentive to do dangerous stunts. Recently a wingsuit daredevil died while livestreaming on Facebook, watched by his young daughter and wife. It…

> daredevil sports like free climbing

Pedantic, but this terminology is used incorrectly so often that I have to comment.

Free climbing just means rock climbing using your hands and feet, and not pulling/stepping on gear, to move you higher. Free climbers use ropes in the event they fall. You probably mean free soloing, which is climbing without a rope.

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