Bob Costas on the future of football: 'This game destroys people's brains'

My kids won't be playing football. Ain't worth the (potential) risk.

Go Bama said:

IMO, there should be no tackle football for anyone under 12.

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I'd think this was kind of common sense. Young children shouldn't be exposed to any form of violence really. Their bodies are still developing, they're too young mentally to handle a lot of things, there's just no good excuse to do things like having a kid play tackle football, racing cars, or doing MMA. I'd have to point something out, they're saying Aaron Hernandez had severe CTE and some people are trying to link his behavior to the CTE. Well, he he broke a guy's jaw in a bar before he ever played a down at Florida, when he was 18. So, either people are attributing way too much to CTE, or we're talking about a problem that could be rooted in damage done while the brain is in an earlier stage of development.

drwho said:

My kids won't be playing football. Ain't worth the (potential) risk.

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Just remember to keep them away from the military, boxing, MMA, smoking, car racing, soccer, hockey, extreme sports, etc... I partially jest since if I was a parent I'd try to do all those things, but there's some irony to the selective indignation people feel about dangerous activities (not accusing you of that). I'd also point out that flag football is a viable option.

Another opinion piece on the topic:

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/11/leitch-is-this-the-end-of-the-nfl.html

A few weekends ago, at a seersucker-in-November southern horse-racing event I attended with some lovely and friendly people who will nevertheless be the first ones taken out when the revolution comes, a family friend, an older white man, asked me what I, the one sportswriter he knew, thought of the kneeling NFL players. I told him that while I stand for the anthem myself, I supported the players’ right to express themselves politically and encouraged him to worry less about the kneeling and more about what the players were trying to say. He snorted and said he was done with the NFL until “they stand their ... up.” We then drank some bourbon and found something else to talk about.

Later on, I spoke with another family friend, one with long hair and a big bushy beard and an anarchic spirit (he whispered “.... all these Trump people” to me with a winking smile). I had just returned from the World Series and told him in February I’d be heading to the Super Bowl. “I don’t know how you can watch that,” he said. “Just jingoistic military .........” He asked me if I would let my sons play, or if I worried it would “smash their brains.” We then drank some more bourbon and found something else to talk about.

There was a time, not long ago, when the NFL was the most unifying public institution we had. No matter your political or demographic persuasion, the one thing you could find to talk about with someone was football. Richard Nixon and Hunter S. Thompson bonded over football, for crying out loud. Over the decades, the Super Bowl grew into the ultimate American spectacle, the last event that everyone in the country watched together, whether you cared about the game, the commercials, the point spread, or just Left Shark. You couldn’t avoid the NFL if you wanted to. Most didn’t.

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NationalTitles16 said:

We also have to keep a cool head and realize that these injuries do not just occur in american football and not even just in "contact sports". That also does not mean we should put our heads in the sand and pretend it's not a serious problem.

Perspective, I think, is the word I am looking for. The sport will either be made safer or it will wither.

30 or more years ago the focus was on stopping spine injuries so spearing and hits on receivers (think 1982 Liberty Bowl) and similar hits were outlawed. I remember the debate then about how it changed the game. Yet, here we are today with a game people love. Unfortunately those injuries do still occur, but the efforts had positive results.

30 years from now we'll look back at the changes being made and realize the game is still great. Without the changes the game may literally not be here then. And no, that doesn't mean it will turn into flag football.

(I am using your post as a jumping off point and not implying you have said anything to infer my arguments are against you)

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That pretty much sums it up

Go Bama said:

When the parents do decide to let older children play the schools should have an informed consent form signed.

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Where do kids get to play any organized sport without some type of consent form? I had to get them signed back when I was in youth football and little league. Even had to have my parents sign off on me playing in high school.

drwho said:

Where do kids get to play any organized sport without some type of consent form? I had to get them signed back when I was in youth football and little league. Even had to have my parents sign off on me playing in high school.

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Consent and informed consent are completely different animals.

Football is a collision Sport. Injuries are common. I feel for the players. While they are young and healthy they usually shake it off... for a while. Then later in life remnants of collisions, bashed knees, and arthritis seem to attack many former Football players who competed hard.

Now about the football commentators and other talking heads.
Many of these guys exhibit signs of brain injury whither they have suffered Concussions or not.
They talk like it anyway... Too PC for my taste.

Boxing,MMA,soccer,baseball, to name a few they all bump heads.

ontopp said:

Boxing,MMA,soccer,baseball, to name a few they all bump heads.

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I agree.
There are also many JOBS that people have in this world where they are injured. So, sometimes STUFF just happens. Life lessons are learned watching this game or participating in it.
I have seen many people who are injured just being a cheerleader.
Football is not as bad as having real Lions in the Colosseum versus Christians, et al.
It is a fun game where you can be injured. However, just by being on a TEAM you learn many LIFE lessons like sacrifice for the TEAM, DISCIPLINE on most teams, etc. Losing is also a LIFE LESSON. In fact, this is a game that has turned the segregated South into something much different and better. On a given Saturday, how many million fans are in attendance or watching on TV? It is a diversion that helps people who work hard all week see something exciting in their lives.

It is something that can take you from being a poor person to being a millionaire. It is a way many people are able to attend a college/university and get a quality education that positively
affects their future. Without college football, this could be a boring world that we live in.

I'm still in mourning after Saturday's game, but things will get better in the very near future or on down the road. RTR!!!!!!!