Football and brain damage, And is it time to gracefully phase out high school football like in my state of Texas ? ! ?

[Multicolored Lemur]

https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2023-02-09/in-autopsy-study-over-90-of-former-nfl-players-showed-signs-of-brain-disease-cte

Feb. 9, 2023:

“Repeated blows to the head — even if they don’t cause concussions — are considered the main risk factor for CTE.”

CTE means Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy


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Meaning, you can only partially “concussion-management” your way out of the problem. And that’s the key hinge point. Yes, what’s commonly called concussion protocol is important and needs to be done right, but it’s not enough. You still have repeated sub-concussion blows to the head.

And therefore we should make football age 18 and above, as a dangerous activity like race car driving.

And whereas NFL players are making all this money, are adults, and know at some level what risks they are taking, the same is not true for aged 14 to 17 teenagers playing high school football.

So, instead of watering down the sport where everyone’s going to hate it . . .

Gracefully phase-out the sport, respecting its history. And have other safer sports, maybe better sports, that our young people can participate in. And yes, as someone who lives in Texas, I know this is going to be an uphill battle, but it has to be done.

Your ideas please.

 

[bbyrd009]

in Texas? Good luck with that?

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

in Texas? Good luck with that?

As the evidence mounts, I think it’s going to be done,

even in Texas! 🌵

Once you can diagnose the early stages in a living human, then even the most macho Dad will say, That’s it, son, no more football. You can play baseball or basketball, or you can try this new sport which looks interesting. But no more football.

 

[bbyrd009]

As the evidence mounts, I think it’s going to be done,

even in Texas! 🌵

Once you can diagnose the early stages in a living human, then even the most macho Dad will say, That’s it, son, no more football. You can play baseball or basketball, or you can try this new sport which looks interesting. But no more football.

ya, i can see it becoming pretty niche in the next twenty years

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

ya, i can see it becoming pretty niche in the next twenty years

It probably will.

I just don’t want it to be mainly recruiting from minority kids, etc, etc.

 

[bbyrd009]

It probably will.

I just don’t want it to be mainly recruiting from minority kids, etc, etc.

HS football is so big in Tx i cant really imagine how that will all shake out tbh; dont see them embracing soccer or anything lol

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

HS football is so big in Tx

I have fond memories of way back in 1977 when I was 14, calling my friend Mike, wondering what was going on with the ROTC ushering at the football game—

And yes, they needed me, and it’s nice to be needed, and they’d pick me up at 6:20 [or whatever the heck time it was!]

A football game pulls in a lot of kids with the band, the drill team, the color guard, and the cheerleaders. Plus, it’s the beginning of the school year when everything is new and fresh and people want to get involved.

Plenty of kids don’t get involved in football related.

And that’s fine. I want people to have multiple options of good things available to them. One idea I have is two seasons of boys’ baseball and basketball, and two seasons of girls’ softball and basketball. That way other popular sports will be available for the new, fresh beginning of each school year.

 

[AgnosticBoy]

So, instead of watering down the sport where everyone’s going to hate it . . .

Gracefully phase-out the sport, respecting its history. And have other safer sports, maybe better sports, that our young people can participate in. And yes, as someone who lives in Texas, I know this is going to be an uphill battle, but it has to be done.

Your ideas please.

I think it's easy to link CTEs with helmet to helmet impact. Hek, didn't want football player collapse after being hit in the heart area?! The impression i get is that this might all be kept hush hush by the NFL because of all the money they are making.

I'm thinking though, instead of banning football entirely, perhaps we should try just banning defense and offense using their head. That means the defense can't hit someone in the head area nor can the offense side lead with their head. Hits from the neck down or even the offense warding off the defense using their shoulders would be the only allowable hits.

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

perhaps we should try just banning defense and offense using their head

For the pro game, maybe require offensive and defensive linemen to begin in standing position. And then it becomes more like martial arts sparring and grappling. Might be a net positive.

And what I’m really in favor of is doing away with the cheap “defensive holding, 5 yards, and automatic first down.” At least do away with the automatic first down part. And just maybe, open up sparring between the receiver and defender. Might make for a better game!

I still support making any kind of big time, super-organized football age 18 and above.

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

Big Men on Campus

Are all those three-hundred-pound high school football players a health crisis waiting to happen?

www.texasmonthly.com

September 2016:

“As a senior [in high school], thanks to a combination of weight training, hot Cheetos, and Quarter Pounders with cheese, he bulked up to more than 300 pounds and helped carry his team to its first state championship.”

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It’s just too much.

Even if the athletes aren’t using steroids, bulking up this much just isn’t healthy.