What’s the future for pro football?
“I’m a big football fan, but I have to tell you, if I had a son, I’d have to think long and hard before I let him play football.”
Newly inaugurated President Obama said that in an interview with The New Republic.
His concern is about concussions. Researchers at the National Institutes of Health recently announced that Junior Seau, a former NFL star linebacker who committed suicide with a gun last year, had a degenerative brain disease often linked to blows to the head. Seau’s family is suing the the league as it prepares for Sunday’s Super Bowl showdown between two hard-hitting teams, the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens.
Speaking of hard hitters, Ravens safety Bernard Pollard told CBSSports.com that he doesn’t think the NFL will exist 30 years from now because rule changes designed to make the game safer are turning off fans.
“Guys are getting fined, and they’re talking about, ‘Let’s take away the strike zone’ and ‘Take the pads off’ or ‘Take the helmets off.’ It’s going to be a thing where fans aren’t going to want to watch it anymore.”
I admit, as I watched games this season, I saw cases in which I thought someone laid a decent but fair smack on a receiver in an attempt to jar a pass loose, only to get flagged.
What do you think? Is the NFL going too far with assessing penalties in efforts to protect players, or must it do even more to protect players’ long-term health? Do you think Pollard’s fears have merit?
Greg Peck can be reached at (608) 755-8278 or gpeck@gazettextra.com. Or follow him on Twitter or Facebook
Feb 4, 2013 at 2:35 p.m.
Suggest removal
That's why you've made no progress.
Feb 2, 2013 at 10:08 a.m.
Suggest removal
Well, I certainly wouldn't take them from you.
Feb 2, 2013 at 8:12 a.m.
Suggest removal
Are you taking logic lessons from templeofgod?
Feb 1, 2013 at 8:29 p.m.
Suggest removal
Are you still smarting from our last exchange? I Guess that all I can say is....BULLSEYE!!!
Feb 1, 2013 at 12:46 p.m.
Suggest removal
billnewbie, when you wrote your comment you failed to apply the requisite precision. Don't write in a way that allows the reader to take sarcasm, ironic understatement, or lack of comprehension in lieu of a suspiciously belated point.
Your comment lacks comprehension of the fact that the great majority of the damage done to the players does not come from "statement" hits.
Kindly take heed of my valuable advice henceforth when commenting on this site.
Also, be prepared to deal with the issue of brain-sloshing correlating with players appealing to the lord to take sides as to the outcome of each game.
Feb 1, 2013 at 12:11 p.m.
Suggest removal
What ever happened to the day when men were men and guys like John Wayne and Bart Starr set the stage? It seems like the more padding, and the more money the players make, the whimpier they get. Get real, football is supposed to be a "contact" sport, a roughem up type game. Its like boxing, if your going to be a boxer then expect to get hit in the head and deal with it. In football, expect to get knocked around and piled upon and deal with it.
Feb 1, 2013 at 11:38 a.m.
Suggest removal
"Professional" and "Sports" have been long gone in these "Games" for years.
They are all about greed and winning at all costs....
Yes I still watch some of them, but not very much...
Too bad...
Feb 1, 2013 at 2:23 a.m.
Suggest removal
This football season was a joke. It was not even football. The real refs decided more games than the incompetent refs. If you got a first down give the ball to the ref,You did you job no need to stick your arm out the ref will call first down. Let Defense play defense, The offense pushes off all the time to get open but heaven forbid a defensive guy may actually put a finger on a guy after 5 yards.
Jan 31, 2013 at 7:31 p.m.
Suggest removal
Gazettefan, perhaps you misread my post. I did not say that reintroducing Sportsmanship would solve the problem, only that it would help.
Jan 31, 2013 at 6:50 p.m.
Suggest removal
The moose and squirrel website is cpusa.com
Jan 31, 2013 at 5:52 p.m.
Suggest removal
billnewbie, hits that are a natural part of the game are doing serious damage.
The irony is: All the improvements in equipment protection encourages the players to hit each much harder than before. None of the protection keeps the brain from sloshing around.
Jan 31, 2013 at 5:47 p.m.
Suggest removal
ThirdEye, after we get Socialist Party of USA, then we get moose and squirrel.
Jan 31, 2013 at 3:23 p.m.
Suggest removal
I am of the opinion that the recent 'concern' has more to do with tearing down our institutions in line with the Socialist Party USA Handbook, "Establishing and nurturing alternative institutions is another strategy to replace the capitalist system. In all these strategies Socialists recognize the connection between means and ends: that what means we employ will have a determinative effect on the end result".
Concusions is the means and it appears that it will affect the end result.
http://socialistparty-usa.net/handbook.h...
Jan 31, 2013 at 3:09 p.m.
Suggest removal
Reintroducing Sportsmanship to the game might help, rather than making "statement" hits on nearly defenseless players and then celebrating while the other guy writhes in pain on the ground at their feet (if he's still conscious, that is) could help just a bit I think.
Jan 31, 2013 at 3:08 p.m.
Suggest removal
rtabb, just like "Acai" said, about as bright as the future of America. As long as the sport keeps raking in billions, it'll be fine? How's that working with the gov't these days? Same fate ahead.
Jan 31, 2013 at 2:11 p.m.
Suggest removal
As long as they keep making the billions they do the future is bright!
Jan 31, 2013 at 2:09 p.m.
Suggest removal
I hear they already do that Hmmmm!
Jan 31, 2013 at 1:34 p.m.
Suggest removal
Let's just make it Touch Football.
Jan 31, 2013 at 12:54 p.m.
Suggest removal
About the same as the future of this country,,,, not so good.
Before you post a comment, consider this:
Note: GazetteXtra.com does not condone or review every comment. Read more in our User Policy AgreementPost Comment
Commenting requires registration.