Football will be irrelevant in 15-20 years.

[AMDZen]

Once high school football is banned or sued out of existence, the infrastructure that supplies college and pro football ceases to exist, which means pro football starts to wither away.

Boxing and MMA still exist because they are individual sports that don't rely on public schools to produce each new generation of athlete. It's a whole lot easier to find and train individual kids outside of school than to supply an entire football team with dozens of players.

Again, thats highly presumptuous and just your opinion. That won't happen IMO, and even if it did - there would still be after school leagues for kids to play. The level of competition may go down as a result but it won't go away.

Football is here to stay folks. Live with it

 

[DrPizza]

Don't forget how the data is skewed - it's analogous to only researching the brains of NFL players who died of flu-like symptoms and concluding that football causes the flu.
More data is needed (and is expected, with a large number of athletes who have agreed to donate their brains) to reach a definitive conclusion. However, it should be noted that NFL athletes have 4 times the rate of brain problems later in life. I don't think that should really be ignored.

But, you might be right - eventually, the NFL might be sued out of existence by players' families.

 

[preslove]

I think its pretty presumsuous to think this guy had CTE. He was young and doesn't even really play in the NFL, he has been a journey man and backup player who plays on special teams his whole NFL career. Others whom have shown signs of CTE, like Seau whom you used, played for 20 freakin years in the NFL while taking 90+% of the snaps on defense. How is that comparable to Jovan Belcher who is 25 years old and his 4 years in the NFL he was never a starter?

You make no sense and neither does that argument in the slightest

He didn't play in college, high school, and (perhaps) pop warner? Most nfl players have been getting hit in the head for years before they get to the pros.

 

[AMDZen]

That part is true. The thing that will seal football's fate (as we know it) is the liability that the NFL takes on. With the speed of the game, and the size of the players, coinciding with the new style of play, the risk of head injury is much greater than before.

The NFL is literally killing people out there. As more data comes in showing that to be unequivocal, along with the proof that the NFL has known about these risks for some time, the NFL will be unable to stay alive in its current form.

Substantial rule changes will have to take place, along with much more strict anti-doping policies. They will have to take most of the brutality out of football, which will make interest fall off.

Why do you think the NFL is fining everyone left and right? So when the lawsuits come up, Goodell and company and say "See, we tried to fine it out of the game, we made steps to get it out of the game and will continue to do so"

It depends on the judge and everything but to me, all that will change is some aspects of the game. It won't go away and you guys are ignorant to think it will. Just my opinion.

 

[alien42]

He was young and doesn't even really play in the NFL, he has been a journey man and backup player who plays on special teams his whole NFL career....How is that comparable to Jovan Belcher who is 25 years old and his 4 years in the NFL he was never a starter?

Jovan Belcher started 10 out of 11 games this season. you may have a point but your facts are flat out wrong.

 

[AdamK47]

Football has always been irrelevant to me. I don't think I've actually watched a complete game of it in my entire life.

 

[AMDZen]

He didn't play in college, high school, and (perhaps) pop warner? Most nfl players have been getting hit in the head for years before they get to the pros.

Please. Those aren't "hits". The level of competition isn't even relevant until you get to the pros. Everyone is different, but if those were facts then you would see running backs at the top of the heap of crazy's. Last I checked, only OJ Simpson went crazy and I could just as easily attribute that to all the years spent with Leslie Nielson on Naked gun sets.

Whatever people.

 

[AMDZen]

Jovan Belcher started 10 out of 11 games this season. you may have a point but your facts are flat out wrong.

On SPECIAL TEAMS!!!!

Not as a starting linebacker on Defense. You do realize the difference right or do you even watch football

 

[BD231]

Isn't boxing so much worse and yet we still have boxing today.

Look at Mohammed Ali, he is the most visible sign of how bad the sport can be to your health and yet boxing is still watched by millions. If it weren't for the greedy/crooked promoters it most likely would be even more popular.

MMA and Extreme boxing is huge now too.

Hell people still smoke cigarettes and we know how bad they are.

People will always do what they want to do no matter what the concequences are and no matter what science tells them.

Ali cant even butter his own toast, but watch out he might kill you lol.

 

[preslove]

Why do you think the NFL is fining everyone left and right? So when the lawsuits come up, Goodell and company and say "See, we tried to fine it out of the game, we made steps to get it out of the game and will continue to do so"

It depends on the judge and everything but to me, all that will change is some aspects of the game. It won't go away and you guys are ignorant to think it will. Just my opinion.

Ah, the opinion of a die hard football fan. It must suck to have your favorite hobby be revealed to have such disgusting moral consequences.

 

[purbeast0]

so you are saying that in 15-20 years, the most lucrative business probably in the entire world, is going to be irrelevant?

yea ... i'm going to have to call you stupid.

 

[rasczak]

One has to wonder how much of the current issues with head injuries has to do with the invention of the modern helmet. Bring back the leather and see how many idiots lead with their head.

 

[SP33Demon]

I think its pretty presumsuous to think this guy had CTE. He was young and doesn't even really play in the NFL, he has been a journey man and backup player who plays on special teams his whole NFL career. Others whom have shown signs of CTE, like Seau whom you used, played for 20 freakin years in the NFL while taking 90+% of the snaps on defense. How is that comparable to Jovan Belcher who is 25 years old and his 4 years in the NFL he was never a starter?

You make no sense and neither does that argument in the slightest

Age has nothing to do with it. Chris Henry was 26:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Henry_(wide_receiver)
Owen Thomas, 21 still in college:
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5569329

Belcher also played a full college career and was a lineman like Thomas (frequent subconcussive hits on almost every play). The precedent has already been set. If Belcher's family is donating his brain, I'll bet you money that he had CTE. It affects everyone differently, but many end in suicide. Keep in mind that none of these players, including Belcher, had previous mental health issues before their suicides.

 

[alien42]

On SPECIAL TEAMS!!!!

Not as a starting linebacker on Defense. You do realize the difference right or do you even watch football

you're so cute when you get defensive. it was you who stated he never started a football game, not i. you do realize the difference right or do you even have a grasp on reality?

 

[AMDZen]

Age has nothing to do with it. Chris Henry was 26:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Henry_(wide_receiver)
Owen Thomas, 21 still in college:
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5569329

Belcher also played a full college career and was a lineman like Thomas (frequent subconcussive hits on almost every play). The precedent has already been set. If Belcher's family is donating his brain, I'll bet you money that he had CTE. It affects everyone differently, but many end in suicide. Keep in mind that none of these players, including Belcher, had previous mental health issues before their suicides.

You're seriously going to just assume that all of that was because of CTE. Whatever dude. You are just guessing without any facts, what am I supposed to say to that?

 

[OCGuy]

Until you prove that "kids" hit hard enough to do this to themselves before they are 18, I dont see such a huge business going under.

There are a ton of inner-city youth that get a college education only because of the sport. Once they are 18, they know the risks of the fast cash.

 

[AMDZen]

you're so cute when you get defensive. it was you who stated he never started a football game, not i. you do realize the difference right or do you even have a grasp on reality?

If you actually quote everything I said and not just part of it in context, its clear to any football person what I meant

I think its pretty presumsuous to think this guy had CTE. He was young and doesn't even really play in the NFL, he has been a journey man and backup player who plays on special teams his whole NFL career. Others whom have shown signs of CTE, like Seau whom you used, played for 20 freakin years in the NFL while taking 90+% of the snaps on defense. How is that comparable to Jovan Belcher who is 25 years old and his 4 years in the NFL he was never a starter?

You make no sense and neither does that argument in the slightest

Everyone would know that I meant he wasn't a starter at his actual position of LB, being a starter on special teams delegates you to a backup role at your position in case the actual starting LB's get hurt and you need to fill in

 

[AMDZen]

Ah, the opinion of a die hard football fan. It must suck to have your favorite hobby be revealed to have such disgusting moral consequences.

Actually I'm more of a hockey fan but hockey is on hold.

BTW, you could make all of these same arguments about hockey. Hockey isn't going anywhere

 

[rasczak]

I think its pretty presumsuous to think this guy had CTE. He was young and doesn't even really play in the NFL, he has been a journey man and backup player who plays on special teams his whole NFL career. Others whom have shown signs of CTE, like Seau whom you used, played for 20 freakin years in the NFL while taking 90+% of the snaps on defense. How is that comparable to Jovan Belcher who is 25 years old and his 4 years in the NFL he was never a starter?

You make no sense and neither does that argument in the slightest

You have to believe that most of the damage occurred pre-NFL. Remember, most of the NFL players were probably every down starters in high school, and starters in college. There's the bulk of your snaps. So amount of years in the NFL is not so much of a factor IMO, since most NFL careers only last 3 years at best.

 

[preslove]

Please. Those aren't "hits".

Until you prove that "kids" hit hard enough to do this to themselves before they are 18

You football apologists are really grasping for straws...
Pop warner: http://www.boston.com/sports/footba...concussions/nkJydxoAsEGOF0jPjimtWK/story.html

High school: http://bostonglobe.com/metro/2012/1...precautions/Y4KPbsaTbhQlc55mwjBGeK/story.html

Given that performance in high school football determines the level of college football team a player reaches, the idea that high school football players don't go all out and hit as hard as possible is idiotic on its face.

High school football should be banned for the same reason why boxing isn't a high school sport.

 

[SP33Demon]

so you are saying that in 15-20 years, the most lucrative business probably in the entire world, is going to be irrelevant?

yea ... i'm going to have to call you stupid.

You can call me whatever you want. However, isn't the real question - will let your son play football if he wants to? What about boxing? MMA? Would you encourage him to play in sports where he may eventually off himself, only after causing your family insane amounts of mental stress by possible violent, risky behavior due to his brain damage? Or if he lives to be old enough, do you want him to have dementia/Alzheimers? Nobody wishes brain damage on their kids.

Once this info has made more headlines, the majority will be keeping their kids off the gridiron and out of the octagon.

 

[zokudu]

With all this information coming out in the last few years I cannot in good conscience watch an NFL game anymore. I just feel awful enabling this to go on. My interest would increase if measures were taken to pussify the game. As it is now it's like watching cows being slaughtered for our entertainment and since I've had that analogy in my head I feel bad for enjoying it.

 

[HendrixFan]

Why do you think the NFL is fining everyone left and right? So when the lawsuits come up, Goodell and company and say "See, we tried to fine it out of the game, we made steps to get it out of the game and will continue to do so"

Gregg Easterbrook has written at length over concussions, helmets, CTE, etc over the years. Somewhere in that I read something that showed the NFL knew of the brain trauma and buried it. The NFL will be around in 15-20 years, but it will look nothing like it does today.

 

[SP33Demon]

You're seriously going to just assume that all of that was because of CTE. Whatever dude. You are just guessing without any facts, what am I supposed to say to that?

You used age and time on the field as arguments and I refuted them with direct evidence. That isn't guessing, I'm saying that there is a high probability that Javon Belcher had CTE. High enough that I'd put my own money on it.

 

[preslove]

Actually I'm more of a hockey fan but hockey is on hold.

BTW, you could make all of these same arguments about hockey. Hockey isn't going anywhere

Says the dude who's had a broncos avatar for a long long time.

As for hockey:

1. Hockey is an international sport with tons players coming from poorer countries like former USSR countries.
2. It takes a lot fewer players to make a team than in the NFL.
3. Hockey isn't a particularly popular sport. It's hardly relevant nationally in the US.