Football will be irrelevant in 15-20 years.

[HendrixFan]

Please. Those aren't "hits". The level of competition isn't even relevant until you get to the pros.

The studies that have been conducted show that the repetitive sub-concussive hits to the head are actually worse than a single concussive blow. The practice reps and constant helmet taps (inadvertent) actually do the most serious long term damage to the brain.

This is exceptionally harmful in youths, as their brains are still developing/growing.

 

[SP33Demon]

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.

This is a good point. What is the threshold of force needed to incur CTE? Pop warner? High school? I would argue high school, since many are almost full grown men by then. Although I wouldn't risk stunting my child's brain development at Pop Warner age either, but to each their own.

 

[Aikouka]

Simple, just replace football with scantily clad chicks all greased up and fighting over a ball.

Didn't they try and setup a lingerie football league at one point?

I do prefer your variant of it though! :awe:

 

[rh71]

85%, 90%... those are pretty damning numbers. I already have reservations about putting my kids on the ice with the potential for spinal injuries (boards, checked from behind, etc.). No way am I letting them do football seriously as long as I can help it.

 

[HendrixFan]

This is a good point. What is the threshold of force needed to incur CTE? Pop warner? High school? I would argue high school, since many are almost full grown men by then. Although I wouldn't risk stunting my child's brain development at Pop Warner age either, but to each their own.

From what I've read you don't even need one concussion for CTE (though it does increase the likelihood). The constant smaller hits that occur in practice and games seem to do the most damage, especially at younger ages. Linemen, due to the nature of their play, seem to have it worst in that regard.

 

[SP33Demon]

From what I've read you don't even need one concussion for CTE (though it does increase the likelihood). The constant smaller hits that occur in practice and games seem to do the most damage, especially at younger ages. Linemen, due to the nature of their play, seem to have it worst in that regard.

Yeah that's what I read. However, I also read that "speed" positions also have it bad, especially receivers due to impact of the hit.

Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy college football. But if it's going to screw up these young men's lives in the future in order to make the University a buck, then it shouldn't be worth it. Especially with the whole "student-athlete" label the NCAA is pushing to label these players. It's kind of hard to be smart when you have brain damage.

 

[AMDZen]

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

Only since the Broncos signed Manning. That was the end of March of this year. So yea, if 8 months is a long time.

Before that I had Gabriel Landeskog's jersey from July of 2011 up until March of 2012. And before that, when I did have a sports related avatar, it was Matt Duchene

Not that I would expect you to have paid attention for that long, so don't pretend that you do - anymore then you pretend to care about a bunch of millionaires doing what they LOVE to do and suffering concussions doing it. I bet 90+% of them would do it knowing the risks, even if they were as severe as some of you guys are arguing.

I bet you're one of those people who think smoking should be illegal too. Fuck it if people want to do it, I am going to protect them from themselves. Nanny state FTL!!

I'm done arguing with you guys, you have no facts at your ludicrous claims. If this forum is still around, I'll be back in 15-20 years to tell you "I Told you so"

Until then there is no point in this

 

[HendrixFan]

Yeah that's what I read. However, I also read that "speed" positions also have it bad, especially receivers due to impact of the hit.

Long gone are the days of five yards and a cloud of dust. With these wide open spread offenses, players are traveling at full speed and defenseless before contact. A RB hitting a hole isn't at full speed, neither is the defender. And the RB is fully prepared for the contact and can brace for it.

You combine the spread offense with the trend towards hitting instead of tackling (who wraps up these days?) and you get what we have now.

Lastly, throw in that players are roided up like never before. You have 250lb guys running 4.5 40s. You have 300lb guys who are quick. You have 375lb guys running out there. The players have outgrown the game physically.

 

[AMDZen]

Long gone are the days of five yards and a cloud of dust. With these wide open spread offenses, players are traveling at full speed and defenseless before contact. A RB hitting a hole isn't at full speed, neither is the defender. And the RB is fully prepared for the contact and can brace for it.

You combine the spread offense with the trend towards hitting instead of tackling (who wraps up these days?) and you get what we have now.

Lastly, throw in that players are roided up like never before. You have 250lb guys running 4.5 40s. You have 300lb guys who are quick. You have 375lb guys running out there. The players have outgrown the game physically.

You're the only one making solid arguments in this thread in context to the OP. And even you believe that it will be around in 15-20 years and just be a completely different game. That argument makes more sense then it being gone like these other ignorant freaks are arguing.

I will concede that the game will be different, but I don't think its going to be as different as you think it will be.

 

[Fritzo]

I think the article accidentally substituted hockey with football.

 

[rudder]

1. design better equipment/helmets

The OP is not factoring in better equipment. The NFL is already cracking down on helmet to helmet contact.

Still though.. its very easy to blow out your knee so I try to encourage my son to play baseball and lacrosse instead.

If football becomes irrelevant it will for the same reasons that hockey and the NBA become irrelevant... at some point people will get tired of paying $100 for a ticket to see the game and having the opportunity to drink an $8 10oz beers.

 

[HendrixFan]

I will concede that the game will be different, but I don't think its going to be as different as you think it will be.

The NFL is an employer, just like any other (even though they do enjoy skirting some antitrust laws). As such, even if guys are willing to play and risk their health and lives for huge paychecks, the NFL can be held liable for a hazardous workplace. The best case scenario I can see for the NFL is having to pay huge insurance checks to families of chronically injured or deceased former players.

They won't be legally forced to change their rules, but the cost of keeping the game the same will be too high. They have been relatively successful this far in avoiding paying for the damage they do to people, but those days are drawing to a close.

 

[AMDZen]

The NFL is an employer, just like any other (even though they do enjoy skirting some antitrust laws). As such, even if guys are willing to play and risk their health and lives for huge paychecks, the NFL can be held liable for a hazardous workplace. The best case scenario I can see for the NFL is having to pay huge insurance checks to families of chronically injured or deceased former players.

They won't be legally forced to change their rules, but the cost of keeping the game the same will be too high. They have been relatively successful this far in avoiding paying for the damage they do to people, but those days are drawing to a close.

Again, I agree with this which is why the league is "looking like they're" doing something about it. Fining players for helmet to helmet hits and other things, protecting players. So that when the court asks "What are you doing to alleviate some of this concern, Goodell and company can point to these things and say "SEE, we are doing something about it"

Personally I think this will inevitably change the game some, to your point, again - I agree. But I don't think it will change it as much as you probably think it will. And it certainly isn't going to change it to the point that it doesn't exist.

My whole point all along is that the OP saying it will be irrelevant is just total nonsense.

 

[CPA]

At some point football will have to accept a redesigned helmet that can be effective protecting the head from concussive injuries as opposed to the current one, which is used as a weapon, helping to create brain injuries.

That's never going to happen. As you know, concussions are caused by the brain slamming into the skull. No helmet will be able to stop that from happening.

 

[CPA]

The OP is not factoring in better equipment. The NFL is already cracking down on helmet to helmet contact.

Still though.. its very easy to blow out your knee so I try to encourage my son to play baseball and lacrosse instead.

If football becomes irrelevant it will for the same reasons that hockey and the NBA become irrelevant... at some point people will get tired of paying $100 for a ticket to see the game and having the opportunity to drink an $8 10oz beers.

Lacrosse has similar issues as there is hitting. But helmet to helmet rules don't stop helmet to ground or helmet to forearm or interior line helmet to helmet.

 

[AMDZen]

That's never going to happen. As you know, concussions are caused by the brain slamming into the skull. No helmet will be able to stop that from happening.

Perhaps we'll be able to make something that is surgically implanted around the brain to make it able to hold a lot more G's before hitting the skull. Even if its just new fluid that is injected under the skull.

Who knows what the future holds. OP certainly has no clue.

 

[SP33Demon]

You're the only one making solid arguments in this thread in context to the OP. And even you believe that it will be around in 15-20 years and just be a completely different game. That argument makes more sense then it being gone like these other ignorant freaks are arguing.

I will concede that the game will be different, but I don't think its going to be as different as you think it will be.

If parents start pulling their kids from football, it will become much less popular. Also consider that being "nerdy" is now "cool" in high school. Playing football has always come with a stigma that they are big dumbasses, but now it raises the stigma to a new level if they are voluntarily subjecting themselves to brain damage and there is proof.

Once this unpopular effect snowballs, football could reach a stage where it isn't relevant anymore. Parents will start enrolling their kids in way less head trauma likely sports like baseball/soccer/basketball and lecture their friends who are putting their kids at risk by letting them play football. In our hyper-pussified culture, do you think that this won't happen?

Football could very well be wearing full shock absorption one-piece suits in 20 years, and I doubt that would be very popular since there is no risk of bodily harm. The manly effect would then be gone, and fans wouldn't exactly be impressed by guys playing in a bubble. But I could be wrong.

 

[Pr0d1gy]

More proof that our legal system is out of control and will allow litigation on anything. Oh man, I want money because I was banging my head against another guy's for 30 years and now I can't think so well.

We may be the first world power to ever be brought down by lawyers.

 

[CPA]

Perhaps we'll be able to make something that is surgically implanted around the brain to make it able to hold a lot more G's before hitting the skull. Even if its just new fluid that is injected under the skull.

Who knows what the future holds. OP certainly has no clue.

Interesting.

My feeling is if players know the risk, and there's debate whether that's true currently, and still feel this is the job they want, then so be it. There are plenty of dangerous jobs in this country.

 

[CPA]

If parents start pulling their kids from football, it will become much less popular. Also consider that being "nerdy" is now "cool" in high school. Playing football has always come with a stigma that they are big dumbasses, but now it raises the stigma to a new level if they are voluntarily subjecting themselves to brain damage and there is proof.

Once this unpopular effect snowballs, football could reach a stage where it isn't relevant anymore. Parents will start enrolling their kids in way less head trauma likely sports like baseball/soccer/basketball and lecture their friends who are putting their kids at risk by letting them play football. In our hyper-pussified culture, do you think that this won't happen?

Football could very well be wearing full shock absorption one-piece suits in 20 years, and I doubt that would be very popular since there is no risk of bodily harm. The manly effect would then be gone, and fans wouldn't exactly be impressed by guys playing in a bubble. But I could be wrong.

While the incidence rate is much less, soccer has it's own issue with concussions. The ACC did it's own study some years ago. Is there a concussion rate that we would be comfortable with?

 

[tHa ShIzNiT]

I really dont think this applies to hockey in the same way as people think. I have played hockey for almost 20 years and the only time I was ever knocked out was when I got sucker punched in the back of the head, trying to pull away from an impending fight. The brain does get jarred while playing the game, but not in the same way as in football where some players are slamming their heads together on every single play.

I will (and do) encourage my son to play hockey if he has any interest.

 

[waggy]

If parents start pulling their kids from football, it will become much less popular. Also consider that being "nerdy" is now "cool" in high school. Playing football has always come with a stigma that they are big dumbasses, but now it raises the stigma to a new level if they are voluntarily subjecting themselves to brain damage and there is proof.

lol

the Star QB is going to get more pussy then any "nerdy" kid. they are also going to be among the more popular guys. the girls are still going to line up to date em (well compared to the nerds).

football is not going to be irrelevant in 15-20 years. it's still going strong in youth levels. now do i think its going to change more? hell yes. helmets today are far far better then they were 20 years ago. now that they are actively looking to make them more concussion proof they are only going to get better.

 

[Muse]

I think it'll be more popular in 15 to 20 years.

I like to watch it, as a kid didn't like to play tackle football, maybe never did. Even touch football made me nervous.

My older brother wanted to play high school football but my dad put the kabosh on it. He didn't want his oldest child injured. He didn't have to give me that talk. I played on the high school tennis team.

I watched far too much football over the weekend.

 

[LTC8K6]

Wiki:

In 2002 Riddell released a new more spherical design for the helmet called the Revolution (or Revo) and it is currently the most widely used helmet in the National Football League The Schutt counterpart is called the DNA Pro Adult Helmet. A study released by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center shows that the Riddell Revolution, and others like it, reduce the incidences of concussion by 31%.[6] Later, Riddell released the Revolution Speed helmet.

In 2009, Major League Baseball decided to take action and protect players from the increasing number of concussions and head injuries.[9] Rawlings came out with the S100 baseball helmet, named for its impact capabilities. It was able to withstand the impact of a baseball traveling at 100 mph from two feet away.[10] The other baseball helmets used are only required to withstand a 70 mph impact from 2 feet away.[11] The first Major League Player to wear this helmet during a game was Ryan Dempster, pitcher for the Chicago Cubs.[9] The new helmet did not catch on because the players said it made them look like bobbleheads. Some players, including Mets third baseman David Wright, did decide to use the helmet while batting.[10]

In 2013, per the new MLB-MLBPA Collective Bargaining Agreement, MLB players will be required to wear the new Rawlings S100 Pro Comp.[12]

 

[Corporate Thug]

why not have flag football instead?

it's boring.