The Golden Age of Football is Over?

[MAJBobby]

I dont get how people here say that because some wont let their kid play football they are putting their kids in bubble wrap

 

Or they likey were never going to be good enough to play college ball

 

I get new helmets and such but does that stop a brain (floating around) from slaming into a skull after contact?

 

And isnt it a parents job to make decisions for those 8-teenage years when they cannot make a really informed decision?

 

Also what benefits does football provide that a less violent team sport doesnt provide a youth athlete?

Edited August 10, 2017 by MAJBobby

[teef]

Well, let's see. Since you spelled 'feet' backwards you may be dyslexic, your avatar is a muppet and you're still an avid Bills fan after 17 straight years with no playoffs, you may have actually taken too many hits to the head.

most of that is due to the drugs.

[oldmanfan]

 

 

 

Ok tough guy. I have a daughter. I'm not trying to force her to be a man.

 

Just like if I had a son, I wouldn't force him into a sport like soccer out of fear.

I'm not tough. My daughters and yours on the other hand....

[quinnearlysghost88]

Yes I think you are correct and I should have worded that differently. I think they just overshot the mark and they need to readjust the competitive balance.

 

What do you think was being said in the late 90's when Kelly, Marino, and Elway were retiring?

You're right, there was a huge talent drop. Look at these QBs in '99: http://www.footballdb.com/stats/stats.html?lg=NFL&yr=1999&type=reg&mode=P&conf=&limit=50

 

But, if you expect that class of QB that came out in those following years, you're crazy: http://www.footballdb.com/stats/stats.html?lg=NFL&yr=1999&type=reg&mode=P&conf=&limit=50

[Wayne Arnold]

When we are kids (pee wee), we have no idea what the inherent dangers are in the sport and we see these professionals playing and making tons of money and say, WOW look at all the money that guy makes playing a game. as we get older (High School) We start to understand the dangers in the game but by that time your hooked. You love playing and in our youthful minds we think "that will never happen to me", but we still know and understand there is a danger in playing the sport.

 

The funny thing is knowing Football or any other sport for that matter is dangerous, is not the same as knowing what that danger leads to. Its dangerous to play Baseball, Soccer, or even Golf but generally speaking there is no serious danger of brain damage unless you take a serious beaner to the head.For Football, they are doing studies on just what happens to the brain in normal play, forget about getting a concussion, we're just talking about taking normal average hits playing the sport year in and year out.

 

Even now with everything that we do know, its still only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to understanding the brain. My point to all this is that while there has been a slight drop in kids playing now, I think over the next ten years as more is learned you will start to see a significant drop in kids playing. Especially in areas where kids have, more less dangerous options for their future. Where you will probably see less or no drop off is in the very poor areas where kids have fewer opportunities to remove themselves from poverty. Overall, I believe that by the time I am in my 80's (if i live that long (hopefully)I'm 42 now) I would not be surprised that Football is all but gone from the spectrum of sports you watch on TV or at the very least it will look like your watching a group of armatures running around playing tag or flag football.

 

You're discounting the medical advancements that will also improve over time. Soon a person's predisposition to brain damage will be able to be measured (not all brains are the same) and medication will be provided to those who do suffer those type of injuries.

[MAJBobby]

 

You're discounting the medical advancements that will also improve over time. Soon a person's predisposition to brain damage will be able to be measured (not all brains are the same) and medication will be provided to those who do suffer those type of injuries.

Ok but when do allow your child to play and risk that brain injury that obviously is there?

[Wayne Arnold]

Ok but when do allow your child to play and risk that brain injury that obviously is there?

 

That's ultimately up to the parent, obviously. But even today when the sport is more dangerous than it will be in the future, as long as each child is monitored closely throughout their playing careers (no concussions and brain function is performing normally) then they're fine.

[DriveFor1Outta5]

I dont get how people here say that because some wont let their kid play football they are putting their kids in bubble wrap

 

Or they likey were never going to be good enough to play college ball

 

I get new helmets and such but does that stop a brain (floating around) from slaming into a skull after contact?

 

And isnt it a parents job to make decisions for those 8-teenage years when they cannot make a really informed decision?

 

Also what benefits does football provide that a less violent team sport doesnt provide a youth athlete?

There is absolutely nothing wrong with your beliefs. In fact I commend you for doing what you think is best for your children. However, I think it all comes down to differing parental philosophies. You mention it being a parents job to make decisions for 8 teenage years. I don't necessarily agree with that. I hope to give my children the information they need to make informed decisions.

 

Decision making is a critical life skill. If that is taken away for eight years how do people ever learn the skill? As parents we are not often able to be around at the most critical times. Our children are constantly making choices, even when we are unaware they are doing so. In these instances I would trust a child who has been given the ability to make decisions more than one who hasn't. How can you trust your child going away to college who hasn't been given the opportunity to ever make their own choices?

 

I think that over parenting has become one of the biggest problems with my generation. My peers weren't given the opportunity to make decisions. When they are presented with opportunities to do so they make poor decisions. It's difficult to do something that someone else has always done for you. I attribute a great deal of young people's immaturity to this. Our children hear everything that we say. We've been saying for years that teenagers are incapable of making decisions. This essentially gives them the belief that they have a free pass for anything they do. If they are incapable of decision making, how can they be held accountable for their actions?

 

My ultimate point is that I wouldn't tell me child that they can't play football. I'd allow them to make whatever decision they feel feasible with the information we have. I'm not going to stop my child for living their life and pursuing their dreams, just as I wouldn't stop them from joining the Marine Corps. Please don't be mistaken. I don't believe in parents doing nothing. There are plenty of rules that need to be established for kids. There are many things that I will simply not allow. I just won't go as far as saying that a parents job is to make every decision for my children. Saying no to play a sport seems like helicopter parenting to me. I remember in my school district that around two or three kids seemed to die in car accidents every year. A 16 year old driving scares me far more than football.

[T-Bomb]

As a kid I got injured doing everything except playing football. I grew up in a small town competing against 150 pound kids. I'll admit that it wasn't the highest level of football. People tend to forget that these levels exist. The majority of small town high school football isn't some brutal blood bath played by 250 pound athletes. Every middle aged men seems to love talking about their high school football injuries. It's almost as if it's a badge of honor.

 

People forget that teenage boys are injury prone. It's not just football players who suffered childhood injuries that last a lifetime. The leg I broke in the same place twice hurts from time to time. It had nothing to do with football. It had to do with me being a kid who actually played outside. Everyone I know suffered broken bones and concussions as child. This is what happens when you don't place kids in bubble wrap. I'm not saying that football doesn't increase those odds, but to say that football has no benefits is confusing imo. If you really believe that playing football isn't worth it even for millions of dollars, isn't watching the game morally wrong for you?

 

Morally wrong to watch football? Oh my, but I should not be surprised, this is the internet...

 

I grew up as a child in the late 70's/early 80's, I know all about playing outside and getting injured. I also know a lot of family members suffering through knee replacements and the like due to high school football. I ran track and played high school football until I found out I had Sever's Disease. My Dr. at the time told me not to play football and save my knees. I took his advice and am sure glad I did.

 

And truth be told, the Bills have sucked for so long, I don't really watch too much live football. Fast forward on the DVR is about all I can stand these days with all the commercial breaks and other shenanigans.

 

But yeah, if I had kids, they would not be playing football, preferably they would be studying like I wound up doing. Challenging your brain will always trump challenging your body in the long run.

Edited August 10, 2017 by T-Bomb

[May Day 10]

I loved football as a kid, as a spectator. Tried little league football and didn't enjoy it. Kind of a nasty element to it as far as the participants and parents go.... and also a ton of nepotism in the lineup. Everything was/is so specialized too.

 

 

My kid (still pre-K) loves baseball, hockey, and lacrosse so far. I'm cool with those, even though the latter 2 carry some risk. I am going to steer him away from little league football I think. There really isn't much need. If he is a good athlete and the high school football coach wants him to play running back or something (maydays are built like running backs), then I think I would allow him. Unlike other sports, I don't think refined skills are as necessary to play at the high school level. If you are athletic, you can play on the football team.

 

 

To be honest, I wish he was more interested in musical instruments and art than sports... but he is trending toward meat head.

Edited August 10, 2017 by May Day 10

[DriveFor1Outta5]

 

Morally wrong to watch football? Oh my, but I should not be surprised, this is the internet...

 

I grew up as a child in the late 70's/early 80's, I know all about playing outside and getting injured. I also know a lot of family members suffering through knee replacements and the like due to high school football. I ran track and played high school football until I found out I had Sever's Disease. My Dr. at the time told me not to play football and save my knees. I took his advice and am sure glad I did.

 

And truth be told, the Bills have sucked for so long, I don't really watch too much live football. Fast forward on the DVR is about all I can stand these days with al the commercial breaks and other shenanigans.

 

But yeah, if I had kids, they would not be playing football, preferably they would be studying like I wound up doing. Challenging your brain will always trump challenging your body in the long run.

I'm not trying to call you out. I just read your belief that football causes more suffering than good. Personally I wouldn't want to watch something that I believe is causing people a great deal of suffering. You shouldn't try to play off my point as some preposterous internet post. I think it's a point that has some validity. It applies to all of the posters on this forum who talk about football like it's a great human tragedy. Congrats that you challenged your mind and aren't a dumb jock anymore. You do realize that tons of former high level college football players are immensely successful people? Edited August 10, 2017 by DriveFor1Outta5

[Buffalo ill]

 

The NFL took a turn for the worse when they stopped allowing DB's to cover.

 

 

I can get behind this statement.

[dpberr]

Football reminds me a lot of cigarette smoking. Everyone did it and permitted it until the health concerns and dangers became part of the mainstream conversation.

[T-Bomb]

I'm not trying to call you out. I just read your belief that football causes more suffering than good. Personally I wouldn't want to watch something that I believe is causing people a great deal of suffering. You shouldn't try to play off my point as some preposterous internet post. I think it's a point that has some validity. It applies to all of the posters on this forum who talk about football like it's a great human tragedy.

 

And I didn't say it was a great human tragedy...

 

There is risk vs. reward in anything we do. As time goes on, we are seeing the risks of football actually coming to light, the rewards are still far and few between for a very small number of people. To me, it just doesn't make sense to play football anymore and if I had kids they would not be allowed to do so.

[Buffalo ill]

 

 

Also what benefits does football provide that a less violent team sport doesnt provide a youth athlete?

 

 

The benefit is they get to play football instead of some less entertaining sport!

[DriveFor1Outta5]

 

And I didn't say it was a great human tragedy...

 

There is risk vs. reward in anything we do. As time goes on, we are seeing the risks of football actually coming to light, the rewards are still far and few between for a very small number of people. To me, it just doesn't make sense to play football anymore and if I had kids they would not be allowed to do so.

Fair enough. There is certainly nothing "wrong" with your stance. Personally I thought that playing football ranked highly amongst the most enjoyable things do in life. I find that to be enough of a reward to outweigh the risks. I understand that my argument sounds like the one that smokers make in favor of smoking. It's obviously somewhat flawed, but I'd risk CTE and bad knees over COPD and lung cancer (My beliefs regarding CTE highly impact this). We all have different beliefs, and priorities. This is why I can't see football going away.

[Gordio]

You know what is eye opening to me. When a reporter or media asks a NFL player if they love the game or do they watch a lot of football in their spare time the answer is usually no or they will say "it wasn't my favorite sport but it was the one I excelled at. Just earlier this week I believe GR had Lo Alexander on & he said he loved playing baseball but he was a bigger kid that could hit so he played football.

 

Contrast that to MLB/NBA/NHL, you never hear a player say they don't love the game.

 

Football has one thing going for it right now. It is the most popular sport to gamble on.

People keep referencing soccer as an alternative, but didn't a study come out saying there are more concussions etc in soccer? Im pretty sure that is what they found, due to all the heading of the ball

 

 

I remember hearing about that study also.

Edited August 10, 2017 by Gordio

[DriveFor1Outta5]

You know what is eye opening to me. When a reporter or media asks a NFL player if they love the game or do they watch a lot of football in their spare time the answer is usually no or they will say "it wasn't my favorite sport but it was the one I excelled at. Just earlier this week I believe GR had Lo Alexander on & he said he loved playing baseball but he was a bigger kid that could hit so he played football.

 

Contrast that to MLB/NBA/NHL, you never hear a player say they don't love the game.

 

Football has one thing going for it right now. It is the most popular sport to gamble on.

 

 

 

I remember hearing about that study also.

The only reason so many NFL players say this is because they are jealous of NBA players. You'd never hear Brady say something like that.

[leonbus23]

I think we need to define "Golden Age" is bit more clearly.

 

Golden Age: A period of time when skill, popularity, and authenticity combined to create the best possible incarnation of something.

 

This is off the top of my head.

 

Anyway, a poster made a comparison to Rock music.

 

I suppose the Golden Age of Rock was the late 1960s when the skill of Jimi Hendrix / The Doors / Led Zeppelin / The Who etc. gained mass popularity while remaining an authentic (less corporatized / commodified / electronic / technological) musical form.

 

By the 1980s, that combination was virtually dead in Rock music. Record company control / greed, a decline in innovative or artistic playing along with fragmented fan bases who chose tamer lighter music (Duran Duran, The Smiths, & The Cure or Hair Metal, etc.).

 

Anyway, perhaps the Golden Age of football has ended. Although popularity is as high as ever, skill may have been overtaken by speed, size, and violence. While the authenticity of the players and league seems to have declined to total commercialization and player pampering.

 

Add the head injury factor and the exponential decline in youth participation, we may have witnessed the best the sport has ever offered.

 

Again, to bridge this to rock, I do not think the youth navigate toward rock as much as during the Golden Age. Rap / Hip Hop / Electronic / and hybrid music forms appear to have gained the mass popularity and those who try to follow in the classic rock footsteps sound like copies of copies of copies.

 

I am just speculating on this definition. But perhaps the OP has a point.

[CodeMonkey]

My kids are not given the option. Baseball, hockey, soccer, hoops, lacrosse, karate are all of their options.

My kids were also not given the option. The risk versus reward made it a very easy decision for my wife and I.

 

But if the "golden age" is over, I think it has more to do with how the game has changed in recent years, mainly regarding protecting the players.

Edited August 10, 2017 by CodeMonkey