Vicious hits in CF..

[old_gregg]

What we can learn from a number of the comments here, including yours, is that it's best to go into it with our eyes open, and to help our kids have their eyes open to the possibilities as well. If they're the type of kids who want to play contact sports, they should be allowed to as long as they understand the risks. If they decide they don't want that risk and prefer non-contact activities/sports, we should support that as well. They key, I believe, is for there to be an awareness of the risks going into it rather than a surprise if/when those risks cash themselves in. Thoughts?

Does a 2nd/3rd grader understand the risks of living with constant pain for the rest of their life?

[Devildog]

Hard is a relative term.

Difficult for me would be sitting behind a desk crunching numbers.

Risks are part of life. We all have to decide what is important to us as individuals.

[fusnik]

Hard is a relative term.

Difficult for me would be sitting behind a desk crunching numbers.

Risks are part of life. We all have to decide what is important to us as individuals.

I appreciate the social benefits and incredible memories we forge through football. There is something special about banding with a group of guys in such a violent endeavor.....however with the recent studies that have been conducted surrounding head trauma I have begun to rethink how I view football.

There are risks in every sport but there is not another mainstream American sport that has car wreck level collisions on literally every single play.

Question to devildog, would you allow your super awesome bone crushing teen to work as a crash test dummy?

[Devildog]

Question to devildog, would you allow your super awesome bone crushing teen to work as a crash test dummy?

Football is a competition sport. It is played by kids, tough kids.

I think you're overstating it. I've had over a hundred kids play for me in the time I've coached... some love it and return and play year after year... others decide to only play one year after they see what is involved.

Some have gotten hurt and play with casts on... others have come to practice for the remainder of the season to continue with the team even though they can't play with their injury.

With all those kids... none have ever sustained major injury... that impaired their future.

Crash test dummy....

Don't be so thin skinned.

[Solon]

In 1905, 18 college/academy students died playing football and 159 were seriously injured. Bear in mind that far fewer schools were fielding teams 105 years ago. The carnage was so grim that President Roosevelt (an ardent sportsman himself) intervened and demanded some type of reforms.

As a result, in December 1905 a conference of 13 colleges met to draft a new open style of play that would be more safe and more entertaining to watch. Among other things, the conference formed the Intercollegiate Athletic Association to come up with standard rules for college football. The IAA became the NCAA in 1910.

Among the rule changes:

> 4 downs to gain 10 yards; previously it had been 5 yards.
> allowed the forward pass (but with caveats; the ball had to travel more than 5 yards to the left or to the right; this is why early football fields had that "gridiron" look - so that officials could determine how far the pass had traveled laterally. Also, an incomplete forward pass brought a 15-yard penalty to the offense)

These rules helped but, when 8 collegians died in 1909, even stricter rules were engaged, such as requiring 7 men on the line of scrimmage (some of the most dangerous collisions came from phalanxes of blockers who could get a 4-5 yard head of steam before pummeling a hapless defender).

http://www.jstor.org/pss/27551467

I imagine that if injuries/deaths became as widespread again someday, the rules would be altered in some way. But I think that's a long way off.

[CJF]

I have 7 screws in a shoulder, it sounds like a squeaky door at times, I have an ankle that I roll about every other week now (I actually rolled it last night in the middle of the night when I got up to take a piss) and my knees hurt often all because of my days playing football. I wouldn't trade the experiences and the lessons I learned playing football for anything.

I didn't play anywhere near the level you did and my body is a mess and it is mostly from football. Although some of it is from my mission. I've put off having knee replacement for a few years now. I don't know how much longer I can't put it off. I hurt 24/7. That doesn't include all the migraines I get that I think are some residual effects of several concussions. It has impacted me in just about every way possible. I love football and I loved being a missionary. I probably would have a much better body if I had never gotten involved with either football or the Church.

I've know quite a few NFL guys in my life. During the season they're a mess. In the off season they're usually insane. And all the things they do to help mask the pain to allow them to keep going is crazy. I love the sport, but honestly it just isn't worth it. I'll try to teach my kid to hit a curve ball and a three pointer.

[dabrockster]

I'm just sharing my perspective of Fusnik's comments... I'm not calling him out.

Suck it up buttercup.

Hmmmm. Sounds like a call out to me... Maybe next time when sharing your experiences, don't be such a dick...

[Indy Coug]

Anyone that calls fusnik a "buttercup" is OK by me.

[CJF]

Football is a competition sport. It is played by kids, tough kids.

I think you're overstating it. I've had over a hundred kids play for me in the time I've coached... some love it and return and play year after year... others decide to only play one year after they see what is involved.

Some have gotten hurt and play with casts on... others have come to practice for the remainder of the season to continue with the team even though they can't play with their injury.

With all those kids... none have ever sustained major injury... that impaired their future.

Crash test dummy....

Don't be so thin skinned.

You're lucky. Don't be so thick headed to think you're anything else in this case. It's that kind of attitude that cause kids to play hurt and that does impact their lives later.

I watched someone almost die from a neck injury at 11. Very scary. At 14 as a tight end I cracked back on a DE while the tackled submarined him. His cleat caught in the field and his knee and ankle were destroyed. I saw that kid 5 years later in the MTC. He was still walking with a limp and going stateside because the Church wouldn't let him leave the country. My first major injury was a dislocated patella at the age of 12. I suffered my first concussion as an 10 year old. That's just off the top of my head. Your head is 3 feet in the sand if don't think kids are at risk playing little league football.

Like I said ealier, I love football. It's a great sport, but I'll try to steer my kid away from it if I can. It just isn't worth the long term risks.

[Surfah]

Ultimately I'll let my kids do what they want (except band ).

My football career was cut short when a DE from Yucca Valley (non-conference game 2 hours from home) crashed down and rolled into my left arm which was planted in the dirt (I was a LT). My elbow dislocated and hyper-extended. It was 90 degrees the wrong way. My dad said it was all he could do to keep my mom from not running onto the field. Paramedics took me off the field and I spent a long night in an ER.

I shouldn't have played another down that season, but I only ended up missing a handful of games. I had zero range of motion in my left arm. I felt pressured to play by teammates and coaches and wanted to be tough. My parents left the decision up to me. The trainers wrapped carpet padding around my arm and taped it in a figure 8 so my elbow stayed locked at 90 degree angle. I essentially played the remainder of the year with one arm starting on both sides of the ball though I couldn't even do a single push up.

My brother had a career cut short because of too many concussions.

I just don't know that it is worth it. But that will be for my kids to decide with some input from me.

[DrumNFeather]

I couldn't even do a single push up.

Come on now...did this really have anything to do with your injured arm?

[Surfah]

Come on now...did this really have anything to do with your injured arm?

Everything.

[Devildog]

Hmmmm. Sounds like a call out to me... Maybe next time when sharing your experiences, don't be such a dick...

The last time I heard that statement used was a couple days ago... during Defensive Tactics training. One guy accidentally caught the other guy in the lip and split it open.

The bleeding guy turned around and showed the guy who hit him... the blood running down his chin.

The first guy smiled and said, suck it up buttercup. Then they both smiled, as the guy cleaned up his lip. Then they both went back to training.

I wasn't trying to be a dick, but I am cognizant that we are all coming from different perspectives.

[FN Phat]

Hmmmm. Sounds like a call out to me... Maybe next time when sharing your experiences, don't be such a dick...

Did someone hack into your account or are you turning over a new leaf

[hostile]

i've thought quite a bit about this recently. I played football in HS and rugby all through grad school. My dad didn't let me start football until Jr. High - his thought was that he saw too many kids get burned out by the time HS started. I loved the contact and the lessons learned from playing these sports. Fortunately, I only sustained an occasional ankle sprain, some chipped teeth, and a broken nose. I'm sure I would do the same thing again, if given the chance.

I now have a 9 year old who is asking about playing tackle football. He is playing flag football now with his cousins, coached by his uncle who played receiver at Utah. Given the data about head injuries, I am really hesitant about letting him start. I'm trying to hold out until he is 12. Having to fix a femur fracture due to football in an 8 year old this past weekend probably isn't helping my decision process.