I don't get why football is popular

[SeattleUte]

Which players should we poll? That current ones that are either making millions in the NFL or getting a free education in college, or the former players whose risk of getting Alzheimer's and Parkinson's has tripled due to playing football?

Perhaps we should also poll motorcycle riders to see whether they'd prefer to ditch their helmets.

Bad analogy. We're not asking football players to pitch their helmets. However, if football is on the table for banning let's add motorcycles. Do people still say that movies cause rapes? Maybe they should be banned too. And if movies, why not books?

[Lost Student]

How do strangers talk to each other if one of them doesn't like football? A few weeks ago I was on a conference call and one of the participants was a guy from Dallas. He and I were early on the call and we made a good attempt at chit-chat. He started with some comments about the weather. I then asked him if he was a Cowboys fan. He replied that he may be the only person in Dallas who doesn't like football. Awkward silence ensued.

They probably just talk about their favorite wolves.

[SeattleUte]

You're probably right. The old guys probably wouldn't even realize what they were being asked, so the poll would be pointless.

I think if the old guys are plaintiffs in a lawsuit they should be disqualified for conflict of interest. Otherwise, I think yes, the old guys should be consulted.

[falafel]

Bad analogy. We're not asking football players to pitch their helmets. However, if football is on the table for banning let's add motorcycles. Do people still say that movies cause rapes? Maybe they should be banned too. And if movies, why not books?

Now who's making bad analogies?

[Indy Coug]

Because both the short-term and long-term effects of playing football are largely known, people who play football do so having made an informed decision. Not everyone's risk utility curves are going to be the same, nor should they be.

[SeattleUte]

Because both the short-term and long-term effects of playing football are largely known, people who play football do so having made an informed decision. Not everyone's risk utility curves are going to be the same, nor should they be.

Notwithstanding increased apppreciation of the risks, it doesn't seem to be disuading young men from playing football. Baseball is suffering an athleticism drain because football has become so popular. Football never has been so popular as it is now and the popularity is ever growing.

I enjoy a good football game or any football game with the Utes in it. But as for me and my house, we prefer basketball.

[Indy Coug]

Notwithstanding increased apppreciation of the risks, it doesn't seem to be disuading young men from playing football. Baseball is suffering an athleticism drain because football has become so popular. Football never has been so popular as it is now and the popularity is ever growing.

I enjoy a good football game or any football game with the Utes in it. But as for me and my house, we prefer basketball.

All of my long-term issues with past injuries have been due to basketball, not football.

[falafel]

All of my long-term issues with past injuries have been due to basketball, not football.

Head injuries?

[Indy Coug]

Head injuries?

That's why I had to settle for being an actuary. I blew out a knee and ankle playing basketball and those are the injuries that still bother me to this day. I have a couple of fingers that are a little messed up due to football, but big whoop.

[Shaka]

A few sprained ankles aside I never got hurt playing football. Blew out right knee playing soccer and my left playing basketball. Probably did more damage to my noggin heading soccer balls throughout my life than I ever did playing football.

Football is physically and mentally demanding. When preparation and on field execution become intertwined it's incredibly rewarding and insanely fun.

Football is tied with ice hockey as my favorite sports to play.

[MarkGrace]

When I run down the list of my most successful friends from HS, I'd say close to 90% of them were football players. Sure there are dangers to playing football, but it can be dangerous simply walking down the street. I guess I'm not convinced that long term negative effects of playing football - at least through HS - outweigh the positive.

I admit I'm only drawing from personal experience and the sample size is small, but until we have studies that showing playing football through HS is detrimental to long term happiness/success, I'll let my kid play.

There was a big feature in one of the sports mags recently based on a study done about brain/head injuries incurred playing football. The main focus was not college/pro, but rather HS as the study pointed to this being the first level of play where kids start to have long-term side effects because of the collisions and impacts. There were mentions in there of kid's studied who have showed serious negative repercussions and yet never suffered a single concussion. It was pretty interesting and I wish I could remember where I read it. Maybe SI?

[CardiacCoug]

It was pretty interesting and I wish I could remember where I read it. Maybe SI?

Wait, did you play football? I think I know why you can't remember.