Football Folly

I don't remember, I don't recall
I got no memory of anything at all

I got no means to show identification
I got no papers show you what I am
You'll have to take me just the way that you find me
What's gone is gone and I do not give a damn
Empty stomach, empty head
I got empty heart and empty bed
I don't remember

Peter Gabriel 1980

           Preamble: When I wrote this blog two years ago, it didn’t exactly go over so well with some people.  2 or 3 defriended me on Facebook, and a few others came up to me after to “discuss” it.  Please understand, especially with the following blog post, that I’m just a guy who writes down my opinions, and whatever else comes to my mind, in the middle of the night.  It’s nothing personal.  I have absolutely no idea which kids play football and which don’t (seriously), and I’m not saying you’re a bad parent if you let your kids play football.  Plus, as with all my blogs, I could be wrong.  In fact, I know specifically I was wrong once, in 1973.

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So imagine you and your spouse go on vacation. You leave your two kids with your trusted nanny and come back 10 days later.  She comes up to you and says, “Great news! I wanted to make sure that the boys got enough exercise, so for about 30 minutes each day I had them run headfirst into the basement wall.  After that we spent another half hour having the kids run headfirst into each other.  The only bad news while you were gone was they seemed to be having some difficulty doing their math homework…”  You’d call the police, right?  Welcome to youth football!

70 years ago we thought smoking was good for you.  Doctors were pitchman for cigarette companies.  30 years ago we thought a diet sky high in carbs with no fat was the way to go.  And up until the last few years we blissfully ignored what was happening to retired NFL players, until the evidence became too obvious to ignore.  Forget about the joint replacements and orthopedic injuries, a huge amount were getting CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy).  Basically, they got hit in the head so many times and with such force, their brains degenerated and aged rapidly.  This is some really nasty stuff; depression leading to suicide, major memory loss, confusion, etc.  It’s all there, and this time the players are not keeping their mouths shut.

But I know what you’re thinking.  My son isn’t 295 pounds and doesn’t run a 4.2 40.  This is true.  But the younger brains are far more vulnerable and susceptible to concussions.  Google it.  Also, there’s just no way to play the sport safely.  They found out that even for players without true, identifiable concussions, the constant jarring of the brain still led to the disease.  I’m now reading where some neurologists are recommending kids younger than 15 don’t play football.  I have a much better idea; kids under the age of 95 don’t play.  Seriously, I’m reading that the effect of two kids running into each other at full speed with their helmets on is like dropping a bowling ball on their heads.  Enough already.  Just stop.

Look, I know people who played football when they were young who are now doctors and lawyers, and as smart as can be.  I had a case a few years ago where the other lawyer was a starter on Tom Brady’s Michigan team his senior year (for the record, he told me that he had no idea Brady would end up one of the best players of all time, that he had great accuracy but no other skill that stood out).  Nor am I saying that if your son has ever played football he’s doomed.  He’s not.  I’m sure he’ll be fine.  But let’s not take unnecessary risks.

I realize there’s a certain level of hypocrisy here.  I’m a type A male who likes violent entertainment.  I love watching the NFL.  I can’t get enough of the UFC.  I like violent movies.  My wife lasted about 5 minutes watching The Walking Dead, while I’m a fan.  The more gory a way we can kill a zombie, the better.  But I don’t want your kids in particular to get hurt.  There’s just a ton of stuff nowadays for kids to do to help them reach their potential.  It doesn’t make sense to me to do something that might lead to the opposite.

Have a good night everyone.

JR