OT: The Coming Crisis in the Sport of Football

[VirginiaBlue]

Heres a story I saw this morning about a school district doing away with their football program. I would expect to see more and more of this soon.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/more...TQL?li=AAa0dzB

Something on the NBC news tonight about several high schools shutting down their programs, because they don't have enough boys come out.

My 7 year old grandson wanted me to teach him how to throw a football, which I did, and now that's ALL he wants to do when he comes over. His Mommy and Nana are not happy with me.

[Dwight Schrute]

I know what you are saying and I agree with you 100%. Players and parents of players know what they are getting in to. There is a level of risk in just about anything physical or stressful.You never hear of any talk discrediting boxing or the silly as hell MMA.

Again what you're missing is the increase in these kinds of injuries.

[Joneslab]

There's always been a massive amount of talk about the dangers of boxing and MMA. Boxing came under the microscope w/r/t head injuries when I was watching it as a kid. That was 30 years ago.

That parents "know what they are getting in to" is kind of the point. More and more parents do know, and I think you'll see a fall in the popularity of youth football. We're already seeing that.

It happened in baseball for different reasons. I think the sport of baseball began to seriously dip 15 or so years ago; it's not uncommon now to talk to kids my son's age--11--and have them not know the rules of baseball. That would've been unheard of when I was growing up.

Youth participation is a good barometer for the national popularity of a sport. This is where football is going to start to really erode as some of these studies come out.

[BDamCat]

My opinion on the subject is football will always be here and on top. Here in the ol' US of A we play tackle football. It kind of reminds me of the gladiators and the Coliseum, not made for the average person but everyone shows up or tunes in to watch. I agree that something needs to change in how the fundamentals of tackling are being taught and how it transfers to the field of play. Along with advancement in technology of helmets. If my son wants to play I'm not going to stop it, but will do everything I can in showing him the correct way to play. As for NFL player's they are greatly compensated for what they do and in the end that's the choice they made. No matter which field or sports fields you choose to go down in life there is always a chance for injury or death (sports, armed services, law enforcement, construction, etc.) So really in the end your going to meet the maker so live life how you see fit and have fun doing it.......no regrets.

[catfaninin]

Now heres a soccer game that did have some excitement to it.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/soccer/brazilian-ref-pulls-gun-during-match/ar-AAeUV5t

[surveyor]

I enjoy watching soccer, but it's better to see it live rather than on TV - and that holds for baseball as well. Neither sport is particularly amenable to teevee watching.

[KevinHall]

I enjoy watching soccer, but it's better to see it live rather than on TV - and that holds for baseball as well. Neither sport is particularly amenable to teevee watching.

Hockey is the sport made for viewing in person. It is 100 times better watching a game in person than on TV.

[surveyor]

Hockey is the sport made for viewing in person. It is 100 times better watching a game in person than on TV.

I agree. Went to a few games here in Louisville when they had a team. There were the Louisville River Frogs and the Louisville Ice Hawks. Both played at Broadbent Arena at the Fairgrounds.

[Blue Heaven]

Again what you're missing is the increase in these kinds of injuries.

Not missing it at all. What is missing is the way the game used to be coached as compared to today. I believe the biggest flaw is in the way players tackle. Nobody knows how to tackle anymore. This has been going on for years now. You used to see those "Heads Up" commercials as recently as last year. It said to make sure your coaches are "Heads Up" qualified and blah blah blah. Funny how I haven't seen those this year at all. And it's not just head up play. I feel if you have to dive at a players knees to bring him down then you are to big of a wussy to take him straight on. upper chest-to-waist. Put those between your head and shoulder. At the numbers right in the gut area is optimal. That's the way it used to be taught. That is all ancient history now.

[Catgrad7072]

I agree with what Blue Heaven said in #54 and would also add:

IMO a few things have happened over the years causing unnecessary injuries. .

1. Somewhere along the line, the helmet went from being protection to being a weapon. Witness the spearing epidemic that was prevalent back in the day.

2. The headhunter mentality. 'Catch a pass over the middle in my area and you will pay the price'. I think the current targeting penalty is in response to this mindset.

3. Along came SportsCenter with their 'Top Ten' plays. Many of these show players being blown-up by big hits. We all know that young players emulate what they see being celebrated.

4. Proper tackling, like BH said, has for the most part gone the way of the buggy whip. You can't dive at the knees to block; why is it ok to tackle that way?

I think the various leagues recognize the hazards and are trying to protect the players and make FB safer sport; it's really difficult to change the culture.

For the record, I coached 3 sports (FB for 2 years, Soccer for 1 and Tennis for 4) at the high school level here in Louisville.

[teamchemistry15]

The reason soccer isn't super popular here is because we have football. Other countries have American football, but not nearly the athletes we have which makes it much less exciting. Other countries have had fans and players murder referees over games. It will NEVER be a major sport here. It is unfortunate that kids are getting hurt and killed, but IMO it will never have an effect on the game large enough to make it go away. It will take a death in the NFL for the NFL to make a change. I think the safest thing they could do is eliminate kick offs. That is where the major injuries happen more often than not. It is 22 super athletes sprinting at each other. Soccer will always be behind baseball, football, and basketball. I don't believe there is any period of time where none of those sports are on, which means soccer will be second, third, or fourth fiddle with the exception of the world cup or Olympics.

[gerntz]

"The reason soccer isn't super popular here is because we have football."

True since it was hardly played here at all before circa 1950. But it's now the highest or second highest participation team sport in USA. & franchises & TV ratings keep rising.

"Other countries have American football, but not nearly the athletes we have which makes it much less exciting."

Well, they haven't been playing but for the last 20-25 years & then at a low participation rate. The numbers playing soccer relative to football in the US are much higher than those playing football to soccer in other countries.

"Other countries have had fans and players murder referees over games."

We don't because refs are escorted to/from games by cops. Net, we fear for our refs' safety, now don't we?

"It will NEVER be a major sport here."

It already is. Franchises be added over & over. More & more games televised. Somebody's watching. And watching games from many countries.

It is unfortunate that kids are getting hurt and killed, but IMO it will never have an effect on the game large enough to make it go away."

Tell moms that.

"It will take a death in the NFL for the NFL to make a change."

The NFL has already changed with forbidding helmet to helmet/spearing/chop blocks/etc.

"I think the safest thing they could do is eliminate kick offs. That is where the major injuries happen more often than not. It is 22 super athletes sprinting at each other."

If there's data on that, please share. Thanks.

"Soccer will always be behind baseball, football, and basketball."

Always is a long time.

"I don't believe there is any period of time where none of those sports are on, which means soccer will be second, third, or fourth fiddle with the exception of the world cup or Olympics."

Soccer TV ratings keep creeping up.

[teamchemistry15]

"The reason soccer isn't super popular here is because we have football."

True since it was hardly played here at all before circa 1950. But it's now the highest or second highest participation team sport in USA. & franchises & TV ratings keep rising.

"Other countries have American football, but not nearly the athletes we have which makes it much less exciting."

Well, they haven't been playing but for the last 20-25 years & then at a low participation rate. The numbers playing soccer relative to football in the US are much higher than those playing football to soccer in other countries.

"Other countries have had fans and players murder referees over games."

We don't because refs are escorted to/from games by cops. Net, we fear for our refs' safety, now don't we?

"It will NEVER be a major sport here."

It already is. Franchises be added over & over. More & more games televised. Somebody's watching. And watching games from many countries.

It is unfortunate that kids are getting hurt and killed, but IMO it will never have an effect on the game large enough to make it go away."

Tell moms that.

"It will take a death in the NFL for the NFL to make a change."

The NFL has already changed with forbidding helmet to helmet/spearing/chop blocks/etc.

"I think the safest thing they could do is eliminate kick offs. That is where the major injuries happen more often than not. It is 22 super athletes sprinting at each other."

If there's data on that, please share. Thanks.

"Soccer will always be behind baseball, football, and basketball."

Always is a long time.

"I don't believe there is any period of time where none of those sports are on, which means soccer will be second, third, or fourth fiddle with the exception of the world cup or Olympics."

Soccer TV ratings keep creeping up.

Franchises and TV ratings keep rising for soccer, correct. However, show me some data that they are remotely close to the NFL or baseball.

Thank you for proving my point that American football is not popular in other countries.

We also have police escorts for Stoops at the Cat Walk. Think we are worried about his safety there? It is a PC move. Other countries where soccer is the most popular sport has had players and referees attacked on the field during games. There are also fights in the stands. That type of unrealistic passion for a team or sport is raised over multiple generations where nothing else matters. I think we are all pretty passionate about the University of Kentucky but have you ever considered attacking a referee or opponent? What about murdering them? In a number of countries they have little to nothing and soccer is everything. We have too many other outlets here in America to care about a single sport enough to fight an opposing fan or murder a referee. You often hear our fans say "Wait until basketball season" which is an example of one of those outlets. Sure, we have fans get drunk and throw a few punches at sporting events, but nothing to the extent of attacking referees, opposing players, or opposing fans.

Sure, people watch soccer and the ratings are on the rise. That does not mean it is a major sport. The three biggest sports in the USA are baseball, football, and basketball. I do not think that MLS will ever surpass the ratings or money involved with the NFL or MLB.

There will always be moms who keep their kids out of football because of the fear of injury. Even with all the concussion talk in the last five years the game is not lacking.

The NFL made changes due to concussions, and Junior Seau was a big part of that. What I meant was a change that will effect the league by steering people away from the NFL. A move to keep people safer and avoiding head to head hits is not a move that scares people away. That move made the game safer, protected the players after their careers, but did not take away from the game. I doubt there were any fans that quit watching the NFL because they took away head to head hits.

From a NY Times article "The NFL has long said that kickoffs have the highest rate of injury of any play. When the NFL moved the kickoff from the 30 to the 35 before the 2011 season, the percentage of touchbacks went from 16.4 percent to 43.5 percent, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. And, as intended, the injury rate fell accordingly. According to NFL figures, there were 40 percent fewer concussions on kickoffs in 2011 than there had been in 2010." You're welcome.

Always is a long time. If you have data that suggests soccer ratings and money will overcome any of those three sports, please share. Thanks.

From the Harris poll on ESPN: "Pro football is the most popular sport in America for at least the 30th straight year. That's according to a survey taken by the Harris Poll, which has been asking adult fans, ages 18 and over, about their favorite sport since 1985. In 2014, 35% of fans call the NFL their favorite sport, followed by MLB (14%), college football (11%), auto racing (7%), the NBA (6%), the NHL (5%), and college basketball (3%).

Of the 50 most watched sporting events in 2013, 46 were NFL games according to Business Insider. The six not being NFL were college football, NBA, and college basketball. Game six of the World Series that year came in at number 51.

Maybe I gave soccer too much credit. The ratings maybe slowly creeping up, but I am also slowly preparing for retirement at my age of 27 as well.

[Joneslab]

Really in America in terms of widespread popularity there's the NFL, and then there's everything else.

Unless there's a really significant backstory or it's a big-time college football game, most other games are really niche pasttimes. As many people watch MMA on cable than most college basketball unless it's UK or Duke or the NCAA Tournament.

In geographic pockets it seems like some sports are outliers in terms of their popularity. Baseball is probably more popular in New York City than it is anywhere in the world. Basketball is huge in cities and in places like Kentucky and Indiana. So there are these geographical quirks. But the only sport that really takes hold of Americans, that has men, women, old people, kids, and everybody else watching it is pro football.

This is why the stakes for who disseminates the concussion information are so huge.

[teamchemistry15]

Really in America in terms of widespread popularity there's the NFL, and then there's everything else.

Unless there's a really significant backstory or it's a big-time college football game, most other games are really niche pasttimes. As many people watch MMA on cable than most college basketball unless it's UK or Duke or the NCAA Tournament.

In geographic pockets it seems like some sports are outliers in terms of their popularity. Baseball is probably more popular in New York City than it is anywhere in the world. Basketball is huge in cities and in places like Kentucky and Indiana. So there are these geographical quirks. But the only sport that really takes hold of Americans, that has men, women, old people, kids, and everybody else watching it is pro football.

This is why the stakes for who disseminates the concussion information are so huge.

You are spot on about the geographic pockets. Until I looked it up for gerntz, I had no idea the NFL was that far ahead of all the other sports. After all, I am a Detroit Lions fan who grew up in a city and state with no professional teams. I grew up on college sports and I will watch just about any college basketball game but only certain NFL games. The college football games that get big ratings are Bama/Auburn or the ND/Mich games, outside of bowls and now playoffs. I was shocked to see that many NFL games during the regular season were watched by so many people.