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110%er [7913]
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Starter [397]
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Yes
Jan 10, 2013, 8:30 AM
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Absolutely. I'm a medical student about to graduate and after reading the studies and seeing the pictures of the brain disease, I just don't think it's worth it to subject my boys to that possible danger. And I'm a huge football fan and played the game through high school.
The scariest part of these studies is that they believe that the damage comes more from repetitive sub-concussive hits. What we might call getting your bell rung. I just don't think it's worth it.
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CU Medallion [60227]
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are there more suicides with ex-football players than
Jan 10, 2013, 8:40 AM
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musicians?
physics professors?
florists?
auto mechanics?
the general public?
I don't know the answer there.
I do know that I am aware of thousands upon thousands of people who played football in high school, college, and NFL. I've heard of what, a dozen who have committed suicide? How many of those were due to brain injury. Were the 2 ex-Gamecock players who shot themselves because they had concussions, or was that due to other reasons? Even if that number is closer to 50, even 100, what percentage is that? Very, very low.
My opinion is - there are WAY more things to worry about in life than a concussion causing a suicide. Like bee stings, peanut allergies, and lightning strikes.
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Orange Blooded [4757]
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CU Medallion [60227]
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much lower than I would have guessed
Jan 10, 2013, 9:51 AM
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I would have thought 10 to 20 times more.
That's just NFL stats - so what about college and high school football? I'm sure the numbers shrink significantly towards general public "normal" levels. I would guess NFL players have way more pressure on them (drugs, money, ego, legal issues) that would tip them over the edge than participants in other levels of football. That cannot be discounted (and is why I thought it would be much higher).
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Orange Blooded [3573]
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Physician suicide rates are double and up to 8 times
Jan 10, 2013, 10:11 AM
[ in reply to Suicide Among NFL Players Six Times the National Average ] |
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higher depending on speciality.
The NFL numbers are also slightly inflated simply because of the small number of former players. Any incident will have more of an impact because of the extremely small denomiator.
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All-Conference [400]
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Re: Physician suicide rates are double and up to 8 times
Jan 10, 2013, 10:32 AM
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Exactly. I'm not letting my kids grow up to be physicians. Golf it is.
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Orange Blooded [4774]
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Orange Blooded [2394]
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Give them all Don Beebe type helmets.
Jan 10, 2013, 8:43 AM
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Some of you youngins may have to look that reference up.
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Orange Blooded [4148]
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Play the game, teach them the right ways....
Jan 10, 2013, 8:53 AM
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let them enjoy the thrill of scoring a TD, making a tackle, the thrill of experiencing success after working hard as a team, to enjoy the character building most receive as a result of working with others toward the same goals. I played, both my sons played, and ask either and they would tell you their only regret was in not working harder to be more successful.
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Orange Blooded [2394]
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That won't help them if somebody that isn't taught the right
Jan 10, 2013, 8:56 AM
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way knocks the bejesus out of him a bunch of times, but I get your point. It is a risk. Let 'em play.
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Head Coach [798]
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Orange Blooded [2394]
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I didn't know that, but I meant all the way across the board
Jan 10, 2013, 8:58 AM
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It is probably coming sooner than later. The NFL has players dropping like flies every week.
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Orange Blooded [4367]
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My brother and I used to go in the woods and cut down saplings and make them into staffs we
Jan 10, 2013, 8:47 AM
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Sword fighted with. Pretty sure I had my fair sure of head wallopings over the years, and I still will allow my children outside. Boys are dangerous creatures to begin with. At least with football you teach some constructive team skills that you don't exactly get from what we did outside.
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Orange Blooded [4148]
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LOL.. Been there done that too!!
Jan 10, 2013, 8:56 AM
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"cept shot my bro with a Bow n Arrow playing Cowboys and Indians. thought it was funny til dad got home, then I learned another lesson!! Tried to tell dad Indians always lost on TV so I wanted to see if I could win. I lost!!!!
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All-TigerNet [11478]
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Yours is the knee jerk reaction
Jan 10, 2013, 8:52 AM
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Make sure your boys are in at least 7th grade before letting them play so the rest of their body can take it and make sure they have a coach who can teach them the correct way to hit and tackle. Other than that, let them play. The percentage of kids who make it to the NFL is so small that more likely than not this will not affect your kids. Most kids don't play in college either. I have not heard of too many CTE cases in high school(I hope it stays that way).
The issues come when concussions and head trauma are ignored. Know the signs to look for and you will be able to take care of your sons.
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Starter [362]
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I own a sports equipment company
Jan 10, 2013, 8:59 AM
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From our perspective there were less kids that played last year. The ones that did play...parents bought better helmets. Brain injuries happen at all ages and are not just limited to big concussion hits. Research is showing that the everyday low impact everyday hits in blocking drills, tackling drills, etc start to mount over time. Obviously I make money on football equipment sales so I hope it stays strong but there are concerns that need to be addressed.
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All-TigerNet [11478]
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Injuries are not worse now, research is better
Jan 10, 2013, 9:33 AM
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The game is not more dangerous than it was in the 60s, 70s or 80s. The difference is that people can detect these small things in the brain now.
I am not disagreeing that it's scaring people. I'm sure there are far less kids playing football, especially at young ages.
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Heisman Winner [108390]
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there are more options now, including flag leagues for youth
Jan 10, 2013, 9:36 AM
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footballers.
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Orange Blooded [2394]
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Flag leagues? Man, if I were a kid, that would suck. I bet
Jan 10, 2013, 9:43 AM
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those flag league kids catch some crap from the full contact kids. I can pretty much figure out the joke, or maybe kids are nicer these days.
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Heisman Winner [108390]
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soccer too. some say we have a serious obesity issue
Jan 10, 2013, 9:46 AM
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amongst our ps3 youth?
all kinds of options that weren't available years ago.
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All-TigerNet [11478]
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soccerkrzy is that you?***
Jan 10, 2013, 9:47 AM
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Heisman Winner [108390]
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nah, someone suggested fewer kids are growing up playing
Jan 10, 2013, 9:49 AM
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football. there's just a lot more options than there were when i was a riviera raider in st. pete, florida.
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All-TigerNet [11478]
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That is true
Jan 10, 2013, 9:51 AM
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More fall baseball leagues as well. Sports being played out of season causes kids to play fewer sports these days. There are basketball, soccer and baseball leagues year round.
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Heisman Winner [108390]
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i'm 49. i grew up looking out the window not at a monitor.
Jan 10, 2013, 9:58 AM
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our fun was outside with our friends, not sitting inside bringing our friends to us through some social media or online gameplay.
my son chose football much to the chagrin of my xwife, but i had promised not to 'push' him that way.
we didn't allow ps3, xbox or a monitor to 'babysit' him and involved him in sports leagues at an early age.
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All-TigerNet [11478]
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Well done!
Jan 10, 2013, 10:00 AM
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I am very fortunate as I am the son of a high school football and baseball coach. I stayed with him at practice the whole time I was growing up. I got a Nintendo when I was in 3rd grade for getting good grades but was rarely inside enough to play it.
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Orange Blooded [2394]
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All-TigerNet [11478]
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I think flag leagues are great for kids
Jan 10, 2013, 9:46 AM
[ in reply to there are more options now, including flag leagues for youth ] |
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Kids should not play contact football until they have hit puberty. Once they get to 7th or 8th grade they know if they want to play or not and can choose to play tackle. Also once kids get to school sanctioned football, they are generally past handing the ball to the fat kid and all the tiny kids trying to tackle him. That is where some real injuries can occur with these kids.
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Heisman Winner [108390]
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hey hey hey, here's fat albert. :-)***
Jan 10, 2013, 9:48 AM
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All-TigerNet [11478]
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and then they give him a handoff up the middle...***
Jan 10, 2013, 9:50 AM
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All-TigerNet [12208]
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Re: I think flag leagues are great for kids
Jan 10, 2013, 9:55 AM
[ in reply to I think flag leagues are great for kids ] |
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If you wait that long. The kids will have zero interest in playing. You don't want to be thrown into something you have zero clue about. 95 percent of kids will just quit playing the game if it comes to that.
This is a freaking great idea. Maybe now we can have more fat kids playing video games 24/7 getting Diabetes and dying of obesity related causes. Sounds like a great alternative.
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All-TigerNet [11478]
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I did not play tackle football until I was in 7th grade
Jan 10, 2013, 10:03 AM
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I only played 1 year of flag football. I did however play other sports and did not spend all day sitting on a couch. I also constantly played football with my friends and went to watch games. Not being in an "organized" league where dads get to stroke their ego as coach by giving the ball to the kid nobody can tackle did not hurt my interest in football one bit. I am in the process of becoming a football coach myself.
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1st Rounder [616]
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Actually, head injuries are likely worse now
Jan 10, 2013, 9:49 AM
[ in reply to Injuries are not worse now, research is better ] |
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They are worse because players are bigger and faster. That makes for harder collisions, which leads to more brain injuries.
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All-TigerNet [12208]
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Re: Actually, head injuries are likely worse now
Jan 10, 2013, 9:53 AM
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You cannot say that with full accuracy. The equipment has also become 1000 times better. Your just throwing something out
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All-TigerNet [11478]
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Re: Actually, head injuries are likely worse now
Jan 10, 2013, 9:54 AM
[ in reply to Actually, head injuries are likely worse now ] |
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Those slower smaller players used to be able to lead with their heads when they tackled in those decades that I mentioned. I have talked to many old players who have said they had lots of concussions that they thought were normal postgame headaches back in the day but only know what they were now because nobody could tell them the problem when they played.
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All-TigerNet [14921]
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It was moronic for the NFL to say that concussions don't
Jan 10, 2013, 9:00 AM
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lead to mental problems later in life--obviously getting hit in the head over and over again is going to affect your brain but any NFL player who tells you that they would've quit football because of concussions is lying.
I think it's a known risk that they all voluntarily assume.
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All-TigerNet [14921]
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(obviously not talking about Pee Wee and HS football--
Jan 10, 2013, 9:01 AM
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I'm all for you not letting your kids play)
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Orange Blooded [2394]
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All-TigerNet [14921]
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Yeah, I think it's a matter of both sides being disingenuous***
Jan 10, 2013, 9:07 AM
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All-TigerNet [12208]
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Re: The NFL did themselves no favors by looking into a camera
Jan 10, 2013, 9:52 AM
[ in reply to The NFL did themselves no favors by looking into a camera ] |
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Filo,
The players did the same thing. Nobody is making them play this game. I don't see how you can put it all on the NFL. I really don't.
Stop playing the game. Its really just that simple.
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Orange Blooded [2394]
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Once the players spoke up, however, the NFL kept up its
Jan 10, 2013, 10:00 AM
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"We dunno what you are talking about" but that is what happens when you are talking about millions of dollars. I agree with you, though, that the players now knowing more than ever about the dangers have a choice in front of them. Play or don't play. You are correct, sir.
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Orange Blooded [3573]
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What about the NFLPA?
Jan 10, 2013, 9:59 AM
[ in reply to The NFL did themselves no favors by looking into a camera ] |
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you know the union that is supposed to be an advocate for player safety and wages. THey've been strangely silent on the concussion issue except when they think they can sue the NFL.
Why is the NFL the only one funding the research? Where is the NFLPA on this?
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Orange Blooded [2394]
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NFLPA sucks. They screwed those old guys out of so much
Jan 10, 2013, 10:01 AM
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money on the Madden football game issue. Horrible.
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All-TigerNet [10887]
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Same as all unions - only out for themselves***
Jan 10, 2013, 11:42 AM
[ in reply to What about the NFLPA? ] |
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Walk-On [129]
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Re: With the news now that Junior Seau had a brain disease
Jan 10, 2013, 9:36 AM
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What They are not doing is investagating in relation to concussions how many of those NFL players with brain disease also had drug use. STD's and the such Cronic drug use either weed or cocaine, speed they all eat at the brain also untreated std's affect brain cells.
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All-TigerNet [12208]
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Re: With the news now that Junior Seau had a brain disease
Jan 10, 2013, 9:51 AM
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So you don't think that NFL depression has nothing to do with the following
1. Your rich and then all of a sudden your cut and you can't afford to pay your bills because you were a DA who did not know how to manage money
2. You were in the spotlight and now nobody cares that much what you do
3. All you ever knew was that particular game. You didn't do anything else growing up, your family is a bunch of guys on your team. And now that is gone
You don't think any of this plays into their depression. I think your crazy if you don't consider this as part of the factor. You can't just blame everything on getting hit.
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Orange Blooded [3573]
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None of those really apply to Seau
Jan 10, 2013, 10:08 AM
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1) seems to still have his financial life in order
2) was going into TV so he would still have the spotlight
3) wasn't going to be part of a team, but he was still going to be around the game.
How many folks that are depressed shoot themselves in the chest so that his brain was available for research?
But in general, I'd say a number of former players and especially work-a-day players have issues with all of those.
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110%er [7913]
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the guy banged heads with other plays for over 25 yrs
Jan 10, 2013, 11:31 AM
[ in reply to Re: With the news now that Junior Seau had a brain disease ] |
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getting multiple concussions during the process....doctors have now studied his brain in detail after he passed away and found damage...that has to have a significant impact on mood.
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110%er [8142]
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Helmet technology has to improve.
Jan 10, 2013, 9:59 AM
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They're already the most expensive part of the uniform, but they're still way behind motorcycle/racing helmet technology. If not, mama's are definitely going to stop letting their babies grow up to be football players.
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All-TigerNet [10887]
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Actually the most logical argument I've heard says that
Jan 10, 2013, 10:45 AM
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new and improved helmets are causing more concussions. The players feel safer and they aren't hurt as much by banging their head against someone with the new helmets, so they tend to use their head more when hitting.
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All-TigerNet [10887]
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The way to fix this is actually pretty simple:
Jan 10, 2013, 10:06 AM
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Enforce the rules already on the books that you're not allowed to dip your head and hit people with the crown of your helmet. This has been against the rules for years but it is never enforced and very rarely do coaches discipline players who hit with their heads, because hey, everybody loves a big hit.
As long as people lead with their heads down, this will be a problem.
On a personal level, I wouldn't let a kid play football until they're in the 7th grade, and only for the school football team. IF they can't make the team in 7th grade, then maybe they weren't meant to play football and it would be safer for them to do something else. If they do make the team, they will be playing against real competition, they will be physically mature enough to learn and execute the proper technique, and they will be less likely to burn out and get tired of the game in high school.
Just my $0.02
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Oculus Spirit [93662]
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I doubt they take more head blows than a boxer.
Jan 10, 2013, 11:46 AM
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I doubt that head trauma causes canser. I wonder why there are no punchdrunk football players?
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