Dings
Really sad article here in the NYT — Dark Days Follow Hard-Hitting Career in N.F.L. — about what appears to be a trend in the National Football League. I hope the NFL eventually pays and pays dearly. I wouldn’t mind seeing the league dish out hundreds of millions of dollars (or more) in health care for players injured due to the dangerous policies around concussions — which I guess are called “dings” in idiotic NFL parlance. It’s tough to have sympathy for many of the players since they chose their profession, and they are oftentimes an overpaid and obnoxious lot. But repeated concussions can — and do — destroy lives. How does early Alzheimer’s sound? Depression? Suicide? Drug abuse? Unemployment? Divorce? Violence?
The NFL puts on a great show, no question about it. The players are extremely talented, and so is everyone else involved in managing an enormously complex production every week. It’s pretty entertaining, isn’t it? I don’t follow it all that closely anymore, but when I catch a game occasionally, it’s impressive. However, I’ve never gotten over the feeling that football itself is just, well, one of the stupidest sports around. I’ve played a lot of football, which I’m only embarrassed by now. My coaches — all of them — were ignorant, unqualified, and violent. And I sustained multiple injuries trying to make them (and myself) happy. And all of those injuries made me “weak” in the eyes of my fellow players and the coaching staff. I can’t imagine all that on the level of the NFL — which is quite an economic phenomenon in the United States. Ok, I guess boxing is dumber, and I suppose there are other sports along these lines. But none as gigantic as American football.
Enjoy the game this weekend. I’m sure it will be great.
Jim,
‘Appears, Messrs. Ditka and Kramer embarrassed the NFL owners about this one.’
(Think those NFL ‘billionaires’ really care about former player welfare?)
‘Criminal’, a blight on that sport!
Query:
Did Fusaro coach you?
A young man when I knew of him while attending SACHEM, retired now!
Review my ‘blog’ page about a REAL hit to the head!
William R. Walling
February 3, 2007 at 8:20 am
“However, I’ve never gotten over the feeling that football itself is just, well, one of the stupidest sports around. I’ve played a lot of football, which I’m only embarrassed by now. My coaches — all of them — were ignorant, unqualified, and violent. And I sustained multiple injuries trying to make them (and myself) happy. And all of those injuries made me “weak” in the eyes of my fellow players and the coaching staff.”
as someone who played a fair amount of football, but doesn’t follow it very much these days, i’m sorry you had that experience. my own was very different. football, as much as i don’t care for it now, is a team game in a way that no other sport i’ve played is.
stephen o'grady
February 3, 2007 at 12:27 pm
William: Yah, he’s one of ‘em. And I’m glad the NFL is getting some heat over this.
Jim Grisanzio
February 5, 2007 at 12:56 am
Stephen: I’m glad you had a better experience.
You bring up an interesting point: “team” sports. I never really understood that argument back then, but I never really knew why. It just didn’t fit with my experience. The notion of violently beating each other up all week at practice and then going into the game as a “team” never worked. Also, injuries were suffered by individuals, not the team, and that was a jarring reality. But now, living in Japan, I’m experiencing a totally new paradigm that views “individuals” and “groups” so differently from the west that my earlier experiences are starting to make sense. I don’t understand it all yet, but I now view my “team” sports (football, basketball, lacrosse, baseball, hockey) as having very little to do with team. Fascinating. I’ll have to explore this further.
Jim Grisanzio
February 5, 2007 at 1:07 am
Im sorry you had to go through what you did but football is not a stupid sport. When you chose to strap on that helmet and protective gear you no what you were getting your self into. You knew the sport contained violence and people go to the hospital and people get knocked the hell out of them. But you still chose to put on the uniform. Thats what you chose and that what i am choosing as well i havnt played football yet and i am about to i no this sport has violence and i no that the injuries the sport causes are life threatning. But im not backing down because i believe that nothing is going to happen to me. Isnt that what you thought? you thought you were safe behind the gear but you were not and I will not be as well. So we all take risk and some of us are unfortunate and sadly for you you were the unfortunate one and i pray for you i really do. But you just cant say that its a stupid sport cause it actually teaches you alot of things.
MJT
August 26, 2007 at 12:38 am
[...] Bennet Omalu, neuropathologist. Just more on the effects of repeated concussions in football. And more. Wonderful sport, [...]
Football, Concussions, Dementia « Jim Grisanzio
September 6, 2010 at 11:27 pm
[...] these people have such power over the health of our kids. For more fun that results later on see dings and [...]
Extremism in Youth Sports « Jim Grisanzio
September 7, 2010 at 12:15 am