This article about Chris Gedney deserves its own thread ...

[elimunelson]

Youth tackle football participation rates have declined fairly substantially over the past decade.

https://www.aspenprojectplay.org/kids-sports-participation-rates

Although to be fair, it's not like tackle football was ever one of the most played youth sports. Basketball, baseball and soccer have been the leaders for a long time going (soccer participation is declining though, contrary to conventional wisdom, and likely due to the rise of expensive club programs).

Interestingly, there are more kids playing flag football than tackle now, which is a relatively new development.

But to Bayside's point, there are still a TON of kids who are playing tackle football and have the skill set to become premiere players with D1 college and pro aspirations. Football isn't going away in any of our lifetimes.

I agree on participation. The tv viewing would beg to differ. it's still our most popular sport by a long shot. That was my contention. It's going to ultimately be a poor southern demographic who plays and takes on the role of gladiator. That's my point.

 

[OrangePA]

I do NOT think it is getting more popular. Most of my friends will not allow their sons to play football.

CTO - That has been my experience.

My girlfriend's son played HS ball this past fall.

The school, a large suburban public school did not have a large roster of players.

 

[Finwad32]

I will preface this by saying football will not dissolve but evolve.

It’s disappointing how slow action has been, I believe the following unequivocally...

There is no need for players to be padded until high school. Flag, 7v7 or some type of iteration of that are absolutely sufficient for learning the game while protecting young developing bodies physically.

The research on damage done at a young age is undeniable. At this point it is stubborn machismo holding us back from that next step.

Further technological improvements to equipment are necessary and should continually develop.

Rules to the game, primarily protecting the head, are essential. That eliminates the majority of the problem.

The toll taken on joints and limbs is part of the makeup of the game, but I’d argue that those tolls are comparable within many sports. There will be some consequences to playing contact sports.

The time is now as knowledge becomes more readily available to develop football into what it should be.

It will never go away, but it will change.

 

[Scooch]

I agree on participation. The tv viewing would beg to differ. it's still our most popular sport by a long shot. That was my contention. It's going to ultimately be a poor southern demographic who plays and takes on the role of gladiator. That's my point.

Gotcha. Yeah, football (both NFL and college) is the most popular sport in the U.S. from a TV viewing standpoint, by far. There really isn't a close #2, honestly.

 

[Scooch]

I will preface this by saying football will not dissolve but evolve.

It’s disappointing how slow action has been, I believe the following unequivocally...

There is no need for players to be padded until high school. Flag, 7v7 or some type of iteration of that are absolutely sufficient for learning the game while protecting young developing bodies physically.

The research on damage done at a young age is undeniable. At this point it is stubborn machismo holding us back from that next step.

Further technological improvements to equipment are necessary and should continually develop.

Rules to the game, primarily protecting the head, are essential. That eliminates the majority of the problem.

The toll taken on joints and limbs is part of the makeup of the game, but I’d argue that those tolls are comparable within many sports. There will be some consequences to playing contact sports.

The time is now as knowledge becomes more readily available to develop football into what it should be.

It will never go away, but it will change.

Great post.

I also take issue with those who say that the extreme violence of football is entirely what makes it popular. Sure, some people love the bone-rattling hits. But I think more and more people have become deeply uncomfortable with that aspect of the game. Many people love speed and athleticism more than anything. Personally, I'd rather watch a receiver make an acrobatic catch, or see a running back burst through the line for a long gain, much more so than seeing someone get his head taken off running a crossing route.

There will always be dopes who bemoan "what the game has become". They are welcome to work as caregivers to players saddled with CTE while watching NFL Films from the 1970s.

 

[OrangePA]

Great post.

I also take issue with those who say that the extreme violence of football is entirely what makes it popular. Sure, some people love the bone-rattling hits. But I think more and more people have become deeply uncomfortable with that aspect of the game. Many people love speed and athleticism more than anything. Personally, I'd rather watch a receiver make an acrobatic catch, or see a running back burst through the line for a long gain, much more so than seeing someone get his head taken off running a crossing route.

There will always be dopes who bemoan "what the game has become". They are welcome to work as caregivers to players saddled with CTE while watching NFL Films from the 1970s.

I don't think that fans truly appreciate how violent and how fast the game actually is.

They see the contact - they see the tackling and the blocking, but they don't really know what it all entails.

I remember a few years ago, my girlfriend and I were given the chance to stand on the sidelines - right next to the field - during a game at the Dome. At one point, a mass of players ran at full speed in our direction.

We came that close to being hit.

I was amazed at how fast and how big these players are - and how hard they hit.

I find it more and more difficult to watch the hits - I don't get off on it the way I did in the past.

 

[OrangePA]

I will preface this by saying football will not dissolve but evolve.

It’s disappointing how slow action has been, I believe the following unequivocally...

There is no need for players to be padded until high school. Flag, 7v7 or some type of iteration of that are absolutely sufficient for learning the game while protecting young developing bodies physically.

The research on damage done at a young age is undeniable. At this point it is stubborn machismo holding us back from that next step.

Further technological improvements to equipment are necessary and should continually develop.

Rules to the game, primarily protecting the head, are essential. That eliminates the majority of the problem.

The toll taken on joints and limbs is part of the makeup of the game, but I’d argue that those tolls are comparable within many sports. There will be some consequences to playing contact sports.

The time is now as knowledge becomes more readily available to develop football into what it should be.

It will never go away, but it will change.

As far as the overall toll on the body is concerned, I don't think any sport is comparable to major college/professional football.

 

[Millhouse]

I still maintain that football would be much better if they banned helmets and shoulder pads. There would still be hits and the potential for injury, but not as much as now.

this isn't some theoretical thing. they played football like this. guys died on the field pretty often and there was talk of banning the sport

 

[Millhouse]

That is the emotion I felt after reading the piece.

It is devastating, yet there really are no words to explain how I feel.

I love the game of football - I love watching the Orangemen play in the Dome.

But, after reading this article, I find myself asking whether this a sport that should be played? Is the damage that it necessarily causes worth it? Perhaps it is. I hope it is.

But, it seems clear that the violence of the game needs to be addressed. Not with better equipment - that is a band-aid in my opinion.

Substantive changes to the game must be made.

Eliminate artificial grass - require natural grass that slows the game down. Place weight limits on players. Allow offensive lines to hold. Allow DBs to bump and run - to slow the game down. Take real action to eliminate steroid/human growth hormones - make the players smaller and slower.

For me, it comes down to this - the speed of the game is too fast - the collisions are too violent.

Something has to be done.

we shouldn't watch it. all kinds of other sports i'm not hooked are easier to be holier than thou about. mma is gross, what a bunch of savages. then i go watch 7 games a weekend

 

[Millhouse]

I do NOT think it is getting more popular. Most of my friends will not allow their sons to play football.

most of your male friends' wives won't let them play

I would let my son play but i don't feel strongly about it. Genetics plays too much of a role - I would never have to worry about him playing at a level where it was really scary - moot point.

 

[Millhouse]

I don't think that fans truly appreciate how violent and how fast the game actually is.

They see the contact - they see the tackling and the blocking, but they don't really know what it all entails.

I remember a few years ago, my girlfriend and I were given the chance to stand on the sidelines - right next to the field - during a game at the Dome. At one point, a mass of players ran at full speed in our direction.

We came that close to being hit.

I was amazed at how fast and how big these players are - and how hard they hit.

I find it more and more difficult to watch the hits - I don't get off on it the way I did in the past.

i feel the same

a lot of it is just being old now and having a whole database in our heads of all the awful injuries that wrecked lives. when i was young, it wasn't well documented so when brian campbell demolished rj umberger (hockey) mid 2000s, we all went nuts. now I wouldn't.

 

[SU68]

this isn't some theoretical thing. they played football like this. guys died on the field pretty often and there was talk of banning the sport

That was during T.R's administration. He threatened it for political reasons when there was a public outcry. Many of the rules have changed since then such as banning the "flying wedge." Players also get injured in soccer and in rugby but not as often as American football.