Osler's Razor

I suffered a broken neck in an automobile accident when run off the road by a drunk driver. Missed a bit more than 8 months at work (due to my age at the time, healing took longer) and lost my business because of it, and 6 employees also lost their jobs.

I believe that appropriate protective gear could substantially reduce the occurrence and/or severity of this type of injury. There is the possibility that someone with this injury will not be able to play again due to the risk of a severely disabling injury.
 

What with modern weight training and supplements, the game has just become too brutal. We're raising a class of gladiators to amuse us. A few transition from being violent entertainers into something more, but the vast majority are left with nagging injuries to their bodies and possible brain damage.
 

Geez, IPLG, you put it that way and it sounds bad. Which, I suppose, it is. But is it worse than baseball, where the players cudgel one another with fists and bats in the dugout? (as least for the Nationals).
 

Yes, I feel guilty.

Interesting--I have three family members who played intramural rugby in college (all at the University of Wyoming). They said that without the pads that football has, the rules are different in what is allowed and what is not. Basically, the idea being that in football everyone hits harder because there are pads and helmets. In some ways, the protection keeps players from being protected.
 

No conflict here.

Players and coaches participate voluntarily and they know the risks, the denials of some NFL players to the contrary notwithstanding. The sport of football is a complicated, violent contest involving physicality, preparation, design and luck. It is one of the most intriguing games ever devised and subsequently developed. It is chess on steroids. It fascinates, it engrosses, it challenges and arouses strong emotions. Not in everyone, of course. But we are talking about people who follow and love the sport.

I know that we are our brothers keeper and all of that, but when our brother decides to do something, whether we encourage it or not, and what he does fascinates, then causes sorrow rather than joy, is "guilt" the right word?

Is there a reason to feel "guilty" watching a high wire act which sometimes results in tragic public deaths a la the Walllendas, the very best in the world. At Nascar and Indy events? At hockey matches? Watching wild animal acts (putting aside those who are offended by the "inhumane treatment" of Tigger or Orca, where "guilt" is associated with sympathy, if not empathy, for the animal, not the trainer)?

That said, the rules of the game evolve (flying wedge, for eswample),and so does equipment, and safety should be and is a concern. I think the game would be exciting if played by more or less ordinary sized people wearing little padding, and it might be safer (prolly would be). But, that it isn't shouldn't be a cause for feeling guilt for watching, unless of course, it leads you to forget to put out the garbage for next day pickup.




 

Interesting, Oldfan-- and I think that is largely what I tell myself in times like this.

Part of the issue, I suppose, is that teenagers are terrible at rational cost-benefit analysis, especially where the benefit is immediate and the cost is largely delayed… yes, they make that choice, but it is often a bad one, and we older people can see that clearly.
 

Agree re kids. Those who have little or no responsible parental guidance are particularly at risk. Note, I said "responsible," not just having parents in the home who, except when it comes to pushing their kids too hard in sports or other activities the parents would like to enjoy vicariously, are solid at parenting. Better coaching, which means training in safety as well asin the nuances of the sport itself, and better equipment coupled with rules changes in youth sports are viable solutions to the problem of excessive injury rates, in my opinion.

My kid played all youth sports. He was never injured, but he played hard. His coaches were excellent and the leagues were well run. He was fortunate, and when he got to high school, he limited his sports activity to basketball.He was one of two white kids on a pretty good Class 5A city team. Once he came home early from a game we couldn't attend because of a prior engagement. He said the team had been put on probation because it fought with the other team. We looked for signs of bruises, but he had none. He told us, "Don't worry, Mom, I have a rule. If I don't get in the game, I don't get in the fight." This kind of prudence steered him away from law school and another career. I, on the other hand, have had no such excuse.

Next few weeks should be about as interesting any in BU football history. Sic 'em!


 

Indeed!

For what it is worth, I recently met a neurosurgeon who had her kid playing HS football. I guess that tells you something about the diversity of views on this...