Football DOES have a problem. Or at least a challenge moving forward

[ClericBlackDave]

I don't think that parents not letting their kids play is going to be a monumental issue. Socially, playing football means that you get the friends, get the girls, and get the popularity. Not signing that permission slip is going to make the kid want it even more, make the kid hate you, and make the kid a laughingstock. Most parents will cave. And, consider that most players who make the NFL are from severe poverty, and didn't have helicopter parents like you see in suburbia. "Parents not letting kids plays" won't affect those kids. The parents either don't care, or see football as the only chance for the kid to get a scholarship and get a crack at millions of dollars.


And in terms of legal climate... who knows. Its America. This country is out of whack in a lot of ways. We gleefully allow corporations to pure tons of chemicals into our bodies that will kill us and the air and don't give a second's thought if it will increase the share price of a firm. We let anyone who can go to a gun show get access to guns. I don't think that safety is really a concern for most Americans, legislatures, or judges. I think that the problem with the NFL is just it regressing to the mean, and the NBA nipping at its heels. The kneeling issue is the big concern at this point, not safety.

Are you a parent to a football age kid (ages 6-18)?

[ClericBlackDave]

The NFL can move forward by looking backwards.

Sure, prohibit head slaps, two-step targeting -- all the things that purposefully injure or increase the risk of injury.

But, as demonstrated by the new no-run-up-tp-kickoff rule, the way to make the game safer it to make the game slower.

No field turf -- sloppy grass and mud.
No closed domes -- more wind.
No gloves for receivers.
More clutching and grabbing.
More time between plays.

Lastly, there is certainly some paternalism swirling around this issue. So, let's take it to the next step. Namely, mandatory retirement. After X number of concussions you are prohibited from playing. Or, how about a sliding scale -- concussion number tied to age. Or maybe allow players who have been forced out to then "buy-back in." Let the players determine for themselves how much they value their safety versus the other things they value.

I think you are right until the last part. You can't ban someone from the game for concussions. First, all concussions aren't equal. Second, that will just encourage players to hide concussions even more. We need more transparency and care.


Everything else you said, YES. Back to grass. Back to open air. Back to allowing some holding.

I would also add something different - weight classes, just like fighters.

For whatever your positions group, there's a weight limit / range. Can't be too small, cant be too big. Just like combat sports.

[moose10101]

2.1 million views, .5 million views and 1.5 million views.

Right. Due to what? Obviously not all, or even mostly, because of kneeling, which was the point. Or are you saying all of those 2.1 million non-viewers are your friends?

[HKusp]

Right. Due to what? Obviously not all, or even mostly, because of kneeling, which was the point. Or are you saying all of those 2.1 million non-viewers are your friends?

Come on man..yeah that's what I am saying. The article is trying to spin it, so are you, but do what you want. I know a lot of people that aren't going to, or even watching games anymore because of the kneeling and protest.

The NFL ordered Jerry Jones to stop even talking about the anthem issue, Colin Kaepernick's name is taken out of the Madden NFL 2019, and the NFL and the NFLPA have issued a joint statement on the anthem policy, but the kneel down isn't an issue.

[WrongBaldy]

Come on man..yeah that's what I am saying. The article is trying to spin it, so are you, but do what you want. I know a lot of people that aren't going to, or even watching games anymore because of the kneeling and protest.

The NFL ordered Jerry Jones to stop even talking about the anthem issue, Colin Kaepernick's name is taken out of the Madden NFL 2019, and the NFL and the NFLPA have issued a joint statement on the anthem policy, but the kneel down isn't an issue.

where do you live
how many is a lot?

[PeterB58]

Come on man..yeah that's what I am saying. The article is trying to spin it, so are you, but do what you want. I know a lot of people that aren't going to, or even watching games anymore because of the kneeling and protest.

I don't personally know any Ravens fans that have stopped going to games because of the anthem thing.

I do personally know many Ravens fans that have stopped going to games (or significantly reduced the number of games they attend) because the Ravens have become an average to below-average team.

YMMV

[moose10101]

I know a lot of people that aren't going to, or even watching games anymore because of the kneeling and protest.

How many people do you know who watch/used to watch the NFL? How many of those have stopped watching specifically because of kneeling? Just rough numbers, no need to take a census.

[mmi16]

I know a lot of people that bull shit me too.

That being said - between ticket prices, PSL prices, Parking prices and concession prices - just the sheer cost of attending a NFL game is pricing many people into being empty seats. A lot of those are now using the anthem as an excuse for the reality that they can no longer afford to attend.

Sports, of all kinds, ride bubbles of popularity. Bubbles do burst. NASCAR couldn't build seats fast enough in the early part of the century, now they are tearing those seats down and can't fill those that are left. NFL ratings and attendance are on the downside and how far down they will go remains to be seen.

[DColeman]

Here's a thought. Maybe LESS padding and protection, perhaps it's making them play more aggressive and dangerous. How do we solve it? Let them play with cleats and in underwear. No clothes to grab so holding would be eliminated. No face masks to grab. Player's would be less likely to go in full steam when trying to tackle knowing they dont have pads....

[boller4president]

https://learcenter.org/nflpolitics/

Guess who has the most fans in the NFL who identify as “very liberal”? Chances are your Jill Stein voter is a Ravens fan.

And here’s research that Matt Sherman at National Journal published looking at the politics of various sports. Again, the NFL skews slightly republican but the data set crosses the midline, again showing the broad appeal of the sport.

So basically there’s a lot of data out there showing that liberals and conservatives love the NFL, and the safety initiative isn’t some SJW cause as opposed to some long-overdue analysis of ways to make the game safer.




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I wouldn't say conservatives love the NFL right now. I did find it interesting the WWE skews democrat that I wouldn't have thought but maybe there is some wish fulfillment going on.

As far as the rest goes I think we all want the sport to be as safe as possible the difference is some recognize that football is an inherently dangerous sport it will never be completely safe regardless of what changes are made what we all should want is an entertaining product that is safe as possible keeping within the traditions of the sport.

I think the problem is today noone is willing to accept risk even those who say they do when the chips are down come out and say this is unacceptable this can't happen in the 21st century or whatever tripe. I read that garbage on ESPN when Acuna got nailed with a FB some writers even had the nerve to label it assault.

That is the problem I have with this. I think many of the rule changes are not being pushed by the players, the fans, or even the coaches. It's by the outrage mob and a bunch of writers who have never played the game who spend most of their day trying to figure out how to write the next hot take and get noticed.

[Ravenswintitle]

I wouldn't say conservatives love the NFL right now. I did find it interesting the WWE skews democrat that I wouldn't have thought but maybe there is some wish fulfillment going on.

As far as the rest goes I think we all want the sport to be as safe as possible the difference is some recognize that football is an inherently dangerous sport it will never be completely safe regardless of what changes are made what we all should want is an entertaining product that is safe as possible keeping within the traditions of the sport.

I think the problem is today noone is willing to accept risk even those who say they do when the chips are down come out and say this is unacceptable this can't happen in the 21st century or whatever tripe. I read that garbage on ESPN when Acuna got nailed with a FB some writers even had the nerve to label it assault.

That is the problem I have with this. I think many of the rule changes are not being pushed by the players, the fans, or even the coaches. It's by the outrage mob and a bunch of writers who have never played the game who spend most of their day trying to figure out how to write the next hot take and get noticed.

Are you aware the NFL was slapped with a billion$ lawsuit over concussions? This is not some arbitrary rule change made by mobs; they have to make changes to survive.

[steelerhater]

I don't personally know any Ravens fans that have stopped going to games because of the anthem thing.

I do personally know many Ravens fans that have stopped going to games (or significantly reduced the number of games they attend) because the Ravens have become an average to below-average team.

YMMV

For me it's a combination of things. The politics, the uniform changes, the rules changes, and the fact that the Ravens have become mediocre and don't even seem like they're unhappy about it. This year is the first time since I started getting it in the early '90's that I'm not renewing the Sunday Ticket.