The issue of concussions in football is back in the forefront of people’s minds now that:
- Junior Seau’s family announced it is suing the National Football League over brain injuries (as reported by Huffington Post),
- Harvard Medical School is awarded a $100 million research project by the NFL to investigate the effects concussions on professional football players (Boston Business Journal), and
- President Barack Obama said that, if he had son who wanted to play football, he would think twice.
In an article released on Jan. 27, President Obama told The Republican,
I'm a big football fan, but I have to tell you if I had a son, I'd have to think long and hard before I let him play football...I tend to be more worried about college players than NFL players in the sense that the NFL players have a union, they're grown men, they can make some of these decisions on their own, and most of them are well-compensated for the violence they do to their bodies. You read some of these stories about college players who undergo some of these same problems with concussions and so forth and then have nothing to fall back on. That's something that I'd like to see the NCAA think about.
In October, Patch readers sounded off on the topic of youth football after the Boston Globe reported that two Pop Warner coaches were suspended after five players suffered concussions during a game.
What do you think about concussions in football? Do you agree with President Obama? Do you think the Harvard study will help? What do you personally think about children and/or adults playing the sport? Tell us in the comments.
HollistonGuy
11:26 am on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Don't agree with Obama. About anything. That being said, I can't stand people who deal in hypotheticals. He doesn't have a son. If he did, he would be a different parent. He may be more knowledgable about what steps youth football orgaizations are taking to limit and recognize concussions. Notice I said limit and not prevent. You'll never be able to totally prevent concussions in any sport. Nor can you prevent them from happening when you son or daughter is playing in your back yard. Tell Obama to concentrate on my shrinking pay check. By the way, where are all the liberal equal rights fanatics? Obama's daughters certainly have the right to play football if they choose. If a republican politician made that statement, NOW would be all over him.
aycaramba
1:02 pm on Friday, February 1, 2013
That's right, you really took that ball and ran with it, HollistonGuy. So from now on, in your limited-freedom oldey-timey America, you only get to speak about youth football if you have a son? Yeah, Republicans don't try to restrict our freedoms, they try to crush them altogether. Hack. Hypocrite.
Tree Hugger
11:42 am on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Now maybe if he thought long and hard about the economy, more people would take notice.
Last I checked, the NFL has a Commissioner. Obama has enough on his plate to not be pontificating about football.
aycaramba
1:02 pm on Friday, February 1, 2013
He wasn't pontificating. He said what he thought. It's a free country and he can say what he thinks. People took enough notice to re-elect him. You're the pontificator, twisting everything to make a political point. The non-political point is that football can be a dangerous game for young people especially. You gotta problem with the President agreeing with that? Thanks, that's really helpful.
Jenna Fogle
1:17 pm on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
sorry but these comments are hilarious.
steven smith
7:27 pm on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Dont be sorry for fools
steven smith
7:26 pm on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
WOW why are the meatheads so mad. The fact is that football doesnt need to change at the NFL level because players are men and well paid. But unless rules are changed at the youth level it will die a slow death and has no business in our schools in its CURRENT form.
Joe Kane
7:06 am on Thursday, January 31, 2013
Steve - can you be specific about what changes should be made to youth football? This is the right forum for you to declare what experience either you or your children have had in youth football, as well as declaring what changes will help to make the sport better and the children safer.
Francis P. Ardito,Sr
12:57 pm on Friday, February 1, 2013
Steve, I had several years in youth football. Safety was always a consideration. Before official practice was held all league officials, including coaches, met with league referees to review rules changes and safety issues. The refs stressed that helmets can't be used as battering rams; to avoid head and neck injuries. As the local Pop Warner president, padded helmets were replaced for a padding and air suspension system. The newer helmets created a better, safer fit for the head. One problem we found was that too many kids didn't like to tighten their helmet straps. Loose helmets can lead to concussions. In pro football and college one can see players lose their helmets during play. The pros went to padded, air suspensions and fluid filled. The new helmets weighed about 60 lbs. Too much for youth football and hjghschoolers to bear. Currently, there is a company supplying a new type of football helmet for the pros. This helmet is being supplied to players who have already suffered concussions. The NFL is monitoring this and might make use of the helmet mandatory for the league.
Postman
8:19 am on Thursday, January 31, 2013
You shouldn't have a sport where you lead with your head at the youth level. Their brains do not have the full protective layers until the age of 14. I've played hockey my whole life and now my son, 7, does. I know there are risks for concussions in that sport too, however, kids are NOT leading every play with their heads and the risk factor is much lower. Plus there is no checking until the age of 13-14, something USA Hockey changed a few years ago due to the concussion data. Youth Football needs to step it up.
HollistonGuy
8:38 am on Thursday, January 31, 2013
Any youth football coach who teaches a player to lead with his head should be arrested. We coaches spend countess hours being trained on and then coaching the proper techniques to kids.
Postman
8:58 am on Thursday, January 31, 2013
Like hockey, they emphasize "heads up". You don't want to be "face down" when you hit, I get it and I know football coaches preach it. But heres' the problem. Young kids, ages 6-9+ are like bobble-head dolls. Their heads have grown quicker than their bodies at this age and when you add a helmet, they become even more "top heavy". Explain to me what part of the body other than the head comes into contact first? Of course you can tackle at the hips and use your shoulders, but the head is sticking out ahead of all that and usually comes into contact with the other kids first. The best agrument the "pro-tackling" people have is that the kids won't know how to tackle at age 14 if they haven't been all along and that will be more dangerous. How do we know that if we don't try? It's worked for hockey players for many years. Flag football until an appropriate age. I say high school.
Peg
12:59 pm on Saturday, February 2, 2013
My opinion about football at the adult level is this: I saw Wes Welker get head butted twice during the playoffs directly in front of the referee and neither hit was called. The referee should be fined just as the football player should be fined, heavily. Until they get serious about it the dirty players will continue to do it and the refs will continue to let it slide.