Considering they've got 18 players limited in practice this week, I'm not sure the sign is helping.

Football is a brutal sport that no child should ever be allowed to play. The rate of injury and severity of those injuries to children is appalling. If football were any other activity, a commercial product, or something kids were doing to themselves we would have groups protesting this activity, but because it is considered a "sport" and a "national pastime" it gets a pass.

The culture of football is toxic and harmful to children this sport needs to be banned.

When they picked up Randy Moss, I doubt they were considering durability over ability. The author is simply using something out of context to back up his point.

If that's their motto, why did the Patriots sign Fred Taylor?

Slaves2Darkness: Football is a brutal sport that no child should ever be allowed to play. The rate of injury and severity of those injuries to children is appalling. If football were any other activity, a commercial product, or something kids were doing to themselves we would have groups protesting this activity, but because it is considered a "sport" and a "national pastime" it gets a pass.

The culture of football is toxic and harmful to children this sport needs to be banned.

9/10, you should get a ton of bites on that one.

Abstruse: Slaves2Darkness: Football is a brutal sport that no child should ever be allowed to play. The rate of injury and severity of those injuries to children is appalling. If football were any other activity, a commercial product, or something kids were doing to themselves we would have groups protesting this activity, but because it is considered a "sport" and a "national pastime" it gets a pass.

The culture of football is toxic and harmful to children this sport needs to be banned.

9/10, you should get a ton of bites on that one.

I was going to bite, but then I re-read it and the troll-juice was dripping.

Tunk87: Slaves2Darkness: Football is a brutal sport that no child should ever be allowed to play. The rate of injury and severity of those injuries to children is appalling. If football were any other activity, a commercial product, or something kids were doing to themselves we would have groups protesting this activity, but because it is considered a "sport" and a "national pastime" it gets a pass.

The culture of football is toxic and harmful to children this sport needs to be banned.

Bullshiat.

Not bullshiat football on average kills 3 kids a year, injures thousands, and negatively impacts health of the participants later in life. No child should be allowed to play full contact football.

ihatedumbpeople: Abstruse: Slaves2Darkness: Football is a brutal sport that no child should ever be allowed to play. The rate of injury and severity of those injuries to children is appalling. If football were any other activity, a commercial product, or something kids were doing to themselves we would have groups protesting this activity, but because it is considered a "sport" and a "national pastime" it gets a pass.

The culture of football is toxic and harmful to children this sport needs to be banned.

9/10, you should get a ton of bites on that one.

I was going to bite, but then I re-read it and the troll-juice was dripping.

Abstruse: Slaves2Darkness: Football is a brutal sport that no child should ever be allowed to play. The rate of injury and severity of those injuries to children is appalling. If football were any other activity, a commercial product, or something kids were doing to themselves we would have groups protesting this activity, but because it is considered a "sport" and a "national pastime" it gets a pass.

The culture of football is toxic and harmful to children this sport needs to be banned.

9/10, you should get a ton of bites on that one.

This is one of the things I'm really comeing to hate about Fark now adays. You post an honest opinion and people think you are trolling.

I'm not trolling, I'm serious. Children should be banned from full contact football.

40below: Slaves2Darkness: Football is a brutal sport that no child should ever be allowed to play. The rate of injury and severity of those injuries to children is appalling. If football were any other activity, a commercial product, or something kids were doing to themselves we would have groups protesting this activity, but because it is considered a "sport" and a "national pastime" it gets a pass.

I know you're trolling, but I used to box and it was under constant attack by the medical profession for the damage it did on participants, even though as an amateur 15 years ago, the concussion restrictions were tighter than they are in the NFL today. Knocked out, technical or otherwise you got were three months out of the ring, don't come back without a CAT scan and a note from a neurologist.

My favourite stat is that more players have died or been permanently paralyzed playing high school football in the last 10 years than have died or been paralyzed in boxing since the sport was invented.

Exactly. Full contact football can not be made safe. The only way to make football safe is to go to no contact flag football. No child should be allowed to play football.

Slaves2Darkness: Football is a brutal sport that no child should ever be allowed to play. The rate of injury and severity of those injuries to children is appalling. If football were any other activity, a commercial product, or something kids were doing to themselves we would have groups protesting this activity, but because it is considered a "sport" and a "national pastime" it gets a pass.

The culture of football is toxic and harmful to children this sport needs to be banned.

Errr I think I've heard this argument before. I think we should keep them from driving (or even riding in) cars as well.

btw, what is the rate of injury and severity of those injuries for children playing football. And compared against other activities?

Curious about the "culture of football" as well.

Slaves2Darkness: Tunk87: Slaves2Darkness: Football is a brutal sport that no child should ever be allowed to play. The rate of injury and severity of those injuries to children is appalling. If football were any other activity, a commercial product, or something kids were doing to themselves we would have groups protesting this activity, but because it is considered a "sport" and a "national pastime" it gets a pass.

The culture of football is toxic and harmful to children this sport needs to be banned.

Bullshiat.

Not bullshiat football on average kills 3 kids a year, injures thousands, and negatively impacts health of the participants later in life. No child should be allowed to play full contact football.

We should outlaw driving too. Hundreds of people die every week in car wrecks. Talk about a negative impact on human lives.

I did work in Gillette Stadium and have been in the locker rooms, training rooms, weight lifting room and I never saw any such sign.

/not Fark sarcasm so I am not getting any sort of kicks.

Slaves2Darkness:



This is one of the things I'm really comeing to hate about Fark now adays. You post an honest opinion and people think you are trolling.

I'm not trolling, I'm serious. Children should be banned from full contact football.

That's because your opinion is stupid and kneejerk. So that makes you either a moron or a troll. Personally, I rather be thought of as a troll than stupid, but hey that's just me.

Thousands of injuries? MILLIONS of kids play football in this country. Yes, kids get injured. It happens. Kids get injured on the jungle gym, in gym class, on stake boards, on bicycles, on trampolines, skiing, etc, etc, etc. Newsflash: Kids get hurt.

Around TWO THOUSAND people die every year in swimming pool accidents. Maybe swimming pools should be the subject of your ire.

You should like a helicoptor parent afraid too afraid to let your kid cross the street by himself.

And don't bother responding to me. I usually don't entertain trolls, but since you claim not to be one, I had to point out that you're stupid.

40below: The stands at any professional sporting competition are full of people who'd be willing to put on a uniform and play hurt. Ability counts for a little more than it's being given credit for.

Of course it does, but you don't seem to understand the point of the sign. The Pats are trying to shame their players into playing hurt or injured.

Slaves2Darkness: 40below: Slaves2Darkness: Football is a brutal sport that no child should ever be allowed to play. The rate of injury and severity of those injuries to children is appalling. If football were any other activity, a commercial product, or something kids were doing to themselves we would have groups protesting this activity, but because it is considered a "sport" and a "national pastime" it gets a pass.

I know you're trolling, but I used to box and it was under constant attack by the medical profession for the damage it did on participants, even though as an amateur 15 years ago, the concussion restrictions were tighter than they are in the NFL today. Knocked out, technical or otherwise you got were three months out of the ring, don't come back without a CAT scan and a note from a neurologist.

My favourite stat is that more players have died or been permanently paralyzed playing high school football in the last 10 years than have died or been paralyzed in boxing since the sport was invented.

Exactly. Full contact football can not be made safe. The only way to make football safe is to go to no contact flag football. No child should be allowed to play football.

Actually, more kids get hurt cheerleading that playing football. Should that be banned too?

ihatedumbpeople: Slaves2Darkness: 40below: Slaves2Darkness: Football is a brutal sport that no child should ever be allowed to play. The rate of injury and severity of those injuries to children is appalling. If football were any other activity, a commercial product, or something kids were doing to themselves we would have groups protesting this activity, but because it is considered a "sport" and a "national pastime" it gets a pass.

I know you're trolling, but I used to box and it was under constant attack by the medical profession for the damage it did on participants, even though as an amateur 15 years ago, the concussion restrictions were tighter than they are in the NFL today. Knocked out, technical or otherwise you got were three months out of the ring, don't come back without a CAT scan and a note from a neurologist.

My favourite stat is that more players have died or been permanently paralyzed playing high school football in the last 10 years than have died or been paralyzed in boxing since the sport was invented.

Exactly. Full contact football can not be made safe. The only way to make football safe is to go to no contact flag football. No child should be allowed to play football.

Actually, more kids get hurt cheerleading that playing football. Should that be banned too?

er...THAN playing football...coffee...early..yadda yadda...

Nabb1: skinink: There should be a sign in there for the whole defensive line: "Randy Moss is the only Patriot allowed to take plays off". Brees is awesome, but I don't think he might face a defense that was as bad as the Pats was.
I'm still in shock over that one play where a Saints WR caught the ball, and I swear there wasn't one defensive player within 20 yards of him.

That was the 75 yd TD pass to Henderson in the 2nd quarter, and there wasn't because the safety covering Henderson dropped out of coverage when he bit on Brees looking to his left after the snap and slightly pumping Meachem's way. When Brees saw the safety had bit, he threw it to Henderson who was so open he had his back to the end zone when he caught the ball. That wasn't so much the entire defense breaking down as it was a young safety getting rooked by a veteran QB.

I'll have to look at it again, but I thought the DB that had Henderson at the line passed him off to a safety that apparently didn't realize he was supposed to cover him. Looked like blown coverage...

/either way, young defenses will get eaten up by a vet QB

Tunk87: FTA: "Football players are conditioned since the day they first start playing to believe that playing with pain or injury is expected. To be successful as a football player one has to have significant physical and mental toughness. Playing with a physical malady of some kind is the ultimate demonstration that an athlete possesses both qualities. At least that is what the players believe.

Yup. I can't remember a season from the time I was in 4th grade until my last year playing(freshman year of college) that I did not play at least one game with some sort of injury.

I'm 40 now. Have had both knees operated on twice and just had to have my hip replaced.

I don't regret one single minute of any of it.

how'd that hip work out? i've played, coached or referee'd football and basketball for 40 years (48 now) and am having a total hip next april after basketball season ends. any thoughts would be appreciated. thanks!!!

Slaves2Darkness: This is one of the things I'm really comeing to hate about Fark now adays.

Coming from such an old, grizzled veteran of Fark:

Account created: 2009-08-02 22:10:17

Guysmiley: Slaves2Darkness: This is one of the things I'm really comeing to hate about Fark now adays.

Coming from such an old, grizzled veteran of Fark:

Account created: 2009-08-02 22:10:17

Ha ha....good catch.

Ooops, I screwed up the conversion. The numbers were per hundred million miles driven not per million. The odds of being injured by an hour of driving should be substantially lower than 0.01.

I'd be interested to see how youth football compares to other body contact high school sports for rate of injuries.

You get some pretty good ones in Hockey, Rugby and Lacrosse.

ATHLETIC Training Room (pet peeve)



//That is allTunk87: Slaves2Darkness: Football is a brutal sport that no child should ever be allowed to play. The rate of injury and severity of those injuries to children is appalling. If football were any other activity, a commercial product, or something kids were doing to themselves we would have groups protesting this activity, but because it is considered a "sport" and a "national pastime" it gets a pass.

The culture of football is toxic and harmful to children this sport needs to be banned.

Bullshiat.

Please explain yourself, using facts and medical evidence, not opinions.



TeamEd: I'd be interested to see how youth football compares to other body contact high school sports for rate of injuries.

You get some pretty good ones in Hockey, Rugby and Lacrosse.

Soccer too: Link (.pdf file)

Link (good epidemiological study)

ihatedumbpeople: Nabb1: skinink: There should be a sign in there for the whole defensive line: "Randy Moss is the only Patriot allowed to take plays off". Brees is awesome, but I don't think he might face a defense that was as bad as the Pats was.
I'm still in shock over that one play where a Saints WR caught the ball, and I swear there wasn't one defensive player within 20 yards of him.

That was the 75 yd TD pass to Henderson in the 2nd quarter, and there wasn't because the safety covering Henderson dropped out of coverage when he bit on Brees looking to his left after the snap and slightly pumping Meachem's way. When Brees saw the safety had bit, he threw it to Henderson who was so open he had his back to the end zone when he caught the ball. That wasn't so much the entire defense breaking down as it was a young safety getting rooked by a veteran QB.

I'll have to look at it again, but I thought the DB that had Henderson at the line passed him off to a safety that apparently didn't realize he was supposed to cover him. Looked like blown coverage...

/either way, young defenses will get eaten up by a vet QB

The Pat's have problems everywhere.
1. The o-line. Their huge Sebastian vollmer wasn't there, so the Saints were able to put pressure on rushing 4, dropping everyone back into coverage.
2. Running backs. no taylor, morris it jsut getting back from injury, maroney is unreliable..so the running game is "meh" at best. The only shinign star is kevin faulk...who is one of best third down backs in the game.
3. D-line. no seymour, wilfork only plays 70% of the down..they can't put pressure any of the halfway decent o-lines in the league.
4. linebackers. Mayo is really good. Guyton is alright. Burgess and thomas are dissapointing...
5. The biggest issue...the DBs. There is a lot of potential (allegedly) but right now they couldn't break up a fight between 6 year olds, much less an NFL pass. With no harrison, and no Samuel...the pats are finding out how good those guys really were. With no ability to rush the passer, and average (at best) DBs, are being exposed by good QBs.

/on the plus side...pats should make the playoffs, and it's blank slate for all.
//as a side note and somewhat unrelated...there were rumors that Brady's leg injury in the 2007 superbowl was much worse than was let on due to the players "code of silence), which was one of the reasons he was having trouble in the pocket and was missing some otherwise open receivers. (yes it was a very good giants defense, this was just something else)

mrtoadswildride: 4. linebackers. Mayo is really good. Guyton is alright. Burgess and thomas are dissapointing...

I agree with most of your points but I think Mayo hasn't been as good since the knee injury, Guyton may be making more plays than he does since then.

Mostly I think the problem with the defense is pass rush.
When the pressure isn't there all the disguised coverages and schemes the Pats like become opportunities for DB errors instead of QB errors especially against elite QBs.

Jubeebee: Tunk87: Yup. I can't remember a season from the time I was in 4th grade until my last year playing(freshman year of college) that I did not play at least one game with some sort of injury.

I'm 40 now. Have had both knees operated on twice and just had to have my hip replaced.

My dad is fond of biatching about the NFL because 'they get paid millions of dollars to play a game!'

But to me, the things these guys go through to get that money means they earn it. I don't think I'd take a job for less than 6 figures that required working out 8 hours a day, and I put in about 90 minutes a day voluntarily. But the training is the easy part. There's also the reconstructive surgery every few years, the 10 years you lose off life expectancy, lingering joint problems, early onset arthritis, dementia, etc. that comes from actually playing the game.

I can't imagine getting a hip replacement at 40, and that's from low-level amateur football. They have to pay the guys who play for 10+ years longer than you did the big money, otherwise no one would ever do it if they knew the consequences.

What makes these players worth that money is that people are willing to pay them. No other need to justify it. Hundreds of thousands of people are willing to pay for tickets/concessions/memorabilia each week, and the TV networks are willing to pay millions upon millions to air the games to millions of viewers, which the sponsors are willing to pay to advertise to. All to watch these people play. That's why some of them are paid millions per game.

Trunk87
He thrrew out an opinion not supported by any facts whatsoever. He then followed it up with using the number of kids killed every year playing football as some sort of proof of his opinion. As others have clearly pointed out in this thread, kids die at a much higher rate in other activities. That alone proves his opinion is bullshiat

How about the long term effects of repeated blows to the head on a developing brain? While not always deadly, being able to do basic math later in life is a plus. I'm not saying football should be banned, but with the attitudes displayed today in youth football all the way up through college, there are serious repercussions later in life for many athletes who play through injury. It is actually considered child abuse if a parent forces a kid to play contrary to medical advice given to the athlete and their parents. But hey, I guess kids should just keep playing a sport where they are continuously taught to hit with their head up, but through the facemask. Or face no repercussions for using their head as a weapon unless that result is ending up in a wheelchair. The brilliance demonstrated by Ward this last week doesn't help either.

Between bad coaching and public attitudes, football (especially youth) is a dangerous sport that needs to be carefully looked at. There are problems, but people continue to ignore them because "that's football." On that I call bullshiat.

Tunk87: boluke01:

Oh, and to further prove your ignorance....Kids are taught to hit with their heads up because if they don't they can receive neck injuries.

They are taught that way to prevent axial loading of the cervical spine with a direct hit, but those techniques do nothing to prevent head injuries or brachial plexus injuries for that matter. Getting hit in the face is still a blow to the cranium. I understand kids are taught that not just in football, but hockey, rugby, and occasionally lacrosse. But the implementation of it is extremely poor, because I can guarantee you that during games, coaches could care less about "how" the kid hit, but that he brought the ball carrier down. If there is a coach that is concerned about this during a game, he is in the minority. Football has gotten safer with heat acclimatization, but unfortunately kids had to die in order to get people to take notice.

I also forgot to add that showing high numbers of kids being hurt in other activities doesn't invalidate the argument that football is dangerous. Cheerleading is right up there with football, and higher in many cases depending on the injuries.

AnEvilGuest: I agree with most of your points but I think Mayo hasn't been as good since the knee injury, Guyton may be making more plays than he does since then.

Mostly I think the problem with the defense is pass rush.
When the pressure isn't there all the disguised coverages and schemes the Pats like become opportunities for DB errors instead of QB errors especially against elite QBs.

While the pass rush is poor, the DBs are much worse. Rodney harrison was never caught out of position and 4-5 years ago was good enough in coverage to play to cornerback. Samuel was essentially a shutdown corner 1-on-1.

Ignore the tampa bay game, titans game, and second jets game, where opposing QB sucked. Look at the colts, saints, broncos, and ravens; the Secondary doesn't just doesn't break up any passes becuase of "good coverage".

Their first interception as a teams was agains the broncos, and that was because Orton threw it directly to the DB, the receiver went one way, Orton threw it another into the safety. The only reason the pats beats the ravens was because the raven's receiver dropped that pass...flat out dropped it, the DB was 3 yards away and the ball bounced of the receivers chest.

Playing with injuries is to be expected to some extent in any sport, especially a contact one. I played rugby for many years and barely went into any match without some knock or other, but the nature of the injury is crucial. Playing through a bruised thumb? No problem. Playing through a tight calf muscle? Up to the player to decide how bad it is. Playing through a serious injury of any kind? No. It's my experience that at a certain level of sport (i.e. where it's being taken even slightly seriously) the players will want to play on no matter what. Coaches have to be prepared to stop them doing so rather than encouraging it, if you ask me.

I remember one occasion where I was new to a team and so desperate to avoid appearing weak to the other guys that I was about to attempt to play on after separating my shoulder. Luckily, our trainer told me not to be an idiot and to go straight to hospital to get it checked out. I dread to think what might have happened if I'd had some dumbass macho coach who liked my idiotic assertions that I was fine, because I was out for almost two months even having gone straight to hospital. I might never have regained full movement in my arm if somebody hadn't told me 'no'.

At the other end of the spectrum, pressuring people to play through injuries when they don't feel comfortable doing so is completely irresponsible, and whoever put that sign up, if it even exists, is a tool.