So the talk of the last week since Junior Seau's suicide has been the safety in the NFL, mostly concussions and their effects. Questions have been flying around about everything from suing the league to not letting our kids play the game anymore. It makes sense to get this kind of reaction because of the publicity that the topic is getting, but are we jumping to conclusions here?When a player enters into the NFL, they know full and well that it isn't two hand touch football. These are the best athletes in the nation running full speed trying to knock each other's heads off. So why are we all surprised when they get concussions? That's part of the game. But that isn't even what makes me mad really. I'm all for safety. What makes me mad is that we're all of the sudden suing the league for having concussions.
Do you think police officers sue their police department because they have to fire their weapons? NO! Not a chance in the world. They sign up knowing that they're more than likely going to have to shoot someone in their career. That's just the truth. I don't like it, they probably don't like it, but it has to be that way. And as long as we want football, then concussions are going to have to be part of the game.And as for the topic of concussions causing suicide, that's bull. Think about it, how many other professions are televised and covered by the media like professional sports? None. The highest suicide rates among professions are actually in dentistry, psychiatry, and marine engineering. But we don't hear about them on ESPN, The Dan Patrick Show, Around the Horn, or 60 for 60. We freak out because we hear about it.
So should football change, or end, or whatever they want to do? No. Unless they come up with an upgrade in protection, then no.
We actually increased the risk for concussions by adding face masks to helmets. Do you think that people were coming in head first with those leather helmets on? I don't think so.
I'm sure this is only a headline because of the dead period of sports we're in but let's be honest, we shouldn't be talking about it at all. Just play football guys.
