Charles Pierce, who I like and respect immensely, linked to this piece in the Boston Globe about former New England Patriot Kevin Turner, who now appears to be dying of an ALS like syndrome brought on by repeated blows to the head.
Now, I love football. I don't love it as much as baseball and basketball, but it's close.
It appears to be as true as things get that football, on a college, professional and even high school level, extracts an enormous price from the bodies of the people who play it.
I love football. I don't love people destroying their bodies and brains to play it. I don't know how to resolve this.
some ideas...
ReplyDelete1) stop giving street thugs multi-million dollar contracts.
2) stop comparing football to war...where physical damage on the other guy is expected.
3) heavy, heavy, heavy fines, if not banishment from the sport, for those intentionally inflicting harm.
just my two cents
Well, if the money's in the game, I'd rather the players get it than the owners.
ReplyDeleteFootball to war analogies are grotesque in every possible way.
I agree with the fines, but how to determine intent? They constantly battle with this.
It's a physics problem-how to keep bigger, stronger players from hurting each other.
I don't know how to square the circle.