The NFL to fall like the Gladiators of Rome

[tpstulane]

http://trib.al/abmRXbI

Pilon of the New York Post believes the demise of the NFL might come about. Likened NFL players to “gladiators,” warning that the health concerns associated with football, such as concussions, might eventually cost the NFL their privileged place as the sport of choice for most Americans.The outcry from Seneca, Christians, and others eventually made the gladiator games “culturally unacceptable.” Pilon thinks a similar pattern, with a twist, could happen with the NFL: “While the US government is unlikely to ever limit the number of football games, plenty of parents are refusing to let their children play the sport due to the risk of head injuries. The more we learn about chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a progressive, degenerative brain disease that has plagued scores of professional players, the harder it becomes for many of us to watch the gladiators out on the field. And the more we know about players committing violence off the field, especially against women and children, the more we — like Seneca — turn off altogether.”

[golfnut69]

http://trib.al/abmRXbI

Pilon of the New York Post believes the demise of the NFL might come about. Likened NFL players to “gladiators,” warning that the health concerns associated with football, such as concussions, might eventually cost the NFL their privileged place as the sport of choice for most Americans.The outcry from Seneca, Christians, and others eventually made the gladiator games “culturally unacceptable.” Pilon thinks a similar pattern, with a twist, could happen with the NFL: “While the US government is unlikely to ever limit the number of football games, plenty of parents are refusing to let their children play the sport due to the risk of head injuries. The more we learn about chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a progressive, degenerative brain disease that has plagued scores of professional players, the harder it becomes for many of us to watch the gladiators out on the field. And the more we know about players committing violence off the field, especially against women and children, the more we — like Seneca — turn off altogether.”

If this happens, the NFL will become the National Flag (football) League ...

[JerseyWave]

The biggest threat to the future of Football is parents steering their kids to other sports and then high schools not having enough kids to field a complete team.

[MicMan]

No, football is the biggest threat to the future of football.

[lurker123]

No, football is the biggest threat to the future of football.

I guess that football will become again more like rugby and simply and literally take the head out of normal and direct physical contact. You may wear a leather wrestling-like helmet to protect against cauliflower ears and the like but take away the hard helmet and the face mask and head trauma will reduce dramatically. Impact on game? Football seemed to do ok with Red Grange and Knute Rockne.

[RobertM320]

No, football is the biggest threat to the future of football.

I guess that football will become again more like rugby and simply and literally take the head out of normal and direct physical contact. You may wear a leather wrestling-like helmet to protect against cauliflower ears and the like but take away the hard helmet and the face mask and head trauma will reduce dramatically. Impact on game? Football seemed to do ok with Red Grange and Knute Rockne.

lurker, I've always thought that same thing. It may seem counter-intuitive, but removing the face mask and going to a soft helmet would make players think twice about how they play the game. I'd bet we'd also see better tackling skills, as players wouldn't just throw a shoulder at a guy going by, they'd learn how to properly wrap up a runner.

[mbawavefan12]

Not trying to get political, but in football it seems like so many of the players come from impoverished backgrounds. The money may clawback a bit in the next few years, but it will still be there at high levels and thus poorer citizens will still be willing to take the physical risk to play the game. Colleges will offer exposure, fame and bags-o-money expanding the available talent pool.