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Is HS football going to go extinct?

954canelife said:
I never got the argument... Football is a choice you know what your getting into. Doesn't make sense to cry when you get hurt doing something you know can hurt you.
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For years and years the NFL colluded with doctors to lie to players about the health impact. That's the problem. It's the Tobacco Industry.
 
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"States and local governments(public schools) have varying degrees of immunity. Legislature can pass laws providing protection from suits and $$$$$ always gets politicians attention."

The operative word is 'varying' --- and not for football. "$$$$$ always gets politicians attention", and voters attention, too. You think the old lady down the street would vote for football? How 'bout the teachers unions? When they're buyin' supplies outta their own pocket?
 
Eventually. While I enjoy watching football, I don't think the violence of it and it's subsequent impact on the health of the players is conducive to its longevity. More and more parents are steering their kids to other sports. So eventually the spigot of youth programs feeding the HS and college programs is going to dry up. That may take 20-30 years, but I think it will eventually happen.

We will begin to see a resurgence in baseball, and an increase in popularity of soccer and lacrosse. As a parent it's hard to ignore the dangers of the sport on young kids. So I will probably guide my sons to play baseball and/or soccer.
 
I'll bring up a different angle.
I know it's a different sport but I was at my son's HS baseball game yesterday and heard from a handful of parents about really good local kids who are now bypassing their HS baseball teams to go play on spring travel teams. I realize baseball pales in comparison in the priority order for a high school, but the parents of these elite kids feel that these elite travel teams serve their kids' agendas better.

We have a pitcher on our team who has a D1 schollie already and pretty much only throws fastballs at about 80% capacity. He'll do this until summer when he cranks it up for his travel team going into his freshman season next year.
 
MarcoD70 said:
I'll bring up a different angle.
I know it's a different sport but I was at my son's HS baseball game yesterday and heard from a handful of parents about really good local kids who are now bypassing their HS baseball teams to go play on spring travel teams. I realize baseball pales in comparison in the priority order for a high school, but the parents of these elite kids feel that these elite travel teams serve their kids' agendas better.

We have a pitcher on our team who has a D1 schollie already and pretty much only throws fastballs at about 80% capacity. He'll do this until summer when he cranks it up for his travel team going into his freshman season next year.
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Travel tourney teams do a better job of bringing the best of the best from regional areas together and bringing them to weekend tournaments for scouts to see everyone at a single shot instead having to go to a single HS game and only seeing one or two solid prospects and the rest being just the next best available from that school's crop.
 
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MarcoD70 said:
I'll bring up a different angle.
I know it's a different sport but I was at my son's HS baseball game yesterday and heard from a handful of parents about really good local kids who are now bypassing their HS baseball teams to go play on spring travel teams. I realize baseball pales in comparison in the priority order for a high school, but the parents of these elite kids feel that these elite travel teams serve their kids' agendas better.

We have a pitcher on our team who has a D1 schollie already and pretty much only throws fastballs at about 80% capacity. He'll do this until summer when he cranks it up for his travel team going into his freshman season next year.
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To a large extent, this has already happened in HS basketball. Not the safety issue but rather the circumvention of the HS sport w/r/t college recruiting. Most college coaches recruit thru the AAU and other club level travel leagues. I could possibly see that as an avenue for youth/HS football, but the liability issue will still be present, so the dynamic is still different.
 
On a long enough timeline it will die eventually, but I have a hard time thinking it's going anywhere any time soon in Texas.
 
btcane said:
"States and local governments(public schools) have varying degrees of immunity. Legislature can pass laws providing protection from suits and $$$$$ always gets politicians attention."

The operative word is 'varying' --- and not for football. "$$$$$ always gets politicians attention", and voters attention, too. You think the old lady down the street would vote for football? How 'bout the teachers unions? When they're buyin' supplies outta their own pocket?
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I'm not talking about states spending money, merely expanding protection from suit. Not sure what teachers unions have to do with the issue other than they might have their hands out if you want their support of legislation. I am all to familiar with buying supplies. Taught in inner-city for Dade County Schools to pay my tuition at Miami decades ago. That is not a modern occurance. I don't really have a position on the issue, just observation that $$$ are big and the social issues are not cut and dry. I am sure politics will jump in also -- they can't stay out of anything.

For me, I would like tennis banded. Only sport I ever got serious injury. Minors ones from baseball and Bball and nothing but bruises from football. Tennis wrecked my knees and one ankle.
 
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here's my problem...someone made mentioned of this earlier, but football is a VOLUNTARY sport. the reason why parents put there kids in football is b/c it's an exciting sport that can lead them to making multi-millions of dollars. the reason why professional players get paid multi-millions of dollars is b/c there are risk that come along w/ the sport...MAJOR risk. any play could be your last.

don't moan and groan when you get hurt...no one forced anyone into this sport, yet parents push their kids into it. if anyone should be sued is the parents for child neglect if that's the route they want to go. if you were afraid of your child getting hurt, simple...DON'T HAVE THEM PLAY FOOTBALL.
 
Rellyrell said:
here's my problem...someone made mentioned of this earlier, but football is a VOLUNTARY sport. the reason why parents put there kids in football is b/c it's an exciting sport that can lead them to making multi-millions of dollars. the reason why professional players get paid multi-millions of dollars is b/c there are risk that come along w/ the sport...MAJOR risk. any play could be your last.

don't moan and groan when you get hurt...no one forced anyone into this sport, yet parents push their kids into it. if anyone should be sued is the parents for child neglect if that's the route they want to go. if you were afraid of your child getting hurt, simple...DON'T HAVE THEM PLAY FOOTBALL.
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I think that's the theme of this thread, which begs the question "is youth football going to be extinct in the near future?"

Based on your reply, which seems to be the consensus here(my kids don't/won't play football), I'd say "yes", it will probably lose a lot of popularity/talent in the near future, at the very least.
 
Rellyrell said:
here's my problem...someone made mentioned of this earlier, but football is a VOLUNTARY sport. the reason why parents put there kids in football is b/c it's an exciting sport that can lead them to making multi-millions of dollars. the reason why professional players get paid multi-millions of dollars is b/c there are risk that come along w/ the sport...MAJOR risk. any play could be your last.

don't moan and groan when you get hurt...no one forced anyone into this sport, yet parents push their kids into it. if anyone should be sued is the parents for child neglect if that's the route they want to go. if you were afraid of your child getting hurt, simple...DON'T HAVE THEM PLAY FOOTBALL.
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I think you're on the right track but play it out further. Some thoughts:

* middle income parents will be much less likely in the future to put kids in football pads.

* (As Swagger mentioned) kids in states like FL, TX and the deep south will likely still have parents who will allow them to play. I think it will likely disappear from states like California, New York, etc...

* I think the risk managers will ultimately force public high schools to go to a 7 on 7 type format.
 
No.

But maybe they will start to up the requirement to be an actual coach, beyond playing Madden and NCAA on a gaming system.
 
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SFbayCane said:
Rellyrell said:
here's my problem...someone made mentioned of this earlier, but football is a VOLUNTARY sport. the reason why parents put there kids in football is b/c it's an exciting sport that can lead them to making multi-millions of dollars. the reason why professional players get paid multi-millions of dollars is b/c there are risk that come along w/ the sport...MAJOR risk. any play could be your last.

don't moan and groan when you get hurt...no one forced anyone into this sport, yet parents push their kids into it. if anyone should be sued is the parents for child neglect if that's the route they want to go. if you were afraid of your child getting hurt, simple...DON'T HAVE THEM PLAY FOOTBALL.
Click to expand...



I think you're on the right track but play it out further. Some thoughts:

* middle income parents will be much less likely in the future to put kids in football pads.

* (As Swagger mentioned) kids in states like FL, TX and the deep south will likely still have parents who will allow them to play. I think it will likely disappear from states like California, New York, etc...

* I think the risk managers will ultimately force public high schools to go to a 7 on 7 type format.
Click to expand...

Collegiate football and Professional Football will not die, we know that for sure. There is way, way too much money vested in these sports. Pop Warner football may increase their age limits, but as TV deals are starting to swirl around the high-school levels, I can't see that dying either.

Nike Camps, UA all star games, Army All-Star games, Endorsement deals...High School football is becoming big business. NSD is becoming as popular as the NFL draft. I think the technology in protection will become better, but I just can't see football becoming obsolete on the Jr. level.
 
football will never go away.

bunch of doomsday preppers in here.

Every generation on this planet has thought the world was going to end during their lifetime.


Get over yourself. Your not that important to get to witness something as colossal as the end of the planet ... much less the end of football.


Football was here before you. During you. And after you.


#endcheerleading

much more dangerous anyway
 
Black kids don't play baseball and have absolutely no interest in soccer. The only other sport left is basketball and not a huge population is over 6'0 and coordinated. Lol... Football is here to stay.

But the "middle income" families who kids aren't good enough to play can keep hoping and wishing so their sport can see life.

In south fla you have single mothers scrambling to put their four-5 year old in pee wee football that sh-t ain't dying no time soon.

If it does something will have to take it's place in the higher scale... Currently every other sport at the high elite level plays second fiddle to football in America.
 
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Arehel said:
poncho0091 said:
This issue is such a freaking joke. Whoever goes into football and doesn't understand that this is a dangerous sport is an idiot. The fact the NFL tried to deny is justifiable means for the lawsuit against them, but let's not act like these guys were so stupid that they didn't understand the dangerous nature of the sport.

Furthermore, these kids in high school, college and pros take this risk intentionally for the chance to make millions and be set for life on top of all the non monetary benefits that come with being a superstar at any level. When was the last time you heard of a boxer or UFC fighter try to sue the sport or claim they didn't understand that getting pounded in the face repeatedly was bad for their health. If you are not willing to take the risk, that's fine, but don't take the risk and then try to get the bonus by acting like you didn't know.
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NHL is going down the same path. Just a matter of time before fighting is eliminated from the game (which in my opinion is a good thing.)

But your argument is problematic beyond that. Extrapolating your example to something else, could justify someone saying, well he got beat up, shot, kills etc. because he knew what type of neighbourhood he was walking in. While I do agree with you, that you know what your getting into when you play football, I'm just being the voice of the other side, which is what it is.
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The issue there is not justification, but the choice made. Also your example is missing the reward side of the risk here. I understand where you come from, but here is my counter.

In my example, there is a reward of millions of dollars + various other benefits (poon, popularity, free meals etc). The risk is you are playing a sport that you knew from day one was dangerous. You choose to take a risk and you might be rewarded. If you want to use justification, they knew what they were getting into and take that risk, when they could've chose to get a job like everyone else and avoid that danger. Again, think of boxing and UFC.

In your example, this guy would have had to choose to go into the bad neighborhood where he may get hurt. Let's assume there is a reward ready to be taken if he takes this risk. He now needs to make the choice if this reward is worth taking that risk. If he gets shot on the way, it is not an issue of right or wrong. Yes it's wrong that someone shot him, but ultimately he took that risk when he didn't need to. So I'd say that sucks, but he should've known better than to go in the neighborhood.

If we take your example a different route and remove the right and wrong. Let's assume I have a box with some reward inside. In front of that box is something that will cut your hand off if it catches you. You know what the risk is and now you need to make a choice. I'm not wrong for protecting what's in the box. You took the risk and now you're going to try to sue me, because your hand got chopped off. In this example, the NFL is the box, the reward is the riches and fame, the hand chopper is potential injuries.
 
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The way football is being neutered is something that truly saddens me. All the penalties and procedures are just there to placate the masses and make it appear like they're doing something. The inconsistencies in what the refs call is "targeting" and "helmet to helmet" are mind-boggling, often times just flagging that scary hit or one which the crowd reacts to. I've seen helmet to helmet blows in which the ball carrier gets his face busted open, no call. Legal tackle where the ball carriers helmet pops off because he's cool and didn't buckle it, flag. Bull****. A ball carrier can lead the crown of his helmet into the chest of a defender in order to break a tackle without flag. I don't see a single mention of the fact that offensive and defensive lineman start every single play with a small helmet to helmet collision. There's talk of the NFL wanting these guys to play MORE regular season games. Hypocritical as **** and this half hearted attempt is killing the game.
 
Rellyrell said:
Collegiate football and Professional Football will not die, we know that for sure. There is way, way too much money vested in these sports. Pop Warner football may increase their age limits, but as TV deals are starting to swirl around the high-school levels, I can't see that dying either.

Nike Camps, UA all star games, Army All-Star games, Endorsement deals...High School football is becoming big business. NSD is becoming as popular as the NFL draft. I think the technology in protection will become better, but I just can't see football becoming obsolete on the Jr. level.
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I totally agree that the money factor is key. At the end of the day, I think technology might ultimately be the answer. The helmet companies (or someone else) should be able to develop a technology-based headgear or full suit that protects the player from head injury. That is the variable here. If and when the sport gets threatened by lower youth enrollment, the market for a higher priced helmet or suit will come into play.
 
It will decline and faster than we might imagine. Its all about pipeline. If the number of children in Football decline, the number of available collegiate football players will also decline. If the number of available players declines, the number of schools with teams will decline. That will reduce the NFL talent pool.

Now with a reduced talent pool, The NFL players are now slower and smaller than they used to be with potentially lower salaries. That could lead to a safer and potentially pass heavy, high scoring game and lower prices. On the other hand, athletes who used to play football may shift to other sports making them more exciting than the NFL.

There will be a contraction in the NCAA. The question is where? Does it start at a Lowly D1 school that has no hope of competing nor making money and Football is a liability? Do the service academies bail out in orders from the President? Or does it start at the D3 level and work it's way up?
 
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