I think this weekend marked the starting point of the finish of the NFL. Most I’m sure would not agree with what I am saying but I’ll try to argue my point to the best of my ability. First let me say I love the NFL. Football is a great sport and it’s hard not to like it. Also, as an American I think it has surpassed Baseball as our more recent American Past time because MLB has been living under a cloud of steroids for the past 20 years and honestly people are sick of it. Furthermore, I believe the NFL makes more money than the MLB, has a larger fan bases and plays less games a year so more people anticipate. Baseball is a great sport, and I love baseball almost as much as football, but I think football has eclipsed baseball in numerous ways.
Why do I think the sport is dying? Well mostly because it’s a dangerous sport. First let’s start with the human athlete. Over the past 100 years, innovation and technology has made things more efficient, longer lasting, bigger or smaller (depending on what you discuss) and overall better (most things). The same has happened with athletes. Today you won’t find a serious athlete who is not in the gym or the practice field trying to get bigger stronger and faster (that’s what my trainers used to preach, and I think it is true). With that said every major athlete is going to be on a hardcore diet with a hardcore lifting and conditioning program to make sure they are better than the next person. So just within the last 20 years I would say from Emmitt Smith to Adrian Peterson, One might be stronger than the other. Raw talent wise they might be the same but honestly imagine Adrian Peterson 20 years ago. Would he not run past everybody?! If that’s not a great example then let’s go back 50 years. Would the best running back then be better than the best running back now? I doubt it. Why? Because today athletes are bigger stronger and faster then they have ever been. It’s just part of the technology and innovation crazed society.
Now with that said, with bigger stronger athletes come faster players and harder hits. People fly out of nowhere to come knock people out. Kick off Units cruise down the field at top speed just to knock out the player with the ball. This weekend a tragic play occurred on such a play when a young man from Rutgers became paralyzed from the neck down after colliding with the ball carrier. No matter what it is too obvious that the game has been stepped up a notch from years ago. So many concussions, so many injuries, and players are giving it 100% at all times. Not a formula for safety.
There is another aspect which I blame on all parties and that is the lack of teaching. Players don’t tackle anymore. They try to either knock you out, or they trip you up. Rarely in games is there a good tackle. No one teaches good tackling anymore. The only sport worth noting here is Rugby. Go to a rugby game, or watch a match on TV. They don’t even where pads, but I am willing to bet they have fewer injuries. Why!? Because they tackle properly. I am not saying people don’t get hurt ever or knocked out, but the intent to injury is nullified by a good education on tackling and by a good culture of not trying to go head first into someone else’s head. Tackling needs to be re taught to the kids and college athletes, and maybe injuries will go down.
On to the NFL. So the NFL is dying because of these reasons plus all the sanctions/penalties that the NFL is implementing. First it started with the horse collar. Fine, maybe a good call. Then Helmet to helmet. Now essentially you can hit anyone hard! I’m not saying it’s ridiculous, but for god sake it’s ridiculous! I mean how are linebackers and DE's supposed to play. Are they supposed to be worried how hard they are going to hit a running back with 4.3 speeds? No I don’t think that is going to happen. If you are going to make a play, you are going to make it! I understand that people are getting hurt, but sacrificing the integrity of the game will cost the NFL. Soon they are going to replace pads with flags, and it will be flag football, with limited touch! Yeah that could happen.
Here are some ideas that might be able to keep the game the same, but add safety features. How about making better helmets. We might not be able to cure cancer yet, but don’t you think we have the technology to make a good helmet?????!!!!!! I would hope so. Next how about better mouth guards. I was always preached too by my hockey coaches to wear your mouth guard for two reasons: 1) so you don’t bite your tongue off and jam your teeth together and 2) because it prevents concussions because it limits the shock. I understand if you get the daylights knocked out of you your mouth guard might not do anything but still. In addition, how about changing the surface of the field. My roommates keep saying this but instead of laying the turf with concrete, how about a layer of rubber, concrete, rubber and maybe something a little softer of concrete so when a body is thrown to the ground, you are not falling on hard grass. I know it sounds a little out there, but again with today’s innovation it should be possible.
Overall it seems like the dark cloud from baseball and steroids is moving over to the NFL and hard hits. The NFL is in for some real trouble if they keep adding sanctions and penalties for hitting. That’s part of the game, and if the NFL keeps its actions up, kids/fans will get less interested, which will create less football athletes and in 30 years, the NFL will be dried up like a desert. I don’t see any other way it can be turned around. All I know is come Sunday if I see flags and hear about suspensions for hits that might be hard, but could have been harder or something along those lines, I think I will be proving my point. Also, if come Sunday more injuries occur, my point will also be proven. Either or the NFL better get its umbrella because a storms' a comin.
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