Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Is Football Healthy?

Why did it have to be football?

I know that there are millions of football fans out there so bear with me. I know that most kids get through football safely. I know that he could go on to college with his brain intact. I know he's not likely to have lasting brain damage, but the concussions. There are so many concussions. Thirty percent of all NFL players will have permanent brain damage. How many from high school football?

Football is a violent sport. It's fun to watch, but why? The game is designed so that boys and men can run around and take each other down, a battle. Can you compare football players to gladiators? At least it's not to the death, but am I sacrificing my child to simple entertainment? This is the first time Nick will be doing something that draws more than just parents of the participants. People are going to stand around watching him mow other kids down. People pay the most attention when someone gets injured. That's when the game stops and everybody looks more closely. What do I remember about the year I dated a football fan and sat (and slept) through hours of football on television? I remember the instant replay of Joe Theismann's knee being jammed backward. That's pretty much it. Oh, I remember how fast Refrigerator Perry could run, but I remember that knee being turned inside out over and over and over until it nauseated me.

Football is a team sport. When Nick got good at karate, no one knew. It was expected that he stay quiet about it. He wasn't out in front of people, showing his skills. He just wasn't. Oh, I could brag now and then, but people don't know how dangerous his skills became. The whole philosophy was to stay quiet. In football, the better you are at mowing the opponent down, the louder we're supposed to scream.

Nick told me himself that being good at football might make him popular. He reassured me that it wouldn't change him.

Is it terrible of a mom not to want her child to be popular?

It is terrible. I know. I just think he'll be healthier if he isn't popular. I just want my boy to stay healthy. So sue me.

Thank you for listening, jules

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