(02-12-2018 10:33 AM)UABslant Wrote: [ -> ] (02-10-2018 06:11 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote: [ -> ]In 20 years will colleges be sponsoring football teams at all?
That's a legitimate concern. Considering our president is a neurologist, I'm sure he's more aware of the current and future legal issues than most. But again, he's not backing away from the stadium project.
Because the risk is all on the BJCC
If we get to a point that football is too dangerous to play, the domed stadium could always be used to host video game contests.
I'm honestly not worried about the future of football as a sport. With improvements in best practice like not tackling to the ground during practice, limited full contact etc you'll see the number of concussions plummet. There will be improvements in equipment that are already coming to market. You'll see less contact in youth football as well as probably an age limit at some point in the NFL to limit the cumulative effects.
The fact is recent data shows about 7-10% of kids 18 and younger have had a concussion and relatively few of those are related to football. Kids wreck bikes, get hit with baseballs and all kinds of stuff. For gosh sakes they've seen signs of CTE in swimmers. Part of the research going forward is going to be deciding what changes of the brain are part of normal wear and tear and what parts are preventable.
(02-12-2018 12:54 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote: [ -> ] (02-12-2018 10:33 AM)UABslant Wrote: [ -> ] (02-10-2018 06:11 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote: [ -> ]In 20 years will colleges be sponsoring football teams at all?
That's a legitimate concern. Considering our president is a neurologist, I'm sure he's more aware of the current and future legal issues than most. But again, he's not backing away from the stadium project.
Because the risk is all on the BJCC
Absolutely. In 20 years, we'll be able to 3D print a state-of-the-art stadium on-site for half the cost. (not sure how to turn half the text blue)
(02-12-2018 01:18 PM)biglizard Wrote: [ -> ]I'm honestly not worried about the future of football as a sport. With improvements in best practice like not tackling to the ground during practice, limited full contact etc you'll see the number of concussions plummet. There will be improvements in equipment that are already coming to market. You'll see less contact in youth football as well as probably an age limit at some point in the NFL to limit the cumulative effects.
The fact is recent data shows about 7-10% of kids 18 and younger have had a concussion and relatively few of those are related to football. Kids wreck bikes, get hit with baseballs and all kinds of stuff. For gosh sakes they've seen signs of CTE in swimmers. Part of the research going forward is going to be deciding what changes of the brain are part of normal wear and tear and what parts are preventable.
That debate about CTE sounds like a parallel to the debate over global warming - what part is man made (preventable) and what part is "normal wear and tear" of nature.
It is likely that sports as a part of the entertainment industry will continue to find willing participants seeking the cultural status of the athlete (BMOC) and the financial rewards if they prove good enough to turn pro (something not known for years of effort). The least return the athlete can expect if superior is a free or reduced cost college education. My grandson is a rising sophomore at Oak Mountain HS FB, and you probably could not discourage his participation with any argument.