FOOTBALL - LEGALIZED ASSAULT!!!

[Fat Man]

Careful with the name-calling. I'm sure the debate is not over.

By the way, unless I'm mistakened, the referenced article is about Australian rugby, not American football. Of course, I don't know if that makes any difference.

If it's the NFL, then it has to be American football.

But apparently, both football and rugby causes serious injuries.

[HugeFanOfBadReligion]

So one guy regretting he ever played football is an indictment against the entire sport? That seems a bit silly, if not outright excessive.

Welcome, IntelligentSportsFan. You seem like a reasonable person, and not abusive like 'roid raged jocks or 4chan hackers, so welcome. I recommend you make in introduction to let us know about yourself, for example, why you like sports, why you are intelligent as your username suggests, in the Introduction thread which you will find in the Sports Suck! subforum in the board index.

I disagree that football is safe now. Not every football player plays on an organized highschool, college, or NFL team, and I'm sure most of them don't wear proper padding. Football players still receive injuries. And even for footballers who do play on teams, just because they wear padding doesn't mean they are invincible. I know a football player who once spoke French as his mother was French, until he received a head injury so bad during his third concussion from football that he can't speak French at all anymore. He can still read at a moderate level in French, but he is unable to speak it as fluent as he could before.

[i_like_1981]

So one guy regretting he ever played football is an indictment against the entire sport? That seems a bit silly, if not outright excessive.

We're just giving an example of how football is not the glorious way of life many people would have us believe it is. Where there is glory there is also misery. Yes, sports will be kind to many and give them strong bodies, high self-confidence and if they're lucky enough, huge pay checks, but this is one example of how a person had their physical health destroyed and was refused benefit money which he was more than entitled to. I don't think these stories should just be ignored; they need to be brought to more attention so that people can see both the pros and cons of football to get a better idea of the sport's true nature. There's only so much you can see when you're looking at the nice side of something. You have to look at the whole thing to be truly enlightened. I feel that is why this website exists - it seems to be the only anti-sports forum on the internet. In fact, I'm pretty sure it is. Millions of people across the world place sporting talent on a pedestal and will refuse to accept the fact that it has brought misery and humiliation to many promising, undeserving students. The sports fans have their pro-sports websites like the SPORTING NEWS to go to, and completely ignore any negative incidents in sports if that is what they wish. But here we are entitled to raise our opinion on why we don't think sports are so deserving of all the praise and fanaticism they receive! So don't be too offended when you see articles on here that only focus on something bad in the world of sports. Many people don't want to hear the full truth; not even when one of their heroes is going through a bad time.

So, IntelligentSportsFan, welcome to the forums. And don't make the mistake of thinking that we regard all sports fans as being stupid or moronic. Yes, there are a few like that (check out posts by these users: Samdaman, robofish, mike_the_pain_train, GoYankees11392) but we've had quite a lot of intelligent critics here in the past and you certainly aren't the first pro-sports person who has hit us with something slightly more informative than "HAHAHAHAHA YOUR SUCH A BUNCH OF FAGZ! NON OF U FAGGOTS R EVA GONA GET LAID! GET A LIFE N PLAY DA SPORTZ!" I do enjoy arguing with the idiots we get on here but at the same time we need the odd intelligent opponent to start a good debate and get the old grey matter working in all of our heads. Some of us here like a challenge, and one that goes beyond the most shocking insults or appalling grammar. If you're going to post here again, feel free. But I too like Earl want to know if you were that guy who posted a comment on the Guestbook under the name "What freedom of speech?" I think this forum's purpose is to allow people to speak their true opinions on sports in a welcoming environment where they will be understood and sympathised with. As you know, to express a dislike for sports in a public place like a bar or a high school will more than likely result in criticism or even abuse so I thank this website for allowing me, and other sports dislikers, to speak our minds on this pastime that has been elevated to such an incredible level of prestige. I can't understand how some sports fans can get so angry at others for not sharing the same passion for the game. I'm not saying all sports fans are like this, but some are, and nobody can deny that. Many of us on this board have had to endure some of these "real-life examples" and let me tell you, they are so hard to get off your back once they've set you as their target. The stereotypes on this site are definitely not fully true and can't be applied to all sports fans. But I'm sure they could apply for more than a few. If an idiotic sports bully comes and rants on here they only increase the validity of those claims and what good will that do for the decent sports fans who come and visit? But I believe that anyone who wants a civil conversation should be granted one. Anyone who comes on here, starts shaking their "cyberfists" around at us and doesn't have a single meaningful word to say, well, they need taking down a few notches and don't really deserve any respect at all. What do I go by? As I've said many times before on here, "an eye for an eye"!

Sorry about the really long post and wall of text. I'm quite into the long post deal myself. Hey 4channers! No, I'm not stopping!

Best regards,
i_like_1981

[IntelligentSportsFan]

I have a few minutes so I'll just throw this out here.

Fat Man, how have you show me to be a "moron"? I have attempted to be civil, though I get the impression you think all sports fans are morons. In case you're curious (and I doubt you are), I'm studying electrical engineering at the moment and this will be my last semester before I graduate with my AA. I also bowl twice a week in leagues and currently average around 190 or so. A friend of mine who is also a sports fan is a graduate student and professor holding B.A.s in both mathematics and physics. An uncle of mine, who again is a sports fan, holds a B.A. in mathematics and a Masters in computer science. I could cite more examples but I think you get the point.

Yes, there are some idiotic sports fans out there, but not all of us fans are morons. There are always bad apples in the bunch no matter where you look--even academic endeavors.

greencom, while those other professionals do perform duties needed to keep society afloat as it is now, I really do believe sports play an important part in that. You've said yourself you're interested in what I think, though, so I'll just leave it at that.

i_like_1981, you said:

I can't understand how some sports fans can get so angry at others for not sharing the same passion for the game. I'm not saying all sports fans are like this, but some are, and nobody can deny that.

True, there are some idiotic sports fans, but you said yourself that not all are. I'd wager that most aren't, but I suppose that depends on where you look. I think many of those fans, as well as many other fans (including myself), see sports as universal to humanity. They are the embodiment of competition and being the best, well, people love a winner. Are today's athletes highly overpaid? Oh yes, and I dislike the salaries they earn, but such is life. Do they carry on the spirit of competition and fun that one can argued originated from the ancient Greeks and their first Olympic games? Yes, I believe they do.

HugeFanOfBadReligion, I never said football was completely safe. If I did, then I mispoke. My point is that football is becoming safer due to advances in, among other things, sports medicine, awareness of head injuries and helmet design. It also makes good business and PR sense to make sure your players are well-taken care of rather than making them play through injuries and potentially making them worse/causing others.

Anyway, I'm out for now, dunno when I'll be back. Later.

[HugeFanOfBadReligion]

I think many of those fans, as well as many other fans (including myself), see sports as universal to humanity. They are the embodiment of competition and being the best, well, people love a winner.

Come on, you actually support people seeing who's the best and bowing down to winners in sports like they are better than everyone else? That's just low. No offence, but you can do better than that.

HugeFanOfBadReligion, I never said football was completely safe. If I did, then I mispoke. My point is that football is becoming safer due to advances in, among other things, sports medicine, awareness of head injuries and helmet design. It also makes good business and PR sense to make sure your players are well-taken care of rather than making them play through injuries and potentially making them worse/causing others.

It's pretty much only safe in professional leagues. People who play football recreationally do not have nearly as much protection as professional players, if any. They still get damage to their brains and bodies.

[greencom]

Intelligent_Sports_Fan,
To include professional athletes among the ranks of those people of real importance I mentioned earlier is an insult to them and all the great work they do! To say those thugs out on the field play an important role in society is truly a joke. I know I can't change your mind any more than you can change mine, I am just grateful that I am not forced to watch the mindless bullshit.

[Fat Man]

Intelligent_Sports_Fan,
To include professional athletes among the ranks of those people of real importance I mentioned earlier is an insult to them and all the great work they do! To say those thugs out on the field play an important role in society is truly a joke. I know I can't change your mind any more than you can change mine, I am just grateful that I am not forced to watch the mindless bullshit.

Right on!



That's another High Five!!

Yeah, somehow, chasing as ball just doesn't seem to be anywhere nearly as important as say, for example: being a scientist, like a biologist, a chemist, a paleontologist, and archeologist, a physicists, or an astronomer, a forensic pathologist, etc. etc. or even an electrical engineer.

Yet, people in these professions do not get paid nearly as much as a professional football player who makes millions of dollars every year just for kicking a football.

OK, Mr. Intelligent???SportsFan, you may sound intelligent because of your proper use of grammar and of course, I'm glad you're studying to be an electrical engineer, so that does take some smarts. A lot of smarts.

In fact, I'm sure you probably know a Hell of a lot more about electrical engineering than I do. That is a great career, and I wish you every success in that chosen field. That's what we really need.

I would probably enjoy having a conversation with you in a coffee house, hearing you describing everything about electrical engineering. I would be all ears. I'm fascinated by anything having to do with science.

For that, I shall give you credit. Great credit!!! Go for it!!!

But, in your defense of sports, well . . . . . football is bullshit! Pure unadulterated bullshit!!!

I'm sorry . . . . . but there is no way anybody can defend football without sounding just a tad moronic.

OK???

[greencom]

As to the question if football is safe or safer than it was or is or whatever... who cares?
Let Darwanism take over on the field!

[Fat Man]

As to the question if football is safe or safer than it was or is or whatever... who cares?
Let Darwanism take over on the field!

Yeah, I guess a lot of football players and hockey players and boxers should be nominated for
THE DARWIN AWARD!!!



It's usually awarded posthumously to the one who either kills himself or renders himself unable to reproduce, thus, doing the gene pool a favor.

[SmartSportsPerson]

But, in your defense of sports, well . . . . . football is bullshit! Pure unadulterated bullshit!!!

Care to back up that point at all? You like to say how you've owned Intelligentsportsfan but you've not really. Posting huge posts and pictures isn't a way to "defeat" your opponent. Yeah, sure it is a violent sport and has resulted in serious injuries. And perhaps some of the players are criminals; I won't defend the behaviour of them all. But the fact stands it takes a lot of determination, emotional and physical strength and courage to become a football player at any level above high school. People know the risks but play the game anyway because they enjoy the competition. I mean, where would society be now if nobody ever wanted to take a risk? And for your information... no, I'm not elevating the status of football to the point where i believe it changes society. It's just a game, as we all know. But taking risks is a part of human nature.

[Earl]

Of course, I'm sure you appreciate some risk takers (notably those in sports) more than other risk takers.

[greencom]

I look at football players as a good source of donor organs. Play ball!