Are You Ready for Some Football? Uhm, no.

[Bostondevil]

My interest in football has been in a somewhat steady decline for the last few years and the Aaron Hernandez case just put me over the edge. So what? Well, one of my earliest memories is watching the Super Bowl with my family (Chiefs-Vikings). I stopped caring about college football when the conferences started realigning. The Patriots kept me interested in the Pros for awhile but when I found out the referee strike boiled down to only $60,000 per team, I was kinda pissed. The amount of public money that goes into keeping these teams going and they can't pay the folks doing the most thankless job another $60K? But when I found out how many of the players get arrested, yes Aaron Hernandez is in a different category from DUIs but still, I'm done. I listen to sports talk radio on the drive home from work most days but now when the talk turns to the Pats, I change the channel. I saw some coverage of some preseason games and turned off the TV. I can't stomach football anymore.

[CameronBornAndBred]

I am totally ready for some football. Although since I moved in with Julie, I try to dedicate my Sundays to her since on home game weekends she barely sees me at all. So unless the Panthers play at night, I don't pay much attention.

[DukePA]

I'm ready for DUKE football! I could give a rat's ass about pro football, although I will pull for Chicago if I pay attention

[Lavabe]

I have long since abandoned NFL, BD, for many similar reasons. I also have given up on all the injuries; the injuries to students have essentially left me watching minimal amounts of college football as well, although there are pageantry and spirit/food aspects that I still like. I just don't follow college football as much anymore.

[Bob Green]

My interest in football has been in a somewhat steady decline for the last few years and the Aaron Hernandez case just put me over the edge.

Pro sports have been filled with criminals going way back. The 1919 Black Soxs threw the World Series for money. In 1968, Denny McClain won 31 games for the Tigers, the last MLB pitcher to achieve the 30 win benchmark. He subsequently went to prison for racketeering, extortion and drug dealing. His downfall was precipitated by gambling. The criminal element has always been there we just hear about it 24/7/365 these days due to CNN, ESPN, the Internet, etc...

[bjornolf]

My interest in football has been in a somewhat steady decline for the last few years and the Aaron Hernandez case just put me over the edge. So what? Well, one of my earliest memories is watching the Super Bowl with my family (Chiefs-Vikings). I stopped caring about college football when the conferences started realigning. The Patriots kept me interested in the Pros for awhile but when I found out the referee strike boiled down to only $60,000 per team, I was kinda pissed. The amount of public money that goes into keeping these teams going and they can't pay the folks doing the most thankless job another $60K? But when I found out how many of the players get arrested, yes Aaron Hernandez is in a different category from DUIs but still, I'm done. I listen to sports talk radio on the drive home from work most days but now when the talk turns to the Pats, I change the channel. I saw some coverage of some preseason games and turned off the TV. I can't stomach football anymore.

I believe that the NFL's response is that a smaller percentage of players are arrested than the percentage of the general population for the same crimes, you just hear about it because they're famous. I couldn't verify the validity of this claim for you, but that's their claim. Just out of curiosity, have you lost similar interest in music and movies and tv shows? It seems like those guys spend more than their fair share of time in cuffs.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

My interest in football has been in a somewhat steady decline for the last few years and the Aaron Hernandez case just put me over the edge. So what? Well, one of my earliest memories is watching the Super Bowl with my family (Chiefs-Vikings). I stopped caring about college football when the conferences started realigning. The Patriots kept me interested in the Pros for awhile but when I found out the referee strike boiled down to only $60,000 per team, I was kinda pissed. The amount of public money that goes into keeping these teams going and they can't pay the folks doing the most thankless job another $60K? But when I found out how many of the players get arrested, yes Aaron Hernandez is in a different category from DUIs but still, I'm done. I listen to sports talk radio on the drive home from work most days but now when the talk turns to the Pats, I change the channel. I saw some coverage of some preseason games and turned off the TV. I can't stomach football anymore.

I believe that the NFL's response is that a smaller percentage of players are arrested than the percentage of the general population for the same crimes, you just hear about it because they're famous. I couldn't verify the validity of this claim for you, but that's their claim. Just out of curiosity, have you lost similar interest in music and movies and tv shows? It seems like those guys spend more than their fair share of time in cuffs.

This was discussed a few weeks ago on 99.9TheFan in Raleigh. Adam Gold said 11% of the general male population between the ages of 21 and 35 had been arrested for a felony/had a record (I don't remember which) but that only 3% of the NFL players in that are range are in that group.

I watch pro football, but other that a casual interest in the Charlotte Panthers, I don't have a team so missing games on TV is the norm. I will watch if a former Duke player is on a team, especially when they play a lot.

[Bostondevil]

Sorry, but comparing the football players to the general population doesn't help. At all. The only comparison that would work for me is to other sports professionals. How many tennis players get arrested? Hockey players? WNBA players? Is it more or less than 3%?

I will still cheer for Duke football. And I'll probably go to the game Parents' Weekend. I'm not saying anybody else should stop watching football either. I'm just saying that I'm finding I can't anymore.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I will still cheer for Duke football. And I'll probably go to the game Parents' Weekend.

Yay! Tailgate starts at 7 a.m., regardless of game time! Well, at least Chris and Tim will be there setting up the extra tents and grills at 7 a.m.

[Lavabe]

Sorry, but comparing the football players to the general population doesn't help. At all. The only comparison that would work for me is to other sports professionals. How many tennis players get arrested? Hockey players? WNBA players? Is it more or less than 3%?

Or NASCAR drivers not named Busch (note: okay, Blech being arrested for speeding is a lot different from the original example in this thread). ;)

[Lavabe]

Sorry, but comparing the football players to the general population doesn't help. At all. The only comparison that would work for me is to other sports professionals. How many tennis players get arrested? Hockey players? WNBA players? Is it more or less than 3%?

I believe this link addresses BD's point here:
http://news.msn.com/crime-justice/off-f ... o-football

[CameronBornAndBred]

How many tennis players get arrested? Hockey players? WNBA players? Is it more or less than 3%?

WNBA players are vicious....

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nationa ... -1.1203127

[Very Duke Blue]

The crime rate for the world, our country, sports, etc. is not good. Duke athletes have a good record. There have been a few who got into trouble, but not many that I know of. I feel sure there are a lot of schools that can say the same. Large schools seems to have more problems. Standards for admission may be lower then small schools. Poverty is a huge disadvantage. Poverty can breed crime, especially if their parent or parents, don't give them the tools needed to become successful. Some kids can rise above, some can't. Sports can open a lot of doors for young people. Some can excel, some screw up. I'm not making excuses for those who get in trouble. Just my opinion.












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[DevilAlumna]

I will still cheer for Duke football. And I'll probably go to the game Parents' Weekend. I'm not saying anybody else should stop watching football either. I'm just saying that I'm finding I can't anymore.

I find it hard to watch anymore too, but for another reason entirely. With all the research coming out around football players, concussions, and permanent brain damage, I can't help but think, I'm cheering for people - kids, really - to beat each other into dementia, all for the sake of school pride. I will have a hard time letting my son-on-the-way play football, so feel funny supporting it for other children. I grew up loving the sport, so I do hope that safety precautions, better headgear, and rule changes can make it safer so it's a viable sport for the future, but the way it is now, es no bueno.

[Bostondevil]

I will still cheer for Duke football. And I'll probably go to the game Parents' Weekend. I'm not saying anybody else should stop watching football either. I'm just saying that I'm finding I can't anymore.

I find it hard to watch anymore too, but for another reason entirely. With all the research coming out around football players, concussions, and permanent brain damage, I can't help but think, I'm cheering for people - kids, really - to beat each other into dementia, all for the sake of school pride. I will have a hard time letting my son-on-the-way play football, so feel funny supporting it for other children. I grew up loving the sport, so I do hope that safety precautions, better headgear, and rule changes can make it safer so it's a viable sport for the future, but the way it is now, es no bueno.

Yeah, this too.

I agree that sports is a way out of poverty, it's just that football players seem to do the worst job of leaving the violent mentality behind. You make the NFL, you can't blame poverty for your behavior anymore. And I'm not saying it isn't hard. We applaud athletes for their "hard work" all the time. If you're a professional athlete, you are capable of hard work. Time to start applying that mentality to off the field behavior, across the board. Violent behavior should get you kicked out of programs long before you make the NFL. Second chances, OK, but not third and fourth.

[Lavabe]

I will still cheer for Duke football. And I'll probably go to the game Parents' Weekend. I'm not saying anybody else should stop watching football either. I'm just saying that I'm finding I can't anymore.

I find it hard to watch anymore too, but for another reason entirely. With all the research coming out around football players, concussions, and permanent brain damage, I can't help but think, I'm cheering for people - kids, really - to beat each other into dementia, all for the sake of school pride. I will have a hard time letting my son-on-the-way play football, so feel funny supporting it for other children. I grew up loving the sport, so I do hope that safety precautions, better headgear, and rule changes can make it safer so it's a viable sport for the future, but the way it is now, es no bueno.

Trouble is, for the very same reason, I no longer watch NHL hockey, as the incidence rate of concussion is troubling (and I'm not sure that rule changes have really helped lower the incidence).

[bjornolf]

I will still cheer for Duke football. And I'll probably go to the game Parents' Weekend. I'm not saying anybody else should stop watching football either. I'm just saying that I'm finding I can't anymore.

I find it hard to watch anymore too, but for another reason entirely. With all the research coming out around football players, concussions, and permanent brain damage, I can't help but think, I'm cheering for people - kids, really - to beat each other into dementia, all for the sake of school pride. I will have a hard time letting my son-on-the-way play football, so feel funny supporting it for other children. I grew up loving the sport, so I do hope that safety precautions, better headgear, and rule changes can make it safer so it's a viable sport for the future, but the way it is now, es no bueno.

Yeah, this too.

I agree that sports is a way out of poverty, it's just that football players seem to do the worst job of leaving the violent mentality behind. You make the NFL, you can't blame poverty for your behavior anymore. And I'm not saying it isn't hard. We applaud athletes for their "hard work" all the time. If you're a professional athlete, you are capable of hard work. Time to start applying that mentality to off the field behavior, across the board. Violent behavior should get you kicked out of programs long before you make the NFL. Second chances, OK, but not third and fourth.

How many other sports require the level of violence football does? MAYBE hockey? Boxing? MMA? As a former player (not NFL, but NCAA), I can tell you that it takes a special kind of person to want to go through a car crash every few minutes for three hours every week, not to mention practice. And a special kind of human being to want to do that to someone else. It's not easy to turn that aggression off and on like a light switch every time you go on and off the field. Soldiers who return from combat have similar problems readjusting to society. I'm not trying to compare athletes to soldiers and their sacrifice, but the mental and emotional adjustments are similar. I've played high school level baseball, tennis, rugby, squash, and basketball, as well as running track. I can tell you that nothing I've done matches the intensity and aggression found on a football field.

[lawgrad91]

MMA is really, really bad. My cousin is married to a guy who started a sports performance company, sold it, and is now involved with promotions for MMA and is in partnership with a couple of MMA fighters. When I talked to Sarah on July 4, she told me he was stunned by the significant brain issues some of the fighters were showing. Yet the popularity of the "sport" seems to grow daily.

[CameronBornAndBred]

MMA is really, really bad. My cousin is married to a guy who started a sports performance company, sold it, and is now involved with promotions for MMA and is in partnership with a couple of MMA fighters. When I talked to Sarah on July 4, she told me he was stunned by the significant brain issues some of the fighters were showing. Yet the popularity of the "sport" seems to grow daily.

To me, MMA comes across as the barbarism that boxing started out as. (Not that it isn't any less barbaric, but at least they decided to include padded gloves and headwear.) I can never watch it.

[Bostondevil]

How many other sports require the level of violence football does? MAYBE hockey? Boxing? MMA? As a former player (not NFL, but NCAA), I can tell you that it takes a special kind of person to want to go through a car crash every few minutes for three hours every week, not to mention practice. And a special kind of human being to want to do that to someone else. It's not easy to turn that aggression off and on like a light switch every time you go on and off the field. Soldiers who return from combat have similar problems readjusting to society. I'm not trying to compare athletes to soldiers and their sacrifice, but the mental and emotional adjustments are similar. I've played high school level baseball, tennis, rugby, squash, and basketball, as well as running track. I can tell you that nothing I've done matches the intensity and aggression found on a football field.

Yeah, kinda my pont. I'm not out to get football players and I do understand that working yourself up to certain levels of aggression is required to play it very well. But I find that I'm not OK with encouraging that activity anymore, at least not for profit or entertainment. I long ago stopped watching boxing. I've only recently started watching hockey seriously so, I'm not there yet with hockey, although some of what goes on in college hockey is highly distasteful but I don't watch college hockey. I'm not really a hockey fan, I'm a Boston Bruins fan. If they aren't involved, I'm not that interested. In the NHL though, the players seem to do a much better job of leaving the aggression on the ice. Why is that?