I always knew Football was not great physically for the people who play it long term but it was all the recent information on CTE which has had the bigger affect on me. They idea of the little hits being so dangerous and causing so many long term issues. It really feels like in the past 4-5 years most of the information on this has come out that its not just concussions which are the issue. The idea that all those little repetitive hits can cause such permanent brain damage was something new for me. Maybe I was not looking hard enough or ignoring facts. I candidly will admit it is pretty stupid in hindsight not to see the connection but feels like the idea of CTE is something relatively new.gronk4heisman wrote:I don't get this perception that head injures have long term effects on people is a new revelation. I was taught from my youth that head injuries have long term effects. To me it seems a lot like the whole smoking is bad revelation where people seemed to need extensive studies to know filling your lungs with carcinogens repeatedly is bad for you. I get the not supporting football because of the damage it does, but it is not some new thing that repeatedly knocking yourself out is not good for you.CalStateTempe wrote:Also somethings changed in me...knowing what we know about CTE, i can’t “celebrate” the big hit anymore. I see them play out during a game and I just cringe now. It won’t change anything but I can’t support a game that ruins young men’s brains.
I saw a big hit on JJ Taylor in the backfield around the 2nd quarter and his head went down my my first thought was to his health and safety. That’s new for me and been a constant all season. And now that I feel that way is challenges me as to what to do about it.
Getting very difficult for me to support this form of entertainment.
I guess its like people in the 60's and 70's saying they knew smoking could not be good for you but it was not until the 80's that I think the facts really came out on how bad it truly was. Feels like football is the same thing. It is a violent sport but before I thought it was more damaging to someone physically. The pretty conclusive evidence so far on brain damage is what changed things for me.