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Post by capncrunch on Dec 10, 2014 10:49:48 GMT -6
There might not have been three more captivating minutes of football played in the Land of Lincoln this season than the end of the Stevenson/Homewood-Floosmor game to decide the Illinois High School Association Class 8A championship two nights after Thanksgiving.
But if a lawsuit filed against IHSA succeeds, football could be a thing of the past at schools across the state.
The root culprit is concussions. The medical science on brain injuries lags far behind that of other ways kids get hurt playing football — broken arms and legs, torn knee ligaments and so on. New concussion research comes forward constantly, in some cases showing football players can be at risk for life-long debilitating maladies without ever being so hurt they missed a game.
Like other states, as well as the NCAA and NFL, the IHSA is trying to stay ahead of the curve, instituting concussion protocols such as mandatory training for coaches and the elimination of full-contact summer practices. But anyone who's paying the slightest bit of attention knows such rules are not going far enough to actually protect the kids who play the game.
These changes allow children, parents, coaches and fans to think tackle football has been made safe. It's safer than before, sure, but still, allowing a developing child to suit up for full-contact football (especially those younger than high school) is inviting disaster.
I wrote about this issue in September 2012, citing a Grantland.com story from earlier that year predicting the roadmap for the end of football in America. Financial experts Tyler Cown and Kevin Grier said step one would be one or two parties winning legal rulings regarding football-related brain injuries. That would lead to step two: school systems being unwilling or unable to pay for the insurance it would take to keep a program afloat.
IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman said as much during a press conference Dec. 5, addressing the lawsuit brought by Daniel Bukal, an early 2000s quarterback at Notre Dame College Prep in Niles. Bukal's suit, filed in Cook County Circuit Court, said the IHSA didn't and doesn't do enough to keep athletes safe from the ravages of concussions. He wants, per a Chicago Tribune report, on-call doctors for practices, computer-based concussion screening and other changes.
"If this lawsuit is successful, it will present challenges to high school football programs that are ... so far-reaching for many schools, they will undoubtedly adversely affect high school programs, and could eliminate some programs in Illinois," Hickman said.
Not to be overly callous, but that might be a good thing.
"Precollegiate football is already sustaining 90,000 or more concussions each year," Cown and Grier wrote in 2012. "If ex-players start winning judgments, insurance companies might cease to insure colleges and high schools against football-related lawsuits. Coaches, team physicians, and referees would become increasingly nervous about their financial exposure in our litigious society. If you are coaching a high school football team, or refereeing a game as a volunteer, it is sobering to think that you could be hit with a $2 million lawsuit at any point in time."
As a father, I can (and will) prevent my four sons from playing tackle football. That's a family decision. I would counsel others to consider the same path, but ultimately it's not my choice.
As a taxpayer, however, I can raise an awful stink about the fiscal responsibility of the local school running such remarkable risks. Enjoyable as it may be — and I've lost my voice at dozens of high school and college games — football is not essential to education. It would be shameful if a school faced financial ruin based on a concussion lawsuit that could easily have been avoided.
Hickman noted the potential for the requested changes to essentially end football at the schools that can't afford to keep kids as safe as possible, saying a rich-poor breakdown "would be an injustice. That would be a shame."
But all the safety protocols in the world aren't going to change the essential danger of football. The helmet has not yet been invented that adequately protects the brain of the person wearing it, and the younger the player the more intense the danger — even if the game is slower and the players less strong. Brains are in danger when heads bang. Period.
We cheer these young men, knowing the danger they face. The games are hubs of activity, the teams a source of pride. But still, they are children, and their safety must be our chief concern.
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Post by dumdave on Dec 10, 2014 10:53:59 GMT -6
Good buddy of mine was a running back for Ottawa. He blew out his knee as a Soph. Never played again.
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Post by cityslicker on Dec 10, 2014 14:15:37 GMT -6
Sounds like all the more reason for the taxpayer, to not fund sports,extra curricular and non-essential activities. Just think of the money savings, no new bleachers, athletic directors,coaches, insurance. What a windfall, almost as good as the once imagined ethanol plant.
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Post by greekgod on Dec 10, 2014 14:23:02 GMT -6
Sounds like all the more reason for the taxpayer, to not fund sports,extra curricular and non-essential activities. Just think of the money savings, no new bleachers, athletic directors,coaches, insurance. What a windfall, almost as good as the once imagined ethanol plant. cityslicker, You can thank an attorney for your savings. g
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Post by OutlawwithaSnipeSniper on Dec 10, 2014 17:37:56 GMT -6
Golly, I wonder if I should sue, back then you got your "bell rung" virtually every game............
Perhaps I could retire?
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Post by roman on Dec 10, 2014 17:49:14 GMT -6
I had a concussion playing football, but did not know that I had had a concussion for many years. I was playing left end against a team that was running power sweeps. My job was simple: knock down as many blockers as I could. There came a point in the game where I realized that I had no memory of at least five minutes of the game. In those far off days, nobody knew about concussions; and I was too afraid to tell anyone about my memory loss. I always thought that I had played those missing minutes. Years later, a doctor friend explained to me that I did not play those missing minutes. Instead, I got hit in the head and had a short-term memory loss.
As much I as I love football, if I had a son today I would not encourage him to play football. None of the guys I played with in high school made it the pro level, but three guys I played with played in the Big Ten. All three have lasting problems from the game. One guy has had double shoulder replacements. Another guy has a hard time walking. The third guy has had serious back issues.
Willy, you know two of these guys.
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Post by OutlawwithaSnipeSniper on Dec 10, 2014 20:05:15 GMT -6
That's the same reason I asked my kid not to play.
Though Greek may disagree, I don't believe I suffered any lasting issues from more than 1 concussion ( knocked out cold on the field more than once ), I do suffer from joint issues and have since I was just out of HS.......
I did love the game though.
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Post by chevypower on Dec 11, 2014 0:45:34 GMT -6
Good buddy of mine was a running back for Ottawa. He blew out his knee as a Soph. Never played again. Sounds like my buddy Dave from Ottawa DD. He sure knew how too throw a party also lol
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Post by dumdave on Dec 11, 2014 10:28:55 GMT -6
Good buddy of mine was a running back for Ottawa. He blew out his knee as a Soph. Never played again. Sounds like my buddy Dave from Ottawa DD. He sure knew how too throw a party also lol His name was Dave! PM me for his last name. Don't know much about any parties. He lived w/ his older sister and bro-in-law.
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Post by toshiko on Dec 11, 2014 21:45:30 GMT -6
That's the same reason I asked my kid not to play. Though Greek may disagree, I don't believe I suffered any lasting issues from more than 1 concussion ( knocked out cold on the field more than once ), I do suffer from joint issues and have since I was just out of HS....... I did love the game though. He could play soccer, if so inclined. I wonder what the comparison of concussions from football VS. futball. I am sure, I suffer from cheerleading stunts. Knees, hips, ankles and such. I have no doubt, those things, play a part, in joint pain, concussions etc.
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Post by OutlawwithaSnipeSniper on Dec 11, 2014 22:02:35 GMT -6
Soccer SUCKS! ( at least to watch )
He was very good at Basketball, but decided not to continue, now he is into FFA....... I am just as proud.
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Post by chevypower on Dec 11, 2014 23:55:55 GMT -6
Sounds like my buddy Dave from Ottawa DD. He sure knew how too throw a party also lol His name was Dave! PM me for his last name. Don't know much about any parties. He lived w/ his older sister and bro-in-law. Actually His initials are D.D RING A BELL? He would of been pro if He kept up the game, but that little accident interfered in His life. I believe He played College football for the first two years , then got hurt.
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Post by OutlawwithaSnipeSniper on Dec 12, 2014 7:39:51 GMT -6
It's cool. Tosh likes Soccer, lots of people do. I am sorry I came on so strong last time why it is not my own particular thing. To each their own. I had a build for a lineman(BIG) but not the temperament. Last thing I wanted to do was do the double day practices and hitting people and never touching the ball. LOL, They taught you how to strip the ball from the weenie running backs and Q-back. With a bit of work, you could take it without too much trouble. I was good at it because it was the only time I could not turn the other cheek ( raised Quaker ). I took full advantage of it....
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Post by cityslicker on Dec 12, 2014 8:05:05 GMT -6
Very few made it big and a large amount have lifetime injuries to deal with. The only ones to benefit are the coaches, having being paid a stipend and the A.D. getting a large some of money for little money, at the burden of the taxpayer. There are pro teams that can fill the niche when (sports), if Streator's can be called that, when someone wants some entertainment. Trade the property tax savings, for a night out in Chicago,Indy, or St.Louis and a pro ball game.
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Post by dumdave on Dec 12, 2014 11:10:54 GMT -6
His name was Dave! PM me for his last name. Don't know much about any parties. He lived w/ his older sister and bro-in-law. Actually His initials are D.D RING A BELL? He would of been pro if He kept up the game, but that little accident interfered in His life. I believe He played College football for the first two years , then got hurt. His initials are D.R. He was a honcho running back his Fresh and Soph years at Ottawa H.S.. He blew out his knee there and never played athletics again. HS or College or Law School.
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