How does that mitigate CTE concerns though? I got to think I'll take the risks of torn ACLs, broken ankles, and 90mph projectiles over CTE and paralysis when it comes to sports.

Has any sport ever had to adapt like this? Cant think of any.

We already make a lot of different rules for youth sports compared to the higher levels. Baseball has tee ball and pitching limits. Soccer is almost certainly going to ban headers soon. Hockey doesn't allow checking at even the high school level I think.

Has any sport ever had to adapt like this? Cant think of any.

Hockey players didn't wear helmets once, "once" being the early 1990s for certain players. That's a pretty big adaptation.

Right. But arm troubles in baseball dont really belong in that group.

Soccer just has to get rid of the headers and they're all good right?


Hockey is interesting like football, too

I think arm troubles are a tolerable risk. They'll hurt your career but not your quality of life. For Rick's idea, yeah there will be people looking to football simply as a means to a more lucrative life, or even as just a job/income, but the entire league is not comprised of people who could only sustain themselves financially by playing football. The more you see people with other options, whether those options be other.sports or other professional fields, elect to not pursue football over the years, the league will begin to have problems.

Look at college football though. The amount of players across all college is still massive and that is providing a scholarship, or even a portion of a scholarship. There will always be plenty willing to play.

Chose your option:
1) Go play college football for $50k a year with a chance to make a lot more and get a college education.
2) Go work at a gas station for $9/hour.

#1 will always win, even with the potential of head trauma.

Yes but why are you excluding the third class: potential prospects who decline to pursue football any longer, go to college and get a job afterwards?

Look at college football though. The amount of players across all college is still massive and that is providing a scholarship, or even a portion of a scholarship. There will always be plenty willing to play.

Chose your option:
1) Go play college football for $50k a year with a chance to make a lot more and get a college education.
2) Go work at a gas station for $9/hour.

#1 will always win, even with the potential of head trauma.

With respect to saturation, tell me how the NBA puts on so many games during the week, and draws eyes on TV/fill seats. Obviously, they can and do. The same kind of ratings, no, but they're doing okay.

NFL is a victim of the perception their games can only run on Sunday (nevermind the Monday and Thursday franchises.) If I wanted to watch the Bool game, I'd be sitting in front of a TV many nights, "doing the same thing." Yeah? And how is this different from football junkies watching football every night? It's not.

As to the concussions, etc. Get rid of the exoskeleton-like padding, and give 'em leather helmets. People'll be less willing to dish out licks when it hurts them to do it. Or to take licks in return.

Improved technology and whatever is all bullshit . Just another way to make money by deception, just like "diet" soda .

Right. And I don't even think it's actually "improved" technology. It's the equivalent of throwing a filter on a cigarette 5 decades ago and calling it a safe alternative.

exactly if the point of all these helmet modifications is to soften or eliminate the force one feels from repeated blows to the head, then sooner or later you have to ask whether or not taking and subjecting others to repeated blows to the head in non war-zone situations is a good idea .

So, they can build walls and racecars that can do it, but they can't build a football helmet that can do it?