Unconquered

Yes, I think we have seen the high point for football.
My son is 10 and will not be allowed to play football even if he wanted to. The data coming out about concussions and football is downright scary. But the truth is, even though he and I watch college football together, he has little interest in participating. Swimming, soccer and skiing are his passions at the moment. He is playing baseball, but it is really about playing with his school buddies and a little off of the high of winning the championship here last year [he scored the winning run in the bottom of the 6th and final inning!]. Baseball is a dying sport up here with the total numbers down 35% in the last 4 years! We live in the Red Sox footprint and if it is dying here it is probably dying all over.

Lacrosse is getting popular up here and soccer is fairly popular, swimming is growing up here [for local reasons] and was huge in St. Petersburg where we use to live. Basketball is fairly popular too. HS Football still gets a lot of media attention up here, but you get the feeling it's just that small town thing for it. We live in the mountains so skiing gets much attention with a couple of locals on the US Olympic team and a couple more with a chance to make it.

I think that the options have gotten so wide for kids now, that the hold the traditional sports had on them has disappeared. Sign of the times!

Also I heard that the TV ratings for football, both college and pro were down last year. It all points to a gradual decline in popularity. That is not necessarily a bad thing, just an inevitable process.

Supposedly LaCrosse is the fastest growing team sport, and Fencing is the fastest growing individual sport among youths age 6-12.

My daughter is 9, she is into running (does her school run club, and does 1 mile fun runs when i go to do a 5 or 10k) and swimming.

You guys are right, a lot of options for kids.

I believe football is not on the decline but the way the game will be played will look totally different than it does currently. The rules will change drastically through more medical research observing the level of damage distributed to the body over a NFL and college career. For example of a rule change, I've heard to limit concussions, that offensive and defensive lineman will no longer line up in a three-point stance instead, will line up as sumo wrestlers going body to body not leading with their head. Another suggestion is to take away the helmet. That's crazy, right? Well, these players feel invincible with all their equipment thus leading to wreckless playing habits. If there were not any equipment advancement like we have seen then football would go back to the basics of wrapping up on tackles and "hit what you see, see what you hit" (love that quote when Spielman says it on a Saturday morning). Football will look more like rugby, which is not a bad thing, but the game needs to make changes before our beloved government gets involved.

Soccer is already replacing it in many communities. Much cheaper, and far less dangerous of a sport. Like it or not, we live in a heavily litigious society, where the cost of doing business is increasingly egregious due to the ever increasing insurance premiums companies must carry to defend themselves against plaintiffs. Even if you win, you lose time and money defending yourself. Yes. Tackle football is very much on the decline. Especially at the lower, or "feeder" levels. This NFL lawsuit could bring down the league if the right "sympathetic" judge - probably a woman is assigned to and adjudicates the case. I know the league will of course appeal, but the money and time lost in fighting this will be astronomical. It'll be like the unions driving manufacturing out of states and overseas, Not immediately, but within most of our lifetimes. I agree with the poster above, that the game will be played as, and look much different than it does now.

Laura, I respect you and somewhat - the legal profession. However. I have been on the receiving end of what turned out to be a very frivilous lawsuit. The woman and her lady attorney shopped around for a judge that they felt would be sympathetic to their cause and came after my family and my business looking for an easy payday. I beat them, but it cost me weeks of time and about $25,000.00 in total fees - not to mention time spent in depositions, court, et., al. - that could have been spent running my businesses, paying my employees and of course a whole lotta buncha taxes. My attorney (after depositing my checks), told me well over half of all suits play out like this. That is why many companies choose to settle out of court.

NFL guys complaining about this stuff can cry me a river.

football is a dangerous sport full of violent impacts from big, fast dudes. no sh*t. thank you captain obvious. no one is making them play it, it's their choice. oh and by the way, they're making millions upon millions to play as well. worried about how things will go for you physically down the road? get out and get a real job like 99.9% of the rest of the country then. this is what you signed up for.

parents obviously have the right to decide if their children can/should play. but football teaches youths so many things. it's the ultimate team sport, teaches discipline and hard work can help you achieve your goals, and many other things. if/when i have a son, he'll play as long as he wants to.

They have flag football there? Might be an option, and it is good to refine younger kids skills.

Don't get me wrong. I LOVE Tackle Football, and also want as much protection for the participants as reasonably possible. However - it IS a violent contact sport and as such engenders physical injury. I agree with you Bushido, for now working on the physical development and maturation of your son is probably right thought and action at his young age.

I don't know what the answer is, but I feel certain it is NOT a class action lawsuit against the owners - who pay ALL the frickin' bills. Too bad the old guys were not paid as much at the guys playing now. Luck of the draw. Owners are even now contributing to their pension fund. Anyone know how much - if one red cent - is being stumped up by current players and their association?

I will say no more.

Pop Warner football is heavily regulated and kids can only play with kids of similar age/weight.

In 10 years of coaching Pop Warner, I had one kid break his leg. He did it playing soccer at school during lunch.

Start him at 7 and enjoy the little bobble head. No kid that little has gotten hurt playing football that I'm aware of. They simply don't move fast enough, or are big enough to cause damage.

Every occupation has its hazards.

Heading a soccer ball that came off the foot of the strongest kickers in the world can't be all that great for your brain.

If it isn't one thing, it's another. I know doctors who are stressed beyond belief, and attorneys that struggle to pay their modest bills and they're stressed beyond belief as well.

We do a little too much whining.

I respectfully disagree with one or two of your points.

I understand you are a football coach of some duration, and as such are far more experienced with all types of sports related injuries than most of us - me for sure as regards to football. I find it a bit hard to believe soccer has a higher rate at the young levels. I coach that myself and have yet to see much beyond a sprained ankle or bruise in 6 years. One broken wrist is about the worst.

I also think the NFL lawsuit is funny per se, however, all it takes is one loss and the floodgates open. I certainly don't want this to happen, but with family members for lawyers, and having had to negotiate through the legal system as a businessman, it at best is arduous and at worst can be extremely costly.

Jr. Seau was one of the top players at his position and for sure extremely aggressive. I believe his suit and others are all about getting paid from deep pockets.

We have about 15-20% black athletes on our soccer team, and that percentage bears out through our YMCA youth leagues. We're trying to recruit more and hope to continue our admittedly marginal success - so far.

I agree with your last paragraph for all the reasons you cite.

Good to have you back posting here by the way.

I spent over 10 years working in litigation as a non-lawyer and every lawsuit I saw both parties ended up unhappy, and traumatized by the system even the ones that won millions. I wouldn't advise litigation for my worse enemy.
Now I haven't read the complaint from the suit just filed against the NFL, but I bet it claims this:
NFL knew about the severity of head injuries the players were receiving
Despite this knowledge they lied to or by omission did not inform the players of what they knew
The NFL could have made small changes to the equipment to avoid these injuries
The NFL could have made small changes to the rules to avoid these injuries
Instead, they made changes to the rules that increased its entertainment value, enriching ownership while the players maimed themselves.

Now whether that flies will depend upon what a jury thinks, not necessarily what a judge thinks. I think there is plenty there to get it to trial if the NFL doesn't settle.
Just my opinion.
We are going to see some studies of HS level football players come out soon. Should be interesting.....