Concussion - Watching NFL? Remember, Football Causes Brain Damage!
- Thread starter Marter
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Uh oh, you referred to Rey, get ready!
Anyway, I love watching football and have for most of my life. However, the NFL, like most of the organizations behind these sports, is not actually that popular, fans of the NFL usually have no qualms about criticizing it. While trying to cover up the issue was indeed wrong and largely indefensible, the NFL also kept using those wicked head-to-head spear-hits in their promotional material. The NFL always thrived as being the most violent game around, and that continues to be part of its appeal (though many people treat it more like Dungeons & Dragons these days). It wasn't just them protecting their precious monies, though that was a huge part of it, but if they accepted Omalu's assertions it would mean having to make football less violent, something they've never really done before since the beginning.
In some ways the main concern for me now lies in college football and below, obviously many of those kids don't really know about the risks and certainly aren't making millions of dollars to justify it.
Anyway, I love watching football and have for most of my life. However, the NFL, like most of the organizations behind these sports, is not actually that popular, fans of the NFL usually have no qualms about criticizing it. While trying to cover up the issue was indeed wrong and largely indefensible, the NFL also kept using those wicked head-to-head spear-hits in their promotional material. The NFL always thrived as being the most violent game around, and that continues to be part of its appeal (though many people treat it more like Dungeons & Dragons these days). It wasn't just them protecting their precious monies, though that was a huge part of it, but if they accepted Omalu's assertions it would mean having to make football less violent, something they've never really done before since the beginning.
In some ways the main concern for me now lies in college football and below, obviously many of those kids don't really know about the risks and certainly aren't making millions of dollars to justify it.
Football has always been a violent sport, and it's been constantly being made less violent over the centuries as medical issues continue to rise. Of course, it's always met fierce resistance from the organization leaders. The first round of violence-nerfs to the sport were driven when President Theodore Roosevelt (Of all presidents!) threatened to ban it if they didn't tone it down.
This movie is a skip for me. I have already seen the documentary on this subject. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/league-of-denial/
Concussion in football is a lot like smoking. Even if you don't know the science, you really have to be in denial that either activity would not pose any health risk to you. So, my violin of sympathy is very small for people who are complaining about concussions playing football.
Concussion in football is a lot like smoking. Even if you don't know the science, you really have to be in denial that either activity would not pose any health risk to you. So, my violin of sympathy is very small for people who are complaining about concussions playing football.
About all you can ask for with these indignant biopics is that they don't cram in a complete lie of a happy ending like Erin Brockovich did. It's not going to make them any better to watch but a least they don't poison their didactism by actually deceiving. The truth is bad enough.
I'm confused by the review treating CTE like this big, unknown thing that this movie casts light on. I have cousins that played high school football just a year ago in Mississippi, one of the most football loving states in the country, and in a gung-ho football family. Like, as much blind enthusiasm for football as you can get. Even they knew about CTE, and the school treated concussions very seriously. If it's a secret, it's an open one.
Is that why nobody is crying foul over rugby? I'd wondered.ravenshrike said:
Interestingly enough, rugby has higher incidents of CTE than the NFL. So, yay Australia?Scytail said:
That's... not rocket science. It's a high-contact sport with lots of violent personal interaction and there are some people who don't think that that could be negative in the long run in any way?
Also yes, Rey is an unrealistic Mary Sue whereas it's easier to see actual people in this role or at least to support ideals - I know a couple of people that just drip sugar from their veins, they're so sweet and saintly and good to everyone but at least they aren't good at everything they touch. So yes, I think the term might be a tad misused in this case since martyr-esque Jesus types DO exist, but without all the cliche super powers.
Wait, were we talking about football? Hey, did you know football can cause concussions? It's like super a big deal but the NFL doesn't like people knowing about it--
Also yes, Rey is an unrealistic Mary Sue whereas it's easier to see actual people in this role or at least to support ideals - I know a couple of people that just drip sugar from their veins, they're so sweet and saintly and good to everyone but at least they aren't good at everything they touch. So yes, I think the term might be a tad misused in this case since martyr-esque Jesus types DO exist, but without all the cliche super powers.
Wait, were we talking about football? Hey, did you know football can cause concussions? It's like super a big deal but the NFL doesn't like people knowing about it--
It's very surprising to me that people neglect to appreciate that permanent brain damage from concussions was originally understood from boxing. It doesn't take a doctor or researcher - just one look at the glazed faces of long-time boxers tells the truth.
But it's kind of irrelevant, and in fact the damage is just part of the fun, in the same sense that people watch car races for the crashes. A necessary facet of warriors is to hurt and be hurt, or kill and be killed, and sports derive from war. They may be the "kind cousin" with less fatalities, but the family resemblance ensures a certain lack of protection.
We could delve into why in the "old days" people used to have picnics at battlegrounds, why hangings drew crowds, why gladiatorial arenas filled the seats, contrasting this against the modern era of unwatched industrial slaughter of the poor while we seek to protect and continue to eagerly watch the modern gladiators.
It's a class division, marked strongly by the connection between poverty and entry into gladiatorial participation or armed combat, true everywhere in the world, from the child soldiers of embattled regions (none of whom are wealthy) to the very large representation relative to their population of African-Americans in American gladiatorial sports and the American military.
But it's kind of irrelevant, and in fact the damage is just part of the fun, in the same sense that people watch car races for the crashes. A necessary facet of warriors is to hurt and be hurt, or kill and be killed, and sports derive from war. They may be the "kind cousin" with less fatalities, but the family resemblance ensures a certain lack of protection.
We could delve into why in the "old days" people used to have picnics at battlegrounds, why hangings drew crowds, why gladiatorial arenas filled the seats, contrasting this against the modern era of unwatched industrial slaughter of the poor while we seek to protect and continue to eagerly watch the modern gladiators.
It's a class division, marked strongly by the connection between poverty and entry into gladiatorial participation or armed combat, true everywhere in the world, from the child soldiers of embattled regions (none of whom are wealthy) to the very large representation relative to their population of African-Americans in American gladiatorial sports and the American military.
just want to point out that 90% of this movie was a flat out lie, and the other 10% highly sensationalized. seriously go look up what the movie talked about and youll see why the documentary's on this subject are a far better use of your money.Marter said:
Not only is it yet another "issues" movie in a season of them, but it's Will Smith's "this time for sure!" role to getting an Oscar. The more obvious it is these guys pander to the Academy, the less prestigious these award shows feel.