FOOTBALL PLAYERS DELIBERATELY CAUSING CONCUSSIONS?

January 25, 2012 at 7:32 PM · Football, Sports

FOOTBALL PLAYERS DELIBERATELY CAUSING CONCUSSIONS? I have posted several times about the dangers of concussions in football (see this post asking whether the NFL is serious about reducing concussions). Benjamin Wallace-Wells has a post on the New York magazine web site asking whether the New York Giants “strategically concussed” Kyle Williams in the conference championship game for the right to play in the Super Bowl. He has quotes from Giant players which support his suggestion, including this one:: “…we knew he had four concussions, so that was our biggest thing, was to take him outta the game.” In the event, Williams made two critical fumbles which cost his team the game. Notice that the hits on Williams may well have been lawful under the rules. Note also that the comments of the players (and in the comments on the post) show that the culture of the game is that these hits are good plays. Wallace-Wells concludes that: “a history of concussions doesn’t only make you a red flag on your team doctor’s list. It also makes you, in opposing film rooms, a target.”

3 comments

Mary Jane Schaefer January 25, 2012 at 9:15 PM

This isn’t about football. Or even sportsmanship. Well, it is about sportsmanship. But what it’s really about is how our culture has turned its back on civilization.

Dick Weisfelder January 29, 2012 at 10:29 AM

Remember the Roman arenas? Bare knuckled boxing? Such injuries were taken as natural and accepted in the past whereas we’re concerned about them.

Nick January 31, 2012 at 2:42 AM

It was my understanding that boxing gloves were to protect the puncher’s hands and not the punchee’s face. Although the nature of the sport has changed significantly, with licensing and fights that don’t go literally dozens of rounds.

Although I’m generally with Dick that society now is not any worse than it ever was, and in many ways it is more “civilized.” That was part of what I enjoyed so much about “TIMELINE” and how modern ideas of “chivalrous knights” are romanticized and incorrect.