It's Come to This - "Is it Immoral to Watch the Super Bowl?"

Is it immoral to watch the Super Bowl?: Column (USA Today)

There is mounting evidence and public awareness that playing football is bad for your brain. And now, to dramatize the statistics and grim anecdotes about ex-players succumbing to dementia and early deaths, we have Concussion — a major Hollywood movie starring Will Smith.

But is this having any effect on our country’s passion for the fascinating, violent sport that holds our attention more than any other, by far?

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A new survey released in the run-up to the Super Bowl this Sunday suggests yes — and no. More Americans than ever before say they would not let their sons play football. Yet football remains our favorite spectator sport (it’s not even close) and there is nothing to indicate that’s about to change.

So at the same time that more and more of us would not let our own sons play, we apparently have no qualms about watching while other people’s sons risk brain damage to entertain us on the fields of the NFL.

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Impressively stupid column.

Humans also have a tough time not rubber necking at car accidents. It's in our dna. Drink, be merry and watch football.

Raise your hand if you think smashing your skull against a brick wall a couple of thousand times could be done without consequences.

Now raise your hand if you would do it for 4 million bucks.

People make choices for various reasons.

My only concern is that they are informed of the consequences.

People join the Military, Police force, Fire Dpt for a lot less money but with much higher risks . Should we stop supporting that choice as well?

Deus Irae said:

Impressively stupid column.

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Absolutely ... and that's why I posted it ...
NFL and their OCD about media control will be interesting watching them try to silence whomever they can.

Unlike years ago, I choose to turn off football games not involving the Patriots on a fairly regular basis, but it has nothing to do with the concussion issue.

It is rather the issue of the league being run by lying, dishonest, corrupt scum who seemingly are accountable to no one, at least as long as the money keeps rolling in.

Lol, call me whatever you want. I love football. Best sport in the world.

LightSkinSmurf said:

Lol, call me whatever you want. I love football. Best sport in the world.

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Clearly, you haven't watched Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling.

I agree that it is immoral for a Pats fan to watch any game not involving the Patriots or spend a dime on NFL sponsored merchandise, so long as Goodell's reign of incompetence continues.

By the time he and his band of NYJ castoffs are done, they'll ruin the product to the point where you won't want to watch it anyway.

I'm already there. Good job in making me indifferent to a sport I once loved, Fraudger*!

The argument that it is immoral to watch is misunderstanding the meaning of morality. Morality is about good versus evil, and the highest codes of conduct that guide societal behavior and choices. It includes whether something is right vs. wrong, whether something is legal or illegal, and other mores within a society. Morality is not about risk. Playing professional football is inherently risky. But so is driving an automobile, fixing your roof, or looking directly into the eyes of Roger Goodell.

Being a spectator at an event where the participants are playing voluntarily, are aware of the risks, are handsomely compensated, provided health care for their injuries now and in the future (a new development), are represented by a union that bargained for their interests, and who are provided the best safety gear the times have available, is not immoral.

I'm confident the concussion issue ultimately will be solved. Recent developments are promising:

Researchers Develop New Potential Solution to Concussions | Chicago Health

New 'Collar' Aims to Help Shield Brain From Concussion: MedlinePlus

I have not been less interested in a super bowl since the 1970s, when I was in grade school.

The Bronco's are "dead to me" as is that idiot Goodell.. so I really do not give a f... about the Superbowl.

Will probably DVR it to watch the commercials, maybe the 1/2 time show and pregame honors of Brady et al, but do not need to listen to 4 hours of the announcers, Archie and Eli all defending Peyton and his HGH use..

Tunescribe said:

I'm confident the concussion issue ultimately will be solved. Recent developments are promising:

Researchers Develop New Potential Solution to Concussions | Chicago Health

New 'Collar' Aims to Help Shield Brain From Concussion: MedlinePlus

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Sounds like a tradeoff with increased brain blood vessel ruptures.

If they show it, we will watch.

Peyton and Elway are evil so yes I agree with the premise of the column.

I'm so sick of the hand wringing that's going on with football. These guys know what they are signing up for. There are many things in life that we get enjoyment from and or benefit from by people who do things that could potentially be harmful or die from. Where's there hue and cry about the very popular MMA? Guys are getting choked out and getting their heads splattered all over the place and no one cares. How about non-sports related, everyone like their gold jewelry? how about the dangerous conditions that these miners are forced to work in to get gold so you can wear something gaudy? No one cares. The NFL is the biggest target and there are groups who want to take them down because that's the American way. It's all about shake downs and political correctness.

I don't know about just watching it, but this year it might be immoral to enjoy it.

Tony2046 said:

Raise your hand if you think smashing your skull against a brick wall a couple of thousand times could be done without consequences.

Now raise your hand if you would do it for 4 million bucks.

People make choices for various reasons.

My only concern is that they are informed of the consequences.

People join the Military, Police force, Fire Dpt for a lot less money but with much higher risks . Should we stop supporting that choice as well?

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Pretty much - the NFL's attempt to actively suppress information re: the long-term detrimental effects of football is by far the most damning part of the story IMO. If not for that, I'd be willing to write the whole thing off to some extent as nobody really knowing at the time what the ramifications were. Everyone would have been in the same boat, with players making equally as informed choices as everyone else. But as it stands, the NFL has spent years ensuring that the players weren't making informed decisions in playing, and that fans weren't making informed decisions either.

Either way, I don't think we're going to see any real effect hit the NFL for years. It'll come when the first generation of kids who are prohibited from playing football reach adulthood. I don't have any kids, but if I did I would never let them play knowing what we know now.