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Dan LeBatard thinks we are bad people for watching football

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If you feel weird cheering for football then you feel weird for cheering for football. We don't need some arrogant, sanctimonious self annointed hero judging and defining anyone who doesn't.
 
I thought he made a lot of good points. He did say he was a cynic. Even in this forum there have been countless threads about the hypocrisy of the NFL. Players are aware of many of the points he made (i.e. Sherman). The technology statement is spot on. The whole armed forces theme was a total farce. Games taking longer and longer to squeeze in more and more commercials.

He's just pointing out some realities about the game and society. I didn't take it as people that watch are bad people at all.
Game IS addictive to watch. I admit to being addicted. How many times have we made fun of posters that claim they will stop watching or boycotting.

It's complicated. By the way, never watch the guy.
 
Never go full Lebretard
 
Garbage TV show host has garbage take. Garbage thread has posters making garbage "I feel bad, but I still watch" posts.


Seems appropriate.
 
There's this inherent assumption that every current/potential football player is 100% aware of the risks they are taking when they starting playing, and that's a false assumption.

Sit each of these guys down, show them the evidence regarding head trauma and CTE, and get them to genuinely internalize that IF they get CTE (which is a big 'if'), they will end up mentally and emotionally spiraling and dying relatively young, and you'll see participation drop.

I get that CTE doesn't occur in every player who plays the game of football. But when it does occur it's a crippling death sentence, and I don't think enough people have truly grasped that reality yet.

Do I enjoy the game and will I continue to watch? Yes. But is there some part of me that feels guilty for financially supporting a game that is robbing a handful of players of their lives? Absolutely.

This isn't a binary situation; we can enjoy the game, continue to consume it, and want to see it persist in some form, and still acknowledge the CTE-situation, which is highly problematic to say the least.

Yeah, it's naive as **** to assume the people who enter these players' lives as early as high school are giving them all the info to make their own decisions without any agenda. They're being pushed in certain directions by coaches, family, friends, fans, scouts, even agents. Sure, they can say no, but do you remember being young? It's very easy not to worry about the future when millions of dollars, or even just thousands of dollars, are promised, and people (often in positions of power and influence) are telling you to go one way or the other.

It goes both ways, too. I don't think I necessarily believe in parents forbidding their kids from playing football. They should just be frank about the situation and tell them straight up it could shorten their lives if they played long enough. Kind of scary to tell kids, but it's true. If someone disagrees with that, we're not going to make much progress in a discussion.

I'm not going to boycott the NFL but the "these are grown men" position is hilariously stupid.
 
Maybe that just makes me an "icky" person.

Well you've got plenty of company down here in the ick. Now if you can get past the way the SJW's have made you feel long enough to pass me a cold one I'd 'preciate ya.
 
Watch? I’d happily sign up to play right now in exchange for taking a few years off the backside. You want 86-89? Take ‘em. Please. Easy call.
 
Garbage TV show host has garbage take. Garbage thread has posters making garbage "I feel bad, but I still watch" posts.


Seems appropriate.
Typically smug poster posts typically smug post.
 
Another classic holier than thou figurehead that feels they are a beacon of enlightenment on not only their specific field, but also on anything they choose to discuss in terms of society and life in general. All too common these days on ESPN and other media outlets. Thank god for people like him who can tell all of us how we should feel..
 
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Yeah, it's naive as **** to assume the people who enter these players' lives as early as high school are giving them all the info to make their own decisions without any agenda. They're being pushed in certain directions by coaches, family, friends, fans, scouts, even agents. Sure, they can say no, but do you remember being young? It's very easy not to worry about the future when millions of dollars, or even just thousands of dollars, are promised, and people (often in positions of power and influence) are telling you to go one way or the other.

It goes both ways, too. I don't think I necessarily believe in parents forbidding their kids from playing football. They should just be frank about the situation and tell them straight up it could shorten their lives if they played long enough. Kind of scary to tell kids, but it's true. If someone disagrees with that, we're not going to make much progress in a discussion.

I'm not going to boycott the NFL but the "these are grown men" position is hilariously stupid.
The National institute for Occupational Safety and Health study found NFL players live longer than the average man and there have been studies that show NFL players have lower suicide rates - obviously there are health risks to running full speed and hitting each other, but most feel the rewards are worth the risks. The big risk football poses to life expectancy seems to be related to obese linemen and not the hits.
 
Dan F'nTard ...........
 
...He got all bent out of shape when the ESPN higher-ups told their people to knock off the political nonsense and now this...
When did that happen? I don't watch Any non-MNF/NFL Live programming on the 4-letter network, so I'm kinda outta the loop there...
 
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