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Is tackle football dying?

Started by HognotinMemphis, October 06, 2017, 10:56:47 am

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HognotinMemphis

I don't want you to agree with me because you're weak. I want you to agree with me because you know I'm right.
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Suidae Suis Scrofa

I can give another example.  One of the high schools here in Fort Bend ISD in Texas only fielded one JV squad this year because of lack of participation.  They always fielded two before this year.

This is not some sort of small backwater school out in the middle of the Texas swamps.  This is one of 8 high schools in the district who play in the 6A classification, the highest in Texas high school athletics.  This is the same high school that Derrick Carr took to the state championship game 10 years ago. Since then, the school has had only one winning season:

Year     Record
2017     0-3-0
2016     1-9-0
2015     0-10-0
2014     2-8-0
2013     1-9-0
2012     1-9-0
2011     1-9-0
2010     4-6-0
2009     7-3-0
2008     3-5-0
2007     13-1-0

Concern about brain injury has certainly attributed to the diminished participation and poor record.  My friend's son was a starting LB on Clements' 2010 JV team as a freshman until he got a concussion in practice when a teammate speared him.  After a week of migraine headaches and sitting in a dark room he decided that football wasn't a long term path for him so he hung up the shoulder pads.

Clements also has a large population of Asian and Asian-Indian students, whose family's move to the school's zone for it's reputation for high academic achievement.  For a variety of reasons those students are very unlikely to play football.

Clements isn't alone in the loss of interest in football.  My son graduated from an all-boys high school in Houston this summer.  Over the four years that he was there I noticed a drop in participation in football (at the same time the soccer team did very well, they were first place in Texas last year).

I think football has seen it's heyday come and go, not just at the high school level, but at higher levels as well. Reports I've read about the bath that broadcasters are taking on buying NFL broadcast rights point to a future of smaller revenues for the NFL teams, and that will only lead to reduced motivation for future generations to strap on a helmet.

-phil

 

lstewart

Dying may be an overstatement, but it is absolutely going to see continue declines in kids playing. The brain issues and other injuries, all the other sports boys can play now in organized leagues, etc.  I think it will continue to drop over time, as more boys that did not play grow up and have families, they will be less likely to get their sons involved. Probably similar to what has happened with boxing, but on a much larger scale.

PLHawg

Only one of my boys played football (he quit after 9th grade) while my two other boys played other sports - bball, soccer, track, cross-country. Fortunately my son that played football never suffered any serious injuries the years that he played, but given what I know now I would be hard pressed to allow him to play.  What we're finding out about the long-term effects of concussions are frightening to say the least.  I think in the next ten years there's going to be a sea change when it comes to football participation, especially among the younger kids.

Hogberry Snortcake


Play rugby.  All the pain, none of the guilt. 

HF#1

Football as we know it is dying, yes. Participation in youth football is down drastically. It's even down at the HS level. More and more parents are directing their kids to play other sports. It will be a slow death.
"We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid."  <br /><br />Benjamin Franklin

Hoggish1

Quote from: Suidae Suis Scrofa on October 06, 2017, 11:22:47 am
I can give another example.  One of the high schools here in Fort Bend ISD in Texas only fielded one JV squad this year because of lack of participation.  They always fielded two before this year.

This is not some sort of small backwater school out in the middle of the Texas swamps.  This is one of 8 high schools in the district who play in the 6A classification, the highest in Texas high school athletics.  This is the same high school that Derrick Carr took to the state championship game 10 years ago. Since then, the school has had only one winning season:

Year     Record
2017     0-3-0
2016     1-9-0
2015     0-10-0
2014     2-8-0
2013     1-9-0
2012     1-9-0
2011     1-9-0
2010     4-6-0
2009     7-3-0
2008     3-5-0
2007     13-1-0

Concern about brain injury has certainly attributed to the diminished participation and poor record.  My friend's son was a starting LB on Clements' 2010 JV team as a freshman until he got a concussion in practice when a teammate speared him.  After a week of migraine headaches and sitting in a dark room he decided that football wasn't a long term path for him so he hung up the shoulder pads.

Clements also has a large population of Asian and Asian-Indian students, whose family's move to the school's zone for it's reputation for high academic achievement.  For a variety of reasons those students are very unlikely to play football.

Clements isn't alone in the loss of interest in football.  My son graduated from an all-boys high school in Houston this summer.  Over the four years that he was there I noticed a drop in participation in football (at the same time the soccer team did very well, they were first place in Texas last year).

I think football has seen it's heyday come and go, not just at the high school level, but at higher levels as well. Reports I've read about the bath that broadcasters are taking on buying NFL broadcast rights point to a future of smaller revenues for the NFL teams, and that will only lead to reduced motivation for future generations to strap on a helmet.

-phil

Sadly, you are absolutely correct.  We are watching a sport in its dying days.  Enjoy it while you can.

Hoggish1

Quote from: Hogberry Snortcake on October 06, 2017, 11:41:25 am
Play rugby.  All the pain, none of the guilt. 

and none of the concussions...

Ben

Quote from: BearsBisonsBoars on January 18, 2016, 11:06:54 pm. The four team playoff is still opinion. Or do you really think MSU was really the fourth best team in CFB?
You miss the boat.  A four team playoff is a championship.  A championship produces... a champion. You seem to be looking for the "best" team.  The "best" doesn't exist. Best does not equal champion.  Best is a myth.
Opinion polls produce... opinions.

gchamblee

If you want to make football safer, take away the facemask.

Suidae Suis Scrofa

Quote from: gchamblee on October 06, 2017, 12:34:57 pm
If you want to make football safer, take away the facemask.
I've been saying the same thing for several years.  Getting hit in the face hurts and very few people are willing to charge face first into a wall.

-phil

bphi11ips

It is morphing into a rough version of basketball.
Life is too short for grudges and feuds.

#1Fan

Quote from: gchamblee on October 06, 2017, 12:34:57 pm
If you want to make football safer, take away the facemask.
Would also eliminate those pesky facemask penalties.  ;)

 

Piggfoot

Quote from: gchamblee on October 06, 2017, 12:34:57 pm
If you want to make football safer, take away the facemask.
No,  what would make it safer would be to remove the suspension shoulder pads. You can't lead with the shoulder without leading with the head and neck.
The face protector needs to be redesigned to make it harder to grab. Eliminating it would lead to some severe orofacial injuries. Aside from that, most concussions are the result of leading with the crown of the helmet.
Hog fan since 1960. So thankful for Sam Pittman.

PorkSoda

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31to6

Quote from: Hoggish1 on October 06, 2017, 12:19:30 pm
and none of the concussions...
The concussion rate in high school and collegiate rugby is *much* higher than than football, about 5x to 6x higher.

hoghiker

Quote from: bphi11ips on October 06, 2017, 01:18:12 pm
It is morphing into a rough version of basketball.
I've thought this for a while.

hogsanity

Quote from: Piggfoot on October 06, 2017, 02:34:00 pm
No,  what would make it safer would be to remove the suspension shoulder pads. You can't lead with the shoulder without leading with the head and neck.
The face protector needs to be redesigned to make it harder to grab. Eliminating it would lead to some severe orofacial injuries. Aside from that, most concussions are the result of leading with the crown of the helmet.

Actually, all concussions result from the brain slamming into the skull. In football many of those are from either hitting the ground or hitting a leg or other part of another player. Yes, we hear about head to head contact because they are often violent hit. Concussions will never be taken out of the game.

To the OP, tackle football is not going to die as a college and professional sport, but as a rec league sport, yes it is seeing a fall off in participation because of several factors. Safety concerns being one. But just like with baseball, much of it in rec leagues is due to parents not wanting to give up their time for their kids to play. They do not want to take them to practice, or spend Saturday at the field.  So, as fewer kids play rec league, fewer will be playing in jrhs and therefore fewer in HS.
People ask me what I do in winter when there is no baseball.  I will tell you what I do. I stare out the window, and I wait for spring.

"Anything goes wrong, anything at all, your fault, my fault, nobodies fault, I'm going to blow your head off."  John Wayne in BIG JAKE

hogmolar

The 2 high school sports with the biggest decline in participation are football and girls basketball. 

Arthur pigby sellers.

Exactly why we shouldn't complain about the targeting calls and why the nfl needs to get more strict on these calls. Time to stop complaining about the wussification of football. The players still get hurt plenty as it is.

factchecker

Quote from: #1Fan on October 06, 2017, 01:31:41 pm
Would also eliminate those pesky facemask penalties.  ;)

Face-masking can be just as dangerous as targeting:

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Vantage 8 dude

Quote from: hogmolar on October 06, 2017, 03:31:32 pm
The 2 high school sports with the biggest decline in participation are football and girls basketball.
Well just maybe all the guys who have quit playing football have decided to hook up with all the gals no longer playing round ball. :P If that's the case I can understand the attraction of playing other physical "sports". ;)

elksnort

Quote from: gchamblee on October 06, 2017, 12:34:57 pm
If you want to make football safer, take away the facemask.
This is actually a very good point.

Iwastherein1969

Quote from: factchecker on October 06, 2017, 04:55:04 pm
Face-masking can be just as dangerous as targeting:


For some reason I would expect that to be AU on the side of the helmet.
The long Grey line will never fail our country.

 

Vantage 8 dude

Quote from: elksnort on October 06, 2017, 05:00:08 pm
This is actually a very good point.
I'm sure the plastic surgeons and facial reconstructive docs would totally agree.

HognitiveDissonance

I hope so.

No one should be colliding their body with another human in this manner. It, along with boxing, is barbaric.

Time for football as we know it to go.

Seebs

Quote from: HognitiveDissonance on October 07, 2017, 12:38:09 pm
I hope so.

No one should be colliding their body with another human in this manner. It, along with boxing, is barbaric.

Time for football as we know it to go.
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Hawgphish

A certain political leaning group of people are attacking all American traditions.  I would not be surprised if one day our country overuses and abuses welfare, takes prayer out of school, corporate greed diminishes the American worker, blames inanimate objects for murder, the family unit dissolves....

MissippHog

Definitely seen in Pee Wee football around here.  In Southaven there use to be 6-8 teams in each age group with 20-25 kids per team.  Now there are about 3 with 15 or so kids. 

King


[/quote]
Quote from: Hawgphish on October 07, 2017, 01:12:49 pm
A certain political leaning group of people are attacking all American traditions.  I would not be surprised if one day our country overuses and abuses welfare, takes prayer out of school, corporate greed diminishes the American worker, blames inanimate objects for murder, the family unit dissolves....

I think you may have meant to post this on Breitbart or some other message board you follow.

Nice try to make this a political issue. Someone suffering from CTE is way more likely to be dependent on welfare and social services than someone whose parents thought it was better to avoid football for other pursuits, athletic or otherwise.

Seriously what is wrong with our country that everything has to become a political issue?

Carl Lazlo


elksnort

Quote from: Vantage 8 dude on October 06, 2017, 05:08:32 pm
I'm sure the plastic surgeons and facial reconstructive docs would totally agree.
I believe the idea is that players would not lead with their heads as much.

oldfart

Quote from: elksnort on October 06, 2017, 05:00:08 pm
This is actually a very good point.
I played just as some face masks were appearing.. . you could grab one without a penalty....  never led with my face for obvious reasons......different shoulder pads too...  mid to late 50s and no...no leather helmets :)

HighcountryHog

Just drop football and pick up rugby union.  It's a better sport anyways.
no bumps, no fat chicks

houhog1967

Libtards killing football and everything else.

Dr. Starcs

Tackle football hasn't been played in Fayetteville for a few years now.

(Sorry).

leroyhawg

God Loves a Working man, dont trust Whitey and darn from Shinola. Navin

Navin Johnson

leroyhawg

Libtards are the reason for all things bad!
God Loves a Working man, dont trust Whitey and darn from Shinola. Navin

Navin Johnson

leroyhawg

SEC needs to be spending some of Sabans money on officiating!
God Loves a Working man, dont trust Whitey and darn from Shinola. Navin

Navin Johnson

leroyhawg

God Loves a Working man, dont trust Whitey and darn from Shinola. Navin

Navin Johnson

Ex-Trumpet

Do dyslexic, agnostic insomniacs lie awake at night wondering if there really is a dog?

JBucc

People don't want them or their kids to get degenerative brain disease, whodathunkit.
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LRrazorback

Yes at the university of Arkansas it's dying quickly, soon to be put down and out of its misery

root_hawg

My grandson is going to be big and I am already encouraging his parents to put him in golf