You mean two- and three-hundred pound men running around a field at top speed towards each other and crashing countless times over four quarters is RISKY? That playing a sport requiring its players to WEAR HELMETS could possibly result in permanent brain injuries or Alzheimer's later on in life? That a sport that has to have a RULE barring bounties on players for hits could possibly cause brain damage?
*crosses arms* Well, this hopelessly-addicted-to-watching-football gal just doesn't believe it.
But there's good news! Looks like I'm not alone in this, my utter disbelief. Apparently, LOTS of former NFL players and their families agree with me. I mean, they're suing the NFL because they say the NFL intentionally hid the dangers permanent brain injury from playing this sport they know inside and out. Now they want the NFL to pay for their medical care and monitoring for future signs of brain damage. They say the league relied on biased studies about brain injury that were self funded and presented that information to the players as fact in an effort to hide the dangers of the game from these, the PLAYERS OF THE GAME, who know it so well. I do have a question for the plaintiffs though: Would any of you play football in the NFL without a helmet? No, right? But why?
BECAUSE FOOTBALL IS DANGEROUS!!!!
Every single one of you knows this when you first start playing the game! I know that if my nephew gets out there on the field we're just going to have to buckle our seat belts and monitor our blood pressure. Those of you who had both parents at home remember the argument they had when they discussed you playing football and how your mother freaked out at the thought of you getting hurt out there. Think she was worried for nothing? You are all made aware of the rules and the dangers of getting hit, you're even taught how to hit properly to avoid injuring yourself (Troy Polamalu did NOT listen, clearly). You get an extra ten, twenty pounds of padding to put on, not because the game is so safe, BUT BECAUSE YOU COULD GET HURT OTHERWISE!!
Let me ask another question: How many of you are ready to sue the NFL because of that achy joint or bone every time it gets cold because of that injury you got on the field? No one? But why?
INJURIES ARE PART OF THE GAME!! Yes, even brain injuries.
Now I realize that a lot of you aren't the sharpest tools in the shed to begin with. No one's fooled, we know a lot of you did very little of your own schoolwork, especially in college. But this is basic common sense. Of course, judging by the number of you that don't have enough common sense not to blow away $50 million dollars in less than ten years, I realize asking some of you to embrace common sense may be a bit much to ask. I wonder how much of this lawsuit IS about the fact that in 2009, Sports Illustrated estimated that 78% of you are bankrupt within TWO YEARS of retirement.
Wrapping your head around THAT can cause permanent brain damage!
That aside, take responsibility for your own personal safety and health. You can get a degree and do something besides play a sport that requires pads and a helmet for safety. There are other ways to make lots of money that don't involve putting your health and the security of the families you may have at risk. If you're that concerned about football, I encourage you to try something else. Don't blame the NFL for letting you play, most of you would have played no matter the cost so this lawsuit seems not only ridiculous, but pointless at that.
Now...is it September yet?
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