Bruce Arians calls out your mama

[erod]

This was a classic f-bomb-laden rant by Bruce Arians, and I thought it worthy of the Fan Zone because it affects all of us, the game we love, and our sacred Cowboys front and center.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/1...-cardinals-moms-afraid-let-sons-play-football

"We feel like this is our sport. It's being attacked, and we got to stop it at the grass roots," he said. "It's the best game that's ever been ******* invented, and we got to make sure that moms get the message, because that's who's afraid of our game right now. It's not dads, it's moms."

He said a whole lot more about how concussions are being wildly over-exaggerated, may be true to an extent, but not his extent.

Still, you can feel a palpable concern from Jerry Jones, Arians, Irsay, and others, who are greatly concerned about the future of football and the pipeline of free talent development from the high schools and colleges.

Football could be going the way of our military, where now only the poorest people with the fewest choices are signing up for the most part.

 

[robjay04]

Football could be going the way of our military, where now only the poorest people with the fewest choices are signing up for the most part.

Most players dont exactly come from money today.

As far as the point, I haven't seen any statistics in anything showing any decline in the popularity of the sport. The thing I worry most about is the NFL being forced to take more and more safety measures to the extent where we don't even recognize the game. Maybe it's because the Cowboys were losing but I felt like the quality of the sport was down last season.

 

[TheCount]

Most players dont exactly come from money today.

As far as the point, I haven't seen any statistics in anything showing any decline in the popularity of the sport. The thing I worry most about is the NFL being forced to take more and more safety measures to the extent where we don't even recognize the game. Maybe it's because the Cowboys were losing but I felt like the quality of the sport was down last season.

What makes you say the quality was down?

 

[Direwolf63]

I think one of the concerns the NFL has is more and more players retiring early because of fear of concussions. The more players who give up the game early (and there will be more), the more the message goes out to society in general that the game is not safe. That will affect the game going into the future.

It's probable not affecting the game today, but over the long term, the NFL has a problem it needs to deal with. Maybe that's what Arians was getting at.

 

[robjay04]

I think one of the concerns the NFL has is more and more players retiring early because of fear of concussions. The more players who give up the game early (and there will be more), the more the message goes out to society in general that the game is not safe. That will affect the game going into the future.

Maybe but it could just become the new norm. I think one of the reasons we see people retiring early is just the amount of money they make. Football players used to not make as much as they do today. Megatron has enough money, he doesn't have to go through the stress of the season or watch him decline to the point where teams don't want him anymore and he is forced to retire (see Andre Johnson).

What makes you say the quality was down?

I just felt like the game paused way too much. Like I said, if the Cowboys were 12-4 instead of 4-12, I very well may not feel that way.

 

[cowboyblue22]

i feel like the quality of the game changed some time ago to me its now more about entertainment that it is a football game. Money and how much they all make is the number one goal.

 

[LittleD]

This was a classic f-bomb-laden rant by Bruce Arians, and I thought it worthy of the Fan Zone because it affects all of us, the game we love, and our sacred Cowboys front and center.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/1...-cardinals-moms-afraid-let-sons-play-football



He said a whole lot more about how concussions are being wildly over-exaggerated, may be true to an extent, but not his extent.

Still, you can feel a palpable concern from Jerry Jones, Arians, Irsay, and others, who are greatly concerned about the future of football and the pipeline of free talent development from the high schools and colleges.

Football could be going the way of our military, where now only the poorest people with the fewest choices are signing up for the most part.

It's called a choice... No one has to sign up for the Military and no one has to play football or other sports.
There is always crab fishing in the bering sea or gold mining in Alaska.

 

[Cowboys22]

He's somewhat wrong. It's not just moms, it's dads to. I won't let my son play football. Let me first say he doesn't even want to because he's a 12 month a year baseball player. I played football in high school and have friends that coach youth football and I have always thought that no matter what two teams are on the field, there's at least one kid looking to hurt someone and there's usually a lot of adults behind him waiting to congratulate him for doing so. Watching Friday Night Tykes just solidifies my belief. Show after show has adults telling 10 and 11 year olds to go out and knock someone's head off or proclaiming their team is going to punish their opponent and make them hurt. They seem to not realize or care that the other kids are someone else's child. I know football can be a very brutal sport but it doesn't have to be and shouldn't be at the youth level. There is no way I'm putting my kid out there when you've got coaches and parents thinking their kid can earn a college scholarship at age 10 by laying out a kid that weights 40-50 pounds less then they do. I have a lot of friends/dads that feel the same way. A kid on my son's baseball team is the best 9U QB in the area and got knocked out of the championship game with a concussion. They had given the other team their only defeat during the season and the other team responded by purposely going after him on every play and even hitting him numerous times after the play was over. His parents say he will never play again because you just can't trust what others are teaching their kids. I applaud anyone and everyone that loves football and thinks this thinking is overblown and keeps their kids in the game. That means there will always be an NFL to watch but I would not be willing to risk my kid's well being on the football field.

 

[Denim Chicken]

NFL needs to admit there is an issue (which they have to some extent).

Then they need to let players know that you play at your own risk. It's just like any other high risk job--police officer, military, fisherman, etc...

 

[LittleD]

NFL needs to admit there is an issue (which they have to some extent).

Then they need to let players know that you play at your own risk. It's just like any other high risk job--police officer, military, fisherman, etc...

Absolutely, just make sure you show them the video of vicious smash hits and the few players who have been paralyzed by those hits and
then have them sign a complete waiver of responsibility on the part of the Team and the NFL if they get hurt. The player should then
take out an insurance policy to cover them if they choose to sign that contract to play. They have the money.

 

[Cowboys22]

NFL needs to admit there is an issue (which they have to some extent).

Then they need to let players know that you play at your own risk. It's just like any other high risk job--police officer, military, fisherman, etc...

I agree. I think the NFL should make players sign a waiver before becoming eligible for the draft that says they are fully aware of all the risks associated with playing football and waive all rights to sue any team, coach, player, or the league for any injury suffered during the normal course of playing or practicing. No one has a right to play in the NFL. It is a privately owned business which I think has the right to protect itself. They should do everything feasible to limit injury while maintaining the essence of the game but once that is done, you play and make millions at your own risk.

 

[DoctorChicken]

I love Bruce Arians.

 

[DandyDon1722]

He's somewhat wrong. It's not just moms, it's dads to. I won't let my son play football. Let me first say he doesn't even want to because he's a 12 month a year baseball player. I played football in high school and have friends that coach youth football and I have always thought that no matter what two teams are on the field, there's at least one kid looking to hurt someone and there's usually a lot of adults behind him waiting to congratulate him for doing so. Watching Friday Night Tykes just solidifies my belief. Show after show has adults telling 10 and 11 year olds to go out and knock someone's head off or proclaiming their team is going to punish their opponent and make them hurt. They seem to not realize or care that the other kids are someone else's child. I know football can be a very brutal sport but it doesn't have to be and shouldn't be at the youth level. There is no way I'm putting my kid out there when you've got coaches and parents thinking their kid can earn a college scholarship at age 10 by laying out a kid that weights 40-50 pounds less then they do. I have a lot of friends/dads that feel the same way. A kid on my son's baseball team is the best 9U QB in the area and got knocked out of the championship game with a concussion. They had given the other team their only defeat during the season and the other team responded by purposely going after him on every play and even hitting him numerous times after the play was over. His parents say he will never play again because you just can't trust what others are teaching their kids. I applaud anyone and everyone that loves football and thinks this thinking is overblown and keeps their kids in the game. That means there will always be an NFL to watch but I would not be willing to risk my kid's well being on the football field.

Lots of truth in this and good insight from a football perspective. I can only add this from a different sport.

I officiated college basketball for a long time and I could be in an arena with 17,000 drunk fraternity kids yelling the most vile things at me and I loved every minute of it. But when I started I was doing 13 year-old girls and boys games on a Saturday afternoon at a junior high school gym and I was scared to death.

I had fathers following me out to the parking lot wanting to kick my *** because I cost their team a win. God forbid they teach their kids to take responsibility for a loss and make more free throws or play better defense.

I have always had a good and respectful rapport with players and coaches my entire career but I will never...ever step into another kids gym the rest of my life because of parents.

Ever.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

This was a classic f-bomb-laden rant by Bruce Arians, and I thought it worthy of the Fan Zone because it affects all of us, the game we love, and our sacred Cowboys front and center.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/1...-cardinals-moms-afraid-let-sons-play-football



He said a whole lot more about how concussions are being wildly over-exaggerated, may be true to an extent, but not his extent.

Still, you can feel a palpable concern from Jerry Jones, Arians, Irsay, and others, who are greatly concerned about the future of football and the pipeline of free talent development from the high schools and colleges.

Football could be going the way of our military, where now only the poorest people with the fewest choices are signing up for the most part.

True that modern-day football and basketball have and are attracting "the poorest people with the fewest choices," albeit with athletic talent. But the monied set is the one watching, and that is all that matters to the NFL money counters.

 

[Hoods]

I agree. I think the NFL should make players sign a waiver before becoming eligible for the draft that says they are fully aware of all the risks associated with playing football and waive all rights to sue any team, coach, player, or the league for any injury suffered during the normal course of playing or practicing. No one has a right to play in the NFL. It is a privately owned business which I think has the right to protect itself. They should do everything feasible to limit injury while maintaining the essence of the game but once that is done, you play and make millions at your own risk.

You think this isn't already in place?

 

[erod]

Imagine the NFL without Romo, Brady, Brees, Eli, Wilson, Rodgers, RG3, and other players from middle class and affluent backgrounds.

Parents are making different decisions these days.

 

[Future]

What makes you say the quality was down?

25 of 32 teams in the league are terrible. The refs are awful. There are rules that nobody knows how to interpret. There are probably only 10 capable QBs in a QB-driven league. Defensive players are scared to hit anybody. The salary cap punishes teams who draft well. Owners are driven by lowering their bottom line and increasing profits, which really has nothing to do with winning.

That a good start?

 

[JIMMYBUFFETT]

Sorry Bruce, but I'm a father with a son who plays high school football. I worry every time he steps on the field. It's not just moms, it's anybody with a brain that worries about their child getting hurt. Maybe if your kid played anything besides kicker and you didn't wear that fruity hat you'd have a different perspective.

 

[plymkr]

Arians better not say nothing about my mama!

If he does I'll blog him into submission.

 

[erod]

25 of 32 teams in the league are terrible. The refs are awful. There are rules that nobody knows how to interpret. There are probably only 10 capable QBs in a QB-driven league. Defensive players are scared to hit anybody. The salary cap punishes teams who draft well. Owners are driven by lowering their bottom line and increasing profits, which really has nothing to do with winning.

That a good start?

Can I get an AMEN!