Chris Borland estimates 30 concussions, says NFL can't be saved

[MonsterD]

Long article, really interesting to see his take. He definitely will be ostracized from many businesses, coaches and people associated with football and the NFL.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/1...s-chris-borland-retirement-change-nfl-forever

 

[Nightman]

Football is here to stay.

Just sign the waiver.

14,000 High Schools
600 Colleges
32 NFL teams

 

[speedkilz88]

It seems pretty obvious to me he's got some mental issues beyond football. And going by their definition for concussions then I've had hundreds and none had anything to do with football or hitting my head for that matter.

Reminds me a lot of the OG that retired after being traded to the Broncos from Seattle. He's trying to make a comeback with the eagles now and admits he had serious drug issues. He also coincidentally played at Wisconsin.

 

[BAZ]

No doubt football will have to keep evolving to stay within the realms of what is considered decent at that time. And you will see less and less kids being allowed to play it, but as long as the money is there its going nowhere.

 

[Proximo]

A long article, no doubt. I got through most of it, but was thoroughly turned off by the part where he described the sport as a "dehumanizing spectacle that debases both the people who play it and the people who watch it". Also calling it "a spectacle of violence, for entertainment." That's a pretty high horse to climb onto, and a pretty strong insult to the league, it's members, and it's fanbase, in my opinion.

Yes, football is violent. It's the nature of the sport. Boxing and mma (which are pretty much the only other sports I closely follow outside of the NFL) are also violent. Yet when I'm spectating ANY of those sports I'm certainly not pumping my fist cheering for violence. The violence aspect is secondary to the strategy, skill, and craft that's being put on display by the participants.

Just because a sport has aspects that are violent, it doesn't mean the violence itself is the focal point for all of the viewers.

 

[JeffInDC]

Football will have a problem if more than HALF of the players (past, present, and future) develop the CTE signs becoming more common today. The fact that SO MANY MEN have played this game and are doing relatively fine in their post-NFL lives tells us what we already know - the percentage of players that have been affected is relatively low.

 

[erod]

Football will have a problem if more than HALF of the players (past, present, and future) develop the CTE signs becoming more common today. The fact that SO MANY MEN have played this game and are doing relatively fine in their post-NFL lives tells us what we already know - the percentage of players that have been affected is relatively low.

If one high school gets successfully sued for millions of dollars, you'll see school districts ban football all over the place.

And such a decision would set a precedent for many more high schools, AND COLLEGES, to be successfully sued as well. Colleges will be forced to drop the sport, too.

Then, where is the NFL going to get its players?

In this wussified and politically correct new world we seem bent on creating, unfortunately, my gut says that football is not long for this world.

 

[EST_1986]

If one high school gets successfully sued for millions of dollars, you'll see school districts ban football all over the place.

And such a decision would set a precedent for many more high schools, AND COLLEGES, to be successfully sued as well. Colleges will be forced to drop the sport, too.

Then, where is the NFL going to get its players?

In this wussified and politically correct new world we seem bent on creating, unfortunately, my gut says that football is not long for this world.

Not in Texas, they will just change the wavier when you play

 

[erod]

Not in Texas, they will just change the wavier when you play

The waiver can't protect a school if the trainer makes an judgment error or the head coach says something he shouldn't to get a kid to play.

 

[MonsterD]

If one high school gets successfully sued for millions of dollars, you'll see school districts ban football all over the place.

And such a decision would set a precedent for many more high schools, AND COLLEGES, to be successfully sued as well. Colleges will be forced to drop the sport, too.

Then, where is the NFL going to get its players?

In this wussified and politically correct new world we seem bent on creating, unfortunately, my gut says that football is not long for this world.

Businesses get sued all the time, they don't stop selling services or goods because of it, unless they go bankrupt.

 

[65fastback2plus2]

i look at it like this, anything you tie yourself to or have to put a helmet on for...you're accepting the possible injury consequences.

 

[jrumann59]

I played Football in HS for 3 years and lacrosse, played backyard football, was a daring child and I can honestly say I have had maybe 5 concussions in my almost 40 years. Is it not possible that some people are more prone to them than others. I played with a kid that had 5 concussions in season he was RB/DB I was OL/LB/DE plus played on ST.

 

[big dog cowboy]

"I don't really trust the NFL," he says.

I smell a conspiracy theory.

 

[erod]

Businesses get sued all the time, they don't stop selling services or goods because of it, unless they go bankrupt.

Schools don't.

 

[erod]

This is starting to look less like a guy who quit football for health concerns and more like a guy with a political agenda looking for a national stage to promote himself.

 

[Proximo]

If one high school gets successfully sued for millions of dollars, you'll see school districts ban football all over the place.

I'm sorry bro, but you're going out on a huge limb with that statement. If one school gets successfully sued, it'll probably be due to some type of "negligence" that could have otherwise been prevented, which would likely result in some type of change in standard protocol regarding high school football, not entire school districts just banning it instantaneously.

Think of how many high school sports have resulted in serious injury (or death) and haven't been banned.

Football's not going anywhere.

 

[Proximo]

This is starting to look less like a guy who quit football for health concerns and more like a guy with a political agenda looking for a national stage to promote himself.

Now this I agree with.

 

[MonsterD]

Now this I agree with.

Ok I am gonna bite. Why believe in the worst in people? Why not instead of some ulterior motive believe the guy was concerned about his safety? Or here is a thought, what if he eventually came to a point in his life where he was disinterested in football. I think he was shown in that ESPN piece that he had many interests and he did not need to be involved any more in the NFL lifestyle. I guess one of those interests is the research on the topic of brain injury, but really is he trying to set his sights on destroying the NFL? Does that sound reasonable from the position he is now in where he obviously gave up a lot, including a ton of money?

 

[burmafrd]

Ok I am gonna bite. Why believe in the worst in people? Why not instead of some ulterior motive believe the guy was concerned about his safety? Or here is a thought, what if he eventually came to a point in his life where he was disinterested in football. I think he was shown in that ESPN piece that he had many interests and he did not need to be involved any more in the NFL lifestyle. I guess one of those interests is the research on the topic of brain injury, but really is he trying to set his sights on destroying the NFL? Does that sound reasonable from the position he is now in where he obviously gave up a lot, including a ton of money?

none of the mediots out there deserve any benefit of the doubt at all. And this POS has a history of BS anyway.

 

[Nightman]

Just read the article and Borland seems like a hippie to me. He is a smart kid and he decided football wasn't worth it for him personally but don't act like a victim.

If he doesn't want to play fine, but don't talk about dehumanizing people and unadulterated violence. Football is a contact sport, but the violence is secondary. Sports like boxing and MMA are about knocking your opponent out. Football is about advancing against or stopping your opponent from gaining yards.

The surgeries and long term damage are terrible prices to pay but people get hurt and killed in all walks of life. The choices to play and keep playing are all voluntary and most would make the same choices even knowing the price.

Borland says he doesn't want to be part of the growing anti-football business world and doesn't want to even promote a "safe" brand of football so he limits his associations. He is definitely an interesting story and walking away from millions is a tough decision. He still owes SF 300k of his 620k signing bonus.