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Post by davishfc on Jan 30, 2013 19:12:22 GMT -6
I am a high school football coach. I just don't think that CTE is a high school issue and I worry that it could destroy all of football. I believe that football releated CTE is from professionals for threereasons. They play from 15-35. That is twenty years. They play against better and better competition. Their seasons get longer and longer. The average high school player plays from age 15-18 against other high school players. I agree. I'll be the first to say this game is a "continue to play at your own risk" sport. I played all four years at the high school and college level and looking back I was fortunate only to sustain a broken fibula and a separated shoulder. The broken fibula occurred in the second to last game of my junior year in high school. The separated shoulder occurred midway through my junior year of college and I only missed the remaining half of the game and was back the next week. I was never diagnosed with a concussion but I know of one instance that I'm sure that I had one in high school. I was very lucky to make it out with so few injuries. Many of my teammates at both levels could not say the same. So these guys who play for numerous years into the pros cannot possibly be surprised if they are diagnosed with any of the conditions associated with prolonged head trauma. Of course they are getting paid a lot of money for their football skills. Now they know due to continued research and media coverage that they are also getting paid to sacrifice their health in both the short and long term. Money or health? That's the predicament they're in.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 30, 2013 19:21:09 GMT -6
Hmm...I've been called worse...
Duece
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Post by davishfc on Jan 30, 2013 19:24:32 GMT -6
Certainly wouldn't provide any more insight than the research to base his decision on. No experience to reflect on to see the value of the game of football. "No experience"...classic!!! Duece No football experience. Unless we count the National Champions and Super Bowl Champions visiting the White House after each season.
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Post by davishfc on Jan 30, 2013 19:38:50 GMT -6
I have had all my kids in Riddell Speeds or above for three years. No concussions at all. Really? None at all? Or none reported to the coaching staff? Even Riddell says they "reduce" not "eliminate" concussions.
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Post by fantom on Jan 30, 2013 21:58:57 GMT -6
I have had all my kids in Riddell Speeds or above for three years. No concussions at all. Really? None at all? Or none reported to the coaching staff? Even Riddell says they "reduce" not "eliminate" concussions. I don't find that unusual. We've had a lot of years with no concussions.
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Post by silkyice on Jan 30, 2013 22:27:13 GMT -6
I have had all my kids in Riddell Speeds or above for three years. No concussions at all. Really? None at all? Or none reported to the coaching staff? Even Riddell says they "reduce" not "eliminate" concussions. Nope and we have a full time trainer that is at every practice and game. If a kid has a headache or even takes a big hit with no symptoms, he will check him out. We are very cautious. I think we do a great job of keeping the head out as much as possible and chest to chest tackling. We are also much stronger and some research shows that neck and trap strength helps. But I really think the biggest difference is the new helmets.
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Post by davishfc on Jan 31, 2013 8:02:01 GMT -6
Really? None at all? Or none reported to the coaching staff? Even Riddell says they "reduce" not "eliminate" concussions. Nope and we have a full time trainer that is at every practice and game. If a kid has a headache or even takes a big hit with no symptoms, he will check him out. We are very cautious. I think we do a great job of keeping the head out as much as possible and chest to chest tackling. We are also much stronger and some research shows that neck and trap strength helps. But I really think the biggest difference is the new helmets. The following is from www.webmd.com/brain/tc/traumatic-brain-injury-concussion-overview What are the symptoms? It is not always easy to know if someone has a concussion. You don't have to pass out (lose consciousness) to have a concussion. Symptoms of a concussion range from mild to severe and can last for hours, days, weeks, or even months. If you notice any symptoms of a concussion, contact your doctor. Symptoms of a concussion fit into four main categories: - Thinking and remembering
- Not thinking clearly
- Feeling slowed down
- Not being able to concentrate
- Not being able to remember new information
- Physical
- Emotional and mood
- Easily upset or angered
- Sad
- Nervous or anxious
- More emotional
- Sleep
- Sleeping more than usual
- Sleeping less than usual
- Having a hard time falling asleep
So you mean to tell me, that at no point during the season, did your players experience any of the above symptoms for any amount of time? With all due respect, I just think that's ludicrous. We teach sound tackling technique that emphasizes the collision of the chest and front shoulder with eyes up. We train the neck and traps in the weight room. We have an athletic trainer at every practice and game. We also have a quality inventory of helmets. There is no way throughout the course of any season that I would possibly believe that none of our players would experience any of the above symptoms. There are grades of concussion and even the lowest grade with minimal symptoms that are less intense is still a concussion. The amount of recovery time will be appropriate to the determined grade of the concussion.
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Post by Chris Clement on Jan 31, 2013 8:08:47 GMT -6
But a lot of those could just be regular things for a teenager, so there's all kinds of potential for false positives that make this so much harder.
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Post by irishdog on Jan 31, 2013 8:32:01 GMT -6
So much of this is historical in nature. The game is NOT what it used to be. The players are NOT what they used to be. The coaches are NOT what they used to be. The equipment is NOT what it used to be. The RULES are NOT what they used to be. The parents are NOT what they used to be. The TIMES are NOT what they used to be!! Let's find NEW ways to deal with the changes. Let's come up with BETTER methods, processes, and procedures to make our game BETTER, and more attractive to the boys/men who continue to play the game, and to those boys/men who would like to play the game. We can no longer live in the past. Coaches are TEACHERS, and if we as coaches fail in our creativity to teach the game, we will fail the game.
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Post by wingtol on Jan 31, 2013 9:08:53 GMT -6
We have had years when there were no concussions on our team. I do not think it's out of the realm of possibility. This year for some reason we had several. To say to someone that it is ludicrous not to have a concussion during the season is ludicrous.
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Post by davishfc on Jan 31, 2013 9:19:11 GMT -6
We have had years when there were no concussions on our team. I do not think it's out of the realm of possibility. This year for some reason we had several. To say to someone that it is ludicrous not to have a concussion during the season is ludicrous. I said it was ludicrous that no players had any of those symptoms. Any of those symptoms could potentially be a concussion.
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Post by davishfc on Jan 31, 2013 9:22:02 GMT -6
I wonder if coaches who have coached at smaller schools with more two way players have a higher incidence of even lower grade concussions because their players are simply on the field for more plays than their counterparts on two-platoon teams? It's a certainly a logical thought.
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Post by davishfc on Jan 31, 2013 9:23:47 GMT -6
But a lot of those could just be regular things for a teenager, so there's all kinds of potential for false positives that make this so much harder. I understand. So on what side should you error as a coach? That's the question.
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Post by irishdog on Jan 31, 2013 9:48:52 GMT -6
RE: Concussions. It's not rocket science. The longer someone plays the game, the greater the exposure to concussive injury. It is for THAT very reason that players with a long history of playing the game MUST be using a helmet with the most recent preventative technology. They should also be prescribed for players who are on the field for long periods of time each game, over a long period time (i.e.; HS two-way starters who take almost every snap at practices, games, every season they do). I also wonder how many studies have been done with that in mind. How many players my age with a history of concussions, and now with degenerative brain disease, started playing football at an early age?
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Post by tog on Jan 31, 2013 10:19:35 GMT -6
thanks for the discussion DSQA I appreciate the intentions and thoughts in this thread. I will never lose heart for this game.
The day they kill football is the day America dies.
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Post by fantom on Jan 31, 2013 10:39:06 GMT -6
Nope and we have a full time trainer that is at every practice and game. If a kid has a headache or even takes a big hit with no symptoms, he will check him out. We are very cautious. I think we do a great job of keeping the head out as much as possible and chest to chest tackling. We are also much stronger and some research shows that neck and trap strength helps. But I really think the biggest difference is the new helmets. The following is from www.webmd.com/brain/tc/traumatic-brain-injury-concussion-overview What are the symptoms? It is not always easy to know if someone has a concussion. You don't have to pass out (lose consciousness) to have a concussion. Symptoms of a concussion range from mild to severe and can last for hours, days, weeks, or even months. If you notice any symptoms of a concussion, contact your doctor. Symptoms of a concussion fit into four main categories: - Thinking and remembering
- Not thinking clearly
- Feeling slowed down
- Not being able to concentrate
- Not being able to remember new information
- Physical
- Emotional and mood
- Easily upset or angered
- Sad
- Nervous or anxious
- More emotional
- Sleep
- Sleeping more than usual
- Sleeping less than usual
- Having a hard time falling asleep
So you mean to tell me, that at no point during the season, did your players experience any of the above symptoms for any amount of time? With all due respect, I just think that's ludicrous. We teach sound tackling technique that emphasizes the collision of the chest and front shoulder with eyes up. We train the neck and traps in the weight room. We have an athletic trainer at every practice and game. We also have a quality inventory of helmets. There is no way throughout the course of any season that I would possibly believe that none of our players would experience any of the above symptoms. There are grades of concussion and even the lowest grade with minimal symptoms that are less intense is still a concussion. The amount of recovery time will be appropriate to the determined grade of the concussion. I know the symptoms of a concussion. We had to take an online course on it. More importantly, our certified trainer knows the symptoms. We had one this year but have had several years when we didn't. Symptoms are just symptoms. They indicate that a player should be looked at. Doesn't mean that it's a concussion.
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Post by Coach Bennett on Jan 31, 2013 11:07:01 GMT -6
As for the topic "Losing our heart for a game we love," if nothing else, the potential of losing something one loves often makes their heart grow bigger; they find it so to speak.
While the NFL tries to stem the tide, there's no doubt that many in popular culture will simply dismiss this as a means to continue revenue.
If it gets to a point where the game needs to be "saved," it's going to need to be a grass-roots effort. We can all teach proper form tackling with the chest and eyes up, etc. but at the end of the day our localized instruction is going to do little in the realm of popular opinion on a national or even statewide scale.
The question is going to be what can we do as coaches to counter all the negative rhetoric in an authentic, genuine way? What can we do to make the game safer while at the same time informing our fellow citizens that our kids' interests are genuinely at heart? Are we willing to compromise aspects of the game for the sake of its survival?
The national dialog is rolling. How do we get in it so that all points are heard?
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Post by davishfc on Jan 31, 2013 11:21:38 GMT -6
The following is from www.webmd.com/brain/tc/traumatic-brain-injury-concussion-overview What are the symptoms? It is not always easy to know if someone has a concussion. You don't have to pass out (lose consciousness) to have a concussion. Symptoms of a concussion range from mild to severe and can last for hours, days, weeks, or even months. If you notice any symptoms of a concussion, contact your doctor. Symptoms of a concussion fit into four main categories: - Thinking and remembering
- Not thinking clearly
- Feeling slowed down
- Not being able to concentrate
- Not being able to remember new information
- Physical
- Emotional and mood
- Easily upset or angered
- Sad
- Nervous or anxious
- More emotional
- Sleep
- Sleeping more than usual
- Sleeping less than usual
- Having a hard time falling asleep
So you mean to tell me, that at no point during the season, did your players experience any of the above symptoms for any amount of time? With all due respect, I just think that's ludicrous. We teach sound tackling technique that emphasizes the collision of the chest and front shoulder with eyes up. We train the neck and traps in the weight room. We have an athletic trainer at every practice and game. We also have a quality inventory of helmets. There is no way throughout the course of any season that I would possibly believe that none of our players would experience any of the above symptoms. There are grades of concussion and even the lowest grade with minimal symptoms that are less intense is still a concussion. The amount of recovery time will be appropriate to the determined grade of the concussion. I know the symptoms of a concussion. We had to take an online course on it. More importantly, our certified trainer knows the symptoms. We had one this year but have had several years when we didn't. Symptoms are just symptoms. They indicate that a player should be looked at. Doesn't mean that it's a concussion. That's great that you took an online course. So did I. I believe everybody should. Symptoms are NOT just symptoms. Symptoms mean that there may be a concussion. However, as you stated a player could also show symptoms and not necessarily have a concussion. Following the proper protocol to address the possibility is the only way to know for sure. It's like cclement said, there can be false positives. But the question is "on what side do you error" as a coach? It's a tough topic no doubt.
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Post by fantom on Jan 31, 2013 11:40:31 GMT -6
>>>But the question is "on what side do you error" as a coach? It's a tough topic no doubt.<<<
At our place the coaches don't err on either side. It's strictly the trainer's call.
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Post by davishfc on Jan 31, 2013 11:52:08 GMT -6
>>>But the question is "on what side do you error" as a coach? It's a tough topic no doubt.<<< At our place the coaches don't err on either side. It's strictly the trainer's call. Trainer makes the call for us as well. I don't want the liability or responsibility. I'm just saying if coaches believe, symptoms are JUST symptoms, who gets referred to the trainer. Every kid who has a headache? We do. I do, however, believe that there are coaches who are not as cautious.
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Post by silkyice on Jan 31, 2013 12:34:16 GMT -6
>>>But the question is "on what side do you error" as a coach? It's a tough topic no doubt.<<< At our place the coaches don't err on either side. It's strictly the trainer's call. Trainer makes the call for us as well. I don't want the liability or responsibility. I'm just saying if coaches believe, symptoms are JUST symptoms, who gets referred to the trainer. Every kid who has a headache? We do. I do, however, believe that there are coaches who are not as cautious. We are the exact same. By the way, 16 years ago i had a player get what I thought was a concussion on a Monday. He went to the neurologist and had a brain scan. He was cleared to play. I was actually suprised. 11 years ago I had a kid that I suspected had a concussion and wasn't sure. He also had brain scan and was cleared by a neurologist. I wasn't suprised because of what happened 5 years earlier. 9 years ago I had a kid that was concussed, no two ways about. I wouldn't have played him if the surgeon general had said he was ok. He held out 2 weeks and then played and was fine. 5 years ago I had a kid that I susupected had a concussion. Different town but also different times. Concussion were big news. The doctor didn't think he had one but referred him to a neurologist. No problem. The neurologist never said he had a concussion. He wouldn't do a brain scan. But he also wouldn't clear him for 8 weeks. The kid lost his whole senior season. If that is what was needed to be done, fine. But I don't think that was the case, especially looking at the first three cases.
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Post by silkyice on Jan 31, 2013 13:41:00 GMT -6
Nope and we have a full time trainer that is at every practice and game. If a kid has a headache or even takes a big hit with no symptoms, he will check him out. We are very cautious. I think we do a great job of keeping the head out as much as possible and chest to chest tackling. We are also much stronger and some research shows that neck and trap strength helps. But I really think the biggest difference is the new helmets. The following is from www.webmd.com/brain/tc/traumatic-brain-injury-concussion-overview What are the symptoms? It is not always easy to know if someone has a concussion. You don't have to pass out (lose consciousness) to have a concussion. Symptoms of a concussion range from mild to severe and can last for hours, days, weeks, or even months. If you notice any symptoms of a concussion, contact your doctor. Symptoms of a concussion fit into four main categories: - Thinking and remembering
- Not thinking clearly
- Feeling slowed down
- Not being able to concentrate
- Not being able to remember new information
- Physical
- Emotional and mood
- Easily upset or angered
- Sad
- Nervous or anxious
- More emotional
- Sleep
- Sleeping more than usual
- Sleeping less than usual
- Having a hard time falling asleep
So you mean to tell me, that at no point during the season, did your players experience any of the above symptoms for any amount of time? With all due respect, I just think that's ludicrous. We teach sound tackling technique that emphasizes the collision of the chest and front shoulder with eyes up. We train the neck and traps in the weight room. We have an athletic trainer at every practice and game. We also have a quality inventory of helmets. There is no way throughout the course of any season that I would possibly believe that none of our players would experience any of the above symptoms. There are grades of concussion and even the lowest grade with minimal symptoms that are less intense is still a concussion. The amount of recovery time will be appropriate to the determined grade of the concussion. I know this is so far removed from the OP and I am being a jerk, but.... The most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. This includes new chest pain or discomfort or a change in the pattern of existing chest pain or discomfort. Other symptoms are Upper body discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or upper part of the stomach<li>Shortness of breath, which may occur with or before chest discomfort</li><li>Nausea (feeling sick to your stomach), vomiting, light-headedness or sudden dizziness, or breaking out in a cold sweat</li><li>Sleep problems, fatigue (tiredness), or lack of energy</li> Do you go get all your players checked everytime they happen to have a heart attack symptom? My guess is that heart attacks have killed a billion more people in the last 1000 years than concussions.
And by the way, our trainer does check our players everytime they have a concussion symptom. He even checks them when they don't have symptoms but were involved in a big hit.
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Post by newhope on Jan 31, 2013 14:02:52 GMT -6
Recent studies show a couple of important things: 1. The greatest danger comes from receiving a second blow to the head not long after having a concussion 2. There are a certain number of times the head is involved in contact during a season (I don't recall the number) after which the danger increases significantly.
These tell us that if we are careful to make sure that players do not play in during that period of time in which the brain is recoving from a concussion and if we limit the number of times the head is hit during the season, we can avoid most of the concussion related problems we've seen. As I said earlier, we just have to be smarter.
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Post by brophy on Jan 31, 2013 15:22:03 GMT -6
Do you go get all your players checked everytime they happen to have a heart attack symptom? My guess is that heart attacks have killed a billion more people in the last 1000 years than concussions.
And by the way, our trainer does check our players everytime they have a concussion symptom. He even checks them when they don't have symptoms but were involved in a big hit.
wouldn't that just highlight the need to support more research, though? I don't know anyone that actually has an absolute answers or solutions to the issue. Anyone that does (positive or negative) would be speaking from ignorance. There are also various factors and motivations involved in the discussion, which is why its important to explicitly state what we're talking about with the issue rather than this thread being one big dogpile "ya know what grinds my gears!?" rant. Helmets protect the skull, not necessarily the contents inside the skull....so this isn't the beginning and end to the conversation. Probably the most troubling in all this is the focus on the NFL due to the money involved, but it would stand to reason that HS and NCAA players stand to benefit the most any protection, so where is their advocate? Brain injury isn't necessarily the result of a concussion, though concussions would be evidence of it. The focus is not relegated to just preventing knockouts. We cannot discount the opportunist nature of lawsuits that look to harvest a quick payday from the fat pockets of the NFL, so there may also be influence in the discussion from that angle. However, that in itself does not discount what can happen with the brain.
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Post by coachd5085 on Jan 31, 2013 21:45:41 GMT -6
The day they kill football is the day America dies. Tog-- always respect your viewpoints, but I don't think these type of statements benefit that point of view. Football is fun, football often helps teach many great life lessons, but to think those life lessons can ONLY be taught through football is erroneous. Plus, as airman stated (even as strange as it sounds), the whole "playing for the collective good" is hardly an underlying American value.
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Post by silkyice on Jan 31, 2013 22:21:08 GMT -6
Plus, as airman stated (even as strange as it sounds), the whole "playing for the collective good" is hardly an underlying American value. I think we are misapplying some terms here. Football is a team of individuals who choose freely to play on the team they want to reach a common goal to win football games. When the team wins, the individual also gets rewards. Just like a business like Coke or whoever works together to make the most money and compete against their rivals, Pepsi. Communism applied to football would have the individuals forced to play on a team, but the team that works harder or is better has the same outcome of the other team.
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Post by Underdeveloped on Jan 31, 2013 22:33:03 GMT -6
Guys I coach in the poorest county in Missouri. I see what this "game" does for kids. Today we finished our 6th after school quickness. It started snowing right as school was dismissing so I gave an "all call" and had our kids meet at the field. Set up 7 teams and held a "open gym" type of 7 on 7. Kids competed. We broke up fights, we complained, we cried (apparently in southern MO there is crying in football), and most importantly we learned. This game teaches so many things about life, about defeat, about failure, and about ourselves. Today I witnessed the true beauty of this game and what it gives "poor kids" . The game may Change but its impact can last if we use it right.
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Post by tog on Feb 1, 2013 6:20:34 GMT -6
The day they kill football is the day America dies. Tog-- always respect your viewpoints, but I don't think these type of statements benefit that point of view. Football is fun, football often helps teach many great life lessons, but to think those life lessons can ONLY be taught through football is erroneous. Plus, as airman stated (even as strange as it sounds), the whole "playing for the collective good" is hardly an underlying American value. Team effort and forced outcome are not the same. Team effort towards a goal can still have individual rewards. We see it every year with the star qb, the d1 kid getting to go on and continue playing, the d3 kid getting to go on and continue playing. Now, while I don't agree with some of the denigration of some of the other sports talked about in this essay or some of the anti feminist angle, ( I wish there was full contact real football for girls) a lot of how I think about the positive values of football are ingrained here. theoldcoach.rivals.com/showmsg.asp?fid=421&tid=162308347&mid=162308347&sid=984&style=2Why Youth Football is Big in Texas
by Featured Guest on January 29, 2013
By AP
Tackle him. Tackle HIM! TACKLE HIM!! Run it again!
The sounds on playfields throughout Texas in late summer and fall as football coaches yell and scream at little boys. Tackle football as in full contact tackle football, it hurts football, not soccer.
Soccer is a good, fun and safe sport for boys and girls. Girls can compete with boys in soccer. Feminists love it. This is because soccer is an upper body passive sport. Boys don't develop nor require upper body muscles in soccer. Soccer is an invasive species not in the tradition of North American sports which require upper body muscle strength and coordination such as baseball, basketball, hockey and football.
I moved to Texas a few years ago from Michigan. Everybody told us about how big football is in Texas yet not one could explain why. As I sat on the sidelines watching my sons practice and play football, I began to make some observations and I would like to share a few of those. I also reached a some unique conclusions as to why football is so big in Texas. I realized the cruelest form of torture for a feminist would to be to force them to watch youth football in Texas seeing little boys grow into tough masculine young men.
Anthropologists believe the rituals of a society affirm and reinforce the values of that society. Football is a ritual which reflects Texan culture and American values.
Football is big in Texas because Texans believe football reflects the values of competition, risk and winning. The pioneer, cowboy and wildcatter spirit is alive and well in Texas. Texans believe these are good things. There is fierce and sometimes insane competition to win in Texas football culture. I never saw high school coach scandals in Michigan involving recruiting violations, falsifying grades for eligibility and pay for play. Football culture competition extends beyond the game as school bands and cheerleading in Texas is fiercely competitive. This competitive spirit is reflected in the business climate. There are few unions in Texas because it limits competition in the job market. Is it any wonder Texas at one point produced over half of the new jobs in the perpetual recession compared to the other forty-nine states? There is so much construction and economic expansion in Texas I was amazed to see heavy construction television commercial spots selling backhoes and bulldozers during the recent bowl games.
Texas youth football is a cultural shock for many little boys, even those in Texas. Most boys today have been taught to be good girls from women teachers in day care and public schools. Most boys only know women teachers and are surprised men can teach except adult men tend to shout at them. Feminists teachers discourage fierce competition preferring a nurturing, gentle, everybody wins, avoid risk, we're all the same attitude. Little boys quickly learn football is competitive zero sum game and the other boy across the line is in no mood to be nurturing. Your job is to be mean and tough to beat the other guy. It's not personal, it's just a competitive game. To the horror of feminists, there are no support groups for boys who fumble the football.
There is physical risk in playing tackle football. Feminists hate risk and football because it reeks of masculinity. They will eventually destroy football on the coasts applying the safety card. The safety card is an easy sell to an ever increasing effeminate population. Millennium parents have passively accepted restrictions forbidding playing on terrifying monkey bars, horrific games of tag, dangerous football and unfair dodge ball in public schools in the interest of safety. Feminist leaders will make decisions on risk, not parents or individuals. They will enforce their decisions through governmental regulations and it's evil twin, liability ligation. Expect many schools to be defendants in future lawsuits regarding any football injury however minor. They will drive insurance rates up trying to make the cost of a football program financially prohibitive for schools and private leagues.
Two years ago I was watching a game between the University of Michigan and Western Michigan when a thunderstorm broke out. There was severe lightning so the feminized officials at the University Michigan cancelled the game. There was identical weather at South Bend, but Notre Dame and South Florida finished their game. For 132 years, Michigan never cancelled a football game until 2011. The fans sitting in the Big House are some of the most intelligent people in the world who could have made their own decision to endure the weather conditions. Using the safety argument, feminists cancelled the game rationalizing they could be sued if someone were injured by lighting. Safety first. Besides, men have such silly football traditions such as playing in the rain and mud. (Bo Schembechler must be spinning in his grave.)
Football is big in Texas because Texans believe developing character and masculinity in boys. The future for boys is an important value in Texans. Texans want to leave a better world for their sons and grandsons. In all the years I watched youth football in Texas, I never a saw single girl play the game. I'm sure some do but only at the younger levels. Despite all the wonders of Title IX, to the best of my knowledge, there are no women playing at football at Texas, Baylor or Texas A&M much less in the National Football League.
Unlike most states, Texans form many private leagues and the public schools offer young boys the opportunity to play tackle football beginning in junior high school. In the other states, most public schools only offer football programs at the high school level. As a result, Texas boys have greater opportunities to play tackle football compared to other states. Boys in Texas are immersed in football culture, in their schools, their families and on television. In other states, families gather at weddings and funerals. In Texas, families gather at football games. When I moved here from the North, I couldn't believe junior high schools were playing under the lights during school nights. Nor could I believe the large number of private grade school youth football leagues. Many boys in Texas begin playing organized football in Kindergarten. On my son's fourth grade team, out of thirty players, only one may eventually make it to a high school football team, if's he lucky because of the intense competition.
Football is a rough sport and there is always the risk of injury. The risk of injury is less so at the youth level compared to junior high or high school ball. There is risk so what is the benefit? At the youth level it is the development of masculine character that can last a lifetime. It was a bonding experience for fathers and sons For the boys the boys on our team who had single mothers, youth football may have been their most important exposure to masculine values. Even one season of tackle football for a ten year old can make a difference in their life.
When I saw boys putting on pads for the first time they were afraid and extremely reluctant to block or tackle anyone. Again it's culture shock. Little boys today have been taught all their young lives to be good girls, sit still, be quiet, be passive and docile. Don't take a risk, you might get hurt. You're not allowed to hit anyone. Some boys are taught that any form of masculine aggression is pure evil.
The head coach of my son when he was in the fourth grade had experience coaching high school football but it was his first time with elementary school boys and his language was a little salty. He was shocked at their lack of aggression and hitting during various blood sport drills. At the end of practice, he screamed at the boys, "You guys hit like a bunch of girl thingys!" The boys looked around at each other in confusion and befuddlement. I'm not sure if they knew exactly what a girl thingy was, but whatever it was, it was clear they sure as hell didn't want to be one. The next practice pads were popping. Some of the Millennium parents were horrified at his language and he apologized but did get his point across.
Football teaches boys controlled aggression and risk taking. To paraphrase George Orwell, "Good people sleep at night because rough men stand ready to do violent acts on their behalf and defend their rights." Controlled aggression to someday protect their families, homes, state and country. Texas typically provides the greatest number of military recruits to defend the United States. The Texas population has a high gun ownership percentage. One of the state's finest university, Texas A&M, was founded as a military institution. When people think of rough cowboys, they think of Texas. These boys may become policemen, firemen, or serve their country in the armed services. The world is always a dangerous place.
Football is the ultimate and most complicated, exciting team sport requiring absolute coordination, unison and synchronization of every player on the team at the exact same time. As I observed my son's fourth grade team practice, I was amazed at their focused team discipline as they lined up and fired off on snap counts. I speculated if they could only show this much concentration and enthusiasm in school they would all become Rhodes Scholars. It's a shame women teachers don't know how to inspire and motivate little boys like the male volunteer coaches.
Football is big in Texas because Texans have a disposition for violence. There is an urban legend in the late 1930's the German Nazis sent observers to Texas to analyze American culture. They attended a Rodeo. Then they witnessed a football game between Texas and Texas A&M. Horrified, they cabled to Berlin that if this is what these people do for recreation, these are the last people in the world we want to fight a future war against. They sent a famous cable, "Don't mess with Texas."
It was my sons who led me to understand why football is big in Texas.
My sons were studying the Inca culture and they were amazed. Pizarro, with army of only two hundred men, conquered the Inca Empire, which had a population of six million people. Cortes, with an army of six hundred men, conquered the Aztec Empire of five million people. Two armies of less than a thousand men conquered eleven million people! My sons asked, "how could this be possible?" Keep in mind a typical Texas boy will kill about two hundred thousand bad guys and/or zombies each year while playing violent video games.
Historians teach that these civilizations had never seen horses, guns or armor. They were intimidated by European technology. In other words, these civilizations surrendered because they were afraid of horses and boom-boom. I then realized historians don't understand Texas football. I explained to my sons the answer to their question was in San Antonio.
Prior to the sixteenth century, people were oppressed and subjugated to tyrannical royal rule under the belief kings and emperors derived their authority from "divine powers." As added insurance, weapons to fight for any possible freedom were severely restricted. Royal rulers could be quickly interchanged, be it Spanish, English, French, Inca or Aztec. From this cultural perspective, the Spanish were not in any way superior to the Inca or Aztec. If Pizarro and Cortes switched places with the local emperors in Europe, the people in Europe would also fall into quick submission. People were taught to obey royal authority.
In contrast, at San Antonio in 1835, two hundred fifty very rough, armed and aggressive Texans fought a heavily armed Mexican Army of five thousand soldiers. The Texans at the Alamo, unlike the cultures of the sixteenth century, believed human rights and freedom were derived directly from God to an individual. They brought to Texas the spirit and ideas of the American Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution. Vastly outnumbered and outgunned, the Texans refused to surrender. The competitive Texans at the Alamo believed freedom was worth fighting and dying for.
The main reason football is big in Texas is because football represents a subconscious love of freedom. The spirit of the Alamo and the fight for Texan independence is ingrained into the cultural consciousness of little boys all over Texas, who in turn will teach their sons about football. There is a certain attitude among Texans when it comes to individual liberty and human rights I've never observed anywhere else in the United States.
Honestly, I never heard a youth Texas football coach talk about the Alamo. I did hear them teach values of the Alamo such as hard work, honor, persistence, teamwork and being unafraid to play the game while taking risks. I heard them tell little boys to be aggressive and tough. I heard them tell little boys who felt pain to suck it up and get out there and play over the pain. I heard them yell at little boys when they made a mistake, but also tell them it was okay and to learn from it. I heard them scream at little boys to never give up on a play until the whistle blows and never quit or surrender their spirit no matter what the score of the game may be. Little boys who play youth football in Texas grow up to be young men are aren't afraid of confrontation. They grow up to be men who aren't afraid to defend freedom. Freedom is a big deal in Texas. So is football.
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Post by mholst40 on Feb 1, 2013 11:36:27 GMT -6
There are definite risks to most activities. Some risks are more than others.
Football is going to take the brunt of the criticism because it is larger than life in America. A young man(25 years old) just died in a snowmobile accident at some X-games competition. That's not really being talked about though. There is no uproar over any of the X-games competitions.
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Post by coachd5085 on Feb 1, 2013 12:11:00 GMT -6
[Little boys who play youth football in Texas grow up to be young men are aren't afraid of confrontation. They grow up to be men who aren't afraid to defend freedom. Freedom is a big deal in Texas. So is football. Yeah..well, like I said, the toughest SOB I know and a person who ACTUALLY DOES defend freedom as a SEAL--was a swimmer during his youth and HS days. I'll leave it at that to avoid derailing the thread.
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