Why College Football Should Be Banned

[Locutus]

In more than 20 years I've spent studying the issue, I have yet to hear a convincing argument that college football has anything do with what is presumably the primary purpose of higher education: academics.

That's because college football has no academic purpose. Which is why it needs to be banned. A radical solution, yes. But necessary in today's times.

Football only provides the thickest layer of distraction in an atmosphere in which colleges and universities these days are all about distraction, nursing an obsession with the social well-being of students as opposed to the obsession that they are there for the vital and single purpose of learning as much as they can to compete in the brutal realities of the global economy.


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Buzz Bissinger: Why College Football Should Be Banned - WSJ.com

 

[TenPenny]

College Football is a money-maker for the colleges, and a development stream for pros.

 

[gopher]

College football generates a lot of money for those greedy pigs in the NCAA, some of which trickles down to the schools. As for the game, I would change it by eliminating the shoulder charge tackle as this is the biggest cause of injuries. Further, I would ban the blitz. Play the game like it used to be played before WWII and we will have FAR fewer injuries.

 

[Bar Sinister]

Not going to happen. Rightly or wrongly football is part of US culture. When many US high school teams outdraw many of the professional teams in the CFL there is no way that football is not going to be continued into college.

 

[Kreskin]

That won't happen but there's lots of talk about how parents will be more apt to steer their kids away from football due to the history of head injuries, and even subsequent suicides. I heard one guy predict that soccer might become the dominant sport in the US within a couple of generations.

 

[damngrumpy]

This is training for modern gladiators and it will continue. Football programs provide
huge sums of money for institutions because schools are paid for the stars that join
the ranks of pro football. Nope won't see it banned anytime soon.

 

[EagleSmack]

College football generates a lot of money for those greedy pigs in the NCAA, some of which trickles down to the schools. As for the game, I would change it by eliminating the shoulder charge tackle as this is the biggest cause of injuries. Further, I would ban the blitz. Play the game like it used to be played before WWII and we will have FAR fewer injuries.

College Football is a cash cow for big Div 1 schools. Those schools make a fortune. Conferences and schools keep the lions share of the cash.

In more than 20 years I've spent studying the issue, I have yet to hear a convincing argument that college football has anything do with what is presumably the primary purpose of higher education: academics.

That's because college football has no academic purpose. Which is why it needs to be banned. A radical solution, yes. But necessary in today's times.

What about basketball, hockey, baseball, all sports men and women? Should we ban sports in HS?

 

[damngrumpy]

Actually these programs are an integral part of education in itself.
determination, the skill of developing new ideas for playing the
game. Attitude is as essential as anything else.

 

[gopher]

I love my football and am a proud fan of the Super Bowl champs NY Giants - have been one for 50 years or so.

The sport needs reform, not elimination.

 

[Bar Sinister]

That won't happen but there's lots of talk about how parents will be more apt to steer their kids away from football due to the history of head injuries, and even subsequent suicides. I heard one guy predict that soccer might become the dominant sport in the US within a couple of generations.

Soccer? Bad news there as well. There is very good medical evidence that heading the ball can lead to brain damage and neck injuries. I guess that leaves only sports like curling and bowling as a head injury free sports.

Hitting a Soccer Ball With Your Head Linked to Brain Injuries - Businessweek

 

[Kreskin]

Soccer? Bad news there as well. There is very good medical evidence that heading the ball can lead to brain damage and neck injuries. I guess that leaves only sports like curling and bowling as a head injury free sports.

Hitting a Soccer Ball With Your Head Linked to Brain Injuries - Businessweek

Yes, but curling can cause severe throat inflamation that can lead to esophagus cancer, as well as yelling-induced stroke. The constant smashing of bowling pins can lead to deafness and post traumatic stress disorder.

 

[Cliffy]

Getting an education in the public school system can cause brain damage. Are private institutions any better?

 

[JLM]

Getting an education in the public school system can cause brain damage. Are private institutions any better?

I used to play a lot of shuffleboard in my pub crawling days, never experienced any brain damage from that or at least I attributed my brain damage more to the beer!

 

[Omicron]

Why don't people just invent a sport that makes sense and/or is more interesting to play and/or actually does some brain-training?

Lemme think... hmm... for openers... how about an auditorium-sized trampoline with climbing ropes hanging all over the place, such that people can bounce off the trampoline, grab a rope, use their interitia to swing to another rope, maybe drop down to bounce to another rope... to... hmm... throw a balloon of oatmeal at a hoop, such that it will be tricky for defense to stop the oatmeal-balloon without getting splattered, requiring the ump to blow the whistle and call for another oat-balloon to be introduced without anyone getting to clean off.

Something like that. Something interesting.

Make part of the gear gloves with little spikes to make it easy to grab and hold onto the ropes.

Although if the gloves had spikes that would make it hard to catch the balloon without it bursting...

Hmm...

Anyway... make it something interesting and good for college-level thinking.

I've noticed that inasmuch as Japanese have been accused of being copy-cats, they are vastly more creative at inventing sports.

 

[Cannuck]

Football isn't for dummies and like most sports, it teaches great life lessons but

 

[Ludlow]

It's a form of entertainment. Many years ago I remember a player who will remain anonymous, who graduated college and went on to play for the Pros. Very popular and successful player. He was illiterate. Could not read. I've always loved my favorite college football team and still watch it to this day and cheer them on. But in spite of that, I guess I'm a little hypocritical because I do agree with you to a large extent.

 

[Cannuck]

It's a form of entertainment. Many years ago I remember a player who will remain anonymous, who graduated college and went on to play for the Pros. Very popular and successful player. He was illiterate. Could not read. I've always loved my favorite college football team and still watch it to this day and cheer them on. But in spite of that, I guess I'm a little hypocritical because I do agree with you to a large extent.

Forget college, I think there is a problem with the high school system that allows illiterate students to graduate. That said, literate and intelligent are not synonymous. And at least one has an opportunity to get a college degree. Playing hockey in the CHL doesn't do that

 

[JLM]

It's a form of entertainment. Many years ago I remember a player who will remain anonymous, who graduated college and went on to play for the Pros. Very popular and successful player. He was illiterate. Could not read. I've always loved my favorite college football team and still watch it to this day and cheer them on. But in spite of that, I guess I'm a little hypocritical because I do agree with you to a large extent.

Many years ago a big galoot applied for a football scholarship, but was told he'd have to pass a qualifying exam first. He was asked to list the months of the year. He got 10 out of the 12, so he qualified. I never heard if he went on to become a Rhodes Scholar. -

 

[Ludlow]

Forget college, I think there is a problem with the high school system that allows illiterate students to graduate. That said, literate and intelligent are not synonymous. And at least one has an opportunity to get a college degree. Playing hockey in the CHL doesn't do that

The more you get through, the more funding you're allowed.

 

[JLM]

Yeah, it's one of the downfalls of our education system..............expecting an intelligent student after spending 12 (or more) years in school to also be literate.