Don't Hit the Head, Don't Use the Head

 

Our fearless leader, Mike Tomlin, sending a message on a poster up at my high school outside of the football locker room to not lead with the head like a rhino and encouraging players to tackle like a normal, thinking human.  Football head injuries are escalating at an alarming rate in recent years and the question has to be raised, "what are they doing differently now than twenty years ago?"  The game itself has not changed in its principles and if anything, the penalties of a cheap hit have become quite hefty for players.  As this article notes, if rugby can manage to get by with no helmets and very few head injuries, then the NFL has no excuse either.  Football without violence is a very achievable statement and the true problem is in the tradition of the game as a tough guy, clash of titans type bout that I feel the players and coaches have developed in the modern era of sports in our society, as noted through our October 2013 class discussions of masculinity and violence in sports.  They choose to send messages on their own accord or from coaches requests like bounty's, which by the way is disgusting to hear that players are treating each other's well being like video game's competitive advantage, or strategic advantage to win.  

 

This is our world today, however.  We are not easily entertained anymore and the bigger, stronger and faster the players are, the more interested we are to see them torpedo into each other each week in the Fall.  We keep track of knock downs and hurries and sacks and as the statistical categories become more elaborate, the team's will utilize them in their decision making on what player's they want on the field, and the cycle of violence may never end because those stats mean higher paychecks.

 

 

  

If you have a weak stomach, this may not be a video you make all the way through. OR...you may just cheer at the top of your lungs after each bigger hit like an entire stadium does after a road player gets knocked stupid going across the middle.

Cheering for Keeps

Of all the sports that can be accused of recruiting violations, the last one that would likely be mentioned is cheerleading.  How bad must the basketball and football players feel?  The girls rooting them on are more highly sought after than they are.

Cheering on another level

Along with the unfair actions of high school recruiting, breaking up the cheer squad can lead to an epic showdown in the lunchroom.


It is truly unfortunate that such actions are taking place in our country for a sport, that, on a high school level, don't keep track of wins and losses.  It discourages other participants to stick with the sport because they recognize the two best cheerleaders in the state are walking the hallways Monday morning, whereas they were a distant, mythical newspaper clipping a week earlier.  The coach obviously has a say in such an instance and it is clear there are now two less spots on the squad for the girls that paid their dues and bided their time up through the classes.  As Coakley notes (2010, pg. 472), much of the focus of sports distracts the students from their primary reason of wearing that name across their uniform, to earn a respectable education.  The girls not as good take more time to practice their cheering to try and compete with the elite, neglecting their studies.  The recruits also are quite literally, as seen in the video, put on a higher pedestal where their family just so happens to purchase a house and join the gymnastics studio in the area the same week they start school.  It is very discouraging, especially from a sport that is not traditionally this corrupt. 

BCS a Burden?

With the 2012 BCS title game netting, according to Bleacher Report, each team $18 million each (CFB 2012-13 Bowls: Updated Broadcast Information, Payouts and Favorites, 2012), the Benjamins ($100 bills with Ben Franklin on the bill, hence the name) are deservedly well sought after.  But are schools putting their financial priorities in the right places? The SEC has undoubtedly been the juggernaut of college football in the last decade, but at what cost to its non athlete students and academics?

The article below details the median expenditures that big conferences and subdivisions spend on athletes versus non athletes at their schools.  The SEC is alarmingly outspending for their athletes, over twelve times as much, as compared to their non revenue generating students.  Most of the conferences primary revenue sources come from TV contracts, bowl games and donations.  Schools are not self sustaining and ultimately the non athletic students are the ones paying to allow the athletic programs to continually spend so much.  As noted in October 2013 class discussions, less than one out of every five big division one programs make money ( 23/228) and typically the exposure of national title and bowl games increases applications to the school, but not necessarily the quality of student.  You be the judge, but proceed with caution, the numbers are startling:

How big of a business?

I believe this is ridiculous that such ratios can keep going up without anyone saying anything like, "why are we continuously winning trophies and putting up banners, but barely breaking even financially?"  Much like our society today, sports are reflecting the focus on the wrong things, which is why our country is in so much trouble financially and moving forward in the wrong direction for the foreseeable future.

Sending More than One Message

In a time where our watches can now make phone calls, take pictures and do just about everything a computer can, our younger society finds itself vulnerable to drowning with the tidal wave of technology.  The NFL, arguably the most recognized sport brand in the United States, has been making the push to combat childhood obesity and sedentary lifestyles in youth with the NFL Play 60 campaign.  To further inspire the youngsters, many players  of area NFL teams visit local schools granted the Play 60 campaign to send a message straight from the role models' mouths.  The kids seem to absorb the message made by a filthy rich athlete much more easily than their loving parents.  However manipulative by the NFL, the campaign has proven very effective.  What could be better for the kids at these selected schools?  As we had discussed in September classes in 2013, obesity is a large issue (up 37% over the last 5 years) in our country.  The benefits of the Play 60 message:

• bump shoulders with NFL players
• has no specific specialization to any sport; just PLAY anything and everything at some point everyday for at least 60 minutes
• no "winning" motive
• sponsored community program that has no limits to where the campaign at

Who can forget this little guy from a Play 60 commercial?  Makes me laugh every time.  Probably could have started over Cam a few times last season from his performances.

Ravens visit play 60 school


The NFL, in my opinion, hit it on the head.  As video games and televisions become bigger and better, something must offset this in order to create a base for healthy lifestyles.  Start active, stay active.  Despite the link depicting a youth Crossfit session near the end, it does in fact send a great message that the players seemingly enjoy relaying and the children openly acknowledge.  Why couldn't we have had this in elementary school?  I would have loved to skip class for NFL sponsored pep rallies.