Deace in USA Today: Football celebrates masculinity: Don't ruin the game we love.

Looks like USA Today had Steve Deace write the "opposing view" to their editorial on the dangers of football.

I realize it will be a challenge, but here's to trying to keep this thread out of the cave since it deals with a sport most of us love....

Football celebrates masculinity: Opposing view#

My security settings on my computer won't let me view the poll to see how many readers are agreeing/disagreeing with this piece. Would appreciate if someone would share current results here.

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Originally Posted by capitalcityguy

My security settings on my computer won't let me view the poll to see how many readers are agreeing/disagreeing with this piece. Would appreciate if someone would share current results here.

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62% Strongly agree. 27% Agree. Everything else is single digits

My default stance with anything related to or written by Steve Deace is to disagree with it strongly based on the fact that he is a ******* moron, this doesn't seem to be any different.

I love football, but comparing it to combat and service to one's country is beyond ridiculous.

my feelings are pretty meh about the topic. If you don't want your kid to play football, don't let him play football. If you do, then you do so with the understanding that there is a risk.

The point I would make has more to do with the crowd who claim that the NFL is ruining the game with its new safety measures. Those moves are far less about safety and far more about positioning the league in a favorable light when it comes to the gigantic lawsuit that the NFL is facing from former players. Those players do have a gripe, imho, because at the time, the league was telling them that there was no risk from concussions, while denying research saying that there was.

As far as it ruining the game goes, NFL ratings are higher than they've ever been, and not showing any signs of slowing down. Even the worst NFL game of the year (the pro bowl) gets better ratings than the vast majority of other pro sporting events. If the game is ruined, someone should tell all of those people who keep tuning in every week.

https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/i...D9rFsaMvPtjr1e

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Originally Posted by Mr Janny

As far as it ruining the game goes, NFL ratings are higher than they've ever been, and not showing any signs of slowing down.

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Exactly. I don't think I've ever turned on a game solely because I wanted to see Bernard Pollard or James Harrison nearly snap someones neck.

Yeah, does it suck that there are phantom helmet-to-helmet penalties at times now for stuff that was actually shoulder to helmet? Yup.

Does there need to be more refinement to outlaw offensive players using their helmet as a weapon so defenses aren't unfairly punished? Yup.

But please. Every one of these defensive headhunters that think I'm going to care that they can't attempt to put someone in the ICU for a week and stop watching is already showing their concussion damage.

During this season, ISU was called for two absolutely bogus "defenseless receiver" calls.

The plays were good clean hits, nowhere near the head area.

When the game is called like that, yes, eventually there will be no audience for it.

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Originally Posted by Rural

During this season, ISU was called for two absolutely bogus "defenseless receiver" calls.

The plays were good clean hits, nowhere near the head area.

When the game is called like that, yes, eventually there will be no audience for it.

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that's a huge leap, though. Where is the evidence that bad calls drive away viewers? If anything, if a team really gets screwed it can solidify a fanbase. The whole "us against the world" feeling doesn't push people away, it brings them together.

Deace did a good job on this article.

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Originally Posted by MartyFine

I love football, but comparing it to combat and service to one's country is beyond ridiculous.

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That's not what he was saying. His point was that the people saying that football is too violent and dangerous are the same ones saying that it's "progress" to allow women in the front lines. He's calling them hypocrites for celebrating women soldiers' lives being endagered while wanting to restrict the allowable health risks for football players.

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Originally Posted by besserheimerphat

That's not what he was saying. His point was that the people saying that football is too violent and dangerous are the same ones saying that it's "progress" to allow women in the front lines. He's calling them hypocrites for celebrating women soldiers' lives being endagered while wanting to restrict the allowable health risks for football players.

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yeah, but it's not exactly apples to apples. The argument over women in the infantry is about equal access to a job with health risks, not about whether or not it is right to participate at all. If the NFL had a policy saying that players under 5'8 are not allowed to play because they're likely to be weaker and therefore more prone to injury, and unable to handle the rigors of the game, that might a more appropriate comparison.

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Originally Posted by Mr Janny

that's a huge leap, though. Where is the evidence that bad calls drive away viewers? If anything, if a team really gets screwed it can solidify a fanbase. The whole "us against the world" feeling doesn't push people away, it brings them together.

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I don't think the "bad call" part is the important factor in this. It's changing the whole nature of the game in the name of safety.

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Originally Posted by Rural

I don't think the "bad call" part is the important factor in this. It's changing the whole nature of the game in the name of safety.

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Well not really...considering the most heavily fined/penalized players are fined on hits that fail spectacularly in most aspects of a "fundamentally sound" tackle. (Not everytime, but a lot).

Maybe they should tackle better rather than shooting for the SportsCenter Top 10 or Jacked Up or whatever. That's what changed the nature of the game.

Maybe if they had better fundamentals and less intent of a blow to the head....