Irv Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 We all love the Bills and football. But will football be a dead sport with all of the head injury studies and concern over it? I'm concerned about the players and the sport as a whole. Maybe investing in an NFL team like the Pegulas have could be a financial disaster if this keeps up. What do you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo716 Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 No College football has been a cash cow for 100 years now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Wiz Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 (edited) I get the feeling that most 20-22 year olds that are athletically gifted enough to be in the NFL and make millions of dollars = *pun intended* no brainier Edited August 2, 2017 by The Wiz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDogg20 Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 My uncle and I made a bet a couple years ago he said that football will no longer be played by the end of his lifetime (he's 50 and in good health) and I said it will continue well beyond then. I was so sure of that bet when I made it but now im starting to think it could he going the way of the Buffalo unfortunately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LI_Bills Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 I expect the NFL to still be thriving in 10 years but with continued rule changes to mitigate injury concerns and the specter of a major lawsuit. However, I could see high school football suffering in 10-15 years over injury concerns and I think that's a big long term concern for the NFL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mead107 Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 They will always be players that want millions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miyagi-Do Karate Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 There's not going to be any tackle football below high school level, IMO. I was talking to a retired NFL player not long ago whose son played in the NFL too for a few years and he said he would never consider having kids play tackle football until they're 17. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo716 Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 There's not going to be any tackle football below high school level, IMO. I was talking to a retired NFL player not long ago whose son played in the NFL too for a few years and he said he would never consider having kids play tackle football until they're 17. You will never be able to develop the players like they should be developed then. The quality of the game will go down so much that the NFL will not be the premier sports league in the US. How can kids be developed to play college football at a high level if the first time they play contact football is when they're a junior in HS? You can't. Playing contact football from age 5 on like I did may not be smart but they need to start by modified or 7th grade, 14 years old. That gives them plenty of time to learn correctly while developing their bodies for football correctly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augie Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 (edited) We didn't let the kids play until HS. Broken ankle, torn ACL/MCL and they each missed a year. I have no problem with the the path we took. The one recruited (to smaller schools) chose to skip college ball, and we are VERY thankful. We had tuition covered. Done deal. If you NEED it, a different set of circumstances. You will never be able to develop the players like they should be developed then. The quality of the game will go down so much that the NFL will not be the premier sports league in the US. How can kids be developed to play college football at a high level if the first time they play contact football is when they're a junior in HS? You can't. Playing contact football from age 5 on like I did may not be smart but they need to start by modified or 7th grade, 14 years old. That gives them plenty of time to learn correctly while developing their bodies for football correctly I disagree completely. The best athletes can show up late, especially in football. POY, Honorable mention all state (in FLORIDA). My kids showed up late and dominated. They played EVERY sport, and the best kids are just the best. Maybe YOU needed the extra work, but the facts say otherwise. Hell, look for HOF TE's who played college basketball. Edited August 2, 2017 by Augie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4merper4mer Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 My uncle and I made a bet a couple years ago he said that football will no longer be played by the end of his lifetime (he's 50 and in good health) and I said it will continue well beyond then. I was so sure of that bet when I made it but now im starting to think it could he going the way of the Buffalo unfortunately. You should learn from your elders. If your uncle wins the bet you pay him. If you win, you can't collect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo716 Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 (edited) We didn't let the kids play until HS. Broken ankle, torn ACL/MCL and they each missed a year. I have no problem with the the path we took. The one recruited (to smaller schools) chose to skip college ball, and we are VERY thankful. We had tuition covered. Done deal. If you NEED it, a different set of circumstances. I disagree completely. The best athletes can show up late, especially in football. POY, Honorable mention all state. My kids showed up late and dominated. They played EVERY sport, and the best kids are just the best. Maybe YOU needed the extra work, but the facts say otherwise. Hell, look for HOF TE's who played college basketball. All the 5* and 4* kids are given scholarships before their senior years. Some before their junior years. Don't say YOU MUST HAVE NEEDED EXTRA WORK LOL I received a scholarship to Syracuse before my senior year began and all my teammates who received scholarships with me played since at least 14 Most 17 year olds don't pick up football and succeed I also played varsity basketball and baseball so I know all about versatility There are anomalies in every sport but that's what they are , anomalies. If you want Tom Brady, you are playing QB since you can run, not at 17 Edited August 2, 2017 by Buffalo716 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augie Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 Football is easy to pick up compared to any other college sport. Even as a QB, the hardest position. The best athletes can do it easily even if they start "as late as HS". To argue otherwise is just silly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mead107 Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 Is this question like the NASCAR question? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo716 Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 (edited) Football is easy to pick up compared to any other college sport. Even as a QB, the hardest position. The best athletes can do it easily even if they start "as late as HS". To argue otherwise is just silly.No kid is going to play major D1 football as a QB if he just started playing as a junior. Sure we all know about Antonio gates and other freakish athletes but that's what they are. Go to a 5a school in Texas and see how many kids start playing as a junior. Like zero. It's a religion down there and they pump out the best recruits year in and out along with Florida , California and some others. Your kids are great athletes , they adapted fast. But MOST KIDS ARENT GREAT ATHLETES Edited August 2, 2017 by Buffalo716 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boyst Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 No. Itll be around Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augie Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 (edited) No kid is going to play major D1 football as a QB if he just started playing as a junior. Sure we all know about Antonio gates and other freakish athletes but that's what they are. Go to a 5a school in Texas and see how many kids start playing as a junior. Like zero. It's a religion down there and they pump out the best recruits year in and out along with Florida , California and some others. Your kids are great athletes , they adapted fast. But MOST KIDS ARENT GREAT ATHLETES They were way above average, but watching the older son play against the UNC players at the Dean Dome showed how big the gap is. The GREAT guys can come in late and will get the time to learn football. Dareus is a gazillionaire not because of his work ethic. Bruce came in and BECAME a HOF player when he decided to WORK. Physical talent plus work ethic can do it in football, even if you start "late in life'. Edited August 2, 2017 by Augie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo716 Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 They were way above average, but watching the older son play against the UNC players at the Dean Dome showed how big the gap is. The GREAT guys can come in late and will get the time to learn football. Dareus is a gazillionaire not because of his work ethic. Bruce came in and BECAME a HOF player when he decided to WORK. Physical talent plus work ethic can do it in football, even if you start "late in life'. Completely 100% agree A great work ethic in football trumps EVERYTHING. Even if you started late. I wish i had JJ Watts work ethic . Walking on at Wisconsin MADE THAT MAN. Nothing to do with his athletic ability but pure heart and work ethic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kkspike Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 I thinks more players will walk away from the game after 5-8 years in the league.Im talking guys who are the best at a position retiring under the age of 30. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augie Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 (edited) Completely 100% agree A great work ethic in football trumps EVERYTHING. Even if you started late. I wish i had JJ Watts work ethic . Walking on at Wisconsin MADE THAT MAN. Nothing to do with his athletic ability but pure heart and work ethic My kids thought when they were young that I was pleased with their success in sports. They were wrong. I was thrilled with their effort! That continues to this day, even now that the "glory days" are gone. The best is hopefully still ahead. Edited August 2, 2017 by Augie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo716 Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 (edited) My kids thought when they were young that I was pleased with their success in sports. They were wrong. I was thrilled with their effort! That continues to this day, even now that the "glory days" are gone. The best is hopefully still ahead. I give 100% in everything so i can never be disappointed Your kids sound like they do everything to the best of their abilities so that only leaves good ahead Edited August 2, 2017 by Buffalo716 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
major Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 Football is gone in 20 to 25 years, not 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobbyC81 Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 You should learn from your elders. If your uncle wins the bet you pay him. If you win, you can't collect. Or he could be a douche and try to collect from the uncle's survivors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragonborn10 Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 For those that are so certain the NFL will be ok, think of what you would have said about boxing or MLB in the 80's. Sports change over time. The only thing that does not is money. The NFL will survive because the NFL has managed to do what no other sport has - appeal to everyone. The NFL has made strides to appeal to women, minorities, young, and old. NBA is close. But all other sports are closer to having niche fan bases than broad appeal. Concussions will have an impact. Some athletes will look to other sports like Samarzdjia did but that will still be rare. Technology will advance. Maybe they do something radical like weight/size limits per position, seriously addressing PEDs, or other player safety rule implementations. But in 10 years, I think the NFL will be as dominant as it is today relative to the other sports. I think viewership of all sports will decline, at least as how it is measured now(fan attendance and tv ratings), but NFL will still be most watched. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoCal Deek Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 Football will not be gone but it most likely will evolve from the current game. It always has. I remember back when knee injuries and Astro turf were going to be the end of everything....but now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teef Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 as long as there is money to be made, the nfl will still be around. the game will evolve, especially the equipment and monitoring systems, but it will still be here. Football will not be gone but it most likely will evolve from the current game. It always has. I remember back when knee injuries and Astro turf were going to be the end of everything....but now. beat me to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runninrams Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 For those that are so certain the NFL will be ok, think of what you would have said about boxing or MLB in the 80's. Sports change over time. The only thing that does not is money. The NFL will survive because the NFL has managed to do what no other sport has - appeal to everyone. The NFL has made strides to appeal to women, minorities, young, and old. NBA is close. But all other sports are closer to having niche fan bases than broad appeal. Concussions will have an impact. Some athletes will look to other sports like Samarzdjia did but that will still be rare. Technology will advance. Maybe they do something radical like weight/size limits per position, seriously addressing PEDs, or other player safety rule implementations. But in 10 years, I think the NFL will be as dominant as it is today relative to the other sports. I think viewership of all sports will decline, at least as how it is measured now(fan attendance and tv ratings), but NFL will still be most watched. the rumors of baseball's demise have been greatly exaggerated. 2016 was the 16th year in a row the MLB set a record for revenue... 2016 revenues: NFL = 13 billion, MLB = 9.5 billion....next closest is the NBA at 4.8 billion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manther Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 They will always be players that want millions. Yes, true. It will never go away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drunken Pygmy Goat Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 One thing not yet mentioned in this thread is the advancement of technology over time. CTE studies are being conducted all the time now, mainly due to awareness and lawsuits. But had these studies been conducted 20-30 years ago, the results may not have been what we see now, due to the technology at the time. Also, with increased awareness, companies are using technology to develop new, improved protective equipment. Helmets are evolving. The way players are being trained to tackle, and technique is improving. The concerns about head injuries will never go away, but ways to help mitigate those injuries will continue to improve. 60 years ago, a computer took up an entire 1000 square foot room. 20 years ago, a computer was the size of a small television, and was far more advanced than they were in the 1950s. Today, we carry a hand held sized computer in our pockets, capable of taking photos and communicating with people all over the world in a nanosecond. Cars used to require you to crank them to start, then they started with a key, now they can park and drive themselves. If head injury awareness had been as prevalent in the 70s as it is now, perhaps it would be more advanced than it is now, but technology is improving at an exponential rate, so 10 years from now, it should be far more advanced, maybe to the point where the dangers of playing the sport (as well as the potential for more money to be made; OBJ made some comments recently on the matter, and the league is always doing whatever they can to increase revenue) may not "scare off" talent from playing. Players are retiring earlier now because of head injury awareness, but that may not be as much of a factor in the future as it is currently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talley56 Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 (edited) I don't believe for one second football is going anywhere anytime soon (and by anytime soon I mean next 50 to 100 years at least). While there are definitly people who aren't playing the game and parents not allowing their kids to play I just don't believe it's enough to end the sport. There will always be enough football players who don't care about the risks and just want to go out and hit people to fill up the pro, college, and even most HS rosters. What you may see happen is the overall talent pool dwindle a little bit. For instance, the next Tom Brady, Ladainian Tomlinson, or Calvin Johnson may be part of the group that decides the risk isn't worth it so they choose a different path than football and we never get to see them in an NFL uniform. Now, if it did end in 10 years, I wonder what LA would do with that mega stadium that is being built for the Rams/Chargers. Edited August 2, 2017 by Talley56 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taro T Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 I don't believe for one second football is going anywhere anytime soon (and by anytime soon I mean next 50 to 100 years at least). While there are definitly people who aren't playing the game and parents not allowing their kids to play I just don't believe it's enough to end the sport. There will always be enough football players who don't care about the risks and just want to go out and hit people to fill up the pro, college, and even most HS rosters. What you may see happen is the overall talent pool dwindle a little bit. For instance, the next Tom Brady, Ladainian Tomlinson, or Calvin Johnson may be part of the group that decides the risk isn't worth it so they choose a different path than football and we never get to see them in an NFL uniform. Now, if it did end in 10 years, I wonder what LA would do with that mega stadium that is being built for the Rams/Chargers. IF the NFL were to go away in 10 years (it won't, but if it did), that behemoth would be home to the MLS team. Or maybe even a Premiere-league expansion franchise goes there in some sort of 'if you've got enough money even the relegation rules can be upended.' sort of way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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