Er, except driving isn't usually a sport or leisure activity, but rather a convenience or necessity. It's a poor example, or excuse, in my eyes, but I do understand your point that much of what we do daily is inherently dangerous.

Not sure I fully agree, but understand your point. All sports are getting targeted. Both of my guys play hockey and as well as ref hockey. Every year hockey has a new set of rule changes around mitigating concussions. Penalties for boarding are getting more severe too. A hit in the back is an automatic 10 minutes off of the ice. That has made a significant drop in concussions as well as other severe injuries. There are some in hockey that think it is getting too soft. They have made the sport safer. I think football is targeted more because of the numbers and probably because of the hitting component. The numbers are pretty darn high.....but so are sports like girls soccer.

https://consumer.healthday.com/cognitive-health-information-26/concussions-news-733/which-high-school-sport-has-the-most-concussions-720657.html

This analogy to driving is silly to me. One is optional and one you need to function in today's society. To me your well being is a sum of the risk you throw at it. Yes, we all have to drive to get around to things like work and school. But you don't have to play football to survive in a modern society.

Driving
Walking on a side walk
Going to the DMV (this is more of a mental risk)
Going into a hospital that may have disease
Riding in an airplane
Riding in a train
Going out on a boat

All of the above have risks, but most are done to accomplish basic goals in life. Most people have done these things (that are part of the modern culture).

But activities like football are very optional and are probably adding unwarranted risk to your overall well being.

Yes, you are a monster, a cookie monster.

http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/08/04/jim-plunketts-painful-journey-my-life-sucks/

you win the thread.

As long as you are aware of the risks and football is something that brings you joy I don't see a problem with playing it. Life is filled with risks and dangerous things of which most are optional. Would you let your kid join the armed forces knowing the risks involved? How about ride a motorcycle or water ski? I've had numerous friends that have gotten concussions or injuries from bad falls on the water while wake boarding. I suffered a concussion and broken arm while skiing in 7th grade. I've been run over numerous times at home plate while playing catcher in softball and been beaned with the ball.-And that is without pads. I was struck by lightning once while tailgating for an outdoor concert. When I look back at all the sports and rec activities I've done over the years high school football was probably one of the safer things I participated in. I would be more concerned if my kid was a lazy ass and sat in front of a TV or computer all day and ate fast food all the time.- the shit we put in our bodies and lack of exercise will have more lasting effects than playing in sports.

I'd let my son play a dangerous sport like football or hockey before I'd let him drink a Monster energy drink or eat MacDonalds on a daily basis.

Devastating to read. And it's not just guys like Plunkett who played forever. Suicide cases who played only high school and college show severe CTE. Don't really know what to say. I love football but unless they come up with better equipment to protect players I don't see how it's going to be able to continue in it's current form. More and more parents are keeping their kids out of football and at some point the drain on the talent pool is going to be devastating.

I played football in high school, and believe me I probably never would have unless my dad really, really wanted me to and basically forced me out there freshman year. I'm glad I sucked and didn't take much a of a beating or continue my career past 17 years old.

If that was the actual choice, I would agree. It's not though.

Anything can hurt you, true--lots of great examples of things that can hurt you listed in the thread--completely unrelated non-sequiturs . Full contact football is engineered to do it. That's the big difference.

People don't like change. It's human nature. Science progresses which encourages change. I guess that's why people rage against science even when the effects are slapping them in the face, whether it be brain damage or more intense changes in the climate.

You are not a monster but your kids is putting his well being later in life at risk. I wouldn't roll the dice on that. A crash on a motorcycle or skateboard or skiing or whatever is a freak accident and a risk. Getting smashed repeatedly with the bigger and stronger and heavier players these days creates a known outcome.

Let's not kid ourselves about the good 'ol days or when I was a kid arguments...they are ridiculous. Not to mention the "manly" arguments. We all know you guys are tough and loaded with testosterone, no need to prove it with your kids brains.

I agree with the science behind brain injuries from contact sports and I agree with the science of climate change. I would prefer that my son choose a safer sport if given the option as I know there are some risks involved. I just know how much I enjoyed playing football in my youth and I wouldn't want to deprive him of the chance to play football if that is something he really wanted to do. I think I'd feel better about him playing football than wrestling. That was a sport when I was growing up that seemed unsafe. I remember my friends' starving themselves and taking effedrin to cut weight and suffering from dehydration. Plus you can get slammed on the mat pretty hard. I used to play hockey too and I think that may be worse than football as well just because the ice surface is so much harder than grass when you fall. Same with skiing. When you are learning to ski and snowboard you fall a lot and put a beating on your body. I really think wakeboarding may be the worst though because you basically fall on every run. And hitting the water at 15-20 mph feels worse than getting tackled in football and it's not always easy to control your fall. I guess it all comes down to where you draw the line on safety for your kids. You can stop them from doing everything but you are potentially taking away from some fun life experiences for them.