Hello, from the land of Hurricane Nate. Not even a real name like Nathan or Nathaniel. He uses his nickname and expects us to take him seriously. Its early evening here on Saturday with the worst expected early tomorrow morning, so I’d better watch what I say. Churches are all closed tomorrow in our part of Alabama, which of course, is a clear sign of the end of times around here. Better safe than sorry, but I’m hoping that by Sunday afternoon, we’ll see sunny skies again.
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Here’s this week’s story from the paper. As usual, the anonymity of the on-line comment section drew some irritated readers who weren’t happy I questioned the future of football, but one of the very first commenters brought tears to my eyes as he described the agony their son has endured from head injuries. I also received very nice and objective emails from readers who are passionate about this issue.
So here it is, and hope you are having beautiful weather wherever you are!
The future of college football
Our love of college football knows no bounds in the Southeast, and although I enjoy the season as much as the rest of you, I’ve started wondering if our Saturday afternoon autumn ritual will last much longer, as we know it.
Of course, the current political tug-of-war by the NFL players is on our minds now, but so far, it hasn’t impacted the college game much. With good guidance, college players should be able to voice any political or social concerns in a constructive way, like encouraging children in their local schools or volunteering for causes dear to their hearts. College football fans in the South have a strong voice for patriotism and come to stadiums to see touchdowns, not lectures.
Social issues aside, the most threatening reason the face of college football may be changing is because of the safety concerns. Sure, football has always been a tough game, and I remember my high school science teacher warning us that only the boys who were shaving full beards should be allowed to play tackle football. His reasoning was that growing bones would be damaged from the severe hits on the field. With the recent additional information regarding severe brain injuries, parents are reconsidering their son’s participation and youth football enrollment is at an all-time low. Suddenly, a knee injury from soccer doesn’t seem so bad next to a brain injury from football.
Another blow to the gridiron is the increasing cost of attending a college game. For many fans, the experience of traveling to the . . . please click HERE to read the rest of the story at AL.com