President Barack Obama’s Chicago Bears may not be in the Super Bowl, but that did not stop him from weighing in on the safety of the U.S.’s most popular sport.
Obama said in an interview with The New Republic, “I think that those of us who love the sport are going to have to wrestle with the fact that it will probably change gradually to try to reduce some of the violence. In some cases, that may make it a little bit less exciting, but it will be a whole lot better for the players, and those of us who are fans maybe won’t have to examine our consciences quite as much.”
Obama also went on to say that it would be a difficult decision to allow his “hypothetical” son play football.
Obama does have a point in saying the sport has been historically violent. It sounds cliché, but that’s football.
The NFL has been trying to clean up the sport with notable rule changes throughout the years, taking cautious measures towards preventing head injuries and dolling out massive fines for breaking the rules or destroying the integrity of the game.
Even with less big hits, I still find the game exciting. In fact, when a big hit does happen it is only more exciting now because it happens much less. There is more on the line for the player financially too. It’s a sacrifice.
The game is still a ways away from being deemed “safe,” especially when former linebacker Junior Seau shot himself after sustaining brain damage from head injuries he endured in his playing years.
However, I would not discourage my own “hypothetical” son from playing football.
The only football I’ve ever played was flag football. I wanted to be on the high school team, but I played baseball all year around. That was my choice. Plus, I probably would have been clobbered.
I would let my son play football, if that is what he really wanted to do. Why? Who knows the sort of talent this kid could possess.
Legendary NFL quarterback, Joe Montana, was always small in stature growing up. Most coaches didn’t believe he would ever fit the mold of the NFL quarterback.
However, Montana had unbeatable talent. His precision arm and football smarts carried him to four Super Bowl wins. And all this could have never had happened if Montana’s parents told him he wasn’t allowed to play.
I get it. Once I have a kid, I will understand how important that little twerp is and how much I want to ensure his safety.
However, this is where the president and I disagree, whether to let our hypothetical sons play football.
Chasen Doerr is a senior journalism major and the opinions editor for the Daily 49er.
