Strikes & Outs (err make that Down & Distance)

[Tim C]

Just over six years ago I was invited to join the publication committee of the National Federation of State High Schools signature magazine "High School Today."

To the chagrin of some I represent all Contest Officials (in all sports) on the staff.

When I entered the first meeting in Indianapolis one thing became very apparent: I was the only person of the committee that was not aligned in some way with the high school education system.

There were principals, athletic directors, coaches, superintendents but only one "outsider."

I recognized even more succinctly how much of an outsider I was when I made my first "important" comment to the group: "Inside of 15 years you won't even recognize high school football . . . through injury and litigation it will be a different sport!"

There were several "pshaws" and "you gotta be kidding me's" expelled from the group.

Guess what? as we publish articles each year since and have continued to document "concussion type" injuries are starting to question just how we can keep these student athletes safe.

The National Football League is in the news almost every weekend with their battles with the issue. The NFL maybe the final battle field for change.

"Due to high speed collisions that cause injury, the NFL is considering doing away with kickoffs in favor of something like a 4th & 10 or 15 for the scoring team at the 30 after a score.

This would be similar to recovering an onside kick and having a chance to drive the ball if a 1st down can be made but yet would allow a punt instead of a kickoff (free kick) if the team would rather give the ball up."

This simple plan (suggested by Greg Schiano Tampa Bay Head coach) brought reactions from anger to simple disbelief.

What concerns me the most is the vitriol leveled at NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell from people who actually think the commissioner is making this stuff up all by himself.

"It has become completely clear that for as long as we have the current commissioner, the game will morph and twist until all action is gone and we're left with skill contests or two-hand touch. One tiny piece at a time in a relentless pursuit of the sterilization of the game. It will eventually occur to RG that the best way to prevent injuries is to stop playing the game entirely. This guy is the football anti-christ.

"I just hope that on the day he is retired, the game is still recognizable."

Come on guys . . . the commissioner is a spokesperson . . . it is similar to you complaining to a policeman that stops you for speeding and you argue the law is wrong.

Over 2,000 ex-NFL players are currently suing concerning overall health issues resulting from their play in the league. This class action suit is enough to get the NFL legal team active in changing rules for contact in the game.

Roger Goodell does not make this stuff up.

Some people come up with really, really strange reasons that kick-offs cannot be eliminated:

"TV will never go for eliminating kickoffs, as that would remove too many "natural" commercial breaks."

The networks can stop play at any time for their commercial breaks. As soon as the PAT is complete they would go to break (just like they do now) while they set the ball on the 30. Pretty simple guys.

As soon as I hit my lowest level one of you show that many really, really GET IT:

"I think football at all levels has realized that there are inherently dangerous parts of the game that provide little reward and a lot of risk. I would applaud the elimination of the kickoff -- besides being difficult to officiate, teams have to sacrifice players and/or roster spots for something that only happens a few times a game."

So Tee what's your point?

Football, at all levels, has to change. I don't have the answer it is just too obvious that we cannot have young men taking repeated hits to the head over many, many years of participation in a collision sport.

Research now documents that even small hits (i.e. often called "ring your bell") over time cause huge problems that may not show up for years after a career is over.

I don't have the answer and neither does Roger Goodell.

Have a great holiday season.


T