Jump to content
Washington Football Team Logo
Extremeskins

NYT: What I Saw as an NFL Ball Boy


MattFancy

Recommended Posts

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/11/opinion/what-i-saw-as-an-nfl-ball-boy.html?ref=sports&_r=2

 


Cameramen know not to show players sniffing salts, and I participated in similar acts of cover-up. One of my jobs was sorting through postgame laundry. Cleaner uniforms would be set aside for football card companies to purchase for their line of “game-used inserts.” Dirty uniforms, meanwhile, like all the girdles filled with blood and feces because some hits are savage enough to overpower the central nervous system, I’d put in a special bin for disposal.

 

More at the link...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've only ever watched football from the stands. But, much of what is described in the article seems pretty tame if the worst thing he saw was smelling salts.

 

It does remind me of the HBO tv show "Playmakers" that apparently hit a little too close to home for the NFL's likings so they pressured to get it cancelled. It always portrayed what I suspect life in the NFL is really like.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's a very interesting article and reminded me of how harsh I was when K2 compared it to being a soldier.

 

NFL is in a tricky place. Between all the arrests, articles like this one and things like universities coming out about academic coverups, combined with the softer direction, increased speed and gross amount of flags being thrown, makes it seem like it's slipping away.

 

And smelling salts may not be as bad as snorting meth, but constant whiffs of ammonia will absolutely destroy your brain. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's a very interesting article and reminded me of how harsh I was when K2 compared it to being a soldier.

 

I've never had a problem with the comparison.  Dudes are away from their families and establish a similar comraderie.  Stakes aren't as high, but there are things I wouldn't want to do that they do :lol:

 

But wow... that article is a real "down to earth" piece about the game.  More and more every day looks like getting my son into hockey is the better choice. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've never had a problem with the comparison.  Dudes are away from their families and establish a similar comraderie.  Stakes aren't as high, but there are things I wouldn't want to do that they do :lol:

 

But wow... that article is a real "down to earth" piece about the game.  More and more every day looks like getting my son into hockey is the better choice. 

I don't think if I had a son, that I would encourage him to play football, which says a lot.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think if I had a son, that I would encourage him to play football, which says a lot.

 

It's definitely tough.  I dreamed about teaching him how to read coverages since I was in high school.

 

But I'd rather he play hockey at this point, which is violent enough but the game patrols itself better.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I love football, I really do.  But my wife and I have already discussed sports for our boys and neither of us wants them playing football. 

 

 

It's definitely tough.  I dreamed about teaching him how to read coverages since I was in high school.

 

But I'd rather he play hockey at this point, which is violent enough but the game patrols itself better.

So, does this give you any guilty feelings about endorsing it for others to play? 

 

Would you want your siblings kids playing or your neighbors?

 

It really is getting bad, when a comparison to war and soldiers, doesn't seem to far off.

 

At some point, when we watch a major collision, even if it stops a play we need, are we on the side of immediate compassion and concern or still yelling "hell-yas", like the article states. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Being down close to the players on the field is a different experience. The speed and violence of the game are really indescribable.

 

Completely different view. I was at a game in Baltimore when they where filming "The Replacements". On the sidelines.

Cool experience, you see and hear it all. Had to be around '98-'99.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So, does this give you any guilty feelings about endorsing it for others to play? 

 

Would you want your siblings kids playing or your neighbors?

 

It really is getting bad, when a comparison to war and soldiers, doesn't seem to far off.

 

At some point, when we watch a major collision, even if it stops a play we need, are we on the side of immediate compassion and concern or still yelling "hell-yas", like the article states. 

 

I think the game needs to change and for me the easiest way to make that change is to go to leather helmets again.  I think if you take away the "weapon" that each player has, then inherently that forces them to adjust to the proper techniques and fundamentals of tackling. 

 

I am a defense guy... so I used to love the big hits.  I still appreciate that part of the game, but I don't root for the big hits anymore.  I've only been to a couple of games this year, but one of them was Niles Paul getting knocked out by the Giants players and that was just rough to watch.  If I bring my 4 year old to the game, how do I explain to him what had just happened?  I think it immediately desensitizes them to the severity of getting knocked unconcious.

 

And I love the game, but to answer your question, when I have a friend or family member whose kid is playing I actually take the time to talk to them about how they feel about it and ask whether or not they've taken everything into consideration as far as injuries go.  I think it helps the "macho man" mystique that everyone I work with knows I'm a huge football fan and I used to be a Ranger and even "big tough Adam" takes the time to make sure I weigh all of the ins and outs of the game and it's consequences. 

 

More and more I find that parents want let their kids play early on enough where the hits aren't violent to see if their kids like it.  If they like it they have realistic conversations with them about what it does to their bodies and sometimes they still play and sometimes they don't.  But that's progress for the parents of our country in my book.

 

I also don't look sideways at the families who decide to let their kids play.  Again, I'm all for life, liberty, and the pursuit of hapiness.  As long as they've done their research.  But it is scary, especially if I care about the kid.

It's a good question.  I've been feeling less enthused about the game in the last couple of years for a variety of reasons, this being a small part of it I reckon.  Something to think about.

 

Yeah, 5 wins in two years hurts!  :lol:

 

If the Redskins are on, that's always my go to, but for the first time in my life I've switched channels when they are on or had two tvs going and have paid more attention to another game/match that's on at the same time.  Not so much due to the injuries, but the product.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've never had a problem with the comparison.  Dudes are away from their families and establish a similar comraderie.  Stakes aren't as high, but there are things I wouldn't want to do that they do :lol:

 

But wow... that article is a real "down to earth" piece about the game.  More and more every day looks like getting my son into hockey is the better choice. 

In the club I coach soccer for, we have a several NFL players and coaches kids and one former D1 college QB—all of em say that they wouldn't put their kid into football until Age 14. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I saw this video series the other day and was going to start a new thread but it seems like it fits here.

 

If you haven't seen/watched this, you should. It's a documentary about former NFL players dealing with the trauma related to concussions. It's pretty moving. 

 

I won't spoil it but there is a former Redskin in here who I was surprised to see. 

 

http://video.gq.com/watch/casualties-of-the-gridiron-passing-down-the-love-of-football-through-coaching

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Why 14 ?

 

Learning football as a HS junior ?

 

That age seems odd to me.

 

The biggest hitters in the pee wee leagues are rarely giving/getting someone's block knocked off.

I would guess that a childs head/brain is much more fragile and still in it's crucial development stages where even bumping heads over and over (even if it's just the slightest) can potentially cause more damage.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'll have to ask. If I recall the conversation correctly and this has been two years, I think we were talking about tackle football. I think passing leagues are fair game. 

 

Age 14 (thereabouts) accounting for individual differences, the body is better able to withstand the demands of the game. I believe they didn't feel you lost anything starting "later" after your body has developed. 

 

Apropos of nothing, I didn't play my first competitive football game until age 14 or 15 when I went out for the school team. Practiced through summer and ended up being a JV starter at CB at a playoff caliber NOVA highschool. I was athletic, fast, could read the game—at that level, I don't think it's hard to catch up. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Why 14 ?

 

Learning football as a HS junior ?

 

That age seems odd to me.

 

The biggest hitters in the pee wee leagues are rarely giving/getting someone's block knocked off.

 

You're not a Junior at age 14.

 

I've wrestled with this thought a lot, as a coach and a parent to a little boy.

 

I'm not enthused about him playing, to be honest. But, I also think that some of this stuff is overblown. I live the life in football, and there are horrendous, awful, tragic events that occur. And it COULD happen to anyone. But the majority of players go through their football careers without more more than bumps and bruises. 

 

Putting on a helmet and cleats is akin to taking the risk of getting in a vehicle. There are risks involved. And they could, in rare cases, end up being fatal. That's scary for me as a father. Horrifying, actually.

 

I'm not going to push my son one direction or the other. If he chooses to play football, I'm going to educate him the best I can and keep him as safe as I can. If he chooses not to play football, I'll be okay with that too.

 

I don't have problems "endorsing" the game to others, because the risks are known when they strap the boots up. We've had kids on the team I coach now that hung it up because they were worried about injuries... And I applaud them for that. No vitriol from me. They know their bodies and they knew it was time to call it a career. I'm also pretty up front about the risks involved with playing. But that's not my decision to make for the kids. And I never convince a kid to play that doesn't want to play. If a kid tells me they don't want to play, I'm not one of those people who looks at them as weak. They made the decision that they feel is best for them. Good! Follow what's best for you and don't let anyone tell you differently. You get one body and one life.

 

On the flipside... Football is a beautiful game. I learned a lot of my major life lessons through the game. I am who I am thanks to the game, to be honest. The strategy is beautiful, the way the human body works is breath taking. 

 

It's a tough topic, for sure.

 

EDIT: one thing I forgot to add: The physical toll taken on D1-A is much different than at D2/D3/NAIA. That's not to say those players don't get beat up. They do. And some take tremendous beatings. But the speed of the game and the strength of the game increases with each level increase.

 

Keep in mind that the injuries former NFL players deal with on a daily basis are much different than a varsity high school football player. That's not to say serious injuries can't occur. They can and do. But the % of those injuries is fewer and far between. The NFL is filled with man children who run faster and hit harder than any other level of football. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You're not a Junior at age 14.

 

It's a tough topic, for sure.

 

Yeah, I realized that when steve quoted me. :doh:

I see upsides and downsides to it.

 

I would guess that a childs head/brain is much more fragile and still in it's crucial development stages where even bumping heads over and over (even if it's just the slightest) can potentially cause more damage.

 

Ehh...I don't think so. Maybe. I would have to look into it as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...