What's the difference between school football and hazing?
 

What's the difference considering both, at times, have caused injury and death? If you accept that they both cause injury and death, why is one allowed and encouraged while the other is banned?

For more information on this subject, search: "Give some thought to call to ban HS football"

Its the same thing.
ESPN.com - OTL: Sports hazing incidents

One has a large audience and the other doesn't?

One is SUPPOSED to be fun and the other is mean.

Football: a group strives to have victory that is shared by all
Hazing: a group strives to have victory by causing failure in one

I'm having trouble understanding how this thread's question is garnering serious thought.

There is nothing whatsoever similar between football and hazing.

One is a sport, and one is a ritual. Not even remotely similar things.

I can say:

What's the difference between football and rock climbing?

What's the difference between football and motorcycling?

What's the difference between football and paragliding?

I can probably think of a hundred more examples that fit the parameter of your query.

Thanks for your thoughtful reply, RichieLion. I'll try to answer your questions:

My original question (on this thread) asked about school football and hazing. I assumed it would be understood that we are talking about activities that are usually engaged in by students. Football is a school activity that is permitted and encouraged. Hazing, the "ritual" engaged in by students is usually forbidden. Anyway, to make a long story short, we are talking about student activities. Rock climbing, motorcycling, and paragliding are not usually school activities, as far as I am aware of.

Well, I sure missed the point of the OP.

...

Huh!!!!!!!!!

How does this tie in with eating vegetables?

Well, I guess my point is that they both have caused injury and death. But then the real question is: Why is one allowed and encouraged while the other is banned? Perhaps I should have stated that question from the beginning? I'll go back and include it.

Sorry if it was confusing. I went back and made a change to my opening post so as to clarify what this is about.

I think I'll give this a try, even though I think RichieLion answered it well. Our sports like football and basketball are meant to test our physical strength, speed, and skill against one another or against a standard. They are governed by rules and hopefully by a sense of fair play. Whenever we pit our strength and speed against someone else's, injuries are possible. Hazing has none of these elements. It is an institutionalized form of bullying meant to cause pain and humiliation as some sort of entry fee into the organization doing the hazing. Just because two completely activities can lead to the same conclusion (injury or death), it is faulty logic to say that the two activities are then the same.

Thanks for reminding me. I'll save that for the "Medical and Health Discussion" board.