Exactly. And the same may apply here on this thread.


You want me to stop? That sounds controlling!


Even so, I appreciate you butting in on this thread because I may have learned something from it.

I think you may perceive it as dumb because you are suddenly confronted with something you have never seriously considered before.

It's very cleaver of you to try to change the topic to "dumbest question ever". But lets get back to the topic of this thread: With all the hundreds of deaths and serious injuries over the past couple of decades, why has football not been banned while hazing has?

Your contention is that hazing, except for the FAMU incident, is not all that bad. Well then football, with 325 deaths of men and boys from 1982 - 2008, seems to be far worse. Why has it not been banned along with hazing?

Follow the Money
 

There is a reality here that helps explain it - not saying it is good or bad. Hazing does not make money for schools or professional sports teams, advertisers or TV stations. People don't wear jerseys with the numbers of their favorite hazers on them. For better or worse, football is built into American culture and economy at so many levels, and people depend on it financially. I think that explains why it is not banned. Maybe over time it will be evolve into a kinder, gentler sport - but maybe not.

What I was trying to say is that hazing is a rite of passage. Extreme hazing (ala FAMU) should not be allowed. I have not checked but there are deaths and serious injuries in almost all sports. Do you want to ban them also? Or are you just picking on football for some reason?

If you were to do as statistic study of the number of people that play football versus the 325 deaths from 1982 - 2008 (what happened to 2009 to the present?), you will find it is a very small percentage. I am not saying that even one death is worth it but in the statistical model it is very small.

Glad you asked. I'm learning as I go along and I just learned who Patty Sexton is by doing a search online. Try searching, "Give some thought to call to ban HS football". From what I understand, she is a Penn. school board member and a teacher. 1) She doesn't think taxes should fund HS football. 2) She worries about the possibility of expensive law suits (which would put tax payers at risk) and 3) she worries about serious long lasting injuries to students.

Thanks. I understand it's not a lot, especially if you look at the number of deaths per year and then per month.

:popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:

OMG! You nailed it? No, I don't think so. :eek:

It starts in high school and at that young age they often think they're indestructible. They get sucked in by the "glamour" and excitement, or whatever you choose to call it. The other (hazing) they're anxious to prove they're tough enough to take it to be accepted. Again, they still think they are indestructible. Acceptance is everything as it is in football.

:024:

Regardless of intentions, whether good or bad, we can compare the resulting injuries and deaths. I don't know how many serious injuries or deaths can be attributed to hazing but their's a fair number of injuries and deaths caused by football. A search turned up 325 deaths of men and boys from 1982 - 2008. The numbers of injuries may be more difficult to compare but I assume there are a lot of injuries in football.

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

You made some excellent points. And I got a chuckle out of your statement, "People don't wear jerseys with the numbers of their favorite hazers on them."

I first heard about this issue on the radio (Friday?) and football was supported 100% by a popular talk-show host. I knew immediately that it had "industry" written all over it. The food industry, that is, because football is a bananza for the fast food industry. And radio earns a lot of money advertising fast food. So it's all connected and "built into American culture and economy at so many levels," as you stated so well. We're on the same page!!

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

Happy Father's Day. VillagesPl.

It's only a suggestion. Far be it from me to be able to control your compulsions.

A kinder, gentler planet
 

Actually, to your point, wouldn't it be nice if human nature evolved to a point where there was a lot less violence overall. I sometimes think (not too weird, but OK) about what impression a person from another planet would get when visiting here. A peek at the evaluation sheet for humans - a rating scale from 1 to 10. Still engages in tribal warfare. Ends lives in many domestic, international and legal situations. Entertainment seeks fights (hockey/boxing), crashes (racing)....you get the idea. But hopefully we have come a long way
and will continue to evolve. And your suggestions are one way to do that.

I supposed any school district sanctioned sport, or activity for that matter, has it's dangers. Maybe the difference is that people choose to participate in football, but hazing is imposed upon them? Danger is all around us, in everything we do, no matter our age. We choose to take our risks in life every day when we drive, walk, swim, etc. Hazing is a crime of violence. I get your point, but I think there is a big difference.

Why don't we all just sit at home and wait to die? What fun!!!!!