Bo Jackson: "I wouldn't let my kids play football"

[Prison Bitch]

A few months ago, Bo said this (https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/columnist/bob-nightengale/2017/01/12/bo-jackson-football-cte-mlb/96492338/):


“If I knew back then what I know now,’’ Jackson tells USA TODAY Sports, “I would have never played football. Never. I wish I had known about all of those head injuries, but no one knew that. And the people that did know that, they wouldn’t tell anybody.

“The game has gotten so violent, so rough. We’re so much more educated on this CTE stuff (chronic traumatic encephalopathy), there’s no way I would ever allow my kids to play football today.

“Even though I love the sport, I’d smack them in the mouth if they said they wanted to play football.

“I’d tell them, 'Play baseball, basketball, soccer, golf, just anything but football.’ ’’


On one hand, the game would've missed out on an incredible talent that was so fun to watch. On the other, he might've had a 10+ year career for our MLB team.

http://25.media.tumblr.com/b51ea2c1297a2783cac3713e60358d32/tumblr_mnh8u4EHoh1qlpgw4o1_r1_400.gif

[O.city]

My wife and I are currently having this conversation with our kids

[RobBlake]

Football wasn't that bad when you were a star at it and made millions.

You can get severely injured at a construction job, any job with moving machinery.. war. In retrospect.. the fame, competition, being able to hit somebody.. football is great for those that have that itch. The brotherhood is bigger than the game.. if anyone is not doing their job, that play will get blown up.

[DJJasonp]

And tecmo bowl would have been a hell of a lot less fun


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mikeyis4dcats.]

Football wasn't that bad when you were a star at it and made millions.

You can get severely injured at a construction job, any job with moving machinery.. war. In retrospect.. the fame, competition, being able to hit somebody.. football is great for those that have that itch. The brotherhood is bigger than the game.. if anyone is not doing their job, that play will get blown up.

not comparable. In a construction trade you might suffer from repetitive injury syndrome and have issues with joints, etc. Same as football. But unless you're doing something wrong you aren't taking repetitive blows to the head which can cause CTE.

[PAChiefsGuy]

Who cares? Football is for warriors. Clearly Bo Jackson isn't one.

[O.city]

There won't be football in the future anyway

[ChiefAshhole1056]

Maybe not as a youth, but once they reach high school if they are interested it should be their decision.

[ChiefAshhole1056]

There won't be football in the future anyway

You really don't think so? I've heard this before, but I'm just skeptical strictly based on the fact there will always be a desire to play it by someone and others will want to watch. Now whether or not the NFL will continue to be the source is a completely different conversation.

[Canofbier]

Who cares? Football is for warriors. Clearly Bo Jackson isn't one.

:rolleyes:

[ClevelandBronco]

Bo knows his feminine side.

[Prison Bitch]

Who cares? Football is for warriors. Clearly Bo Jackson isn't one.

http://38.media.tumblr.com/f69d34adfc598565cb7bb9682450514d/tumblr_my2b6y053S1rvn2ylo2_400.gif

[Discuss Thrower]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3538465/

[Skyy God]

Who cares? Football is for warriors. Clearly Bo Jackson isn't one.

Bo knows his feminine side.

/ToughGuyPlanet

[Dayze]

it's an interesting decision. I don't have kids, but thinking about it - I'm not sure where I would stand on the issue if my kid wanted to play football. If you asked me 15 years ago if I would let them play, I would've said 'hell yes'.

[PAChiefsGuy]

/ToughGuyPlanet

I don't think what I said has anything to do with being a tough guy.

Obviously football isn't for everyone that's all I was getting at.

[Rain Man]

There won't be football in the future anyway

You really don't think so? I've heard this before, but I'm just skeptical strictly based on the fact there will always be a desire to play it by someone and others will want to watch. Now whether or not the NFL will continue to be the source is a completely different conversation.

I think it'll exist, but in some modified form without the hitting.

But hey, if boxing can still exist, football will, so maybe I'm wrong. It seems like we should watch what happens with boxing, and football's fate will generally be 10-20 years down the road from it.

[Prison Bitch]

It's kinda funny when people say the NFL's days are numbered, given the rise of MMA.

[Unsmooth-Moment]

/ToughGuyPlanet

Yup. Masculinity > Smarts

Beer, fast cars, explosions, and goatees... 'Murica!

[Rain Man]

It's kinda funny when people say the NFL's days are numbered, given the rise of MMA.

That's just rolling around on a mat. If anyone gets hurt, it's by accident.

[vailpass]

Bo was a bad mofo.

[Skyy God]

Yup. Masculinity > Smarts

Beer, fast cars, explosions, and goatees... 'Murica!

Left out guns.

[Kiimo]

My highest highs in my life have been on touchdown runs. I absolutely loved football as a kid and it was a huge part of my life.

My kids will play soccer in the leagues that don't allow heading.

[PunkinDrublic]

I wish he would've focused solely on baseball, he would've developed into a hell of a better player for the Royals.

[Prison Bitch]

I wish he would've focused solely on baseball, he would've developed into a hell of a better player for the Royals.

He already was one, bro. MVP of the 1989 All-Star game remember?

https://media.giphy.com/media/wVF68wSmNQ3YY/giphy.gif

[Demonpenz]

NFL is going world wide. We can get some poor people to play eventually. Like real poor people not crack mama's eih galaxy mega 2's that are on foodstamps and welfare and keep getting left by men after they shit out another baby. I am talking flies in your eyes poor. Though it might be hard to tell who lineman are because those guys in ooor countries have big bellys

[Kiimo]

You sound delightful

[KCUnited]

Yep, my oldest is fat (thanks to my ex) and like to partake in some herb, but has quick feet. What else is he supposed to play? I got him a Craig Stadler fathead but he tells his one friend its Mike Holmgren.

[tooge]

I played football. My son played flag football, and the one year he played tackle, he broke his hand and missed fall baseball, which is his favorite sport. He decided it wasn't worth it. Momma and I are happy about that.

[Canofbier]

Yup. Masculinity > Smarts

Beer, fast cars, explosions, and goatees... 'Murica!

ur sounding more like a PANSY GIRL then a warrior lol i bet u wear a seat belt even when cops arent looking

[Unsmooth-Moment]

ur sounding more like a PANSY GIRL then a warrior lol i bet u wear a seat belt even when cops arent looking

:clap:

[WhiteWhale]

ur sounding more like a PANSY GIRL then a warrior lol i bet u wear a seat belt even when cops arent looking

This is sarcasm right?

"I'll bet you don't even smash your cans of natural light on your forehead after drinking 27 and punching out your wife!"

[Prison Bitch]

But seriously, look at this beast:
http://31.media.tumblr.com/a6a0153c86a7cc55ce36e4d43421f4b1/tumblr_mx4362ss1Q1retk9go1_400.gif

[Pablo]

Who cares? Football is for warriors. Clearly Bo Jackson isn't one.This is a guy that listens to Drowning Pool for sure.

[DaveNull]

Who cares? Football is for warriors. Clearly Bo Jackson isn't one.

lol

Bo Jackson: What a cuck

[Rain Man]

But seriously, look at this beast:
http://31.media.tumblr.com/a6a0153c86a7cc55ce36e4d43421f4b1/tumblr_mx4362ss1Q1retk9go1_400.gif

They're just Broncos. That doesn't count. Deron Cherry could blow him up like he was a bridge across the Rhine.

[Chiefshrink]

Remove the face mask. Problem solved.

But no way that will happen because our society is so into looking cool and they have become so soft that a few bloody noses would stop this snowflake generation in a heartbeat. Just saying.:shrug:

[PunkinDrublic]

He already was one, bro. MVP of the 1989 All-Star game remember?

https://media.giphy.com/media/wVF68wSmNQ3YY/giphy.gif

Yeah and he would've been even more badass for even longer for the Royals if he would have gave baseball his full focus.

[AssEaterChief]

Yeah and he would've been even more badass for even longer for the Royals if he would have gave baseball his full focus.

You really think he would have stayed in KC if he had a full baseball career?

MY ass

[KCUnited]

Hindsight is 50/50 when you're rich AF.

[kcxiv]

Who cares? Football is for warriors. Clearly Bo Jackson isn't one.

bo would make you his bitch, even right now, he would make you his bitch

[kcxiv]

Hindsight is 50/50 when you're rich AF.


He would have been rich is fuck without football. Dude was a pretty decent baseball player, Not sure if you heard! lol

[Why Not?]

Football is my favorite sport. I love the NFL and it's not going anywhere because it will always represent a doorway to a way of life that could not be achieved any other way by a portion of the population.


There is no fucking way I am letting either of my sons play football outside of flag.

[LoneWolf]

If my son decides he wants to play football, he will have my support. I'm curious as to why there are so many in this thread saying they will not let their sons play football. The risk from playing peewee football up through high school is much less than playing college or NFL football.

[notorious]

If my son decides he wants to play football, he will have my support. I'm curious as to why there are so many in this thread saying they will not let their sons play football. The risk from playing peewee football up through high school is much less than playing college or NFL football.

Same here.

If he wants to play, he will get to, and I will not give him a hard time if he chooses not to.


In the past, there was a lot of pressure to play. If I even thought about not playing it would have gotten ugly.

[Why Not?]

If my son decides he wants to play football, he will have my support. I'm curious as to why there are so many in this thread saying they will not let their sons play football. The risk from playing peewee football up through high school is much less than playing college or NFL football.

I'm not saying it has not been somewhat sensationalized like almost any news story these days, and I certainly get that there is no such thing as eliminating risks in life, but there sure seem to be a significant amount of stories of high school kids dying or suffering serious head trauma related to football that you just don't see with the same frequency in other youth sports. If there is, and this is very possible by the time my kids are in high school, a major improvement in head equipment protection, I will reconsider.

Also, since I'm operating out of the way of thinking that neither of my kids would be good enough to play college or pro football(maybe I'm selling them short. The youngest is the best player on his soccer team and had 15 rebounds in his first youth basketball game! But, um, he's 5 lol)so I think the enjoyment and fun from playing football can come from flag. At almost 41 I still play flag every week and it's great fun, camaraderie, and a workout. Oh and it's as physical as you would want without a paycheck involved.

[WhiteWhale]

If my son decides he wants to play football, he will have my support. I'm curious as to why there are so many in this thread saying they will not let their sons play football. The risk from playing peewee football up through high school is much less than playing college or NFL football.

I would let my kids play football, but they'd also know the risks.

If they said "no, I'm going to focus on academics and other sports that won't cause as much brain damage"

I wouldn't question their manhood or call them a pussy. Good for them.

Unlike some people around here, I actually don't think being smart or caring about your long term mental health makes you pillowbitergy.

[Rudy tossed tigger's salad]

Peewee football is the stupidest thing ever. If you want to minimize your kid's athletic development, have him play peewee.

[Prison Bitch]

As someone mentioned, who cares if your kid plays HS football? Nobody is getting CTE from that.

[AssEaterChief]

As someone mentioned, who cares if your kid plays HS football? Nobody is getting CTE from that.

"Wrong"

[Discuss Thrower]

"Wrong"

Incorrect.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3538465/

[LoneWolf]

but there sure seem to be a significant amount of stories of high school kids dying or suffering serious head trauma related to football that you just don't see with the same frequency in other youth sports.

You might want to check the facts on this. Football isn't in the top three for mortality rate of high school sports. If you count cheerleading as a sport, football wouldn't be in the top four.

[Jimmya]

You can tell many of you aren't from Texas, where we have million dollar high school stadiums and Fridays nights are a religion. The NFL isn't going anywhere!

[jason54858]

You can tell many of you aren't from Texas, where we have million dollar high school stadiums and Fridays nights are a religion. The NFL isn't going anywhere!

Not just Texas but throughout the south, and with the Patriots success the northeast is seeing a poporlarity surge of the sport. Yes, CTE is a bad mark on the sport, but its something the sport can overcome imo. What sport will replace the NFL when it is "dead"? European Soccer? NBA? MLB (which is a sport that needs to worry about poporality Armageddon)? I don't think so.

[PAChiefsGuy]

bo would make you his bitch, even right now, he would make you his bitch

I have my license to carry. If Bo would attack me, I'm within my legal rights to defend myself. So nah Bo is not making me his bitch....

He should have his kids try male-cheerleading instead. No risk of a concussion injury with that job.

[Why Not?]

You might want to check the facts on this. Football isn't in the top three for mortality rate of high school sports. If you count cheerleading as a sport, football wouldn't be in the top four.

Maybe I should rephrase. "In sports that I'm concerned that my kids might actually want to play, football seems to have an increased number of dangerous incidents"

If my kids want to play water polo or boys softball(seriously, I was unaware this is an option in high school), I'll address that then. Neither of them have shown the slightest inclination to be interested in gymnastics, so I think I'm safe there.

[Rausch]

Bo can say that because what he went through means his kids don't have to...

[kgrund]

I wish he would've focused solely on baseball, he would've developed into a hell of a better player for the Royals.

Could not disagree more. He wasted his time playing basebaseball. He was born to run the football. NFL HOF talent MLB novelty IMO.

[Spott]

I have my license to carry. If Bo would attack me, I'm within my legal rights to defend myself. So nah Bo is not making me his bitch....

He should have his kids try male-cheerleading instead. No risk of a concussion injury with that job.

You're an idiot.

[scorpio]

It's kinda funny when people say the NFL's days are numbered, given the rise of MMA.

In MMA you might take 10 good shots to the head in a year. And it's not from a 300 pound jacked dude who is wearing armor and trying to murder you. They also wear lighter gloves in MMA than in boxing specifically so you can't just pound your opponent in the head the whole fight.