Football does not belong in college. It hurts players physically, and is highly detrimental to their studies. Many college players suffer traumatic injuries that ruin their lives. Others fail to compete in professional level sports and enter the world deprived of any skills gained from college.
Despite objections from proponents of college football, it is quite obvious that most players do not learn much from their classes. The high level of stress from their commitment to the team and the hours of play and training required for such an intense sport simply do not leave much room for academics.
Tim Green, former NFL player and lawyer, said in an Intelligence Squared debate that college football players are graduating at a higher rate than other college students, but as recent studies by the University of North Carolina reveal, college players are actually graduating at a lesser rate than non-athlete male full-time students. Evidently, football takes away from students' academics.
Aside from the harm done to the players’ studies, there is the undeniable physical pain players suffer. Repeated contact injuries and concussions during games cause irreversible damage to players. An increasing number of players suffer from CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy), a terrible brain disease that leads to early Alzheimer’s disease, loss of memory, and dementia.
Because CTE can only be diagnosed with a postmortem autopsy, the statistics for its occurrence are rare. But it is hard to believe events like the suicide of University of Pennsylvania football player Owen Thomas were not influenced by CTE. The 21-year old, who never showed signs of depression, hanged himself in April 2010. Brain tests showed definite signs of CTE, making him the youngest player to be diagnosed with the condition. Numerous NFL players have been diagnosed with CTE also.
Football may produce money for colleges, but it hurts athletes far too much to justify its benefits. After all, colleges are not-for-profit organizations created to educate students, not recruiting centers for the NFL that exploit students by overuse and compensation of little value.
Showing posts with label Intelligence squared. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Intelligence squared. Show all posts
Monday, June 4, 2012
The dangers of college football
After hearing
the Intelligence Squared debate on banning college football on Tuesday
May 8 , most people chose the side to ban college football. The choices
of the majority are certainly correct, for college football has many
problems and should be removed from all universities.
It is true college football allows the players to gain a scholarship into their dream school, but the amount of students that get a scholarship are relatively low. According to the National Collegiate Athletic Association, 1.1 million high-school students play football, yet only 66,000 is ready for college football. On top of that, out of the 66,000 ready for football, only 19,500 get a scholarship.
Even if a scholarship is granted, college football also has the danger of putting students at risk of many physical injuries and brain damage. Excessive brain damage can lead to problems like Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). CTE can lead to poor judgements, unsteady gait, slower muscle movements, and hearing loss.
Besides the issues of player injuries, financial problems are also misled and used incorrectly. Coaches of college football teams are being overpaid in this terrible economy. USA Today reports at least 64 coaches are making more than a million dollars. Earning this huge amount of money is insane because the coaches aren’t the one entering the field and taking all the injuries. It’s even more ironic when some of the coaches earn more money than the college president.
Along with coaches getting excessive money, the amount of money spent on the football is abundant as well. The football field construction cost mainly came from taxpayers. One-hundred-forty million dollars were used for TCF Bank Stadium, 196 million dollars were used on Heinz Field, and also 181 million dollars were used on Lincoln Financial Field. The money spent for the stadium can definitely help out with the 46 million people in the USA that live below the poverty line.
College football is only meant to be an entertainment, yet it’s ready to influence the economy of a nation and the education of many students. Therefore, it is encouraged for everyone to step up and speak up to help end this dangerous college sport.
It is true college football allows the players to gain a scholarship into their dream school, but the amount of students that get a scholarship are relatively low. According to the National Collegiate Athletic Association, 1.1 million high-school students play football, yet only 66,000 is ready for college football. On top of that, out of the 66,000 ready for football, only 19,500 get a scholarship.
Even if a scholarship is granted, college football also has the danger of putting students at risk of many physical injuries and brain damage. Excessive brain damage can lead to problems like Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). CTE can lead to poor judgements, unsteady gait, slower muscle movements, and hearing loss.
Besides the issues of player injuries, financial problems are also misled and used incorrectly. Coaches of college football teams are being overpaid in this terrible economy. USA Today reports at least 64 coaches are making more than a million dollars. Earning this huge amount of money is insane because the coaches aren’t the one entering the field and taking all the injuries. It’s even more ironic when some of the coaches earn more money than the college president.
Along with coaches getting excessive money, the amount of money spent on the football is abundant as well. The football field construction cost mainly came from taxpayers. One-hundred-forty million dollars were used for TCF Bank Stadium, 196 million dollars were used on Heinz Field, and also 181 million dollars were used on Lincoln Financial Field. The money spent for the stadium can definitely help out with the 46 million people in the USA that live below the poverty line.
College football is only meant to be an entertainment, yet it’s ready to influence the economy of a nation and the education of many students. Therefore, it is encouraged for everyone to step up and speak up to help end this dangerous college sport.
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