I'm listening to the Dan LeBatard Show and he played a clip from someone who was stating that maybe the sport of football is to blame for these players behavior. The argument is that you don't see this happening in the MLB, the NBA, soccer and other sports. The question at hand is if football is making these men monsters? With news that Jonathon Dwyer is suicidal Junior Seau and Mike Webster are being mentioned. That brings a fair question. Is there so much head trauma in the game that brain chemistry is altered and these guys can't function or are these guys just really bad people?

 

It it was noted that the domestic violence problem in America is a bigger problem outside of the NFL but recent events make it seem like there is a domestic abuse problem in the NFL.

You are right...domestic abuse is rampant and IMO one of the biggest ills in our society. The light of the NFL just magnifies it.

Chicken/egg.

 

Does football "cause" violence, or are violent men attracted to football?

Chicken/egg.

 

Does football "cause" violence, or are violent men attracted to football?

 

Excellent question. Hadn't thought of it like that.

Excellent question. Hadn't thought of it like that.

 

I've got a boatload of excellent questions.

 

It's answers that are in short supply.

I don't think any one really knows. What we do know is that the use of steroids does cause violence and anger issues in some people. I don't think anyone is naive to think that football players don't use them. I have no idea if there is a connection, but it is plausible.

I think it comes back more to star athletes being coddled and protected most of their careers.

I think it comes back more to star athletes being coddled and protected most of their careers.

 

Even for the violent crimes?

I don't question so much of it being head trauma as it is just the mentality that is constantly drilled into these players from a young age. I'll admit that I didn't play football but if you believe the stereotype is true, these players are constantly bombarded with the idea that you have to go out and crush/kill/dominate your opponent. Have to be tougher than them. Coaches in your face at every practice.

 

After so many years of that, I'd imagine it could be a little difficult for the weaker minded to check out of the game when they are away from it.

I played football from the time I was old enough until I graduated high school, and I don't have a violent bone in my body. So no, I don't think football is to blame.

I played football from the time I was old enough until I graduated high school, and I don't have a violent bone in my body. So no, I don't think football is to blame.

 

The question is whether or not these guys have taken too much head trauma by the time they get to the pros. You stopped in high school. These guys play high level football while in college and in the pros. That's a whole lot more hits to the head to disrupt brain chemistry.

RBs in particular get abused more than any other position IMO. These guys take shots to the head all of the time and unless they get knocked out the refs don't call helmet to helmet penalties when RBs are hit. Let it be a WR or QB and the flag comes flying onto my tv screen.

I've heard that the arrest rate in the NFL is actually lower than that of the population in general. Joe NFL player hits his wife, it's news. When Joe Normal guy down the street hits his wife, no one hears about it. Whenever you are in the spotlight, whatever you do, good or bad, gets magnified.

The question is whether or not these guys have taken too much head trauma by the time they get to the pros. You stopped in high school. These guys play high level football while in college and in the pros. That's a whole lot more hits to the head to disrupt brain chemistry.

 

By the time you graduate high school, you've taken thousands of hits. If this were truly a football issue, why don't we hear about high school football players beating on their girlfriends?

If it were true that football was making them violent then I'd need to see evidence that domestic violence is more common among football players than in the general population... I don't believe that evidence exists and it's probably pretty close to the national average. We just don't hear about the countless other incidents that happen every day.