Essay on What Price Football? by Banks

Football has been recording the highest number of injuries to its players more than any other sport in the US especially in the high school level (Bry, Dave). The level of injuries is also high among the professional football players. Several players have suffered concussion while others have considered committing suicide because of permanent injuries they get while playing football. The rules of playing the sport expose players to the risk of getting the injuries because of its violent nature (Banks, Don). However, the sport is one of the most favorites games among the Americans. Therefore, it should continue existing in the society for the longest time possible. New rules to ban direct helmet collision and other laws reducing the risk should be accepted by fans as well as players for a relatively safe game.

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The rules of play need changes that minimize the risk the players face while playing or practicing. Thought elimination of the entire risk of injuries cannot be assured; steps need to be taken to remove rules that enhance the possibility of injuries.

People involve themselves in a sport to get entertainment and enjoy in the course of the game. The players regardless of whether professional or armature should enjoy it in the process. The well being of all players should always remain a priority at all cost to ensure as they entertain the spectators, they also enjoy the sport. It is vital to come up with rules that ensure that safety of all in the stadium. The football fans who head to watch matches always want their safety to be guaranteed while on the stadium watching. The coaching staff and other stakeholders managing the football clubs always want their safety also to be assured while in the field or managing matches. The players in the field as they take on each other and compete for honors should as well get protection by the rules of the game that ensure they are safe while in the field. The rules that ban dangerous play ensure that fans favorite stars in the match remain safe and entertain them for a long time.

The society and government authorities do a lot to make sure that citizens are protected from drugs that pose a threat to the health. Football rules should emulate the same and ensure ways of play that lead to dangers that cause permanent injuries are altered for minimal cases of players leaving the game with regrets. Rules allowing direct helmet collisions may easily lead to a concussion and sometimes permanent brain damage (Banks, Don). Though rules that do not permit the helmet to helmet hit do not necessarily eliminate the risk of concussion, they help in ensuring that the players have lower chances of getting a concussion in the course of the game. It is beneficial for the game to adopt rules that ensure players can play for a longer period without getting injured and that reduce the possibility of fatal injuries leading to death.

There have been court cases where a player who has been injured while in the course of play seeks compensation from NFL. Though some have received payment and NFL has not accepted responsibility for the injuries and the deaths resulting, it is evident rules should be set by the body to protect the players. When a player takes NFL to the court after injuries, it is an indication that they expect the body to protect them while in the field by formulating rules that ensure their safety. The act of going to court to seek justice also shows that it would interest every player if they remained healthy and safe to stay in the game and therefore rules that eliminate dangerous play and make soccer players prone to injuries should be made.

On the other hand, the changing of the rules of the game will affect the original game that has attracted a lot of fan base in the US. Those who oppose the move to come up with rules that bring up safer games while in play argue the new rules may be impossible to have the real taste of the match. The player and their coaches see the rules such as banning of a direct hit on helmets an impossible way of participating in the game. They see as if the game would be ruined. However, it would be better to ruin the game than destroying lives as Don Banks argues, worrying less about changed rules makes sense more than the ruined lives by the game.

Therefore, the new rules should be put in place to reduce the number of ruined lives by the risky play observed in football. The new rules may change the way the game is played but, protecting the lives of the players should remain paramount as it works to the good of the game. It also ensures that the longevity of the game in the US is assured. Football fans would have more time of observing and watching their superstars in the field. Also, the grief of injured player who may never play again or die would reduce if not fully eliminated.

Works Cited

Banks, Don. "What Price Football?". The MMQB, 2013, http://mmqb.si.com/2013/10/23/price-of-concussions-don-banks#.

Bry, Dave. "American Football Is Too Dangerous, And It Should Be Abolished". The Guardian, 2016, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jan/04/american-football-is-too-dangerous-and-it-should-be-abolished.