This
weekend I went to the Northwestern vs. Syracuse football game, but there was a
lot more than football that went on. Towards the beginning of the game they let
excited boy scouts run across the field with pride. After, a veteran who had
recently earned a purple heart received a standing ovation from the crowd.
Later in the game members of the Chicago Blackhawks took the field as well as
different fans to play games for prizes. Even if your team was losing, there
was still something to be excited about during this game.
When
I got home from the game, I stumbled across an article in The New York times on
a debate on whether or not college football should be banned. Malcolm Gladwell
argued that college football should not be allowed. He said colleges “should
not be in the business of encouraging young men to hit themselves over the
head.” Although I agree that safety for the players should always be a top
priority, I don’t think that’s what college football encourages.
College
football is no longer just about the game. As I saw on Saturday, it was also about honoring those that
fight for our country, showing high school students what they too could be a
part of someday, and most of all, a sense of community. Seeing an entire town
dressed in all purple shows that you are in some way connected to those around
you. Even if you have never seen or spoken to the people you pass, you know you
are rooting for the same outcome. The few people in orange representing
Syracuse would yell out to each other saying things like “Go Orange!” to tell
each other that they’re not alone in rooting against the home team. No one is
focused on the score or the players when the whole crowd is on their feet
cheering for local bands, veterans, and Chicago teams. Since college football
is encouraging this sense of community, would abolishing college football also
abolish the sense of community?
I think college football should be banned. Though I do agree with you that college football promotes a sense of community pride and school pride, I do not think that football games are the only way in which people are able to experience that pride. I feel that taking away college football would by no means abolish community pride. However, I am certainly not in favor of banning college football because it will result in a loss of community pride, but rather because of the harmful affects it has on the players later on in life.
ReplyDeleteUpon more consideration, I changed my mind. I don't think college football should be banned. Looking back in history, many times when the government bans something or makes it illegal, it doesn't really improve the lives of many. For example, during the Prohibition, people still bootlegged alcohol.
ReplyDeleteAlthough college football does help this sense of community that Maddie talked about, it does have some great risks to it. Perhaps football's values need to change a little bit and rather than rooting for winning, maybe we should root for safety of the players. I realize it is not easy to change all football fans' opinions on what is the most important part of the game, but I think focusing more on the health of the players might make football a safer sport. I also think this issue says something about American values. Many intense football fans are so caught up in the idea of winning that safety is a second priority. This could mean that the emphasis on being the best is a big part of our country's culture and beliefs.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Josh's second post in that football should be banned, but for a different reason than he suggested. I believe that it should be banned because there are so many other sports out there that can encourage a sense of community and that have the same benefits as college football does. I also think Emily is right in that a greater concern for player safety is needed. However, I respectfully disagree that values is the only thing in need of a change; I doubt this will be enough, and though it might sound extreme, banning the sport altogether is the only way to stop the horrific injuries in my opinion. I have read so much lately about the problems that many football players experience later in life...not only is their life often impeded by brain problems from too many concussions, but the average lifespan of a football player is dramatically shorter than that of the average human who doesn't play football. We need to stop these injuries, and the only effective way to do that is to ban football altogether.
ReplyDelete