Bob Costas

[Stanzi]

To be fair, I've never heard of anyone dying while playing Volleyball.

You clearly haven't played an intense volleyball match with Al-Qaeda. They killed my friend just for wearing a banana hammock.

 

[AZHAWKFAN1]

To be fair, I've never heard of anyone dying while playing Volleyball.

My cousins 10 year old son died will jumping on a trampoline........ just sayin

 

[whammer33024]

has bob's son ever climbed a tree?

 

[herky01]

It's all perspective. You're more likely to get killed on a golf course than on the football field. Also, Costas is just another example of how the media tries to manipulate the minds of the public. If a small plane crashes and kills 2 people it gets national coverage, but if you have a 10 car pile-up that kills 2, nobody cares.

 

[fsanford]

My cousins 10 year old son died will jumping on a trampoline........ just sayin

Don't think anyone is saying that you cannot get hurt or even die in any physical activity, but lets face facts, the probability of getting hurt in football is so much greater than any other sport.
See below numbers for just concussions football is almost double anything else, by the way girl soccer player's are a bunch of cheap shot artist's wow

Below is occurrences per 10,000 participants.

Sport	Boys	Girls
American football	11.2	N/A
Lacrosse	6.9	5.2
Soccer	4.2	6.7
Wrestling	6.2	N/A
Basketball	2.8	5.6
Field hockey	N/A	4.2
Baseball/Softball	1.2	1.6

Again its a parents choice, the above numbers to me do not seem like the risk is too great, but then again had a kid get his bell rung a few times, so my perspective is different from others. Does not mean I question parents letting their kids play football. And ,at least in the Pop Warner leagues, its probably safer now than anytime before.

 

[HawkeyeMHA]

has bob's son ever climbed a tree?

I make sure to climb one tree per day

 

[volhawk50]

I also wonder if he let his kid ride a bike, skateboard or drive a car? All three are activities full of risk.

Or cook food, or walk down stairs? Maybe Costas Jr is the bubble boy.

 

[HawkinGoferLand]

on Mike and Mike this am, they said Pop Warner had a decline in participation of 9% 2010 to 2012. Someone commented are these kids choosing other sports or Xbox?

 

[HawkinGoferLand]

also wondering if kids not in FB now are playing soccer. IIRC, youth soccer has higher rate of concussions than youth football.

 

[ibahawkeye]

I have a 1 year old son. I wouldn't discourage him from playing football but I think there will be a part of me nervous in the stands.

I heard somewehre on the radio that NFL injuries are up a significant percent this year and the participation in youth football is down. It will be interesting if the brutality of the sport will hurt its popularity in the future.

 

[oregonhawkeye]

Is a ****** nozzle. He's never played a sport in his life. My kid will wipe out in his bike (w out a gay helmet on), will play foozeball if he wants to, and will get knocked down and hurt. That's part of being a kid. A little over sensitive???? Meh

Speakiing of being sensitive: Hopefully someday we'll evolve to the point where using the word gay as a pejorative is no longer socially acceptable.

 

[NCHawker]

Or cook food, or walk down stairs? Maybe Costas Jr is the bubble boy.

i ate a dead frog once.

 

[Sparky]

Agree with Drummmer. If he has a kid he doesnt want to play football that fine, it up to him. But I dont know why he thinks we all want him to do a editorial as if his opinion should matter to the rest of us. Seems the last few years he thinks we care what he thinks about a lot of subjects.

There are a hell of a lot more viewers out there than just you and the rest of the members of Hawkeye Nation and some of those people may take comfort in the fact that they're not the only ones fearful about their children playing football.

 

[Sparky]

Im interested, how many people commenting here have had a football related injury and what type of injury?

 

[trj]

Maybe his son isn't interested in sports and or not very athletic anyway, so it's just a bunch of nonsense.

FWIW, I believe his son is in his late 20's, early 30's.........Grandson,maybe??????

 

[whammer33024]

not football, but i've endured my fair share of baseball injuries. tommy john surgery in the elbow and have also torn the labrum in my shoulder, broken bone in the shoulder, and moderate to severe tear of my rotator cuff in the same shoulder. if you notice, tommy john surgery has become pretty common for pitchers in the MLB.

if my 3 month old son comes to me in a few years and says he wants to pitch, i'm going out that night and buying a catchers mitt to catch him and will be damn proud to do so.

theres risk in everything you do. will i be nervous that this next pitch will be the one that causes him pain? probably, but i'm not going to deny him the fun he's had up until that point because I was afraid of what could possibly happen in the future

 

[fsanford]

on Mike and Mike this am, they said Pop Warner had a decline in participation of 9% 2010 to 2012. Someone commented are these kids choosing other sports or Xbox?

For those of us who had kids in sports or any other activities outside of school, the one thing it takes is a lot of the parents time. If both parents work you need to juggle the schedule. Who know's that might be part of it too. Parents have to limit how many different things kids can participate in.

A couple of other thoughts.

Soccer is probably the cheapest sport to play, throw in an ever increasing hispanic population, who's parents grew up watching and playing that game, might be why a growing number kids play soccer vs playing football.

Any number of reasons behind why, but would agree probably concussion fear has had the most immediate impact. People hear about ex-NFL players with dementia and other things. Didn't Tony Dorsett just come out saying he has some brain related problems as a result of football.

You keep hearing about all the bad again and again its going to have an effect.

Lastly this is not about all injuries, its about head injuries. I think most parents realize a kid can get hurt playing sports. If a kid breaks something or tears a muscle so beit that can be fixed. The brain, not so much

 

[trj]

I can say one thing Roger Godell is earning every bit of that 20 mil in salary/compensation he got paid last year. Despite the popularity and the great TV ratings the sport of football does seem to be at a crossroad.

 

[GesterHawk]

I am not going to stop my son from playing football if he wants to. I am also not going to push him into it either.

But if he does decide to play, I am going to teach him the proper way to tackle and block.

 

[HawkeyeFever]

A few thoughts...

First, Bob Costas is very talented and has earned his reputation as one of the best sports broadcasters in the business. That being said, he does seem to abuse his soapbox privileges from time to time, whether it be regarding his views on gun control, youth football, or whatever. I have to remind myself that it is one man's opinion and move on.

I also echo several others' opinions on worrying about my sixteen year old and his sports endeavors. He LOVES football and I like watching him play, but the last thing I want him to do is get hurt doing it. Unlike my father, who pushed me into almost every sport I tried, I have left it to his decision and I support it. If there comes a time where I have to step in (multiple concussions or other serious injury), I will.

If he decides to not play a sport, I tell him that is fine, but that he will be doing something after school like weightlifting or getting a job. Anything that keeps him out of trouble and I know what he is doing and when.

For now, I find myself telling him the same things before games. Have fun, play aggressive, and DON'T GET HURT.