So I guess football is happening? It’s funny, I signed up and have been participating in a fantasy league and everything, but just now, during week 10, realized I haven’t checked any standings of the actual league at all. I know of a few injuries (goddammit Rogers) and a couple of wins that happened here or there, but haven’t even checked to see where the Bears are in the power rankings or in the NFC North yet. I shall do so presently. 

Middle of the pack then. Welp, that’s that bit of news done with.

Loads of people have been talking about the concussion situation lately. It’s been of some interest to me as well. There was the big NFL lawsuit, the book, the documentary for which ESPN rather suddenly pulled its support, etc. I’ve been wondering in particular what’s going to happen over the next five years or so to High School football. It’s not like they don’t get treatment for the students but they surely can’t afford the same intense level of care that an NFL team could. What’s going to happen when a few lawsuits start flying?

One of my friends maintains that the NFL will die out in 20 years or so as a result. I’m incredibly skeptical it will go that far, but he had the same interest in scholastic sports at the college level. Those players play a lot harder than high school kids, but plenty don’t make it to the big leagues. How many former players at that level are holding on to long term brain injuries that were never discovered, or that hasn’t made the news? How long until a class action suit happens? Those lawsuits wouldn’t be against the hugely powerful and well-funded NFL, but against individual schools for the most part. If a few colleges start having to drop their programs, the NFL slowly loses its source of players, etc.

Like I said, I’m skeptical it’ll be that severe. But he’s probably right about impending lawsuits, and we can’t pretend there won’t be some kind of impact. Dunno. Quite interested to watch it unfold, though.