As a father of two young boys (3, 5) in a few short years I'll have to make some decisions about what sports they'll be allowed to play. I grew up playing football and did so through high school. I was never good enough to play at a level above that so I think I escaped relatively unscathed. But these days with all the new research revealing the dangers of concussions and the recent publicity about the long term effects of the sport (Bountygate, now Seau, RIP) I'm wondering if there will be a ripple effect down to our high schools, middle schools and even peewee leagues.

My partner and I are leaning toward steering our sons toward 'safer' sports. Soccer, basketball, baseball, etc. What about you gents, will you/have you let your kids play football?

EDIT: I just read a story on pansylawyertalk about HOFer Kurt Warner:

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"Dissent is the highest form of patriotism."

Is your "partner" another male?

Yes, although I don't see how that's relevant.

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"Dissent is the highest form of patriotism."

That explains plenty

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yes.

unless they're as frail as chris rainey or sean spence.

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This post consists solely of the opinions of the author, and should in no way, shape or form be interpreted as an assertion of fact.

i don't see how it is either.

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This post consists solely of the opinions of the author, and should in no way, shape or form be interpreted as an assertion of fact.

no, I probably wouldn't. Like Warner says, I guess if he's all gung ho I'd support him. But honestly I played football through 8th grade, and it's not a very fun game to play! I actually liked basketball the best and soccer second. Football was behind those two but way ahead of baseball. Baseball was the worst. ha

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"I would challenge you to a battle of wits but I see you are unarmed."

I would and wanted to see my son follow in my footsteps and play every sport possible. He chose to go another route. He chose to take part in a metal band [lead singer/rythum guitar] by the time he was in 8th grade. I had already played 4 years worth of sports both organized and backyard style by the time I was in 8th grade. It worked out well for him though. He's still athletic and we play the more common ones still, basketball, football and baseball.

I understand the concerns and obviously know the risks and what could possibly become the results and I still would play myself and allow my son to play as well. JMO

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Honor the Fallen. http://www.militarytimes.com/valor/

Unless my kid ends up being 5'4 125 lbs, he will be encouraged to play football. I always loved playing the game. From back yard tackle football, to college. Soccer balls will be banned from my home, unless I have a girl that wants to play.

Tap and jazz might the the right route for your boys, Riddle.

As much as I hate to admit it and as much as I love the game, my son will not be allowed to play. It's physics and anatomy.

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/744 ... e-football

"While a hard plastic helmet lined with cushioning can protect the skull from fracturing, a concussion occurs on the inside of the head, when the brain quickly decelerates and impacts bone. This means that helmet designers face an inevitable tradeoff: If the head isn't shielded from the strongest physical impacts — and this is best done with soft, pliable materials — then it can break and bleed. But the very act of protecting players from those severe collisions means that the head will bounce around the cushioned helmet, thus allowing the brain to move within its bony cage. The worst impact will be internal.

The compromises of helmet design help explain why there will be no quick technological fix for football concussions. Last October, Jeffrey Kutcher, chairman of the American Academy of Neurology's sports section, told a committee of United States senators that all of the current concussion-prevention products being sold were largely useless. "I wish there was such a product [that could prevent concussions] on the market," he said. "The simple truth is that no current helmet, mouth guard, headband, or other piece of equipment can significantly prevent concussions from occurring … It is extremely unlikely that helmets can prevent concussions the way they prevent skull fractures." He went on to criticize numerous claims by helmet manufacturers suggesting otherwise, noting that even Riddell's specialized anti-concussion helmet has only been shown to reduce the rate of concussions by 2.6 percent."