re: Dan Patrick show raised an interesting question this morning.

quote:

---

One of the Danettes raised an interesting question. What if you try to steer your son away from playing football.

---

I love my kids, I really do. The time to steer your kids away from playing sports due to concussions and serious life-threatening injury is at the collegiate level, not prior to it.

The chances of ironsides' offspring being good at the high school level are pretty high, however the chances of them being good enough to play at a significant level after high school are pretty slim. Even if they had a chance to walk on for a division 1 football program and be a backup on special teams, the chances of someone that shares my genetics to to do make a commitment for the level of sacrifice it takes just to be on the team vs. partying their nuts off are pretty slim

Football teaches great teamwork skills. Everyone has a different job, and everyone has to be coordinated. You learn to play through minor pain. It's not like you are signing your kid up to get a concussion.

Facts:
11% will have a repeat concussion. The repeat concussions are the dangerous ones, and you have a 0.66% chance of having it happening.

On the collegiate level it becomes much more dangerous, and obviously on the professional level. I will also steer them away from playing like assholes. You know, kids that lead with their head or use their head as a weapon.

For the same teamwork reasons, I am also going to let my sons play soccer if they want to, or ice hockey, lacrosse, or baseball. It'll be their choice based on what they find fun.

I will, however try to steer my kids away from MMA style fighting.