Friday, November 30, 2007
'Evolution of the football helmet - and players,' Part II
The NYT has a good story on the escalating weight of high school football players, something I harped on briefly in October. It's a major problem. It's time for weight limits for high school players -- and college players. ... Notice what's ultimately driving this:
High schools, which have allowed themselves to become part of the football-factory system, have responded. From an expert cited in the Times article:
It'd be nice if the NCAA, the middleman in the football-factory system, did something about this, imposing its own weight limits at the college level and therefore discouraging upward weight trends at the high school level. But the NCAA would never do it. It's still resisting basic academic-graduation standards. ... Fat, drunk and stupid is a way to go through life, the NCAA is all but saying. ...
Update -- Anyone who says weight limits would harm the quality of the game doesn't know what he's talking about. Exhibit A: John Hannah, 6-2, 265 pounds. ...
The NYT has a good story on the escalating weight of high school football players, something I harped on briefly in October. It's a major problem. It's time for weight limits for high school players -- and college players. ... Notice what's ultimately driving this:
Despite the success and popularity of the Chicago Bears’ William Perry, known as the Refrigerator, 300-pounders were not common in the N.F.L. in the 1980s. By the summer of 2005, though, more than 600 players weighing 295 pounds and above were listed on training camp rosters.
High schools, which have allowed themselves to become part of the football-factory system, have responded. From an expert cited in the Times article:
In Indiana, he said, seven players weighed more than 250 pounds among the state prep football finalists in 1985; in 2004, 50 players did. ...
In western Pennsylvania, Alexander said, 15 high school players weighed at least 300 pounds in 1996; in 2005, 71 players did.
It'd be nice if the NCAA, the middleman in the football-factory system, did something about this, imposing its own weight limits at the college level and therefore discouraging upward weight trends at the high school level. But the NCAA would never do it. It's still resisting basic academic-graduation standards. ... Fat, drunk and stupid is a way to go through life, the NCAA is all but saying. ...
Update -- Anyone who says weight limits would harm the quality of the game doesn't know what he's talking about. Exhibit A: John Hannah, 6-2, 265 pounds. ...
