WhoDat!656

Merril Hoge has been outspoken on the subject of brain injuries in the NFL since long before it became one of the major issues surrounding the league in the last few years. Hoge’s career was cut short after he had multiple concussions in 1994, and he successfully sued the Bears and their team doctor over the way his concussions were treated during his final NFL season.

But while Hoge is concerned about players suffering brain injuries on the field, he takes strong issue with those who say that concussions are so dangerous that children shouldn’t play football. And on ESPN’s NFL Live, Hoge went off on Kurt Warner, who said on Thursday that he wouldn’t want his kids playing football before later backing away from those comments.

Merril Hoge: Kurt Warner is uneducated and irresponsible | ProFootballTalk

"A Veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America" for an amount of "up to and including my life."

Boutte

Hoge is an arrogant, self important douche. Warner is intelligent, humble and thoughtful.

I played football in JHS and HS. I loved it. When I took my pads off for the last time I almost cried. If my son asked me if he should play football I'd tell him no. I still have problems with my ankles, shoulder and neck even though I never had a serious injury. And I haven't played in 40 years.

saintfan

El-douche-o-nozzle-oh. And he's a turd. My son is two and I will steer him to Baseball or something else if he's interested in sports like his old man. My younger brother blew out his knee with zero contact. I love football, but it's not a risk I would want my son to take, and if Hoge doesn't like it he can come by and we can talk about it before I punch him in the face...

subguy

I played for a number of years....if I had a son I do not think I would try to stop him from playing, but I would seriously let him know how cool kicking or punting could be. My body aches now as I approach 50, is it soccer, football, baseball or pounding on a hard court playing tournament tennis? I have no idea but I played all sports with a worry about the pain later, play hard now attitude.

FinSaint

I've never played full contact football, so I don't really have any first hand experience on how dangerous it would be for a child playing with other children, but having played ice hockey for all my youth - if I'll ever have a son, I would be very proud if he was to take on hockey and I wouldn't try to convince him not to if it was his choice in the first place.

Hockey is a violent sport, and many of my former teammates have some health problems because of their playing years, but others are still playing professionally and earning the big bucks in f.e. the NHL.

I, myself, only have an occasional problem with my other hand and thumb, which was consequently the main reason why I stopped playing hockey, but I received that particular injury while snow boarding, so I can't really blame the violent nature of ice hockey for that.

And, I definitely wouldn't call Warner "uneducated and irresponsible."

"I'm not bashing people, I'm bashing their opinions because in my opinion their opinion is wrong" - Danno

saintaholic

I always couldn't wait to have son's so they could play football because I missed my chance due to my genetics, I didn't cross the 130lb. mark until I was out of high school. With Jr. Seau's death & all the info. coming out the last few seasons I'm kinda glad I didn't have boys so I don't have to face the dilemma of whether or not they should play a game that I love to watch. If I did or do have boys in the future, I don't see myself pushing them towards football, they can play soccer like I did.

On another note, it seems our QB agrees, at least somewhat, with Warner, yesterday he said kids below the age of 13 shouldn't play football. I wonder if that's when he started?

Drew Brees is from Texas. Football is king there. He told me, "Kids shouldn't be exposed to that constant hitting, like you would with a football helmet on, until after the age of 13."

I have friends whose kids are as young as 6 & play, the comments by titans of the game like Warner & Brees makes me wonder if they should reconsider their decisions? Turley, a former Saint, also says that peewee football should be banned but I'm not sure I'd go that far but he's been know to be dramatic.

I put a link to the article below in case anyone is interested.

SAINTS, SIGN BREES ASAP, WE NEED SOME GOOD NEWS!

Can America Quit Football? - Patrick Hruby - Entertainment - The Atlantic

SloMotion

If I had it to do over again (my kids are 20+), I'd guide my kids more to bowling/golf ... plenty of college scholarships available ... my Dad tried it with me & it didn't work. My kids playing hockey didn't bother me, but I'm glad my son never wanted to play football just because of the way they practice and the injuries, even at a the younger ages.

Danno

I like to steer my kids towards sports they show an interest in. My dad forced me toplay some sports that I hated. I still have issues with that.

QBREES9

My seven year old son asked if he could play football next year and I said yes. He'll play any sports he likes. As long as he enjoys it.

SloMotion

Yeah, that's what I meant to say, I let 'em play the sports they were interested in & enjoyed but should have put more effort into getting them interested in stuff like bowling/golf, maybe swimming ... either way, I had a lot of fun with them kids growing up and their sports ... and most importantly, they still come by to see the Old Man and do some fishin' now & again, .