Gladwell: Well, boxing and horseracing didn't end. They have persisted, just in vastly less popular forms than before. They have gone into slow and irreversible decline. I suspect that the same will happen with football. It's going to wither as the supply of talent slowly dries up. I heard on ESPN Michael Wilbon—who is one of the most influential sports journalists in the country—say that he will not let his kids play pro football. If Wilbon won't, who will?When I think of the small empire of 5-6 year-old boys close to me, I still think I'd be fine with them playing football in high school. The last high school football game I went to, maybe 10 years ago, I was laughing at how small the players were; they looked like lambs frolicking, rolling over each other. Now, if I find any of my guys suddenly weighing 300lbs and running a 4.3 40 while competing against the same I'll be worried, but in terms of normal-sized high school kids they have a better chance of getting a concussion by falling off their bikes than playing football, so.
My first year of varsity (granted, this was in 1943) I was 170 pounds of raw tiger sinew and polyurethane, and I was one of the bigger kids on the team. If I hadn't played, what would I have to talk about here if not my blocked extra point at Lancaster? I mean, camon.
"Well hello, boys!"
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