First, I have no position on the concussion issue as I don't have any sons. I understand and respect both viewpoints. And my basis for declining number of boys playing football is strictly the chicago catholic league (and its feeder grammar schools), which I still follow. And a majority of the guys who went to catholic high school during my time (93-96) don't want their boys playing football, so I expect the decline to worsen.
Seems like going forward that football is going to be played almost exclusively by poor kids, who maybe aren't as exposed to the literature/studies of concussions and their effects, or maybe they are willing to take those risks because football is their best opportunity to get out of their impoverished/dangerous communities. Seems like ND will have a harder time recruiting those kids than will FSU, USC, etc. I mean, if a kid sees football as his means to escape, is he going to choose the demanding curriculum of ND? And if he hasn't been raised in an environment where education is a priority, is he going to consider ND as a college choice? Meanwhile, there will be much fewer kids from the Catholic (private) schools around the country with whom ND traditionally had a much easier time recruiting.
Seems like going forward that football is going to be played almost exclusively by poor kids, who maybe aren't as exposed to the literature/studies of concussions and their effects, or maybe they are willing to take those risks because football is their best opportunity to get out of their impoverished/dangerous communities. Seems like ND will have a harder time recruiting those kids than will FSU, USC, etc. I mean, if a kid sees football as his means to escape, is he going to choose the demanding curriculum of ND? And if he hasn't been raised in an environment where education is a priority, is he going to consider ND as a college choice? Meanwhile, there will be much fewer kids from the Catholic (private) schools around the country with whom ND traditionally had a much easier time recruiting.
