Bo Jackson: I'd tell my kids to play any sport aside from football

[Zippyjuan]

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...-played-football-had-known-more-head-injuries

If Bo only knew back then.

Former two-sport star Bo Jackson told USA Today Sports in a wide-ranging interview that he never would have played football if he had known more about the injury risks.

"If I knew back then what I know now," Jackson told USA Today Sports, "I would have never played football. Never. I wish I had known about all of those head injuries, but no one knew that. And the people that did know that, they wouldn't tell anybody."

Jackson emerged as nothing short of a sports and cultural icon -- in part due to Nike's "Bo Knows" ad campaign -- during his athletic career in the late '80s and early '90s. After winning the Heisman Trophy at Auburn, Jackson played football for the then-Los Angeles Raiders and baseball for the Kansas City Royals.

He remains the only person to be selected as both an MLB All-Star and an NFL Pro Bowler.

Jackson suffered a serious hip injury in 1991 against the Cincinnati Bengals that ended his football career.

"The game has gotten so violent, so rough. We're so much more educated on this CTE stuff [chronic traumatic encephalopathy], there's no way I would ever allow my kids to play football today," Jackson said. "Even though I love the sport, I'd smack them in the mouth if they said they wanted to play football.

"I'd tell them, 'Play baseball, basketball, soccer, golf, just anything but football.'"

After rehabbing the injury suffered against the Bengals, Jackson returned to baseball for several more seasons with the Chicago White Sox and the California Angels.

Although his career on the gridiron was cut short, Jackson said he "wouldn't change a thing."

"I have no regrets," he said.

 

[BamaAla]

I'm with him; there is no way I would let my kid play football. We are just beginning to scratch the surface of the effects of CTE. Nope, no way.

 

[oyarde]

I did a little damage , probably neck , hips , back , ribs . I still would have played anyway . Most kids are not going to play with the recklessness that I did so I would guess the avg kid could play Junior High & High School and walk away unscathed .

 

[oyarde]

My right foot is a mess , first broken in a soccer game , it probably bothers me as much as my neck ( football , I think) .

 

[phill4paul]

Life's a crap shoot. Do what you feel like doing.

 

[Suzanimal]

I let mine play flag football and we had a ball. My oldest wanted to play "real" football but quickly changed his mind when he saw his friend miserable. They start training in late July - with helmets. Little kids, too. I didn't like that. Some days it was 100 and that's just too hot to be running around in a helmet. One mom was telling me they get water breaks every 5 minutes but it seems pointless to be out there if you're stopping practice every five minutes for a water break.

 

[presence]

I took two solid concussions, several leg injuries, and a bruised sternum playing football in HS.
If I could go back in time I would have stuck with wrestling, track, and weightlifting.
American football is a bloodsport, plain and simple, no less dangerous than bare knuckle fighting.
It carries much more of a culture of brutality and perseverance through injury than gamesmanship and sport.

 

[oyarde]

I let mine play flag football and we had a ball. My oldest wanted to play "real" football but quickly changed his mind when he saw his friend miserable. They start training in late July - with helmets. Little kids, too. I didn't like that. Some days it was 100 and that's just too hot to be running around in a helmet. One mom was telling me they get water breaks every 5 minutes but it seems pointless to be out there if you're stopping practice every five minutes for a water break.

We practiced twice a day in the summer heat , but I was immune because I grew up on a farm with no AC . Helmet & shoulder pads running full speed is hot , but not as bad as baling straw . We did not even have water on the field . It was a different world .

 

[anaconda]

Playing football is completely stupid. I played all four years in high school and my brother played college.

 

[phill4paul]

I took two solid concussions, several leg injuries, and a bruised sternum playing football in HS.
If I could go back in time I would have stuck with wrestling, track, and weightlifting.
American football is a bloodsport, plain and simple, no less dangerous than bare knuckle fighting.
It carries much more of a culture of brutality and perseverance through injury than gamesmanship and sport.

Bloodsport is the root of all sports.

 

[Schifference]

Perspective is what forms decisions. If Bo was a poor guy living in an undesirable neighborhood and his son was a high school football star being scouted by top talent he might sing a different tune even if he knew about the injuries. His kids are fortunate enough to be born privileged.

 

[phill4paul]

Perspective is what forms decisions. If Bo was a poor guy living in an undesirable neighborhood and his son was a high school football star being scouted by top talent he might sing a different tune even if he knew about the injuries. His kids are fortunate enough to be born privileged.

Much truth.

 

[CPUd]

Bo punished his body more in 4 years than some runners do in 10. Bo was his own blocker on run plays.

 

[anaconda]

Bo punished his body more in 4 years than some runners do in 10. Bo was his own blocker on run plays.

Another good runner who was "his own blocker."

[video]http://www.nfl.com/videos/a-football-life/0ap2000000095480/A-Football-Life-John-Riggins-sneak-peek[/video]

 

[CPUd]

Another good runner who was "his own blocker."

[video]http://www.nfl.com/videos/a-football-life/0ap2000000095480/A-Football-Life-John-Riggins-sneak-peek[/video]

No one uses a guy that big anymore for ~30 carries a game, only a few teams have a dedicated FB position. Otherwise, they would have a "heavy" package with 3 tackles and put a TE in the backfield. Riggins was bigger than even most FBs, more like a TE.

 

[CPUd]

Bo's running style looked a lot like this guy's:




0:40 is what it looks like when trying to tackle a running back the size of a LB:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKQj8Jj8DYQ

 

[CPUd]

The 30 for 30 with Bo is pretty good.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFgcCfYFJ2g

I remember that time he threw a ball from the warning track all the way to home plate. And also that time he put Brian Bosworth on his ass. It's clear he had a grudge against the Bucs for messing up his last year of baseball eligibility at Auburn. Probably the main reason he signed with the Raiders, just to spite the Bucs. When he got injured, they said at the time it was a hip pointer, but dude's hip was dislocated and he says here he popped it back in and tried to get up.

 

[Carlybee]

I'm in several TBI groups since my son's accident. There are some CTE horror stories. Even just one concussion can cause a lot of damage in some cases.

 

[CPUd]

I think pulling players out of the game and putting them through concussion protocols will cut down on CTE at least a little. Part of the issue is with players wanting to go back out there and team doctors letting them. There have been other players like Steve Young who retired when the doctor said another concussion could mess him up for life. He probably still has permanent effects from the ones he did take.

 

[anaconda]

0:40 is what it looks like when trying to tackle a running back the size of a LB:

Geez these Titan guys are great. Maybe I need to start paying attention to the NFL again. BTW is that a drone at 1:12?

P.S. So when did Jacksonville get mustard colored uniforms? I thought they were blue or somethin'..