Conservatism, Football, and the Constitution

The proposed NFL rule changes lead some to question if “football” will still be football

What is football? Being an avid sports fan in America, football is my favorite sport – I spend just about every Saturday and Sunday watching it. Part of what makes football so unique is that it’s our only major sport not played in other parts of the world. Basketball has spread to Europe and Asia; baseball is huge in Japan and Latin America; and hockey is much more popular in Canada and Scandinavian than in the US. But, football is just ours – it’s our one solely American sport. The prospect of not having the NFL to watch is so terrifying I don’t even want to think about it. Recent discoveries and research of severe brain damage among former football players is a problem for the game’s future. I just saw a story on ESPN about how LeBron James won’t let his kids play football, because it’s too dangerous.   Things like this bring about difficulties for football, as they try to retain the cornerstones of the game while also making it safer. And, akin to the ideologies of Burke and Tracy – though traditions of football must be upheld, the game must also conform and progress like everything else.