Austin Hemmingson

ESCANABA — Have you ever been in one of those situations where there’s so much noise and so many opinions flying around that you just try to drown it all out, escape and then think for yourself?

That’s where I’ve been for the last week ever since the Michigan High School Athletic Association decided to postpone football to the spring last Friday.

There have been strong opinions on the polarizing decision on both sides. I’d say about half the people I’ve talked to have been in favor of the decision and the other half has been against it.

The MHSAA wasn’t super clear as to why it made the decision to move football to the spring, but we all know the roots of it — player safety due to COVID-19.

That’s ironic, because in a time like this when there’s a lot of division amongst us, one thing we should all be able to agree on is player safety should always be the No. 1 priority in any sport.

But that got me thinking.

When has football ever been safe?

I’m probably about to make some of you football diehards upset for a second, but football has never been safe. Some of the best athletes at all levels — whether it be high school, college or the pros — play football.

The reason for why it’s never been safe is obvious — 22 top-notch athletes are on the field at the same time banging into each other and sometimes hitting each other at top speed. In a lot of those collisions, players aren’t even looking for the ball. As bad as blindside hits are, some of the worst head injuries in football come from wide receivers running over the middle looking for the ball and getting drilled by an oncoming defensive back.

If you need an example, just google search Vontaze Burfict’s hit on Antonio Brown in an NFL playoff game in 2016. If that hit doesn’t make you cringe, I don’t know what will. Many theories have been put out there that Brown’s behavior has changed tremendously since that hit. There’s no science to back it up at the moment, but I believe it could be legitimate.

However, there have been many studies done to prove just how dangerous football is. One study done in 2018 by researchers at the VA-BU-CLF Brain Bank found that 190 out of 202 football players who played in college or the NFL have been diagnosed with CTE.

In today’s game, helmet technology is more advanced and creates for a game that is a little bit safer, but it will never be “safe.” Period.

So why is all this important?

Because apparently the coronavirus is where we draw the line for player safety. I don’t care how bad you think the virus is, we can all agree it’s bad and you don’t want to get it.

But studies have already proven that kids between the age of 16 and 21 are at extremely low risk of contracting the virus, or worse yet, becoming seriously ill or dying. I’m not going to dive into the numbers because there are so many different studies and everyone is going to believe what they want anyways, but the fact remains that young adults are at extremely low risk.

Without any data to back it up, I’d have to believe a player is far more likely to suffer a concussion, tear an ACL or break a leg than they would be to become seriously ill from COVID-19. There’s such great risk every time they go on the field, but they still do it anyways.

So why do players play? There’s a ton of reasons.

First off, they love the game. Football is the most popular sport in America by far for a reason. For some, it’s an escape. Maybe not so much in the U.P., but in a lot of areas of the country, football and sports in general are all some kids have. Whether it’s because they grew up in a broken home or have to face other daily struggles, football is an escape. Another big reason is camaraderie and team bonding. The relationships you build in football with your teammates and coaches are second to none. In healthy locker rooms, it usually turns into a big family.

This fall, many top high school athletes will be robbed of an opportunity to show scouts what they can do one last time to perhaps earn a scholarship. They were going to get to be with their teammates one last time. They were training all summer.

And now it’s most likely gone.

I can already hear some of you picking up the phone to call me and tell me, “They’re going to play in the spring!”

As much as I’d like to believe that’s going to happen, it’s not. Not in the U.P.

I’d gladly be wrong and take no pleasure in saying that, but the weather absolutely will not cooperate to play football in the spring in the U.P. or northern lower Michigan. Believe me, I grew up there.

And even if the season does get played, how are you then supposed to turn around and play in the fall of 2021? If it’s truly all about player safety, then that won’t happen.

The point is, I find great irony in not playing football because it’s not safe … it’s never been safe. Players don’t play because they want to be safe, they play because they love the game.

The MHSAA should have let them.