A Quick Word About Youth Football 09 07 2024

A Quick Word About Youth Football  09 07 2024  (Draft Article, more to come, to be updated)

So I was a late bloomer in life.  But I was sitting in High School Geometry class and there was a classmate who was over 6 feet tall and liked sports who wasn't wearing our High School Football Jersey.

So I asked him, "You are big and tall how come you are not on the football team?"

"My father wouldn't let me because he doesn't want me to injure my knees."

Wow!  I was floored by that statement!  That he had a father who loved him so much that he was concerned about his future life after High School!  A knee injury or back injury is likely to be with you every moment of your life after you get it?  I would assert that as being true!  And to be so proud of what your father said to you that were proud to repeat it!  Wow!

But anyway, what did I see going on last night in a pro game?  Now I am not sure if this was exactly it or not.  But it looked like a tackler was on the ground.  Grabbed a quarterbacks leg or both legs and rolled his body weight into them, and maybe it was rolled non intentionally into him as someone came from his other side and the "pile" went that way.

But the construct that does the knee in is that sideways force at the lower leg.

So grabbing the lower leg and rolling your body weight into it while tackling, I mean, done for life!

*****'

And I was a late bloomer in life.  Perhaps I was 5'6" at best in that Southmore year Geometry Class.  And I didn't sprout up to 6' 1.5" until likely late Junior or Senior year or perhaps later.  My father was short but my father's brother was tall.  And I did drink in High School.  Perhaps more in those first two years?  I can't say whether alcohol stunts your growth spurt in High School or causes it?  It is known to increase testosterone 30 minutes after use.  But from what I know of it today, about some block head who likely can't even read graduating with the rest of you on time...something like that...it should be banned for good with stricter penalties!  From what I know of it and its relation to schizophrenia, it should be banned for good, and any sold in stores for food cooking should have a skull and cross bones on the label and only be sold to those who can demonstrate the ability to cook, and then only like, one pint per year or 10 years is all you need to cook and add it to pies.  Basically, they want to get you drinking in order to steal your God givens soul.  And I don't care if you think that is a delusion or crazy.

I think your genes will naturally express themselves to the best of what they can be absent alcohol.  I think it stunts growth at any age just like it does to Down's Syndrome people at birth and later.

And I would say that those whose parents drink, they might grow faster earlier in life and then top out in terms of how tall they will get to be below average.  They will be stronger because shorter bones means more leverage to muscles!!  Believe it.  And here is another reason that might sound crazy to you.  They will get stronger earlier in life because not as much energy is going to do their own thinking.  Not a lot good going on in that noggin.

*****'

So that is a leverage maneuver I just told you about.  Is it taught in Judo?  No.  Because after one day of it there would be no one left to "play" judo anymore.  Could you use it effectively if you are attacked by a mauling animal such as a dog or antlered deer?  Have you ever grabbed a dogs leg as if you are going to move it a certain way and they get really scared about it?  Maybe you could use it, I don't know, what else are you to try and do, poke eyes out?  Not much luck with that likely.  You know those Jews wouldn't care, they teach Krav Maga, and it is nasty like this, but it is designed to get you out of danger you had no business being subjected to.  And you know, right there is an interesting legal concept you don't really see being applied, You had to do what you did in order to get yourself out of danger you had no business being subjected to.

*****'

So on the football field you have players of different body types and sizes.  The front defensive line and offensive line are big fat strong guys.  They can move quickly short distances, and usually are not as tall, at least in terms of the general population of those who play the game in all ranks of the game.  And you have players that are nimble and quick; aka athletically talented.  And that fat kid who tackles likely does resent a kid who is nimble and quick.  However his growth spurt has likely topped out and yet he still wants to be a big shot?

*****'

And so, I love to throw a football!  My father taught me how to throw a perfect spiral in the backyard.  When I was in college I grabbed a friend and we went to the park to play catch.  And I could throw that perfect spiral right on the money.  In fact there was danger of it hurting his fingers backwards when he went to catch it.  And when you are with friends playing you have the receiver run and you hit that target right on the money!  And that is incredibly fun to do.

But when you are playing catch with someone you might notice something.  You have the ball and perhaps they look like they are ready to catch it but you see something different.  Perhaps they are sucking wind.  Perhaps they are not quite focused in the eyes.  Perhaps that is it exactly.  What you should know right then is if you throw that ball you are likely to hit them straight in the head with it before they can even get their arms up, and you could take out an eye or knock them over.  So be able to know that.  And don't be that asshole.

And if you understood those last few sentences very well I would say that there is something different about you that is good and you should know it.

And when I hear that disclaimer with regard to sports broadcasts on television, as if they own my football and I don't really own my football, I think they ought to be tied to the wh1pping p@st.

© 2024 Thomas Paul Murphy