In this excerpt from Irvin Muchnick’s book “Without Helmets or Shoulder Pads: The American Way of Death in Football Conditioning,” the author recounts his experience at a football game and the disturbing sights that made him realize the dark side of the sport.
On October 22, 1989, I attended a game between the San Francisco 49ers and the New England Patriots at Stanford Stadium. The game had been postponed due to an earthquake that damaged the usual venue, Candlestick Park. At first glance, it seemed like an ordinary game with the 49ers dominating their opponents. However, there were two sights that unsettled me.
The first sight was a collision between a 49ers safety, Jeff Fuller, and a Patriots running back, John Stephens. Fuller led with his head instead of his shoulder during the tackle, resulting in a head-on collision between their helmets. Fuller was the one who didn’t get up. Bill Walsh, the former 49ers coach and commentator that day, misdiagnosed the injury as a concussion. In reality, Fuller was partially paralyzed and would never play football again.
The second disturbing sight was the change in venue of the game and its impact on the media. Due to the move, the media also had to move and the writers were placed on the 49ers sidelines. What I saw in the final minutes of the already decided game worried me. There is no garbage time in football and violent contact occurs in every game. The players continue to give their best even in defeat because they are motivated by personal success and future opportunities. This relentless pursuit of success and the violence inherent in the sport deeply disturbed me.
As someone who had watched football practices and games up close, this particular experience shocked me. I could no longer ignore the primal nature of the sport, with its constant collisions and disregard for personal safety. Realizing its dark side unsettled me and made me question the price of this popular American pastime.
Sources:
Salon Contributor Irvin Muchnick’s “Without Helmets or Shoulder Pads: The American Way of Death in Football Conditioning”
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2023-10-01 11:26:35
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