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Topics => Sports => Topic started by: jpatrickham on September 06, 2011, 09:55:43 AM

Title: When Teddy Roosevelt Saved Football
Post by: jpatrickham on September 06, 2011, 09:55:43 AM
By Dr. Gary Scott Smith
September 6, 2011
 
“For many men and some women, fall weekends and football are synonymous. Both the National Football League and major colleges attract huge audiences to stadiums and television sets to watch games, and football fantasy leagues abound. The NFL owners’ lockout and potential cancellation of the NFL season caused widespread consternation. And yet, a much greater ‘tragedy’ was averted in 1905-1906, when President Theodore Roosevelt helped save college football. Although professional football did not begin until the 1920s, about 50 years after the origin of professional baseball, it might not have existed without Roosevelt’s earlier decisive action.”
 
In “When Teddy Roosevelt Saved Football” (791 words), chair of the history department at Grove City College and fellow for faith and the presidency with The Center for Vision & Values—Dr. Gary Scott Smith—cites a couple of contemporary contentions by authors and journalists—that football is “morally unacceptable” and “too dangerous for its own good”—but he also explores journalist John J. Miller’s book on the early history of college football, explaining, “these assaults on football pale compared to the battle waged by college presidents, professors, and journalists in the late 19th and early 20th century to outlaw the sport.”
  
http://www.visionandvalues.org/2011/09/when-teddy-roosevelt-saved-football/ (http://www.visionandvalues.org/2011/09/when-teddy-roosevelt-saved-football/)


Thanks Teddy, now of course my Wife doesn't, being a Saturday and Sunday, Monday evening, and now Thursday Football Widow! She probably hates your guts!!!! ::gaah::
Title: Re: When Teddy Roosevelt Saved Football
Post by: AlanS on September 06, 2011, 08:28:07 PM
I'm just a Friday nite and Saturday type of guy. I don't really care for pro sports of any kind. Too many overpaid crybabies.
Title: Re: When Teddy Roosevelt Saved Football
Post by: Libertas on September 06, 2011, 09:47:13 PM
I like football, always have.  But I can live without the grotesque narcissism and unrepentant selfishness that often surfaces among some athletes.
Title: Re: When Teddy Roosevelt Saved Football
Post by: ToddF on September 07, 2011, 07:51:24 AM
Problem is, Saturdays are starting to get all the problems of Sunday.

I remember paying scalper prices of $25-$35 to see Iowa Football.  Now regular tickets are $65-$70 plus seat charges.  Just watch them on TV?  Nope, all games have moved to cable.  $80 per month for that.

Starting to lose interest...