I just don't agree with your slippery slope mentality. There are so many things, that if you enjoy, you are supporting something bad or evil or tragic (by your logic). Everybody makes choices in their profession. I don't endorse death at sea because I like to eat crab legs. Because from what you are saying, if I didn't buy the product they wouldn't have to do the job. THEY ALREADY DON'T HAVE TO DO THE JOB. Fisherman aren't enslaved to do their job, they choose to do it.
Same with football. Fans aren't responsible for concussions and injuries because they buy a ticket to a game. Nobody is forced to play football, there are many other jobs they could have if they wanted them. They choose not to. Professional athletes know this going into their profession: They're job comes with a likely chance they will earn a lot of money, with a small risk of serious injury.
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Channing's quote shows that the NFL is motivated by ticket sales and so is less likely to prevent dangerous hits, even illegal ones, made by offensive players.
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Ok, now you're really losing it... Yes I am assuming here, but I doubt you really watch a lot of football. First off, there are hardly any hits by an offensive player that are illegal. The only two I can think of is Blocking in the Back and Chop-Blocks (Where an offensive player cuts the legs out from a defender while the defender is already engaged with another offensive player). These are two of the most serious penalties (though they hardly happen) and are penalized heavier than the rest. Channing Crowder, like a lot of defenders, is just frustrated because the NFL is telling the defense they have to be less physical. Do you even want offensive players to be allowed to block? I am starting to think you really do want a flag-football league.
Do you understand what Crowder is saying though? Of course the NFL is driven by ticket sales, it is a BUSINESS. Channing is saying that they are over-protecting receivers and quarterbacks (because for the most part, they are the marquee names that draw fans). You are saying that his quote shows the NFL is ignoring safety issues for the sake of money, when he is actually showing the complete opposite with his quote. So I think you misinterpreted that completely.
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You asked, “Do you think fans are going to stop coming to the game because of less big hits?” YES, that’s EXACTLY what I feel could happen if the game has fewer and fewer high impact collisions--or, at least, that's what the NFL leadership appears to fear. You see in this thread how people mock the idea of reducing the frequency of big hits in football, even helmet-to-helmet hits. I think most fans *like* the big hits and the violence in American football.
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Fans like big hits. Fans also like seeing the best players healthy and playing the game of football. It makes no sense to think that the NFL thought they would lose fans by reducing the big hits on game day. They are more likely to lose fans because their favorite star player got injured and can't play anymore.
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I’d love to think most fans are like you, Dirty, and are repelled by seeing injuries...but the impression I get is that many people really don’t care much if a player gets hurt, and in fact they ENJOY it.
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Where are you getting the impression that ANYBODY enjoys seeing a player get really hurt on the field? I don't know one fan in the entire world who ENJOYS seeing guys get seriously injured.
And ok... I don't really know why the NFL ignored the issue before these past few years, but NFL players aren't children and don't need to be explained the risk of playing their sport. Ok, maybe the NFL didn't inform them thoroughly enough of the dangers, but jesus christ there are smart, grown men out here. You don't think they know that their sport, which features a lot of physicality and contact by some of the best athletes to ever walk the earth, poses health threats? Don't kid yourself or pretend these guys are retarded. But lets put the whole "NFL ignoring health risks for years" thing aside for a second... It's not about what they did in the past, it's what they are doing now. What, we're just gonna sit around and dwell on the past mistakes they may have made instead of focusing on the present and the future? You can't change what happened years ago, so what are you even trying to say? The NFL wasn't responsible? Ok... well that was then and this is now.