I can't really watch it or boxing. And I don't say this in a way that other people shouldn't enjoy it, just that I can't. I see two guys causing themselves long term damage especially potential brain damage. And if that was the second thing I saw, maybe I could I could get into the skill and sport of it. Yet I can enjoy stupid stunts like the Jackass guys did. So to each their own.
Yeah, I get it. CTE definitely put a whole new spin on it for me. At first I wasn’t sure if I could justify it continuing to be a sport, but I look at it this way: these athletes know the danger and do it anyway, probably because it’s their passion and they wouldn’t have it any other way. Same as race car drivers, sky divers, etc. I’d be all for the wearing of sparring helmets during actual fights, if it helps mitigate brain trauma though.
My dad used to box. So far he doesn’t have any noticeable CTE symptoms and he’s old enough that I think if he had any significant damage, we’d have seen something by now, but who knows? He did get hit in the mouth hard enough once that it sheared all of his front bottom teeth off even with the gum line. He finally got caps or whatever a few years ago.
FWIW, I will not let my kids box or play football, though I would never force my opinions on other parents. I feel like so far we have dodged a bullet with my dad, and I wouldn’t want to risk brain injury with my kids. And I am not a “bubble wrap your kids” kind of dad. Getting banged up and bruised is part of childhood, but CTE is not like a broken arm or needing to get stitches. It’s some sneaky insidious shit. And irreversible.
