SOC247: M3D2: The Cost of Violence

Instructions

This discussion addresses module outcome 1. On May 2, 2012, Junior Seau, one of the most celebrated defensive players in NFL history, committed suicide by shooting himself in the chest. Many saw this as a gesture that he wanted his brain donated and dissected for signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy or CTE (Links to an external site.), a debilitating brain condition resulting from the buildup of proteins in the brain from repeated blows to the head. Prior to his suicide, Seau’s behavior had become increasingly erratic. His family and friends remarked that he had fallen into severe clinical depression, disorientation, and violence. This discussion focuses on the physiological aspects of violence in sport. Paying particular attention to the concussion crisis in youth, collegiate, and professional American football. The discussion below will ask you to view our video content, and engage in your own independent research.

Before participating in this discussion, make sure you have completed the relevant video and reading content for the module. Using this content and your own independent research, please respond to the following questions:

• After viewing the video content, reading and listening to the assigned NPR broadcast and the video on Mike Webster and others, and engaging in your own independent research, explain the theory behind the basic biology of CTE, and then explain one piece of “counter evidence” that refutes this theory. (No need to get too technical here, but having a good background on this will help!). Cite at least one website in your response.
• The NFL has been routinely criticized for their slow reaction to what many view now to be a full-blown concussion crisis in professional American football. Explain specifically how the NFL has responded to this concussion crisis. Do you think that this response has been appropriate? Why or why not?

Your initial post should be at least 250 words and must substantively integrate the assigned readings with proper APA (Links to an external site.) style formatting.

70460617 minutes ago

Required
- Module notes: Understanding Violence in Sport
- Guttmann, A. (2012). From ritual to record: The nature of modern sports. (Links to an external site.) New York: Columbia University Press, pp.117-136.
- Hyman, M. (2009). Until it hurts: America’s obsession with youth sports and how it harms our kids. (Links to an external site.) Boston, MA, USA: Beacon Press, pp.113-124.
- Former NFL players sue over concussions. (Links to an external site.) (2011, December 27). All Things Considered.
- Laws, Will. 2014. Visualizing NFL’s crime problem (Links to an external site.). Sports Illustrated. October 1.
- Roach, N.T. et al. (2013). Elastic energy storage in the shoulder and the evolution of high-speed throwing in Homo (Links to an external site.). Nature, 498, 483-486.
- Rubin, B. (1988, March 29). Duel between pitcher, hitter defines baseball (Links to an external site.). Spartanburg Herald-Journal.
- Scambler, G. (2005). Sport and society: History, power and culture (Links to an external site.). Berkshire, GBR: McGraw-Hill Education, pp.93-115.
- Spaaij, R. (2014). Sports crowd violence: An interdisciplinary synthesis (Links to an external site.). Aggression and Violent Behavior, 19, 146-155.
Optional
- Ingrassia, B. (2014). Manhood or masculinity: the historiography of manliness in American sport. (Links to an external site.) In ed. Steven Reiss, A Companion to American Sport History. Hoboken,NJ: Wiley, pp.479-499.
- Skillen, F., Palmer, C., & Hughson, J. (2012). The Role of Sports in the Formation of Personal Identities: Studies in Community Loyalties. (Links to an external site.) Lewiston, N.Y.: Edwin Mellen Press, Ch. 9, pp.217-241.
- An Enforcer’s life is a daily battle (Links to an external site.). (2011, September 11). Sports Illustrated.
- Vaccaro, C. A., Schrock, D. P., & McCabe, J. M. (2011). Managing Emotional Manhood: Fighting and Fostering Fear in Mixed Martial Arts. (Links to an external site.)Social Psychology Quarterly, 74(4), 414-437.

View or listen:

Required
- American Football. League of denial: The NFL’s concussion crisis (Links to an external site.). (2013). In Films On Demand, Segments 6-14 [Video file, 22:44 mins].
- Security and the Ron Artest Brawl: In the line of duty, volume 10 (Links to an external site.). (2005). In Films On Demand. [Video file, 1:58 mins].
- Why Do Fans Resort to Violence After Sporting Events (Links to an external site.). (2014, April 9). Fox News [Video file, 5:23 mins].
- Sports concussions and youth athletes (Links to an external site.). (2013). In Films On Demand. [Video file, 5:48 mins].
- NHL- Ice hockey violence under scrutiny (Links to an external site.). (2013, May 18). Al Jazeera. [Video file, 2:18 mins].
- NHL concussion reignites debate about violence in hockey (Links to an external site.). (2013, October 2). Canadian Broadcast Corporation. [Video file, 3 mins].