@Dave K ---- be careful, you are making too much sense here, when High School Sports enable parents to live vicariously through their kids :-)

And just what would Shorewood do with all that plastic grass they bought for the new football field? I hope you aren't saying that would have been money better spent on education !!

I don't know, football mom, I always thought high school was for learning science, mathematics, and effective English communication. Maybe if we spent more of our property tax money on those things and not the sports stadia and equipment, our country wouldn't be falling behind the rest of the world.

Randy was one of those kids whose mom made him wear a harness and a helmet.

football mom...learn to concentrate more on what you read. I didn't say get rid of all sports in high school, just the full contact ones. I fully support all sports that can be played for a lifetime. In addition, just because a kid doesn't always have something to do doesn't mean he will join a gang. Have SOME faith in today's youth.

Not nearly, Alfred. I didn't play in any contact sports in school, but I rode horse (without a helmet) and I was thrown hard twice in one day. I got back on both times, to the admiration of the other kids in my saddle club, but if I'd known then what I know now about mild concussions and aggravating them with more jogging, I'd have thought twice about it.

What - no Black P Stone Nation or Gangster Disciple chapters opening in our area high schools??? There goes my dreams :-(

Maybe we could get Carlos Lehder to teach the kids how to fly planes below coast guard and NORAD radar!

Alfred...I thought I was being a conservative. I wanted to save tax money and/or get more for my tax dollar. Who knew that that was a liberal's behavior?

Steve...No, don't stay inside typing, go outside for a jog or play some tennis.

I might get hit by a car jogging. A ball might hit me in the head playing tennis or I may give an upskirt shot to a photographer.

Alfred...Re-read my comment, or were you one of the guys screwed up because you didn't wear a helmet. lol

Really? The booster clubs build the football fields and pay the coaches?

@Lyle That was "cold" dude !!!

@David Tatarowicz...I'm just calling it like I see it.:- P

@Lyle -- I guess it depends on what parents find important for their children -- academic excellence and a healthy brain and body in adulthood, or 'my son the football star'.

I honestly thought high school and college were for learning academics -- not for getting recruited to play pro ball.

Looks like we have a lot of former water boys and bench warmers here, sissy boys too.

Lyle, its apparent that you were not very athletic in your youth with comments like that. It's ok, we need social misfits in our society as well. Thanks to parents like you that keep your children in bubbles, we have them. FYI - If it was not for high school sports, my son would not be in the U.S. Navy on his way to becoming a Naval Officer and fighting for you.

Lyle, your dumb.

High School sports is not a determining factor of who does or does not join the military. I had two brothers who served in Vietnam and never participated in sports. Most of those who participated in sports went on to college and became draft dodgers.

@Randy1949...As you can probably tell I am an academic first. I feel that all children and youth need regular and supervised physical exercise. But the big draw sports have gotten out of hand. Back in the day, if we wanted to participate in team school sports we had to maintain a 2.0 GPA. If you weren't pulling at least a C in a class the teacher could prevent you from playing. Guess what? The coaches backed the teacher. Now the whole system is so skewed that academics comes second to sports, band, etc. It's no wonder that our students are sliding off into oblivion. My kids are scholars and it's difficult to get scholarships, but some dough head that can excel at some sport gets a free ride. It makes no sense.

However, that being said, the safety of these student athletes needs to take priority. I wished that the NBA and NFL would create a farm system where high school and college kids could pursue their dreams without polluting the rest of the education system. One problem though, how would UW make up for the $100 million they make off football and basketball? Sad state of affairs.

@football mom -- I'd prefer my son succeeded in life because of his GPA rather than how well he could get a ball over a goal post, but hey -- whatever it takes.

What you seem not to understand about this bill is that even a minor concussion can be exacerbated by further blows the the head and body -- in other words, a coach deciding a key player is fine to stay in the game. It may be because the team needs that player for a win or a recruiter is in the stands, whatever. These minor brain injuries don't show up until years later. We've all seen what Muhammad Ali is like now. Is it worth a case of senile dementia? Is a high school football game even worth a bad knee or back for the rest of a person's life?

@Alfred and football mom...I hate to bust your bubble, played middle school football, high school football, freshman year in college.

@football mom...If your son is in the Navy and on his way to becoming a commissioned officer, football is not what is going to earn his commission. I should know I was in the Navy for nine years during Vietnam.

Where the hell is Jon Voight when you need him with a little 'Varsity Blues' pep talk?

nicely said alfred. They REALLY think they are paying for sports with their tax dollars! Huh!! I , along with my son, raised money all 4 years of high school to pay for his activities. Bake sales? Really? No way! We held golf-outings, raffles, jersey/t.shirt sales, card sales, ect. YEAR round to rsise funds for our kids to play these sports!

Women like a man with brains, Alfred. You should try it.

@football mom...Tax dollars build stadiums, pay coaches salaries, buy football equipment, etc. If your kid is playing hockey, guess who is picking up that tab, the parents. High school football is primarily supported with tax dollars. Are you competent enough to admit that?

@Randy1949 -

That's why Hoffa is a chick magnet!

you are absolutly correct Expert! Let me ask you this? Did you play contact sports in school? Did they help you/harm you?

Well, a lot of children play sports because their parents 'encourage' them to. Children are children and they will do things to please adults -- especially their coaches. This bill is meant to take the macho factor out of the decision to play after a
mild' head injury.

football mom....So what was his AGPA at university, his degree is in what and did he graduate with honors?

What's the point -- that contact sports 'build character'? So do a lot of other high school extra-curricular activities.

@ Football Mom --- so what is the point? Are you saying that we should not be concerned with kids suffering brain damage, death or worse ??? Your son sounds admirable --- and you are definitely trying to live off of HIS achievements -- hence the moniker Football Mom --- Why not Academic Mom --- or Navy Mom ?

And despite the actions of others --- why does anybody on these postings think that "Idiot" is an intelligent or even a relevant response --- those words are best used when those who use them are looking in the mirror

you are a smart man Expert. If I understand you correctly, you beleive that football has helped you get to where you are today? Also, did you or your parents have to do any fundraising for you to participate in this activity, or did the school/tax payers foot the bill? I beleive this is where the arguement may have started in here. Some of these men in here seem to think THEY paid for you to play football with their tax dollars.......Do you have a comment for that? Just curious........

@Expert...What year did you graduate from the Naval Academy and what was your class standing?

Lyle Ruble has done everything. He is the expert at all things except running a successful business and figuring out how to pay ones mortgage on time without foreclosure.....Lyle Ruble is a giant....in his own mind.

@ Expert. Thanks for the clarification:)
@ Coach, thanks for jumping in. Maybe NOW, Lyle will get a clue between you and Experts posts. Yes, Lyle should apologize for calling me incompetant and telling me that I will be deciding what organs to donate. What an A**!!!!

@Coach...What is at stake here is a question of priorities. I have no objection to playing of contact sports if done safely and within reason. I understand that many of the assistant coaches are volunteers and it helps the game. I have seen too many programs that had taken on a priority and the students were short changed to support such programs. What I am most concerned about is that we don't lose sight of these are students first and athletes second.

@Alfred...Running the same old game. Again you prove your not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

@Lyle -

Looks like Alfred may be stealing AWD's place in you heart!

@JRH....He keeps bringing up old news and the records haven't been updated, but if it makes him happy. He can't maintain a decent argument so like AWD he just goes off on his tangential journeys.

@Lyle -

Yeah, I wish Hoffa could explain Alfred's affinity with you, but even I'm at a loss on this one. You're not alone though, as Keith Schmitz seems to have found a fan club as well.

For the record, Hoffa does not condone taking the discussion personal and asks that Alfred focus on the issues and debate with ideas as opposed to personal attacks.

@JRH....I think we'll have to start flagging personal attacks whenever they occur. You'd be surprised how many lefties I've flagged when they personalize attacks. I got a lot of good people on the right and the left that makes keep coming back. You'll like my next blog on women's issues. It should get your blood pressure up.

@Lyle -

I really don't mind the personal attacks one way or the other, as I really don't take anything personal or any of that crap serious. I too have managed to pull some attacks from morninmist, Thurston Howell III, Mrs Peel, Jerry Person, other regulars, and a whole slew of HuffPo posters that seem to come over to the Patch whenever they cross promote a Patch story over on that site, notwithstanding my use of a moniker. In most cases, I find them to be comical more than anything else and always good for a laugh!

I just think it reflects poorly on the individual poster, as well for the ideological side that the poster using such tactics purports to be advocating for. Admittedly neither one of us would ever own any of those clowns as being a part of our respective sides, although I will take ownership of AWD - that guy cracks me up :-) There's a few bad apples in every bushel!

Your reputation as a good and solid man is secure on the Patch, and Hoffa will always have your back on the personal attacks, for what it's worth.

I look forward to your next blog, as surely it will have to be much more insightful than Patzfahl's take on the subject (and probably with less vulgarities)! I'll be sure to go into it with my game face on - so get ready ;-)

Lyle - you post at the junior high level. Your style is abrasive, rude, and ignorant. You can't be educated because you are already set in your ways.

There is a small crowd of the Professional Huff-Po posters that come around to marvel at your posts and column, but it's mostly irrelevant drivel and puff. No one can take you seriously.

You fall on the lower end of the downing effect.

@Tim Scott...You're probably right that I suffer from Illusory Superiority Syndrome. There's is only one problem, when you comment like here, you lose all credibility by making a personal attack.

No one is saying ban them. Parents and coaches simply need to get their priorities in order. Is it really worth a drop in cognitive ability in later life simply to have the high school sports experience? How many of these kids have a real chance at going on to the pros, and even if they do is it really worth it? Do we really need more ex-ballplayer motivational speakers and used car salesmen?

What this bill does is to give overzealous coaches ( who may have taken a few too many shots to the head themselves) from urging kids back into the game when they may be hurt in a minor way.