No more NFL, how to fill the time?

Published 9.1.2016; updated 9.2.2016
I have watch NFL games since I was a child, which (scarily) amounts to almost half a century, Too many fall and winter Sundays have found me staring at grown men trying to concuss each other. Of course, that's not what I thought of it for most of that time, I have many good memories of watching games (mostly on TV) with friends and family. I've also attended and watched college football over the years, but not with the same interest and intensity.

All that ends this year.

I can no longer ignore the horrific effects of the game on the men that play it. Over the past few years I've been reading the coverage of the concussion, and have concluded that the NFL is doomed. It won't be a quick death, and there is no reason to assume that it will go gently into that good night. But the NFL is doomed.

I will note that the New York Times coverage of the concussion scandal has been first rate, and I think it won a few awards. But my point here isn't to collect a bunch of links proving the same point— to whit, that American football is dangerous to those who play it. Nor am I going to spend any time denigrating those who haven't reached my conclusion regarding football (yet— because I think ultimately, almost everyone will get to where I am now, hence the NFL is doomed).

My point here is to comment on the amount of time I am gaining— The NFL's pre-season is currently underway, and while I never really invested that much time into the preseason, I used to begin watching games and reading analysis of teams and their prospects as the preseason wound down, which would be right about now. That isn't happening this year.

In the spirit of full disclosure I will note that my own son never played (American) football, nor has he ever shown any interest in football ever. However, I have a nephew with a bit of related talent who is a huge NFL fan and who tried to play football in high school. Though he had some promise as a quarterback in the lowest levels of the sport, in middle school, he was relegated to the defensive backfield— and that's when the concussions began.

I think it took three trips to the ER** for his mother to push him a different direction, though I think he still played for a year in high school. I admit that I wasn't subtle about my concerns for his safety, and for a year or two sent a link to every new study showing the dangers of concussions in football to his family. At this point, my thinking was that it was one thing for professionals (or aspiring professionals aka*** college players) to choose to put their health at risk, but it was very different for Middle Schoolers or High School students because the parents still have the ultimate responsibility.

As time has gone on, study evidence suggests that the damage is actually worse for younger players. I know that now coaches are trying to teach kids to not use their head as a weapon in tackling, but anyone who watches a game on the weekend can see how difficult that's going to be. Pro players still put their heads down and plow into each other. But enough about that, I've made the decision to forgo watching any games this year. I'm happy to say that my husband is joining me in this.

How much time?

Sports remain the primary reason that I watch TV. In recent years, I have discovered the joy that is soccer/futbol (in other words, actual football) and very often spend my Saturday and Sunday mornings watching the English Premier League (EPL) or another international league. Most of the time though, soccer matches don't conflict with NFL (or college) games, so this would not be replacement viewing. If anything, dropping the NFL means that I go back to wasting only half a day, rather than a full day.

Over the years, the NFL has expanded its schedule beyond Sunday and Monday nights. Games now regularly occur on Sunday nights (when I was a child they ended right around dinner time) and Thursday nights. If each NFL game is assumed to be three hours, that's a total of 15 hours added back into my week (three games on Sunday, one each on Thursday and Monday). For simplicity I'm only going to consider the time gained by avoiding the NFL.

But 15 hours represents only the actual game time, not the sports talk blather before and after the games, nor does it count the time spent reading articles about the games before and after the fact. I intend to give up those time sinks as well. Let's be conservative and say that I only waste another five hours a week doing that. I never got into the Fantasy Football stuff (due to a complete and utter lack of interest). Still 20 hours a week, for about 24 weeks (the last 2 weeks of the preseason, 17 weeks of regular season, plus five weeks of play offs (includes the hype week off before the Super Bowl.

That's 480 hours (at minimum, because I really was conservative with the estimate of how much time I spend reading analysis about games, players, standings, etc.) I gain back to fill with other activities, a little less than three weeks. Taking into account the time I will gain back from college football viewing, and we're easily talking about a month's worth of hours added back to my life, mostly on the weekends.

I will note here that my husband disputes my calculation, noting that very often when I sit in front of the TV at home, I also have open my laptop. HIs argument is that since I am typically multi-tasking while watching football, I am not really going to gain as much time a I think. I disagree, obviously. While I may still use my laptop even has I'm not anchored to the TV, the point is that I am NOT anchored to my TV, hence I will hesitate less to get up and do something else.

Added 9.2.2016: I also want to note that concussions occur in soccer too, but not to the extent that they do in football. Also, I focused on concussions, but there are others types of common, serious injuries associated with football that are not present in soccer.

What to do?

My first thoughts were that the time I would spend in front the screen watching men concuss each other could be spent reading books. I noted here a bit ago that I wanted to begin reading more for enjoyment, and have published a few book review as a result of that effort. So reading is definitely how some of those hours will be filled. Regarding the two screen comment above, when I say reading, I mean immersive reading, the kind that requires concentration.

Another option will be to finish projects around the house. Such projects are typically (so I understand from others who actually complete projects they start) done over the weekend. With all these extra hours no available to me (us), we will have no excuse or distraction to keep us from finishing the sundry projects around the house. The unfinished status of the house is one of the reasons that we haven't entertained in the house in a few years. Once the house and yard are "put back together" then I will feel comfortable inviting people (beyond family that is) to the house.

Raising the topic of inviting people to the house invokes the idea that others will still want to watch games, so what then? As noted above, this decision is personal, not political. I'm not going to announce it to anyone (well, other than writing about it here), nor am I going to insist others turn off a game if I happen to be somewhere where game viewing is occurring. For instance, I'm certain I will be in the pub when games are on, but I will simply not watch them.

On the other hand, I will likely decline any invitations to meet for the purpose of watching and/or attending any games because that would simply be awkward. I won't deny the reason for the refusal if challenged, but neither will I volunteer it. Football players at this point are adults choosing to participate in a potentially dangerous sport. They have the right to that choice, as I have the right to mine.

Sewing is another possible replacement activity. Sewing is a hobby that I've paid more lip service to than time over the years. With hours now available on weekends, perhaps I'll finally get around to perfecting my skills so that I can produce garments worth wearing. Which isn't to say that I haven't worn things I've sewn, it's just to say those things were, well, obviously homemade looking. Like any other skill, sewing improves with practice.

A limitation for any potential football replacing activity is that it must mostly occur on weekends. Time spent on weekdays reading about games, etc. will be replaced by reading and writing for this and my other websites by necessity. So, while other thoughts occur to me, they are not being listed because to do them would require taking time from the days of the week. Adding the gym to my day has already placed a strain on my work schedule— in fact, maybe gym time is how I've already replaced the time wasted reading articles about football.

Well, there it is. I started this piece wanting to sort out my thoughts about this decision and what it would mean, and in the process I've alleviated some of the worry that the gym was sabotaging my productivity. No, it's not because I"m gaining time by avoiding articles and news about American football— on any level. Having said that, I have seen the stories about the Kaepernick protest, but that is more of a political issue and not the topic at hand.

*National Football League
**emergency room
***also known as
Disclaimer




Related writings:

• Book review archive

Search this site: