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Damar Hamlin and the Delicate Balance of Football
A moment where the sports world stood still and humanity took over
This week we saw the worst nightmare of every football fan take place: a player collapsing on the field in need of immediate emergency medical attention. Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin made what looked like a routine tackle only to get up and collapse to the ground immediately. This was a moment where the sports world stopped and for a brief moment thought about their fellow man. The fans in Cincinnati, Ohio came in unison to pray for the well-being of a young 24-year-old man that was living his dreams. And as Damar continues to fight for his life, we are reminded just how violent this game is and how much we take for granted when we watch these athletes perform every Sunday.
Violent by Design
In the past, I have compared the way that we love and consume the game of American football as an audience to the way that ancient Romans consumed the gladiator games. Fans crave violence and there is a satisfaction that people have to see a big hit just as much as seeing a leaping touchdown catch in the corner of the endzone. It is the same reason that people over the…
