Football is my favorite TV sport. I like the pace of the game, the athleticism of the players, and the strategy of offensive and defensive play calling. I am not alone. According to a January Harris poll, NFL football has been the most popular sport in the country over the past three decades.

Football has a rich history in the US. Theodore Roosevelt was a big fan, but when 18 players died during games in 1905 alone, he knew that something had to change. New rules were added, and the introduction of the forward pass brought both excitement and reduced violence at the line of scrimmage. For the first time, the concept of player safety became a consideration.

More than 100 years have gone by and rules, equipment and training have evolved tremendously. After all these developments, you would think football would be much safer. You would be wrong. Each year an average of 12 high school and college football players die in practice or in games. Football is fun, but we may as well accept the fact that it was, is and always will be dangerous.