Joy Behar Calls Out 'Conservatives' And 'Heterosexual Men' For Support Of Tackle Football
By Favour Adegoke on January 8, 2023 at 1:30 AM EST
Joy Behar recently commented on the support "conservatives" and "heterosexual men" give tackle football. The tv-personality questioned why a huge number of people remain fixated on the sport despite the immense health risk it poses.
Fellow co-host Sunny Hostin shared a personal story about her son getting injured while playing football and vowed not to let her kids love football. The conversation about the sport comes after a footballer, Damar Hamlin, slumped on the field of play earlier in the week and is still in critical condition.
Read below for more details.
Joy Behar Doesn't Think 'Tackle Football Is Appropriate'
On Wednesday's episode of "The View," Behar called out conservatives and heterosexuals for their love of the intense contact sport, per New York Post.
She expressed her view while conversing with her co-hosts Sarah Haines and Hostin about Buffalo Bills player, Hamlin, collapsing during a game Monday night and suffering an unexpected cardiac arrest.
"45% of Americans think that tackle football is appropriate. Heterosexual men voted the most support for kids doing football. And conservatives were more likely to support youth tackle football. Just saying," Behar bluntly remarked.
Behar's viewpoint raises the topic of why some individuals continue to be captivated by the sport despite the severe health risks it presents to the athletes who participate in it.
Hamlin's injury only further shed more light on it amid growing demands for the NFL to implement more extensive safety measures for all the teams.
'The View' Co-Host's Speak On Personal Experiences With The Beloved Sport
Like Behar, Hostin shares the same sentiment, recalling a personal experience of her son suffering a hamstring injury while playing football. She said that the episode made him realize that playing such a sport could cause extensive damage to other parts of his body, including his brain.
"He realized at that point, uh-oh. I could – that could happen to my brain, and so he quit," the tv personality said.
However, Haines shared that the risk involved in tackle football would not lead to a reduction in viewership as fans think it's a huge part of sporting tradition.
She said, "I grew up, and football was just the norm. My parents went to the games long after we were even in high school because the whole town did. I loved 'Friday Night Lights,' et cetera, et cetera."
CTE, an acronym for Chronic traumatic encephalopathy, is a major health risk associated with tackle football. The neurodegenerative disease is linked to repeated head trauma suffered by football players.
Sarah Haines Says She Won't Let Her Kids Love Football
Elsewhere in the conversation, Behar opined that people interested in sports should instead pick less contact professions like playing golf or tennis.
Haines also added that many mothers, including herself, won't let their kids fall in love with the sport like before. Co-host Hostin agreed with her, saying, "I think a lot of mothers certainly feel that way and have felt that way for a long time," she said.
Meanwhile, Hamlin was fortunately resuscitated on the field after his collapse before he was rushed to the hospital. According to a close family relative, the football is still in critical condition.
"Right now, they got him on a ventilator, so they're trying to get him to breathe on his own," the source said, per New York Post. "So, we're just kind of taking it day by day. Still in the ICU. They have him sedated, so just continue to administer the medical treatment that they've been doing."
Damar Hamlin's Case Is Unfortunately One Of Many
It is unclear if Hamlin's collapse will end his involvement in the NFL, given the nature of his current predicament. In the past, several other players have suffered career-ending injuries in different forms, forcing them to retire.
Versatile former quarterback Steve Young called time on his career with the San Francisco 49ers in 1999 after being sacked by cornerback Aneas Williams in a frightening helmet-to-helmet tackle. The incident gave Young his seventh known concussion from playing the sport.
The likes of Bo Jackson (Los Angeles Raiders), Sterling Sharpe (Green Bay Packers), Terrell Davis (Denver Broncos), Tony Boselli (Jacksonville Jaguars), Joe Theismann: Washington Redskins) also suffered similar fates.
