TOW #14 - The Dangers of Safety Equipment

While football may just be the symbol of American sports, it has some incredibly clear risks. The only way to defend an offense is to tackle them. The issue that has become worse and worse over the years is the fact that as more and more equipment is introduced, players feel safer when they make more dangerous tackles. This leads to more concussions, more injuries, and more ended careers. Meanwhile, rugby, a seemingly more dangerous sport, is responsible for less concussions. This is due to the way in which the players make tackles. In his piece, “The Dangers of Safety Equipment,” Michael Munger uses Rogerian argumentation and references to famous football figures and teams to persuade his audience that football tackling has become more and more dangerous and that it needs to be replaced by rugby tackling.

Munger uses Rogerian argumentation to acknowledge (and refute) the opposing point of view. While he is all in favor of safer tackling, he recognizes the reasons for the current tackling methods. He proclaims that “almost everyone believes that the helmet-first tackling style is more effective […] Anyone who avoids delivering a blow to avoid ringing the guy’s bell is a wimp, and he also risks missing the tackle.” Based on purely these statements, head-on tackling seems like the way to go. However, Munger goes on to counter this point, explaining that there are alternatives to such dangerous methods (I’ll get into those alternatives in a bit). By addressing (and shutting down) the opposition, the author shows that he has considered current tackling, and even still disagrees with it. In this sense, he establishes ethos as well, in that he proves he isn’t going in stuck on one side of the argument.

            Munger references famous football figures and teams in order to establish credibility in his argument. He introduces the idea of rugby tackling – a much safer way of tackling – and that it should be incorporated into the NFL. For example, he brings up the Seattle Seahawks, and the fact that “Pete Carroll (the coach) […] has used rugby principles for football tackling, as is demonstrated in a video.” In the video, Carroll shares his own opinion on tackling, and he agrees with Munger. They both feel that rugby-like tackling can be very effective, while at the same time reduce the risk of concussion. In referencing Pete Carroll, Munger shows that his ideas aren’t just coming from some random person – they are supported by many, including the head coach of a Super Bowl-winning team. If Munger were not to incorporate these mentions, the reader would have a much tougher time accepting his proposal.

            Ultimately, Michael Munger makes a very strong argument. As just the average writer, he may not have been quite reliable in arguing well-established rules. However, through his Rogerian argumentation and football-based allusions, he makes a powerful appeal to ethos and successfully substantiates his argument.