I remember seeing then-Oakland A's pitcher Brandon McCarthy get hit in the head by a liner from Angels infielder Erick Aybar and collapsing to the ground.
That was scary for all parties.
I also remember when I used to see a big hit in the NFL, and how excited I would be. I’ve always been a USC fan, but I still enjoyed seeing Reggie Bush get laid out.
Getting hit by a pitch in baseball and getting laid out in football have always been received with much different reactions. But they’re trending towards the same area.
With all the research done towards head injuries in sports and their severe effects, seeing a big hit in football is no longer enjoyable. When I saw Chargers wide receiver Malcom Floyd go across the middle during a game and get crunched by two Philadelphia Eagles defenders, I cringed. What once was something that we used to enjoy has now become barbaric.
Seeing all these head injuries to players like Jermichael Finley and Aroldis Chapman has made me enjoy the sports I used to love so much less.
I can’t watch baseball or football without the fear of a possibly life-changing play happening. I just don’t enjoy it.
Major League Baseball needs to get helmets for pitchers — simple as that. It’s a fairly easy fix.
For the NFL, its whole sport is predicated on violence, so it’ll be tougher to make it safer, but it needs to happen. It’s no longer something at the back of society’s head; it’s at the forefront and needs to be addressed immediately.
Reach the columnist at stheodor@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @shane_writes
