Category: Education in the AI Age

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Essay Prompt:

Football is more than just a sport—it’s a cultural ritual defined by sacrifice, danger, and, increasingly, moral controversy. With mounting evidence linking the game to brain trauma, long-term disability, and early death, critics such as Malcolm Gladwell, Kathleen Bachynski, and Steve Almond argue that football is not only dangerous but exploitative: a spectacle built on the suffering of young men whose bodies and futures are traded for profit and entertainment. Others defend the sport, insisting that football—like MMA, gymnastics, or bodybuilding—simply demands extreme physical sacrifice, and that athletes like Ronnie Coleman embody the right to choose that pain in pursuit of greatness. Meanwhile, cases like Aaron Hernandez raise disturbing questions about whether teams prioritize talent and profit over the psychological well-being and humanity of their players.

The central argument you will address is this: Is football an unethical and exploitative institution that sacrifices player welfare for public entertainment, or is it a legitimate arena of personal choice, physical excellence, and cultural tradition?

In your essay, take a clear position on this question and support it with evidence from Concussion, Ronnie Coleman: The King, Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez, and at least three essays from our course materials. As you develop your claim, consider related issues such as:

• Whether colleges and the NFL commodify athletes or empower them;
  
• Whether spectators are morally complicit in the harm done;
  
• Whether banning football would protect vulnerable individuals or create worse unintended consequences;
  
• And whether the pursuit of greatness necessarily involves bodily sacrifice—and if so, whether that sacrifice is a noble choice or a form of exploitation.
  

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Use 4 or more of the following sources to construct a well-argued position:

1. “Youth Football Is a Moral Abdication” by Kathleen Bachynski
2. “The White Flight from Football” by Alana Semuels
3. “American football is dangerous, and it should be abolished” by Dave Bry
4. “Exactly How Dangerous Is Football?” by Ingfei Chen
5. “Offensive Play” by Malcolm Gladwell
6. “Is It Immoral to Watch the Super Bowl?” by Steve Almond
7. “Diehard Fans Defend the Game” by Matt Vasilogambros
8. “Is It Patronizing to Say Football Players Are Exploited?” by Chris Bodenner
9. “Book review: ‘Why Football Matters,’ and ‘Against Football’” by James Trefil
10. Concussion (2015 movie on Amazon Prime)
11. The Cost of Winning (2020 documentary on HBO)
12. Student Athlete (2018 documentary on HBO)
13. Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez (2020 3-part series on Netflix)

Sample 9-Paragraph Outline

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Title: Blood, Glory, and Profit: The Ethical Dilemma of American Football

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Paragraph 1: Introduction (Choose One)

• Hook: Start with a vivid image—an NFL player lying motionless on the turf while the crowd cheers for the next play.
  
• Context: Football’s status as a national ritual, its cultural significance, and the growing controversy surrounding its dangers.
  
• Introduce the central debate: Is football exploitative, or is it a legitimate, even noble, pursuit of greatness?

Paragraph 2: Thesis (Claim)

• Example of thesis that opposes football: Football has become an ethically compromised institution that commodifies its players for entertainment and profit, often under the illusion of personal choice—making reform, not abolition, a moral imperative.
• Example of a thesis that supports football: While football is a physically demanding sport, it is not an exploitative institution—it is a legitimate, voluntary arena where athletes exercise personal agency, pursue greatness, and knowingly accept risk. Far from being ethically compromised, football represents a cultural tradition that honors sacrifice, fosters opportunity, and should be preserved without further moral panic or unnecessary reform.
  

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Paragraph 3-6: Your supporting paragraphs that explain the reasons behind your thesis or argument. 

Paragraphs 7 and 8: Your 2 counterarguments and 2 rebuttals to those counterarguments.

Paragraph 9: Your conclusion, a dramatic restatement of your thesis.

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Unintended Consequences of Banning Football (to address in your counterargument-rebuttal section)

Here is a full list of unintended consequences you may need to address to make your argument more persuasive:

Banning football might sound like a bold ethical stance, but it would unleash a cascade of unintended consequences—cultural, economic, psychological, and even moral. Here’s a breakdown of what might happen if the most popular sport in America were outlawed:

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1. Loss of Opportunity for Marginalized Youth

• Unintended Consequence: For many young men, especially from under-resourced communities, football is a rare (and sometimes only) path to higher education and upward mobility.
  
• Result: Banning the sport could cut off scholarships and recruitment pipelines, exacerbating socioeconomic inequality rather than alleviating harm.
  

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2. Black Market Football

• Unintended Consequence: If football goes underground, it doesn’t disappear—it just gets more dangerous.
  
• Result: Unregulated leagues may spring up, especially in areas with strong football culture. Without safety oversight, proper coaching, or medical supervision, injury rates could worsen.
  

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3. Economic Collapse of Local Ecosystems

• Unintended Consequence: Football is a multi-billion-dollar industry with deep ties to universities, cities, and small towns.
  
• Result: A ban could devastate local economies dependent on Friday night lights or Saturday college games—hotels, restaurants, sports vendors, media jobs, and more would be gutted.
  

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4. Identity Crisis in American Masculinity

• Unintended Consequence: Football, like it or not, is one of the last culturally sanctioned rituals of toughness, aggression, and team-based male bonding.
  
• Result: Without football as a socially accepted outlet, young men may turn to other riskier or more alienating behaviors to express identity or test resilience.
  

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5. Decline in College Enrollment and Funding

• Unintended Consequence: At many universities, football programs are major revenue engines—not just for athletics, but for branding and student recruitment.
  
• Result: Removing football could lead to reduced enrollment, cutbacks in academic programs, and tuition hikes as schools scramble to replace lost revenue.
  

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6. Loss of Cultural Cohesion and Civic Ritual

• Unintended Consequence: Football games are communal rituals—tailgates, traditions, and team pride bind communities together.
  
• Result: Banning football could fracture local identity, particularly in the South and Midwest, where the sport acts as social glue.
  

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7. Displacement of Violence to Other Arenas

• Unintended Consequence: Football channels aggression into rules, teams, and strategy.
  
• Result: Without that structure, we might see more unchanneled aggression, risk-taking behavior, or violence manifesting in less regulated spaces (gangs, reckless driving, amateur fighting).
  

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8. Moral Hypocrisy and Slippery Slope Questions

• Unintended Consequence: Singling out football raises the question: what about boxing, MMA, rugby, or even ballet and gymnastics?
  
• Result: Banning football opens the door to more bans—or worse, selective enforcement that reeks of moral inconsistency and political backlash.
  

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9. Undermining of Bodily Autonomy

• Unintended Consequence: While the intent is to protect, the act of banning a sport removes agency from individuals who knowingly choose risk.
  
• Result: This could spark debates about freedom, personal sovereignty, and whether society has the right to intervene in personal decisions about pain and sacrifice.
  

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The Relevance of Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez:

The documentary Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez is a chilling, necessary companion to any serious discussion of the moral crisis surrounding football. Hernandez, a star athlete groomed through the college football system and elevated to NFL glory, was both a product and a casualty of a sport that prized performance over personhood. The film exposes how institutions—from the University of Florida to the New England Patriots—enabled and ignored warning signs: violence, erratic behavior, and deep psychological instability. These weren’t just isolated red flags; they were systemic blind spots, fostered by a culture that commodifies players as disposable assets in a billion-dollar entertainment machine. Hernandez’s case forces students to confront the darker truth behind athletic excellence: when fame, concussions, and unchecked aggression intersect, the results can be lethal.

Moreover, the documentary complicates the question of self-agency. Yes, Hernandez made choices—but were they truly free? Killer Inside makes a compelling case that chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), diagnosed in Hernandez posthumously, contributed to his instability. It raises hard questions about whether players fully understand the long-term cost of participation, and whether teams, coaches, and fans are complicit in a cycle that glamorizes sacrifice while suppressing inconvenient consequences. As students grapple with the ethics of spectatorship and institutional responsibility, this documentary offers a haunting portrait of how far a system will go to protect its profit, even if it means nurturing a time bomb in shoulder pads.

Here are three argumentative essay prompts suitable for a 9-paragraph essay that ask college students to critically evaluate the claim that football is too dangerous to be allowed, while integrating multiple sources and perspectives:

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Prompt 1: “Freedom vs. Paternalism: Should Football Be Banned for Its Dangers?”

Essay Prompt:
Some argue that football should be banned due to its inherent risks—brain trauma, long-term disability, and early death—especially when these dangers are now well-documented through studies, documentaries like Concussion, and essays such as “Offensive Play” by Malcolm Gladwell and “Youth Football Is a Moral Abdication” by Kathleen Bachynski. Others argue that adults, like bodybuilder Ronnie Coleman in The King, have the right to punish their bodies for greatness. Should society protect athletes from themselves, or should personal freedom and the pursuit of glory override concerns about safety?

Thesis Requirement:
Take a position on whether football should be banned, regulated further, or left alone. Consider the ethical tension between protecting individuals and respecting their freedom to accept risk.

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Prompt 2: “Is Football Immoral Entertainment or Heroic Spectacle?”

Essay Prompt:
Critics like Steve Almond in “Is It Immoral to Watch the Super Bowl?” argue that football is exploitative, violent, and unethically consumed as entertainment by fans who ignore the human cost. Yet, defenders claim that physical sacrifice is the very essence of elite sports, citing Ronnie Coleman’s punishing regimen or the spectacle of NFL Sundays. Drawing from Concussion, Ronnie Coleman: The King, and at least three essays from the list above, argue whether watching and supporting football is morally indefensible—or a celebration of human extremes that demands respect, not condemnation.

Thesis Requirement:
Argue whether football spectatorship is morally wrong, or whether it reflects a deeper cultural valorization of sacrifice and spectacle that deserves to continue.

Prompt 3: “A Necessary Risk? Comparing Football to Other High-Impact Sports”

Essay Prompt:
Football is often singled out for its violence and long-term damage to players, as shown in the essays by Dave Bry and Ingfei Chen. But many other sports—MMA, boxing, gymnastics, bodybuilding—also inflict harm in pursuit of greatness. Is it fair to hold football to a different standard? Using Concussion, Ronnie Coleman: The King, and at least three essays from the list, write an argumentative essay that addresses whether football is uniquely immoral—or simply another example of how society accepts risk in exchange for performance and entertainment.

Thesis Requirement:
Argue whether football should be abolished due to its extreme risks, or whether it should be viewed in the same ethical category as other dangerous yet glorified sports.

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Here are three 9-paragraph essay outlines, each corresponding to one of the prompts I gave you. These outlines are structured to guide students in developing strong thesis-driven arguments with counterargument and rebuttal sections.

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Prompt 1 Outline: “Freedom vs. Paternalism: Should Football Be Banned for Its Dangers?”

Paragraph 1 – Introduction

• Hook: Paint a vivid image of the risks of football (e.g., brain damage, CTE).
• Context: Mention growing concern from scientists, journalists, and cultural critics.
• Thesis: While football poses undeniable dangers, banning it would violate the principle of personal freedom; instead, informed adults should be allowed to take risks in pursuit of meaning, glory, and identity.

Paragraph 2 – Background on Football’s Dangers

• Use examples from Concussion, Gladwell’s “Offensive Play,” and Ingfei Chen’s article to detail the physical and neurological toll of the game.
• Discuss youth football concerns using Bachynski’s critique.

Paragraph 3 – The Paternalist Case for Banning Football

• Lay out the moral argument that society has an obligation to protect players from harm—even from themselves.
• Reference Steve Almond’s and Dave Bry’s essays.
• Raise the point about fans being complicit in systemic exploitation.

Paragraph 4 – The Freedom to Choose Dangerous Paths

• Use Ronnie Coleman as a counterpoint: he knowingly destroyed his body in pursuit of greatness.
• Argue that personal agency and risk are part of greatness in many sports.

Paragraph 5 – Informed Consent and Regulation

• Propose that the real solution is not banning but making sure players are fully informed and medically monitored.
• Mention existing reforms in football and suggestions for further safety protocols.

Paragraph 6 – Counterargument: The Problem of Informed Consent in Minors

• Acknowledge that children and teenagers cannot truly give informed consent.
• Revisit Bachynski’s argument about moral abdication in youth football.

Paragraph 7 – Rebuttal: Ban Youth Football, Not the Whole Game

• Suggest a middle-ground policy: ban tackle football for minors, regulate pro and college levels.
• Emphasize adult autonomy and institutional responsibility.

Paragraph 8 – Broader Implications: Personal Risk in a Free Society

• Link to other professions and sports with risk (e.g., firefighting, racing).
• Defend risk as a necessary ingredient in human excellence and personal identity.

Paragraph 9 – Conclusion

• Reaffirm thesis: Football is dangerous, but banning it would be paternalistic overreach.
• End with a call for ethical regulation, informed choice, and cultural honesty.

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Prompt 2 Outline: “Is Football Immoral Entertainment or Heroic Spectacle?”

Paragraph 1 – Introduction

• Hook: Contrast images of Super Bowl Sunday parties with a football player in a wheelchair, suffering CTE.
• Context: Critics argue football is a bloodsport; defenders see valor.
• Thesis: While football’s dangers are real, condemning it as immoral entertainment ignores the deeper human drive toward spectacle, risk, and transcendent physical achievement.

Paragraph 2 – The Moral Case Against Watching Football

• Summarize Almond’s, Bry’s, and Gladwell’s critiques of football as exploitative.
• Emphasize the consumer’s moral responsibility.

Paragraph 3 – The Physical Toll of Greatness

• Compare football players to Ronnie Coleman: both destroy their bodies to reach the top.
• Use Ronnie Coleman: The King as evidence of informed sacrifice.

Paragraph 4 – The Heroic Spectacle Argument

• Argue that what we celebrate in sports is the extreme: speed, pain tolerance, power.
• Football is thrilling precisely because it pushes limits.

Paragraph 5 – Football and Consent

• Highlight that football players, unlike gladiators, choose their path.
• Many see it as a path to identity, meaning, and upward mobility.

Paragraph 6 – Counterargument: Viewers Are Still Morally Complicit

• Acknowledge Almond’s point that fans create the demand.
• Point out that cheering injuries is a moral low point.

Paragraph 7 – Rebuttal: Admiration Is Not Exploitation

• Make the case that admiration and exploitation are not the same.
• Use examples from Concussion and Vasilogambros’ essay showing many players don’t see themselves as victims.

Paragraph 8 – The Cultural Importance of Football

• Explore football’s symbolic value in American identity and tradition.
• Mention Concussion to show that reform, not erasure, may be the better path.

Paragraph 9 – Conclusion

• Restate thesis: Football’s violence is part of its mythic power, not its moral failure.
• Leave reader with a question: Do we truly want to live in a world without high-stakes heroism?

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Prompt 3 Outline: “A Necessary Risk? Comparing Football to Other High-Impact Sports”

Paragraph 1 – Introduction

• Hook: Imagine a risk-free Olympics—no broken bones, no injuries, no edge. Would anyone watch?
• Context: Football is under fire, but risk is foundational to many beloved sports.
• Thesis: Though football is dangerous, it should not be singled out for abolition when other high-risk sports continue with public admiration and participant consent.

Paragraph 2 – The Case Against Football’s Danger

• Outline the evidence from Concussion, Chen’s article, and Bry’s essay.
• Include the cultural concern about long-term brain injuries.

Paragraph 3 – Football’s Uniqueness (Critics’ View)

• Present the argument that football is worse due to repeated head trauma.
• Highlight Gladwell’s and Bachynski’s emphasis on sub-concussive hits.

Paragraph 4 – But Other Sports Are Just as Brutal

• Bring in MMA, boxing, gymnastics, bodybuilding.
• Describe Ronnie Coleman’s spinal degeneration from lifting.

Paragraph 5 – The Freedom to Risk and the Myth of the “Safe Sport”

• Emphasize that even “safe” sports carry injury risks.
• Athletes know the trade-off and often embrace it.

Paragraph 6 – Counterargument: Kids Can’t Choose Risk Responsibly

• Acknowledge the issue of youth sports, echoing Bachynski.
• Minors can’t weigh long-term risk like adults.

Paragraph 7 – Rebuttal: Reform, Not Abolition

• Support banning tackle football for kids, but defend adult participation.
• Cite reforms in helmets, rules, and concussion protocols.

Paragraph 8 – Sports and the Human Drive for Glory

• Revisit Ronnie Coleman: he knowingly embraced suffering for excellence.
• Link this drive to the nature of sport and human aspiration.

Paragraph 9 – Conclusion

• Restate thesis: Football isn’t uniquely immoral—it’s one chapter in a larger story of human performance and risk.
• Conclude with a call for honest conversations, not blanket bans.