I shudder to think of some of the serious injuries to those who risked life and limb for the sport not to mention the more subtle but equally devastating effects on cognitive function, often going undetected for decades after retirement. But the game was definitely more close-up, exciting and "real" during the '70s (the so-called "dead ball era" with lower scores and less yardage along with impenetrable defenses like Pittsburgh's "Steel Curtain") and the '80s (despite rules against bumping receivers all the way down field and prohibiting defenders from grabbing quarterbacks' faces and necks, players were not as yet monitored by digital medical devices during play, and they did not wear outsized "bubble-head" helmets to guard against "concussing." Nor did they look like cartoon figures in bright, colorful tights indistinguishable from icons in a video game. But the game continues to attract sponsors along with big sums of money, so if enhanced media hype can compensate for the loss of human authenticity, the game will survive. However, some of us will never get over the game as it used to be played--and covered--by a fight promoter (Cosell) and several of the game's more eccentric ex-players. Today I occasionally watch a few minutes of the game, but I prefer watching hours of the Lombardi Packers and Ditka Bears, the Paul Brown Browns and the Paul Brown Bengals. I just pray the games from the '70s and '80s are maintained in pristine condition and are available for years to come.