Question for ex-football and rugby players. Do you miss the violence?

[burningbright]

For me, there was nothing like connecting a good, clean hip-check on a guy right into the boards.

While I never "played' HS football (I was the punter - all-state BTW) the only thing I could compare a good hip-check in hockey too for punting was when the center snapped me the ball and I'd hit the sweet spot on it, watch it roll off the top of my foot in a perfect spiral and knew that ball was going to go 50+ yards. In those moments - punting a football, delivering a hit in hockey where you stay on your feet after crumbling the other guy - are unforgettable. It was like you having your own intimate moment with Kinetic Energy itself.

That's what I miss about physical sports.

 

[lasbar]

When I did play football , I did enjoy the tackling physical side of it...

When I was playing rugby , I did prefer the attacking side of the game...

Tackling was too painful..

 

[Naka]

I played second row for my high school rugby team, and I miss being able to get stuck into a ruck and shove my shoulder in some poor kid's face. Unrestrained aggression is pretty fun, I find that Martial Arts is a little more restrained as the violence is more technical than getting a good sprint and really smashing someone who just copped a hospital pass.

 

[FLMountainMan]



Played DB in high school. Role model was Chuck Cecil so you can imagine my play style. Would be nonstop penalty flags today..

Actually broke open my own face mask my junior year from repeated hits to the top bar. Got suspended for laying out a guy a good second after the ball went yards out of bounds uncatchable. It was on their sideline too LOL

I don't miss it. Too old for it. But the feel of going THROUGH someone is something else.

I just reread this. This is awesome. I knew a guy who dented his face mask but no one who ever actually broke it open. That actually makes me chuckle.