NBC News hypes link between cancer and artificial turf.

[steve s]

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/investigations/how-safe-artificial-turf-your-child-plays-n220166

I meant to post this a few days ago. NBC News aired a report suggesting a link between artificial turf and cancer among soccer players. They found a few goal keepers who have gotten cancer, but at no time did they provide any evidence that the rate of cancer among soccer players is any higher than the national average.
The next night they said they got a couple dozen emails from people who said they know someone who plays soccer and got cancer, as though two dozen people out of millions of soccer players is a statistically significant.

And what about football players? Most college and professional teams play on the same type of surface, and yet there's no sudden increase in cancer among football players. And they spend a lot more time on the ground than soccer players do.

It was on embarrassing display of irresponsible behavior on the part of NBC News.

Steve S

 

[bigred]

Ah the media, that impressive bastion of responsible fact/news reporting. Cronkite would be so proud.

 

[jaydeehess]

Omg
I played soccer in my 20s. I have had cancer. Had it 20 years AFTER I played.

Must be true

 

[steve s]

Omg
I played soccer in my 20s. I have had cancer. Had it 20 years AFTER I played.

Must be true

They're claiming that it's the ground-up rubber which is used as fake dirt that's causing the cancer because it's got, like, y'know, like....chemicals in it.

Steve S

 

[dropzone]

I played on fake turf once and my knees still haven't recovered, but that was back when turf was indoor-outdoor carpeting over concrete.

 

[pteridine]

Should ground rubber tires prove to be the cause of cancer, there should be a much higher incidence rate given that roads and highways provide much larger amounts of fine rubber particles.
Occasionally, we must remind the news promulgators that we depend on evil chemicals, such as water and CO2 [plant photosynthesis]. Alle Dinge sind Gift und nichts ist ohne Gift, allein die Dosis macht es, dass ein Ding kein Gift ist. ” —Paracelsus

 

[Spindrift]

What about the marching band? Will no one think of them?

 

[steve s]

I played on fake turf once and my knees still haven't recovered, but that was back when turf was indoor-outdoor carpeting over concrete.

I used to play in a lot of outdoor softball leagues. One winter we decided to play in an indoor league on the same type of surface you describe. The day after a game, my joints would ache so bad I could hardly walk. That was the first and only winter I played indoors.

Steve S