The NFL has just approved, by a majority of the owners, to allow the altered percentage rate to be 7%. SEVEN?!? The percent range for sentient status is 5! So, what the NFL has just done is force players to alter their genome up to 7% divergence from original markers, as only originals are allowed to play currently, and thereby endangering there status as member of a sentient species!

Now, I suppose there is some dispute as to what this really means. Rich people are, and have always been, above the law. Sentient status is really only relevant for acquiring medical benefits, some legal questions, exact legal rights, etc etc. Of course, if you are altered beyond 10% you have to register, but that’s not what’s going on here. The NFL will never question that range I can assure you. Above 5% and below 10% you are still technically a member of your species just sub classified as an “altered”.

Still, why the NFL would raise this is a mystery to me. Ok, it’s honestly not. 7% altered’s are 2% stronger, faster, bigger or tougher than 5% altered’s. That means harder hits, faster runners, bigger linebackers, etc etc etc. All of that means better ratings and of course the owners want better ratings. Though this will mean that every player on every team will run out and get augmentations. That means every player on every team will have to surrender their full sentient citizen status for the lesser altered status. Is that really fair? They will have to do it because they just won’t be able to compete with anyone that is at 7%. It’s just not even a contest. A 2% change to the genome and body is a huge amount. Even 5% is a huge amount but honestly, harmless body sculpting is really not that big of a deal. I’ve seen people with 5% body sculpting before, they are incredible to look at.

I, of course, will still watch the NFL and root for the Skins, but i’ll still feel bad for the players. They take and take and take from these guys, force them to do things they probably shouldn’t be doing and for what? It was supposed to be just a game not an experiment in potential new species. Greed never dies, even in the 24th century it seems.