Lots of Monday News on Concussions
More good news – and a little fun – to exercise your brain as the end of the year approaches.
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Congressman John Conyers (D-MI) has called another Congressional hearing on concussions set for Jan. 4, 2010 in Detroit. We understand that the NFLPA’s DeMaurice Smith is scheduled to appear and apparently even the NFL’s Dr. No – Ira Casson – is on the schdule to appear. Rep. Conyers is from Michigan and this hearing will be held at the Wayne State University School of Medicine while Congress is not in session. There seems to be more focus on college and high school concussions with this hearing; the NCAA’s director of health and safety, David Klossner, and Dr. Bennett Omalu and Chris Nowinski are also slated to appear.
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The hearing was scheduled just as the NFL announced that they were closing down their current concussion studies. Our favorite quote was from Congresswoman Linda Sanchez (D- CA): “Hey, why don’t we let tobacco companies determine whether smoking is bad for your health or not?”
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And NFL publicist Greg Aiello said that the study of retired players “is on hold for now as we explore having the study supported through an academic medical institution.” Now we all KNOW that the NFL has absolutely no influence on college football, don’t we?
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Our good friend, Alan Schwarz, from the New York Times announced the new hearing (click HERE) and also wrote a piece about the NFL’s announcement that they were closing down their concussion study (click HERE). Schwarz also wrote a third piece on the NFL’s attempts to get ahead of the curve by “acknowledging long-term concussion effect.” Read that piece HERE. This past weekend, Alan Schwarz had to be one of the busiest sports writers in the country!
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Then, of course, just so that the good guys don’t get all the best brains for their studies, the NFL also announced that they wanted NFL players’ brains donated to them for posterity. We suppose that every brain they collect will be one less brain that all those other independent study organizations will be receiving. Just how much lower will these guys stoop to try to slow the impending tsunami of evidence? Read about the NFL’s brain donor program posted on CBS Sports from AP Sports Writer Howard Fendrich – click HERE. To paraphrase Rep. Linda Sanchez, isn’t that a little like the tobacco industry saying, “Give us you lungs after you die of lung cancer so we can study it for links to smoking.”?
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You have to know it’s getting very serious when mainstream science publications like Popular Science start to write stories about the concussion studies (click HERE to read Scientists to Football Players: Give Us Your Brains) and online parody sites start making fun of the NFL’s sinking attempts to hold on to the story.
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So to kick off your week, here’s just a little humor from The Onion to start your week off with a laugh (seriously – it’s just a joke):
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Tom Iovino
December 21st, 2009 at 1:30 pm #
Dave -
I am really concerned about the NFL’s policies towards retired players after reading your story and the stories of other player. I grew up watching guys like you and Earl Campbell play. You were my heroes and it was on your shoulders that the league grew to what it is today.
How does the NFL help? Well, players and coaches all wore pink for the entire month of October to help the Susan Komen Breast Cancer charity. Now, yes, that is a serious health matter. But, where are the fundraisers to help you guys out?
Who is asking for donations at the stadiums to help you guys? Why aren’t Fox, NBC, CBS, the NFL Network and ESPN sports casters bringing this to the viewers’ attention and asking for donations to help you guys out?
Please understand that folks like me appreciate what you have done. We need to start some kind of written campaign aimed at the league management to address this…
Tom Iovino
Tony Farley
December 22nd, 2009 at 7:52 am #
Dave, as a lifelong fan, I was touched and saddened to hear about your situation and so many others who played the game I love to watch. Players come and go, and it is recognized that it is a young man’s sport, but it is unacceptable that players with life-changing injuries are not given every medical benefit as well as pension pay I really don’t care how it affects the teams or how it affects the player salaries; this has to end as it will be the downfall of the sport if it doesn’t. Like Tom above, I am ready for action. It should not be left up to injured players alone to fight this battle. It is time for the fans to stand up and fight along side our heroes.
I am a Raiders fan, and it kills me to hear that your worst injuries came while playing hurt so my team could go to the Super Bowl. Those victories now have a stain on them.
Tony Farley
http://www.beautifulplaces.tv
Judy
December 23rd, 2009 at 3:40 am #
Hi Dave,
As a football fan and a nurse anesthetist, I support your actions to improve your life and that of other players. And I also pray that rules be changed in the game to decrease injuries I like the football competition, but dislike the hard hitting and the subsequent injuries it causes. I no longer constantly watch my favorite teams as I know that the human body cannot withstand constant beating. I work in the operating room and know your pain when you come in for your surgeries. My prayers are with you. It is hard to fight big business.
By the way, there are some arthritis suffers who swear that the lifestyles promoted by Dr. Joel Fuhrman and/or the Hallelujah Acres really works for them.
Judy
Keith Hayhurst
December 23rd, 2009 at 2:45 pm #
Dave,
These professional sports players became our role models. It seems like they were just tossed aside and I think it’s time to give something back. There is a PEMF (Pulsed Electro-Magnetic Field) device that had 2,000 University-level double blind medical studies done. It is approved for bone healing, range of motion and pain control. I have a PDF from the manufacturer that lists the testimonials & names of many professional athletes but I don’t have a way to post it here.
Keith Hayhurst
Frederck 'Rick' Hayes
December 24th, 2009 at 12:45 pm #
Aloha Independent Retired Players and football fans:
I sincerely urge you to write the President and your members of Congress to support and oversee revision of the laws that allow the NFL owners to continue their negligent conduct and treatment of retired players, thereby passing the health care costs of the players onto the American public.
The primary law exempting and protecting owners from their normal responsibilities in American business is their exemption from the rules and laws of anti-trust measures. This is also the exemption that allows them to threaten cities and states that they will move their teams to another city if a publicly-funded and taxed stadium is not freely built for them to run their privileged business. These owners are among the wealthiest people in the United States who pool their money in a common pot for all of them to feed on, regardless of the product they produce!
Please?
Mahalo,
Rick Hayes
L.A. Rams 1974
UW Huskies 1969-1973