The Effects of Too Many Concussions
Wow! You’d think that it was the NFL that’s suffering from one too many concussions with as many hits as they’ve been taking on the issue of concussions lately. This past week, another series of news stories have been hitting the wires, covering everything from brain injuries in general to football concussions in particular. This recent run started off with Evan Weiner‘s piece from the New Jersey Newsroom on how football players are discarded in retirement (click HERE to read that earlier post) as well as Alan Schwarz‘s continuing series on the NFL’s history of dodgy mishandling of concussions over the years (click HERE for the last round of recent coverage).
.
The Washington Post’s Michael Wilbon wrote a new piece in their Sunday edition:
.
NFL facing the truth about head injuries
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, August 8, 2010 .
While we’ve been obsessing over LeBron James’s decision and Brett Favre’s indecision, a real story – one of staggering importance – has pretty much been ignored. It’s a story of the NFL finally facing the truth about the frightening nature of head injuries, a story that could one faraway day lead football down the same path as boxing, one that has already persuaded me to ban my son from ever playing organized football.
.
There’s been precious little angst or public discussion to this point even though America’s current national pastime, professional football, is very quietly trying to figure out what to do about the biggest crisis the sport has ever faced: head injuries. The NFL, less than two weeks ago, produced a poster warning players of the dangers of concussions to the point of admitting that multiple head injuries can lead to permanent brain damage.
.
The posters, headlined with the single word “CONCUSSION,” now hang in every locker room in the league and appear to be the equivalent of the Surgeon General’s warning on every single cigarette package that smoking can kill you.
.
This reflects a stunning reversal by the NFL on the severity of concussions and comes on the heels of various academic studies that have produced conclusive findings, not to mention the revelation that the late Chris Henry, a wide receiver who played only five NFL seasons and was never determined to have had a concussion, suffered from a form of degenerative brain damage caused by multiple hits to the head.
.
Read the rest of the article by clicking HERE.
.
And Dan Rather posted an intro on The Huffington Post to his upcoming episode on HDNet to air on Tues., Aug. 10th (and re-run Wed., Aug. 11th as well as uploaded to iTunes). Be sure to read the entire post where you’ll also be able to view a preview clip. (To the NFL: Is it finally serious enough for you now that even Dan Rather is covering concussions?)
.
Kids, Head Injuries and the NFL
.
Dan Rather
.
It was a 1950′s version of Friday Night Lights. A Texas high school football game. As a skinny end, it was my job on defense to stop “power sweeps.” Offense — blocking and pass catching — were my strong suits, if I had any. But this team was eating us up with their end sweeps. The coach hauled me off the bench and said between clenched teeth a version of, “Get in there and knock down their blocking convoys so our defensive backs can tackle the ball carrier!”
.
Next play, here they came. A big pulling guard running full-tilt lowered his head as I lowered mine and we crashed into each other helmet-to-helmet. It felt like I’d been hit by a locomotive. Stars danced around in my head, jackhammer-like pain throbbed and I couldn’t focus my eyes for a bit. The big guard didn’t seem to be in very good shape either.
.
Time out was called. The water boys and a couple of student trainers came on the field.
.
“You okay?” and “Yup” was about all that was said. Time in, next play and the game ground on.
.
.
Read the rest of the article by clicking HERE.
.
And we’ve just received a note that Bryant Gumbel‘s upcoming episode of HBO Real Sports airing on Tues., Aug. 17 will be revealing some new findings on NFL concussions.
.
Concussions are finally taking a front seat in the mainstream media this year with no signs of losing momentum, just as the new season and a looming lockout are kicking off. It’s got to be making more than a few heads spin in some back offices everywhere! Like they say in show biz: STAY TUNED!
.
Dave Pear
August 11th, 2010 at 10:03 AM #
Roger Goodell was not even sure if he was the Chairman of the Disability board when he spoke to retired players in Dallas over a year ago at one of his PR stunts where he claimed he wanted to find out what issues retired players were facing. (Are you serious?)
Roger, you’ve been employed by the NFL for the last 25 years! Certainly that should have been adequate time to become familiar with your employer.
However, Gene Upshaw had the same lame answer when he stood behind his imaginary law for 25 years by claiming that it was that law that an individual could not receive a pension and a disability benefit at the same time. We now realize that Upshaw had brain damage from repeated blows to the head but what’s your excuse?
Now Roger is going around to the various teams claiming he is a “liasion” for the owners. Roger: You are an employee. The owners pay your $12,000,000 pay check. And now, it seems the active players are also laughing at this counterfeit Commissioner because nobody seems to believe him any more.
And now that quack NFL Dr. “NO” Ira Casson has also proven to be a fraud, the NFL is finally posting a warning in all NFL locker rooms about some of the real dangers of repeated blows to the head.
Also, according to Bert Bell/Pete Rozelle NFL Player Retirement Plan (pg. 30) section 8.1, “The Commissioner will be honorary Chairman of the Retirement Board… “Umm – and that would be you, Roger! As Chairman of the Board, you would – and SHOULD – be fiscally, morally and legally responsible for the actions of the Board. After all, that’s why they pay you the big bucks, isn’t it?
Sincerely,
Dave & Heidi Pear
Robert G. Schreib Jr.
August 11th, 2010 at 10:45 AM #
Dear Sirs,
Why not try giving all concussion-related patients a tank of 95%/5% Oxygen/Carbon Dioxide medical gas mixture, with a loose positive pressure mouth mask, so that they can breathe this medical gas mixture, used to insure coma patients survive, while watching TV or napping? The CO2 makes the brain cells inhale more O2 and it might help heal their brains.
Robert G. Schreib Jr.