Not that it's a big surprise, but Raiders legend, the late Ken Stabler, has been found to have CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy). He played in a era when defensive players were able to wail on a QB with virtual impunity.
But here's the really shocking news, from this article: "CTE has been found in the brains of 90 of the 94 former NFL players it has examined, according to The New York Times."
Wow. Hey, I like football, and I'll be watching the big one on Sunday. I guess I justify it with, "No one is forcing those guys to go out there, they know the risk." But it's quite a risk.
It is hard to come up with an opinion on this, because I think the conventional wisdom here is that they do know the risks and most are well compensated for playing.
I don't know what should be done, but I suppose if the NFL is somehow found out to be negligent, or covering something up, then of course they should pay.
But aren't there already some processes in place for retired players?
We all are aware of rule changes to hopefully address this going forward.
I think I read or heard where youth participation in Pop Warner is way down the last couple of years.
That is the real tragedy in my opinion, kids suffering from this stuff - but having said that, a kid can get a concussion playing soccer or any other of a thousand activities.
There was a time about 100 years ago when T Roosevelt outlawed football. It was illegal for about a decade....guys were dying and Teddy outlawed the game
I know for a fact I wouldn't want my kids playing football.....
It is hard to come up with an opinion on this, because I think the conventional wisdom here is that they do know the risks and most are well compensated for playing.
Lots of risks have been known for decades, but there is a larger point, IMO.
Repeated hits to the head causes the growth of a specific type of intensely tangled tau protein in the brain. CTE reduces the overall weight of the brain. This hasn't been a known thing until somewhat recently.
This issue tends to get zero-summed to the NFL. What is still not known is the rates of tau protein growth...why is there more in some brains than others, and...if it happens in anyone who experiences repeated brain impacts, then the real rat in the woodpile question is...
How many players have significant tau protein growth before they even enter the NFL? They haven't been financially compensated in a big way until they get to the League, well, the guys that didn't come from the SEC, that is...:P
I know for a fact I wouldn't want my kids playing football.....
I had a LOT of problems with my Dad, but I won't get into that. One thing he did right was not letting me play. I was a 6'4", 205 lb. basketball player, and of course the football coaches wanted me. I went to spring tryout once, I think I was 15. They put me at receiver and I was catching the ball............hell, if you can play basketball, likely you can catch a football. The coaches wanted to make me a receiver.
But when my Dad found out, he immediately put an end to it. He said, "Receiver is the most vulnerable position in the game", and of course he was right. I'm glad I thanked him while he was still around to hear it.
Add to that: Some of the coaches were really assh*les. Once I was playing pickup basketball in the gym. I had hurt my ankle really bad but was playing through the pain. He called me into the wrestling room and told me, "You're a PUSSY. I see you getting pushed around out there." Yeah, I was getting pushed around..........I could barely walk. He was on my sh*tlist forever after that.
Another example was around the same time they had me working out at receiver. We were in a meeting room and a different coach showed us the schedule from the year before. I think they had won 2 or 3 games. He gets up there and says, "We won most of those games. Take this one, for example. Yeah, the score says we lost. But they had a broken collarbone, a dislocated shoulder, and another guy had broken ribs. Really, we won that game."
I am not sh*tting you at all. But this was 1970. I was 15 years old when I heard this. Looking back.........a little hard to believe. Oh, one more thing: The coaches at my high school were using the "Nutcracker Drill". That's when two guys face off and just ram into each other over and over again until one of them drops. Mike Singletary used it with the 49ers when he was their coach maybe 5 years ago. I read an article back then in the local paper written by a neurologist. Regarding the nutcracker drill, he said, "I know this has been going on for years, but it's idiocy. It's barbaric, the potential for brain injury is high, and there is no place for it in the game."
My Dad knew what he was doing when it came to me and football.
[Edited on 2/4/2016 by robslob]
1 - call girls are well compensated and know the risks. We still have it illegal in most states. Not saying what we should do re: football and prostitution but the evidence coming forward makes it tough
2 Rob; had a similar situation with my dad. Wasn't the strictest household but he forbade me to try out for the high school football team. Little did he know every Sunday morning we played tackle without pads (and flimsy helmets) against the hoodlums from the nearby neighborhood (when Brooklyn was Brooklyn)
3 - My dad (RIP) was a very good amateur athlete. When he was drafted into the Navy he decided to try out for the base football team. He was sitting on the bench ready for his turn when his friend burst off tackle to end up in a crushed heap. Who was smiling down at him but Marion Motley. My dad was also nobodies fool. He stood up; took off his helmet and decided this was not the best idea in the world
It is hard to come up with an opinion on this, because I think the conventional wisdom here is that they do know the risks and most are well compensated for playing.
Most of the players from the early years until just recently had no idea that this could happen. I would disagree with you on this.
