Concussion Story in the New Yorker (1 Viewer)

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

This has a lot to do with why the NFL and the players are paying more attention to concussions in the last month or two.

 

[Velcro]

That's a pretty powerful article. It definitely makes me doubt whether I'd want my own children to become football players.

 

[kurtrudder]

I'm surprised this didn't generate more discussion around here. I think the NFL is slowly moving in the direction of rule changes to try and help fix the issue. Try is the operative word because unless they start playing touch football, I don't think we can ever eliminate concussions from football. I'd like to see the players have more protection in the rules from Helmet to Helmet hits, perhaps it would lead to an improvement in the tackling technique for some players.

I know we see football players as warriors and gladiators but they are people too who will not play football forever. As the article points out, when players play through injuries we see them as "gamers" but the football clubs also need to have the best interests of their players at the core of their decision making, not just winning at all costs.

 

[BRONG]

Finally rears it's head. I've thought for some time now that this would be a very big deal/problem for the NFL. It's just the beginning.

Who are the main helmet manufacturers, anybody know? Riddel? Schutt?

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

As the article points out, when players play through injuries we see them as "gamers"

I honestly didn't know what to make of Kyle Turley's comments that he'd do it all again knowing everything he knows now, and having the problems he's having. Is he crazy? Loyal to his team and his profession? Disloyal to his family and those that love him? It felt pretty emotionally complicated to be a fan after reading it.

 

[Jewell]

Finally rears it's head. I've thought for some time now that this would be a very big deal/problem for the NFL. It's just the beginning.

Who are the main helmet manufacturers, anybody know? Riddel? Schutt?

A lot of the problem in the NFL is a machismo attitude when it comes to wearing the most safe helmet. A new helmet was created a couple years ago, The Gladiator, that would drastically reduce the risk of a concussion. So why haven't we seen them in the NFL? Players were complaining that the new helmet makes them look like Lord Dark Helmet from Spaceballs.It's a lot like David Wright of the Mets this past year. He sustained a severe concussion and was supposed to wear an oversized helmet for several weeks to protect him. Instead, he ditched the helmet early because his teammates were making fun of how he looked. WTF? How old are you David Wright? You put looking good above protecting yourself from potential irreperable brain damage?

It's because of stories like this professional sports leagues should take the decision out of the players' hands. All leagues should make the safest possible equipment mandatory -- regardless of how goofy it may look. Afterall, people will get used to it after awhile.

 

[CalBear]

It's a pretty difficult problem to solve, but one thing seems sure, and that's that players are going to be rushed back from concussions a lot more slowly than they have been in the past.

This came into stark relief at Cal this season with Jahvid Best's injury. The play itself was extremely scary, and might have been enough to cause a major concussion on its own, but it had been quietly reported earlier in the week that Best had sustained a "mild concussion" in the previous game, which was not diagnosed until after the game (which means he played with it against Arizona State). I was concerned even before the Oregon State game that he was being rushed back too soon.

Now they're being careful with him, and kept him out of two games plus we had this weekend off. He hasn't practiced, and rumor has it that he'll be out this week against Washington as well, which means he wouldn't play until our bowl game; almost two months from the injury. You'll be seeing a lot more concussions being treated that way, at least while this issue has the public's eye.

 

[McBokonon]

Instead, he ditched the helmet early because his teammates were making fun of how he looked.

This was probably coming from a bunch of guys with tribal armband tattoos and gold teeth.

 

[gianmarco]

As the article points out, when players play through injuries we see them as "gamers"

It felt pretty emotionally complicated to be a fan after reading it.

I had the same feeling. I feel somewhat "dirty" for being a football fan and cheering these guys kill themselves. The thing that helps is knowing these guys, even knowing the potential injury, still decide to do what they do. Kind of sad, to be honest.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

It's because of stories like this professional sports leagues should take the decision out of the players' hands. All leagues should make the safest possible equipment mandatory -- regardless of how goofy it may look. Afterall, people will get used to it after awhile.

I forget where I read this, but the NHL's experience with helmets is pretty interesting here. When it was left up to the players whether or not they wore the helmets many of them chose not to. But when the NHL mandated helmets it turned out that virtually all of the players were glad that the league had done it. That way they could wear the helmet and not worry about anyone thinking they were soft.

 

[Dragon1952]

I guess people aren't too worried about boxers though, huh?

 

[CalBear]

I guess people aren't too worried about boxers though, huh?

Frankly, I think boxing should be banned; I can't see any plausible way to make it humane.

 

[Sarnoff]

Concussion killed Merril Hoge (briefly)

When I came to the sideline, I was never unconscious. My facemask has been bent. They were switching my facemask and realized cognitively I was not responding properly. ... They take me to the training room where I died -- I flat-lined. My heart stopped. In the process of trying to resuscitate me, I started to breathe again. Now, they rushed me to the emergency room. I was in ICU for two days, but it was after that I was basically trapped in my home for six weeks. You could not take me around the block, and I would not be able to find my way home because I did not have the cognitive skills. I had to learn how to read again. In fact, months later if you would sit me down and take the inventory of the day I would not be able to recite that to you. So, there is a lot of cognitive issues that I dealt with, and it took almost two years to overcome those particular issues.

 

[(unwelcomed)GUEST]

Everyone should read the article, thanks for posting the link. As stated in the article there isn't enough data to show a statistical correlation but it is a good read. One of the majors re-aired a piece on HOF J.Mackey this weekend. I think Mr. Ward should have checked out both pieces before opening his pie-hole. Interestingly I think this subject has changed the way S Ed Reed tackles. He and S Landry suffered serious spinal injuries but continue to play. Both rarely hit anymore but do grab and ride/throw other players down. Neither drop their heads and rarely hit with their shoulder pads. Not sure if it really applies or anyone cares, Ravens fans have just seen a marked difference in their play this year. Both look to be preserving more than their careers. Again, good read and thnx for posting the link. It should be pinned

 

[Matt Waldman]

That's a pretty powerful article. It definitely makes me doubt whether I'd want my own children to become football players.

A link to this Gladwell piece appeared on the forums about a month before the Congressional hearings and got a lot of discussion from what I remember. Malcolm Gladwell is one of the preeminent journalists in the world today and as a sports fan, he's a great person to write about this subject. I agree that it also casts doubt in my mind about wanting kids (if I have them one day) to play organized football until the equipment and processes improve to the point that it filters down to the lowest ranks of the amateurs. I'd probably rather enroll my kids in a martial art or wrestling if they are interested in fast-paced, contact sports. Team sports would probably be flag football for as long as I could reasonably delay the decision. That said, I believe within the next 10 years this will be a drastically reduced problem because this was the first time the NFL came under serious scrutiny for this issue. When you combine the CBA with the condition of retired players and this issue, it was a perfect storm to force the NFL to address it more seriously. Once Congress wanted to talk about it, Goodell knew the days playing cat and mouse with the issue were over.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

When the NFL is serious about this, players with injuries like the one Stewart Bradley just suffered won't be allowed back into the game. It's all for show at this point - the big picture stuff hasn't changed.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

He and Kolb both out of the 2nd half with concussions now.

 

[fatness]

He and Kolb both out of the 2nd half with concussions now.

Late in the second quarter of a hard hitting game, Philadelphia middle linebacker #55 Stewart Bradley suffered a significant blow to the head while attempting to make a flying tackle. Bradley while in headlong flight missed the ball carrier and struck a teammate in the hip with his helmet. He immediately fell limply to the ground, laid on the turf face down for a few moments then struggled to his feet. He staggered for a few steps and then collapsed in a heap. The medical staff quickly rushed to his aid and helped him off the field.

The Fox broadcasting team of Joe Buck and Troy Aikman whom ironically had his hall of fame caliber career shortened by a series of concussions commented that with the new league wide emphasis on head injuries and concussions that Stewart Bradley's day was surely over. We watched the requisite replays and Bradley sit woozy on the bench while being evaluated by the Eagles' medical staff.

The nation had just witnessed a serious and textbook concussion in real time.

Then just a few plays later the very believable, medically inappropriate, and incredibly shameful happened. Stewart Bradley was allowed to return to the game...concussed and all.

The first rule of proper concussion management is: if a concussion is even suspected the player is not allowed to return to participation. Their day is over. Allowing a concussed player to return to the same game and potentially receive another blow to the head is like playing Russian roulette. It is literally putting their health and life in significant danger.

And that is exactly what played out on national television.

link

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Holy cow:

I was recently reading, by the way, about the work of a researcher at Virginia Tech named Stefan Duma who put electronic monitors in the helmets of 7- and 8-year-olds playing Pop Warner football. He found that those kids were routinely getting hits to the head in the 40 to 60 g range, with some even upwards of 80 gs. To put that in perspective, imagine that you put your son in the front seat of your car, told him not to wear a seat belt, and then smashed the car at 25 miles an hour into a brick wall, so that your son's forehead hit the dashboard. That would be 100 g.