Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)

[Duckjake]

Ask all of the non-smokers currently working in heavy smoke environments and you would find people doing that for $8/hr instead of $15 million bucks.

So then you agree that most people would risk lung cancer for NFL style money?

Especially first round rookie or star veteran money.

BTW other than casinos are there any heavy smoke environments left in the US?

 

[AZZenny]

Just to hose down the excitement -- If the issue was not simply losing 5-20 years off your life, but being brain damaged the whole time as well, do we still have a parade of willing idiots ready to light up?

If your life will be over much sooner, AND you are like someone suffering from very early Alzheimer's all that time? Apathetic, irritable, forgetful and terribly absent-minded, suspicious, unable to handle a lot of environmental stimulation (crowded malls, parties, etc.) and probably unable to make or maintain close adult relationships? Let's throw in just one of the following: extreme sensitivity to bright light, OR either poor hearing or hypersensitivity to noise, OR chronic pain.

Really ready to sign up for that?

 

[Tyler]

Just to hose down the excitement -- If the issue was not simply losing 5-20 years off your life, but being brain damaged the whole time as well, do we still have a parade of willing idiots ready to light up?

If your life will be over much sooner, AND you are like someone suffering from very early Alzheimer's all that time? Apathetic, irritable, forgetful and terribly absent-minded, suspicious, unable to handle a lot of environmental stimulation (crowded malls, parties, etc.) and probably unable to make or maintain close adult relationships? Let's throw in just one of the following: extreme sensitivity to bright light, OR either poor hearing or hypersensitivity to noise, OR chronic pain.

Really ready to sign up for that?

If I had the ability to play past high school football I would have. The players know the risk they are taking and IMO the reward outweighs the risk.

 

[Duckjake]

Just to hose down the excitement -- If the issue was not simply losing 5-20 years off your life, but being brain damaged the whole time as well, do we still have a parade of willing idiots ready to light up?

If your life will be over much sooner, AND you are like someone suffering from very early Alzheimer's all that time? Apathetic, irritable, forgetful and terribly absent-minded, suspicious, unable to handle a lot of environmental stimulation (crowded malls, parties, etc.) and probably unable to make or maintain close adult relationships? Let's throw in just one of the following: extreme sensitivity to bright light, OR either poor hearing or hypersensitivity to noise, OR chronic pain.

Really ready to sign up for that?

Sounds like almost everybody I know over the age of 55.

 

[Longcolts]

Sounds like almost everybody I know over the age of 55.

Hey Now! I resemble that remark!

 

[speedy]

Just to hose down the excitement -- If the issue was not simply losing 5-20 years off your life, but being brain damaged the whole time as well, do we still have a parade of willing idiots ready to light up?

If your life will be over much sooner, AND you are like someone suffering from very early Alzheimer's all that time? Apathetic, irritable, forgetful and terribly absent-minded, suspicious, unable to handle a lot of environmental stimulation (crowded malls, parties, etc.) and probably unable to make or maintain close adult relationships? Let's throw in just one of the following: extreme sensitivity to bright light, OR either poor hearing or hypersensitivity to noise, OR chronic pain.

Really ready to sign up for that?

I hear you AZZenny. I believe this all should give us pause. Nobody wants to admit it, but I will. If you have played the game, you would know that it just gets faster and faster. Some of it may be the aging process, but I believe a lot of it is evolution. I played up until 4 months ago (tore my knee up) and am 34 1/2 years old. I consider going back out too, thats how much brain damage I have....

Hey, this game is a whole lot of fun; it is the greatest team sport ever created, imho. The amount of work, the pain, the hours, the adversity, the triumph... If you haven't played a day past high school, you have no idea what I am talking about. I didnt go to college, I started playing semi pro ball some years after, and played with a lot of dudes who were a couple of steps away at times (from doing it/making money). I play(ed), coach, and spectate this game to what comes out as 24/7/365. I am considering if I want my son to continue in this game. He is only 8 years old and I must make that decision for him...

At 20-24 or whatever years old, I don't know if you are capable of making the right decision for yourself either. I think of life a hell of a lot different at 34 than I did at 22..... I am not saying the game of football should be banned, I am just saying we should do everything we can to make the game as safe as it can be, and if doctors say guys should sit for a few weeks, than sit their ass down and hear nothing more. It's not a battle field, it is a football field.

Going back to your question AZZenny, would I sacrifice all those aspects of my life for a CHANCE at a paycheck? EFF NO!

I love this game with a passion, and it has done so much for my life in ways only I know of. However, I believe there is a lot of truth to what they are finding today.

 

[ajcardfan]

Very bad news for football as the public becomes more aware of brain injuries. Three high school football players die this week ...

http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/02/us/new-york-football-player-death/index.html?hpt=hp_t4

Two pretty darn good players at my high school quit, going into their senior season, at the high school I teach at. Their parents encouraged it, and they think their health is more important than possible college ball.

This will spread as time goes on, I think.

 

[Jetstream Green]

In terms of being a consistent tackler - Dockett. I would be tempted to mention A-Dub as I think he could be the classiest player we have on the team, and arguably the best leader. However, he misses a ton of tackles and plays, in part because he will sometimes go for the highlight reel tackle versus wrapping up and getting the guy on the ground.

In reality, the Cards have suffered greatly on defense in terms of tackling. We just have never had a group of consistent, dependable tacklers over the past decade or more... What happend at the end of last season and into the playoffs is a prime example.

Actually, the Cardinals this year and last year where one of the most solid tackling teams I have ever seen. Sure, you will miss on some elite athlete with the ball on occasion but that defense was ranked so high because they would stop a man in the their tracks. Honey Badger is one of the best tacklers I have ever seen, textbook form and it shows technique can go a long way even if one is not big... but yes, there are players like Raynoch Thompson and Renaldo Hill which made tackling seem like a vaudeville act lol

 

[Redneck Voodoo]

I remember years ago, hearing Madden talk about how he wouldn't let a child play tackle football before the age of 17, at which point the sacrum has fully fused and the skull has hardened. He said if your kid really has the talent to play in a big time program, that talent will show up in the year or two before college.

Recently, he told a distinguished panel, including Goodell, that he didn't believe in the Heads Up youth tackle football programs that the Nfl donated 45 million dollars toward--saying that kids that age could play flag and had no business putting on a helmet.

I guess my point is, maybe those injuries began being incurred at a very early age. I'm not a doctor but it seems very reasonable to me.

 

[NJCardFan]

The only way to stop this is to outlaw the sport. Is anyone here willing to have that done?

 

[Darkside]

No but there's no denying it. Something like 93 out of 96 former players they studied had it. You either believe in science or you dont.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Actually, the Cardinals this year and last year where one of the most solid tackling teams I have ever seen. Sure, you will miss on some elite athlete with the ball on occasion but that defense was ranked so high because they would stop a man in the their tracks. Honey Badger is one of the best tacklers I have ever seen, textbook form and it shows technique can go a long way even if one is not big... but yes, there are players like Raynoch Thompson and Renaldo Hill which made tackling seem like a vaudeville act lol

Just want to make sure you know that your responding to a 4 year old post.