Spoeank posted:

WARNING: THE FOLLOWING TAKE IS SO HOT YOU SHOULD LOOK AT IT THROUGH A SHOEBOX LIKE AN ECLIPSE

Cool NIN Shirt posted:

Please think about how dumb and unfounded this statement is, and edit your post accordingly

Cool NIN Shirt posted:

Please think about how dumb and unfounded this statement is, and edit your post accordingly

swickles posted:

I don't know how many times I have to post it, but I will bold it to emphasize for all those that don't know:


Concussions are not the main risk factor for CTE*. It is currently thought that repeated sub-concussive blows (i.e. hits that are hard, but do not cause a diagnosable concussion) are more responsible for CTE than straight up concussive hits.

*= This is still a young field of neurology, that claim is only of the current thinking. It can change in the next year or less.


So, concussions shouldn't be taken into account to the extent the public and media does. Repeated blows to the head of almost any variety should be. For some reason we are only focusing on the worst of the worst when its the standard line play that is more culpable than huge hits for things like CTE.

go3 posted:

My worry is that the majority of damage is already done long before you ever hit the NFL.

quote:

Months after the Seattle Seahawks won the 2014 Super Bowl Championship, Sidney Rice made a surprise announcement, at the age of 27, that he was walking away from the game after seven years in the NFL.

Rice is now speaking openly about the health concerns that led him to retire. In an interview with CBS News, Rice said he had experienced several concussions and would sometimes black out after particularly bad hits. As he spent the off season making his decision, Rice said he was particularly struck by the stories of former NFL players Tony Dorsett and Herschel Walker.

"You have these guys that have been going to the same house for 25 years. And all of the sudden they get to a certain point on their way home and they have to call their wives to get the directions home. So that is something that really hit home for me after having experienced so many concussions," said Rice.

(rest at link)

quote:

Fujita, now living in California, said he greatly admired what Borland did. He said he almost quit at age 30, after his eighth season in the league, after he played for the Super Bowl-winning Saints in 2009, because he’d sustained a concussion in the Super Bowl win over Indianapolis and thought he should walk away.

“But I chickened out,” Fujita said. “A week or so before free agency began [in 2010], everything cleared up, I felt good, and I realized I still wanted to play.”

And there was the matter of a three-year, $14-million contract with Cleveland ($8 million guaranteed) to consider. Fujita played. Well, sort of. He finished each of his three seasons in Cleveland injured, and never had a year there befitting his talent. As Fujita said: “I limped to the finish line of my career.”

(rest at link)

Smiling Mandrill posted:

Cool NIN Shirt posted:

I have no doubt that he has suffered multiple concussions, same with any other boxer. There is, however, quite a difference between multiple concussions and "hundreds of concussions" as you originally claimed. I think you may be underestimating how serious a concussion is if you truly believe that he--or anyone else for that matter--has suffered 200-300+ concussions

Shath Hole posted:

You do realize there are varying levels of severity for concussions right? It's possible someone that has had a couple hundred minor concussion shows the same symptoms of someone that had one large concussion.

Cool NIN Shirt posted:

I have no doubt that he has suffered multiple concussions, same with any other boxer. There is, however, quite a difference between multiple concussions and "hundreds of concussions" as you originally claimed. I think you may be underestimating how serious a concussion is if you truly believe that he--or anyone else for that matter--has suffered 200-300+ concussions

Intruder posted:

swickles is about to get very angry

Intruder posted:

I meant the whole "one large concussion" thing since he keeps pointing out that the big concussions are not what leads to CTE

MrSargent posted:

Did anyone watch the interview that Borland did with Outside the Lines? He is very candid about it being a personal decision and basically says that what is important is that players can make an informed decision based on facts.

He also mentioned that none of the information he researched and read was provided by the NFL or the Players Union, which is not surprising.

quote:

Rice said he was particularly struck by the stories of former NFL players Tony Dorsett and Herschel Walker.

korrandark posted:

Football is safe, everyone go home.

korrandark posted:

Football is safe, everyone go home.

quote:

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a "rare phenomena" and youth football is safer than riding a bike or skateboard, a Pittsburgh Steelers neurosurgeon and NFL medical consultant

Ehud posted:

lol

Intruder posted:

I meant the whole "one large concussion" thing since he keeps pointing out that the big concussions are not what leads to CTE

korrandark posted:

Football is safe, everyone go home.

John Urschel, Ravens guard posted:

I envy Chris Borland.

My first encounter with Chris was in the fall of 2011, when Penn State faced Wisconsin in what was both of our sophomore seasons. I recall thinking that he was the best linebacker I had ever faced, and throughout my entire collegiate career this held true. Chris was a tough, instinctive, downhill linebacker with great leverage who was never afraid of contact.

These past few days, I've heard many opinions on Chris and his decision to retire from the NFL at the age of 24 due to concerns about long-term brain injury. These opinions range from songs of praise calling Chris one of few football players with any sense, to words of derision describing him as soft.

The latter couldn’t be farther from the truth. Chris was one of the toughest football players I’ve ever had the pleasure of playing against.

Naturally, I believe that I have a certain insight into this dilemma, due to my non-athletic pursuits. In particular, I have a Bachelor’s and Master’s in mathematics, all with a 4.0, and numerous published papers in major mathematical journals. I am a mathematical researcher in my spare time, continuing to do research in the areas of numerical linear algebra, multigrid methods, spectral graph theory and machine learning. I’m also an avid chess player, and I have aspirations of eventually being a titled player one day.

With all of these interests outside of the sport, I am often asked why I play football, how I feel about brain injury, and if that’s something I think about. This question has come up in NFL combine interviews, media interviews, and even in casual conversation with fans or fellow mathematicians. It can range from the very tame “You have such a bright future; aren’t you afraid of hurting your brain?” to the much more direct “You’re a fool for playing football, where are your parents?” I can assure you, I have received both ends of the spectrum and everything in between.

It’s not rude to ask. It’s not some taboo topic that offends. It is a simple truth. Playing a hitting position in the NFL can’t possibly help your long-term mental health. However, it’s also true that how bad such a pursuit is for you is something that, I believe, no one really knows for sure right now.

With that said, why take the risk?

Objectively, I shouldn’t. I have a bright career ahead of me in mathematics. Beyond that, I have the means to make a good living and provide for my family, without playing football. I have no desire to try to accumulate $10 million in the bank; I already have more money in my bank account than I know what to do with. I drive a used hatchback Nissan Versa and live on less than $25k a year. It’s not because I’m frugal or trying to save for some big purchase, it’s because the things I love the most in this world (reading math, doing research, playing chess) are very, very inexpensive.

My mother was always supportive of whatever endeavors I wanted to pursue. But this is not the life she wanted for me. I can remember all the way back to when I started playing football in high school. At the end of every season my mother would tell me that I’ve played enough football, that it was okay for me to call it quits. She would tell me that I have such bright things on the horizon, that I don’t need to play. This past fall I finished my 10th season of football, and, as usual, this offseason I had this conversation with my mother for the 10th time.

What my mother and a great majority of my friends, family, and fellow mathematicians don’t understand is that I’m not playing for the money. I’m not playing for some social status associated with being an elite athlete. No, the media has not brainwashed me into thinking this is what real men do.

I play because I love the game. I love hitting people. There’s a rush you get when you go out on the field, lay everything on the line and physically dominate the player across from you. This is a feeling I’m (for lack of a better word) addicted to, and I’m hard-pressed to find anywhere else. My teammates, friends and family can attest to this: When I go too long without physical contact I’m not a pleasant person to be around. This is why, every offseason, I train in kickboxing and wrestling in addition to my lifting, running and position-specific drill work. I’ve fallen in love with the sport of football and the physical contact associated with it.

Simply put, right now, not playing football isn’t an option for me. And for that reason, I truly envy Chris Borland.

DJExile posted:

That's a fantastic read.

Brannock posted:

http://www.theplayerstribune.com/why-i-play-football/

Crunkjuice posted:

People are working on new helmet designs for safety right? Obviously the way people tackle/get tackled plays a massive role but I'd have to imagine safer helmets would be a step in the right direction.

Crunkjuice posted:

People are working on new helmet designs for safety right? Obviously the way people tackle/get tackled plays a massive role but I'd have to imagine safer helmets would be a step in the right direction.

Smiling Mandrill posted:

They could make football safer by getting rid of helmets, and switching to soft pads. It would pretty much force guys to go for wrap up tackles. It might lead to an increase in things like broken ribs and collarbones but it would for sure cut down on head injuries.

Kalli posted:

Oh weird, a dude on the committee that denied and actively suppressed research on it for the NFL doesn't think it's a serious deal.

This guy's best moment was when he claimed a former Steeler probably got all that brain damage he had from getting in fights after his playing days.

achillesforever6 posted:

The fact that he's probably the most well known doctor in Pittsburgh which has a reputation on being the cutting edge of health science pisses me off almost as bad as seeing some soulless, ethicless climate scientist who discredits the effects of climate change because he's paid by BP. gently caress this rear end in a top hat

Smiling Mandrill posted:

They could make football safer by getting rid of helmets, and switching to soft pads. It would pretty much force guys to go for wrap up tackles. It might lead to an increase in things like broken ribs and collarbones but it would for sure cut down on head injuries.

Monkeycheese posted:

if this happens without previously changing the game fundamentally then subconcussive impacts will still be a problem and then skull fractures will be a new problem