spacecrime
Veteran Starter w/Big Long Term Deal
- Joined
- Sep 13, 2004
- Messages
- 8,325
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- 5
I can understand taking about the Pats and TJ, but don't understand the railing against BB himself. Anyone see the Hartford Courant article, which had a few things the Globe conveniently left out:
http://www.courant.com/sports/footb...03,0,7456490.story?coll=hc-headlines-patriots
Key excerpts:
Former Patriots linebacker Ted Johnson, who is now dealing with memory loss and depression related to repeated concussions during his 10-year NFL career, said Patriots coach Bill Belichick encouraged him to engage in full-scale practice while recovering from a concussion, against the advice of the Patriots' head trainer.
before a 9-on-7 drill, an assistant trainer handed Johnson a blue jersey, signifying full contact.
"I looked at the trainer and said, `Who told you to give me this?'" Johnson told The Globe. "He just walked away. He didn't want to say. But I knew who it was. It was Bill [Belichick]. I was so mad, I wanted to scream. But I put the thing on anyway. I had my pride. They weren't going to beat me."
*****************
When Johnson and Belichick sat down in September 2002 to try to repair their strained relationship, Johnson told The Globe that he told Belichick, "You played God with my health. You knew I shouldn't have been cleared to play."
Belichick told The Globe he didn't realize at the time that Johnson was hesitant about participating in the full-contact drill.
"If Ted felt so strongly that he didn't feel he was ready to practice with us, he should have told me," Belichick said.
*******************
Johnson told The Globe that he thought he had at least six concussions in his last three Patriots seasons but reported only one because he didn't want to underscore his reputation as an injury-prone player.
I feel very badly for TJ. I like him a lot. I hope he gets better, or at least not any worse, and hope the NFl or NFLPA can so something for him, if only using him as a springboard to make life better for future NFL players. But I don't get the villification of BB in all this.
I wish they would focus on the NFL rather than BB so that global changes can be made to the way players' injuries are handled.
http://www.courant.com/sports/footb...03,0,7456490.story?coll=hc-headlines-patriots
Key excerpts:
Former Patriots linebacker Ted Johnson, who is now dealing with memory loss and depression related to repeated concussions during his 10-year NFL career, said Patriots coach Bill Belichick encouraged him to engage in full-scale practice while recovering from a concussion, against the advice of the Patriots' head trainer.
before a 9-on-7 drill, an assistant trainer handed Johnson a blue jersey, signifying full contact.
"I looked at the trainer and said, `Who told you to give me this?'" Johnson told The Globe. "He just walked away. He didn't want to say. But I knew who it was. It was Bill [Belichick]. I was so mad, I wanted to scream. But I put the thing on anyway. I had my pride. They weren't going to beat me."
*****************
When Johnson and Belichick sat down in September 2002 to try to repair their strained relationship, Johnson told The Globe that he told Belichick, "You played God with my health. You knew I shouldn't have been cleared to play."
Belichick told The Globe he didn't realize at the time that Johnson was hesitant about participating in the full-contact drill.
"If Ted felt so strongly that he didn't feel he was ready to practice with us, he should have told me," Belichick said.
*******************
Johnson told The Globe that he thought he had at least six concussions in his last three Patriots seasons but reported only one because he didn't want to underscore his reputation as an injury-prone player.
I feel very badly for TJ. I like him a lot. I hope he gets better, or at least not any worse, and hope the NFl or NFLPA can so something for him, if only using him as a springboard to make life better for future NFL players. But I don't get the villification of BB in all this.
I wish they would focus on the NFL rather than BB so that global changes can be made to the way players' injuries are handled.
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