Junior Seau had CTE

[BradyFTW!]

You may have more technical info on this than you're letting on, but is it that the old helmets were better, or is it that players were more hesitant to hit someone full speed with the crown of their helmet while wearing a leather hood?

It's a well-documented phenomenon; you see it with safety features in cars, too. As people feel safer, they act more recklessly. If players played the way that they play today, but wore rawhide helmets, you'd see deaths on the field.

Also, the assertion that we've "gone backward" is incorrect anyway:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_issues_in_American_football#Statistics

 

[Sicilian]

It's a well-documented phenomenon; you see it with safety features in cars, too. As people feel safer, they act more recklessly. If players played the way that they play today, but wore rawhide helmets, you'd see deaths on the field.

That's my thought as well. The way he phrased it made it sound like the technology itself was inferior which didn't sound right to me. So I was wondering if he had seen a scientific study comparing the old and new helmets, or if it was only based on stats for number of concussions.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Tedy Bruschi's reaction to the findings:

Bruschi Reacts To Seau Findings - ESPN Video - ESPN

 

[ctpatsfan77]

So damn sad. I wish he could've been a Patriot much longer.

I'd agree in the sense of "I wish he had spent more of his career in New England."

If you mean, "I wish he'd been able to play beyond when he did," I'd say "no."

I honestly wonder how much worse his time in NE made his condition; it certainly couldn't have improved the CTE itself—although, honestly, it might have staved off the depression.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Tedy Bruschi's reaction to the findings:

Bruschi Reacts To Seau Findings - ESPN Video - ESPN

Therein lies the conundrum. The game is what it is. Controlled violence. They can try to make it safer, but it will never be entirely safe. And contracts will never be entirely guaranteed, not that doing so would guarantee anything more than some players grappling with the decision to walk away from guaranteed money sooner... It all comes down to players making the decision to do the right thing, be that reporting injuries, working to reduce them by altering their technique and mindset, or walking away before too much damage has been done.

Bernie Kosar said in an interview today he has been battling many of the same symptons Junior experienced, but the difference is he has sought treatment and thinks he has found one that for him is improving his situation. Junior's tragic demise was as much about the culture as the violence. He couldn't seek help. Not every player who experiences CTE or even struggles with concurrent mental health issues opts to end his life.

 

[Bella*chick]

After 17 years in the league as a linebacker, I wonder what Ray Lewis will be like in a few years.

 

[DocHoliday]

I want to see what effect recent safety rules from the last decade have before changing the game further

 

[QuantumMechanic]

I want to see what effect recent safety rules from the last decade have before changing the game further

There are two problems. One is outright concussions and "jack 'em up" head shots, which is what the recent changes are trying to mitigate.

The other problem is potentially much worse for football -- the data increasingly shows that repetitive head impacts, even if well below the concussion threshold (like in line play), also results in brain damage.

So the "recent safety rules" will help with the killshots, but they won't do anything to help with the second problem.

 

[DocHoliday]

There are two problems. One is outright concussions and "jack 'em up" head shots, which is what the recent changes are trying to mitigate.

The other problem is potentially much worse for football -- the data increasingly shows that repetitive head impacts, even if well below the concussion threshold (like in line play), also results in brain damage.

So the "recent safety rules" will help with the killshots, but they won't do anything to help with the second problem.

Someone suggested bringing the lines closer to each other to force them into wrestling maneuvers rather than crashing repeatedly at sub-concussive levels. The idea is that with less space to build up momentum, you can't attack with force and must instead engage with finesse.

On one hand it would probably hamper the pass rush somewhat but having more wrestling skill would be incredibly interesting.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Football is going to kill more people than you think

 

[Captain Cliche]

...and by being fans we are all complicit in some small way of contributing to the future crippling of these young men.

 

[Sicilian]

Someone suggested bringing the lines closer to each other to force them into wrestling maneuvers rather than crashing repeatedly at sub-concussive levels. The idea is that with less space to build up momentum, you can't attack with force and must instead engage with finesse.

On one hand it would probably hamper the pass rush somewhat but having more wrestling skill would be incredibly interesting.

I feel like they would have to force teams to have a designated number of down linemen in that case, otherwise teams would simply play more "linebackers" to create additional deception. If you make it a rule (much like it is for OL) that you need to have at least 3 down linemen on each play, it hampers some of the defensive creativity, like the Amoeba defense and such.

 

[ThatllMoveTheChains!!!]

...and by being fans we are all complicit in some small way of contributing to the future crippling of these young men.

If you're holding the American consumer accountable for the wrongdoings of the industries/companies that produce the items they consume... well I think we're all complicit in far worse things than damaging the brains of millionaires.

 

[fxkane]

I listened to an interview with Harry Carson earlier this week. He said that he had considered suicide on a few occasions, even during the season. After some big victory he said that he felt nothing but depression while the whole team celebrated.

He also said that he had removed his son from the sport of football.

He's only doing well enough now because he has found things in life to motivate him above the symptoms.