Report: NFL Manipulated Concussion Research

[zydecochris]

Pretty damning stuff from the New York Times this morning:

Now, an investigation by The New York Times has found that the N.F.L.'s concussion research was far more flawed than previously known.

For the last 13 years, the N.F.L. has stood by the research, which, the papers stated, was based on a full accounting of all concussions diagnosed by team physicians from 1996 through 2001. But confidential data obtained by The Times shows that more than 100 diagnosed concussions were omitted from the studies -- including some severe injuries to stars like quarterbacks Steve Young and Troy Aikman. The committee then calculated the rates of concussions using the incomplete data, making them appear less frequent than they actually were.
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http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/25/s...t-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

Yikes.

I've always thought that this concussion thing is the only truly existential threat that really terrifies the NFL owners, and I think it helps to explain the otherwise seemingly unexplainable nonsense of Deflategate.

There is a wonderful movie called "Wag the Dog" where a PR guy invents a fake war with Albania to distract the public from a major presidential scandal. This type of thing happens all the time with PR savvy leaders, just look at Putin in Russia: his economy is in the tank, so he manufactures a enemy / distraction and uses his army to beat up on a couple of small countries, presto, chango, 80% approval ratings.

Its important to remember that Goodell is a PR guy, he has been around politics as the son of a US Senator and his first job with the NFL was in public relations. He clearly isn't the brightest bulb in the lamp (he must have been sleeping through the Ideal Gas Law during High School Physics), but you have to admit he has been able to keep the NFL in the news pretty consistently.

....And, when there is an existential threat to the NFL (the way the NFL has suppressed concussion research in the past/present), he invents a war with the least liked NFL franchise (the Pats) and distracts the public with the nonsense of Deflategate for over a year now. I think whether or not there actually was some type of ball deflation is completely irrelevant to the NFL, as long as it is a big distraction (from the REAL threat, the concussion thing) they win.

...If this NY Times article on concussions ends up getting any traction, any bets on whether another major NFL news distraction occurs? Maybe the NFL will declare war on Albania as in "Wag the Dog"?

 

[rsd]

An owner needs to go to jail for this madness to stop

 

[chasa]

Is this the Integrity that Roger Goodell goes on about?

unfortunately this would fall under the paul tagliabue regime.

 

[BradyFTW!]

I hope three particular judges in Manhattan are being made aware of this article.

 

[Froob]

I hope three particular judges in Manhattan are being made aware of this article.

Is there a way to get it to them?

 

[Ivan]

Ignorance is not an excuse according to Goodell, the NFLPA should demand he be fired.

 

[doesntmatter1]

When it comes to the NFL, all of us pats are basically treated like Moulder from the X Files. We all know there is a conspiracy but we are the crazy ones lol.

 

[deters]

So your telling me the NFL is a corrupt organization? No ****! **** Goodell.

 

[RobertWeathers]

North Korea in 2020!

Maybe people can tell Goody its ok to take down a state sponsored banner and put up the NFL shield banner .

 

[IcyPatriot]

The baseball steroid commission was a national embarrassment.

I get that ...

On the other hand IMO the NFL too often does as they please because they control many media outlets and/or those outlets suck up to them to get contracts. They also go out of their way to bypass current standard legal policies ... don't want them overly controlled by government but would like to see more eyes on them to hold them accountable.

 

[libra957]

You mean like how they manipulated deflategate.

 

[RecoveringCowboy]

It's more probable than not the NFL deflated the CTE data.

 

[raduray]

This is the same NFL that hired Exponent, a science consultant that was paid by the tobacco industry to find that second hand smoke was not harmful, to do the since discredited Deflategate science.

 

[RayClay]

How's the shield doing ....

NFL needs the wrath of Congress ...

A few congress people launching an NFL investigation in an election year would be marvelous.
An effective way perhaps to exterminate the rodents in the NFL offices.

Where is the Massachusetts delegation?!

 

[MitchKumstein]

North Korea in 2020!

If the owners figured out that they could make an extra $16 each by putting a team there, they'd probably look into it.

And in case any players or coaches were worried about going there, goodell could hire Exponent to prove that no one's human rights or safety has ever been violated in North Korea

 

[Mack Herron]

Great stuff.

 

[Mack Herron]

I would not be surprised if a link also emerges between brain injury and ALS.

 

[raduray]

How's the shield doing ....

Doing fine. Nothing that some TP won't fix

 

[Hammer of Thor]

Here is the response from the NFL. I swear their response should be titled, "NY Times Report in Context." And my mouth is gaping after reading "The Times has found no direct evidence...."

NFL statement in response to New York Times article

 

[raduray]

Is there a way to get it to them?

You don't think they read the New York Times?