Re: Re: Broncos not ruling Welker (concussion) out for Thursday; writer asks Wes to r
There is really no test for concussion, as I understand it. The "test" is a sideline protocol used to determine whether or not a player should return, based on the theory that the most serious concussions are accompanied by amnesia or cognitive timing difficulties. But a concussion doesn't necessary present that way. Nor does it present that way immediately. So, you often have players who can pass the test right after a hit, but then develop symptoms that make it clear they are concussed. For those saying, "he passed the test," the "test" seems to be crap. Every week, several players are assessed and then cleared to go back on to the field only later to be determined to have sustained a concussion. Cromartie and apparently Solder were both in that category last week, along with probably a few others, and Welker of course a few weeks ago. Of the 8 to 12 concussions that are reported every week, many of them are players that finished the prior game and who were not reported as concussed until the injury report the next week.
The problem is simply not getting any better, or maybe it is but it's still horrible. 172 concussions last year, and 114 so far this year (not counting today's injury reports). And those are just the reported ones. I'm sure there are plenty of players who don't admit to having their bell rung.
I know this thread is about Welker and not about concussions generally, but I'm starting to get pretty despondent about the situation. People saying Welker should retire. Nate Solder is a 25 year old first round draft pick now working on his third concussion (that we know about) in less than three years. Two years of super enhanced concussion protocols, a 3/4 of a billion dollar settlement, and concussed players are still being allowed back on the field and we're pushing 200 each year. To make it worse, the rules we've put in to try to fix the situation are causing horrible leg injuries.
The issue has been addressed ad nauseum, and I'm probably breaking a zillion rules by hijacking this thread to talk about it, but another thread is a waste of time. I just don't know where we're supposed to go from here and am venting.
The trenches will never be concussion free. A few 300# men firing off from three/four point stances are bound to suffer head trauma. As many people have stated, maybe the solid helmet is to blame.
In not sure if the stats are available, but having played both rugby and football, putting on a helmet seems to instill a minor sense of invincibility. Do the professional ranks of rugby in Australia see any where close to the same rate of concussions? Being too lazy for a Google search myself, I would hazard a strong guess that the nfl precludes a much higher risk to head trauma.
The new rule emphasis sucks. I can't imagine they have done all that much in preventing concussions (on qbs maybe), a handful may have been prevented on receivers (although launching has been a point of emphasis for few years it seems).
Leg injuries are now on the rise. Period. For whatever reason. Maybe that is PED's, maybe it is defenders going low, maybe it is a mix, and maybe it is coincidence.
If the league truly wants to prevent as many injuries as possible, launching (arms to the side, helmet leading, no wrap up) needs to be cracked down upon. Maybe make it a fine minimum, if a major injury is caused, suspension without pay for the duration of caused injury for a maximum of the rest of the season.
A head injury caused by two men in the trenches is an unfortunate evil of the game. A Merriweather type hit (the ravens te a few years back) sees the offender sitting for the duration of the caused injury. However, a concussion caused by a form tackle on a qb/wr, no flag, no suspension. The hit on drew brees a few weeks ago comes to mind. Vicious hit, however initiated at the shoulder level. I believe it was against the niners. A good football play was negated and flagged (and fined if I remember correctly) and that is a shame.
While the recent settlement causes the league to take action, they have done a terrible job of taking total player safety into account. While repeated head trauma carries a long term sentence for players, the resulting emphasis to "go low" has been a direct result for many career effecting injuries in a league where shelf life is short enough as is.
The league is in an unfortunate position, but it is their own fault. The recent settlement has placed an inordinate emphasis on "head safety." While brain injury is the most long term, and post career effecting injury, the rise in leg (knees), would be the most earning potential impacting injuries today.
If this is the avenue the league wishes to go down, they should at least allow players to take advantage of the most effective recovery treatments. Velvet deer antler spray (or whatever the Hell), hgh, and they should also be contributing heavily to any stem cell rejunative therapy research currently being conducted. The latter being a possible aide in recovery to anything from ligament damage to brain damage. That would be a true step in ensuring quality of life for retired players.
As it is, the safe guards set in place for concussed players have obviously failed already this season. The penalties to avoid concussions have caused a few (at minimum) extra career affecting (as in wage earning potential) injuries this year.
Again, take launching, whether high or low out if the game. Ease up on the lame penalties and fines for "high," good football plays. I'm not advocating for a return to the age if clothes lines, but let safeties do their job without forcing them to drop their helmets and pads towards the turf.
