- Joined
- Mar 25, 2005
- Messages
- 19,929
- Reaction score
- 3
Says he has had at least 20 in his career and is experiencing some symptoms (headaches, light sensitivity, feelings of isolation and anxiety) even now that make him fearful of what lies ahead in 10-15 years. I too worry for and about him.
I think it's great he is speaking out, but he needs to address some of his concerns towards his peers. Rodney says he didn't even know what a concussion was in 1994 when he experienced his first in TC as a Charger. Please, Rodney, you graduated from an accredited university so stop with the hyperbole. It's the connection between concussions and long term brain damage that you didn't know about. And neither did anyone, including the league definitively, until fairly recently. And even now the the evidence remains subject to interpretation because of the small sample size studies. Yet knowing what we now know players still fight change and insist they would play anyway had they known then what they know now.
Just recently they discovered a way in which to test living brains for tau protein, believed to be the culprit plaque in CTE. Of course they won't be able to confirm their findings until one of the test subjects dies and is autopsied. The test is not widely available and won't be for some time. Although the league could easily arrange for players to be tested at UCLA at a cost of $5K apiece. Thing is the union would never allow it. Because what do you do with that information?
Rodney says even in 2008 he would often experience headaches through Tuesday or Wednesday following games. My question would be, did you tell anyone? Trouble is I think I know the answer to that question.
The league is doing what it can to try and change the culture. And to assist those who played the game before anyone knew of the long term dangers. But ultimately it has to change from within and that includes players and coaches and even fans. It includes things like not mocking QB's who draw penalties due to late hits and helmet to helmet contact and suggesting they are wearing skirts... And not wailing about the wussification of the game every time someone gets fined for a helmet to helmet hit. And not resisting efforts to remove PED's from the game.
Rodney Harrison ‘Scared to Death’ What Future Holds After Many Concussions, Faults NFL for Not Spreading Awareness (Video) | New England Patriots | NESN.com
I think it's great he is speaking out, but he needs to address some of his concerns towards his peers. Rodney says he didn't even know what a concussion was in 1994 when he experienced his first in TC as a Charger. Please, Rodney, you graduated from an accredited university so stop with the hyperbole. It's the connection between concussions and long term brain damage that you didn't know about. And neither did anyone, including the league definitively, until fairly recently. And even now the the evidence remains subject to interpretation because of the small sample size studies. Yet knowing what we now know players still fight change and insist they would play anyway had they known then what they know now.
Just recently they discovered a way in which to test living brains for tau protein, believed to be the culprit plaque in CTE. Of course they won't be able to confirm their findings until one of the test subjects dies and is autopsied. The test is not widely available and won't be for some time. Although the league could easily arrange for players to be tested at UCLA at a cost of $5K apiece. Thing is the union would never allow it. Because what do you do with that information?
Rodney says even in 2008 he would often experience headaches through Tuesday or Wednesday following games. My question would be, did you tell anyone? Trouble is I think I know the answer to that question.
The league is doing what it can to try and change the culture. And to assist those who played the game before anyone knew of the long term dangers. But ultimately it has to change from within and that includes players and coaches and even fans. It includes things like not mocking QB's who draw penalties due to late hits and helmet to helmet contact and suggesting they are wearing skirts... And not wailing about the wussification of the game every time someone gets fined for a helmet to helmet hit. And not resisting efforts to remove PED's from the game.
Rodney Harrison ‘Scared to Death’ What Future Holds After Many Concussions, Faults NFL for Not Spreading Awareness (Video) | New England Patriots | NESN.com
