League of Denial

It'll be interesting (and likely sad) to see how the game changes in the next few years. I'm not sure better helmet technology is capable of really fixing the issue since the damage comes from your brain moving inside.

 

Watching it now...

Wow. Wish more people were discussing this.

If we cannot believe the NFL cares at all about the well being of humans, or worse, works diligently to ensure continuing to profit from people being permanently damaged, then how can we cheer for this sport??

Sobering documetary.

 

In my opinion, the players (especially now, not so much in the past) know what they are getting into and the risk involved. It is up to them to make their own life choices. Just like we do every day. Now most of what was swept under the rug is out there.

Not to say they don't deserve better. I'll give the documentary a watch when I have some time. It is sad if true.

 

Those players had working brains before, they knew what they are getting themselves into when playing the most vicious sport out there (even more so than MMA and Boxing).

Ricky Williams put some perspective on concussions before, he has admitted to having several concussions in his career, but he kept it quiet, told them he's okay, and kept going, because in the end it's all about the money and he knows having a concussion history would affect future contracts. And guess what? He's just one, I'm sure tons of players have done the same.

 

This. These players are taught for their entire youth how to do 1 thing...get bigger faster stronger. More mass= more force. More force = harder hits. Harder hits means concussions are and injuries are only going to continue to grow. Thats why when the league started talking about 18 game seasons a few years ago I laughed. These guys barely get through 4-5 years at 16 game seasons and even if they do there are still huge effects on quality of life after football.

Players know the risk. Theyve all seen a teammate get severely hurt or played in a game where someone on the other team was severely hurt. Its only news to the ignorant, blind or dumb.

I love the NFL but this is a major issue they are going to have to work through. How does the league maintain a great product while improving player safety and for lack of a better term "making the game more wimpy"? The NFL knows a big percentage of their fans watch the highlights and games for the hits. They used to have Steve Sabol on NFL Films doing segments on the biggest hits. They popularized the violence and profited from it and now they have to move away from one of their biggest draws for fans. Thats not going to be an easy condition to work through.

 

The NFL is slowly dying in my life. I used to have 6-7 TV's going on Sundays, just a few years ago. Now I just have one and don't watch sun nite, mon nite or even the thurs games anymore. I struggle to watch the Dolphins, haven't seen a opening kickoff yet this season, gone golfing, just watch it on DVD

 

I still check out certain sites from time to time, but the only money I've spent the last 3 years has been for the Sunday ticket. No hats, shirts or anything else. I don't enjoy the today's NFL.

 

Oh how they do love to put things on pedestals only to knock them off.

Football is meant for gladiators, not weaklings, not pudgy fingered nerds bemoaning men accepting there can be consequences over time.

For myself, this is merely one more attempt to take a masculine sport and turn it into palatable to the effeminate and others who probably lack testosterone.

 

Agreed but I guess I felt it was only a matter of time. Additionally, those older players got paid well but they didnt get the tens of millions the players of today get and the quality of the medical care they can get is a big issue.

 

This I agree with, making owners billionaires while languishing for your service to their enterprise is basically unfair, not EVERY older player is suffering through this.

I've seen this in the CFL B14, what happens is defenders just go for legs instead, costing years or even a career, the ownership does not care if that happens b/c hey, at least they are protected from concussion lawsuits.

Mr DoubleChin writer does not bother with such consequence, they deal in whipping up hysteria and emotion.

 

They dont care because knees are replaceable nowadays and heads arent. Too many vegetables after their playing career is over affects product quality, market ability, sales etc. It had to happen unfortunately. Too many Dave Duersons, Junior Seaus, Mike Websters etc. They werent born suicidal....

 

Don't be naive, concussions/head injuries vs a blown out knee?

Put it this way, did Dustin Keller make the list?

Nope,Seau caps himself is bad publicity, Keller's career is over..who cares.

No lawsuits etc