Football and Brain Injury

[betarhoalphadelta]

A new study of deceased football players' brains showed extremely high CTE results. Of the brains of NFL players studied, 110 of 111 brains (99%!!!) were diagnosed with CTE.

Granted, the link does highlight this may not be a perfectly reliable sample, because it was only players whose families had donated their brains to study. Thus, it could have been biased by families who had seen behavioral problems or other issues that made them more likely to participate.

But there was a worrying trend:

3 of 14 high-school players were diagnosed (21%)
48 of 53 college players were diagnosed (91%)
9 of 14 semi-pro, and 7 of 8 CFL players were also diagnosed

This, my friends, is scary. As I've said before, I will *not* allow my sons to play football at any level. I say that despite the fact that the trend between high school and college players up to the NFL suggests that the issue is much less severe at youth levels--I'm sure the hits are nowhere near as bad.

As much as I love watching this sport, there's a part of me that doesn't feel clean about it, the more we learn.

[Riffraft]

I understand your concern, but as you stated the ones that donated were ones that suspected there was an issues. Between the sample being bias and the small size of the sample, I believe the concerns are overblown. And with the new recognition of the issue and changing of rules, etc. to work on eliminating the head blows, I think, while there is an issue, it is nowhere near the problem that you think it is.

[Drew4UTk]

i kind of liked JoPa's response to this when he said (paraphrased) "we should return to helmets you can fold up and put in your pocket"....

these players (especially top tier college and pro) are ridiculously powerful and fast- and big... that much mass at that velocity, and things break.  when you complicate it by padding the Moses out of them, they become invincible.  well... almost. 

impacts are regarded in this sport now- violence of contact, but it wasn't always so.  technique and form were the prize in years past, and that required finesse that is not nearly as regarded as it was.  JoPa's comment was intended to communicate something to the point 'you won't lead with your head, or your shoulder for that matter, if there isn't protection so advanced you won't feel it'. 

personally, I think the man is right. 

[longhorn320]

I like the idea of removing helmets totally and maybe shoulder pads as well

I know this sounds crazy but I think the number of concussions would be greatly

reduced

[betarhoalphadelta]

I understand your concern, but as you stated the ones that donated were ones that suspected there was an issues. Between the sample being bias and the small size of the sample, I believe the concerns are overblown. And with the new recognition of the issue and changing of rules, etc. to work on eliminating the head blows, I think, while there is an issue, it is nowhere near the problem that you think it is.

To be honest, I think your take on this is a little bit "head in the sand". Yes, the sample was biased. But 110 of 111 brains studied from the NFL had CTE? Even if it is a biased sample, that's a startling result.

I do think that the emphasis on changing rules might help, but I had also seen other studies that suggested that linemen had CTE worse than other positions. Linemen rarely impact each other violently enough to cause concussions, but they impact each other basically every play. That adds up over time and even without acute injury, you have chronic trauma. That's not solved by targeting penalties. That's just part of the game.

[betarhoalphadelta]

Bob Costas says the game "destroys people's brains"
"destroys people's brains"...