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[hermit7]

As an honest question, what safety accommodations can tackle football as a sport make that ensure player safety while still being popular?

A shift towards flag or reduced contact might be safest but the likelihood that it engages fans in the same way that it does presently. Hockey is the closest analogy to football that is at least reasonably popular and even they have issues with head trauma.

 

[Sweeney Tom]

In context of this, recall that a recent study showed 110 out of 111 donated brains of former football players showed evidence of CTE.

Hernandez is nowhere near an isolated incident.

Him being 27 and having the most severe case they have been able to find yet in that age range is notable

 

[Hunter S.]

It is also true that many people facing long term prison commit suicide and if they do it it usually happens near the beginning of imprisonment...

 

[Randolph Freelander]

American Football has more subconcussive hits, which make up the bulk of what may cause CTE.

I'm curious what happens with Soccer, though. I haven't seen many retired soccer players have issues like our guys. Have you?

Those flops take a lot of out you.

 

[JABEE]

I hope the family wins their lawsuit. Against the Patriots and against the league

The league should have to answer for lying to players about the risks of the sport.

They suppressed research into CTE, because it would make their industry working conditions untenable.

The league should have to pay more than what the last class-action settlement is going to pay out.

I have issues with Hernandez, but the question is did the league lie about the risks of CTE and act in bad faith while employing Hernandez.

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

As an honest question, what safety accommodations can tackle football as a sport make that ensure player safety while still being popular?

A shift towards flag or reduced contact might be safest but the likelihood that it engages fans in the same way that it does presently. Hockey is the closest analogy to football that is at least reasonably popular and even they have issues with head trauma.

I know you didn't suggest this but it certainly won't be "better helmets" or "proper tackling."

 

[metalslimer]

Despite the fact that he seems to have had problems early on, the CTE definitely could have exacerbated the rage issues he already had. Kids have also shown evidence of CTE as early as high school. Football is a fucked up sport and honestly we need to have a huge conversation about letting/forcing kids to play football before a much later age.

 

[Deleted member 20415]

They are going to look at O.J.'s brain when he dies and explain everything away with that. I don't look forward to that wall to wall coverage.

Serious disease and problem, I hope it's studied more and puts aspects in some context, without being a magic absolving wand.

 

[Fenderputty]

They're already seeing reduced enrollment rates in HS football and below.

Not a chance in hell my soon to be second child (boy) will play football.

 

[entremet]

As an honest question, what safety accommodations can tackle football as a sport make that ensure player safety while still being popular?

A shift towards flag or reduced contact might be safest but the likelihood that it engages fans in the same way that it does presently. Hockey is the closest analogy to football that is at least reasonably popular and even they have issues with head trauma.

Change the game entirely. You can't bend the laws of physics. Our heads didn't evolve to take so much blunt trauma repeatedly.

 

[TS-08]

There is a big study of the damage heading the ball does to footballers (soccer) here as well. So many sports need to look into this seriously.

Yeah I think soccer is going to be a bigger one than some realize. The good thing, though, is there are steps they can and are already taking to reduce that risk that won't result in fundamental changes to the sport, which is what football might be staring at.

 

[Stumpokapow]

How to tell if a professional football player has severe CTE:

They all have severe CTE.

 

[17 Seconds]

They are going to look at O.J.'s brain when he dies and explain everything away with that. I don't look forward to that wall to wall coverage.

Serious disease and problem, I hope it's studied more and puts aspects in some context, without being a magic absolving wand.

i haven't seen this happening at all.

 

[collige]

How to tell if a professional football player has severe CTE:

They all have severe CTE.

Well, not the kickers hopefully.

 

[Kelsdesu]

Makes me feel even more bad for "student athletes" in College who get banged up like that in practiceand in game and not be able to earn a dime for it.

 

[Beefy]

American Football has more subconcussive hits, which make up the bulk of what may cause CTE.

I'm curious what happens with Soccer, though. I haven't seen many retired soccer players have issues like our guys. Have you?

Only heard of a few ex players who have been diagnosed with CTE. It is only just being looked into in bigger detail.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...-fa-pfa-footballers-head-injury-a7580496.html

CTE in soccer is going to be huge
CTE in NFL will kill it

 

[Reptars Revenge]

We have evidence of Hernandez shooting people during his recruiting trip during highschool. Stop making excuses for a long time phsychopath.

any proof of this evidence.

 

[JABEE]

We don't have to establish some link between his CTE and his criminal past for this to be an important story, by the way.

This. It's all part of the pie. The NFL is responsible for hiding the risks of playing their sport and acting in bad faith when entering into contract with Hernandez. The league is partially responsible for his condition along with every other sports team that used him along the way.

 

[Saint Gregory]

It is also true that many people facing long term prison commit suicide and if they do it it usually happens near the beginning of imprisonment...

Well there was a theory that he chose to do it then because his legal cases were all in a state where his death would leave him with a clean record and allow his daughter to collect more of his estate. It's impossible to know now though if he was even in his right mind due to all of the drugs and CTE.

 

[Goro Majima]

I guess at some point we need to accept football to be as dangerous as boxing. Also need to start understanding that the professionals are well compensated with the risk of developing long term neurological disability. It's effectively a gladiator type sport and should be viewed as such.

So restricting the full contact sport to 18+ and doing flag football as minors would be a great start but high school football culture is untouchable in many parts of the country.

I'm not as sure about college football since I don't think those athletes are properly compensated as it is.

Regardless, reform of some kind needs to happen and it's better if the NFL tries to get out ahead of it instead of suppressing it.

 

[kirblar]

American Football has more subconcussive hits, which make up the bulk of what may cause CTE.

I'm curious what happens with Soccer, though. I haven't seen many retired soccer players have issues like our guys. Have you?

It's all about heading the ball.

 

[Big Baybee]

They are going to look at O.J.'s brain when he dies and explain everything away with that. I don't look forward to that wall to wall coverage.

Serious disease and problem, I hope it's studied more and puts aspects in some context, without being a magic absolving wand.

That's not what's happening though, no one is explaining away anything.

 

[Yazzees]

i wonder if certain other sports will pick up in popularity if/when football starts to decline or if it just kinda goes away

 

[shira]

The league should have to answer for lying to players about the risks of the sport.

They suppressed research into CTE, because it would make their industry working conditions untenable.

The league should have to pay more than what the last class-action settlement is going to pay out.

I have issues with Hernandez, but the question is did the league lie about the risks of CTE and act in bad faith while employing Hernandez.

Don't worry man they just made flexible helmets

 

[Randolph Freelander]

As an honest question, what safety accommodations can tackle football as a sport make that ensure player safety while still being popular?

A shift towards flag or reduced contact might be safest but the likelihood that it engages fans in the same way that it does presently. Hockey is the closest analogy to football that is at least reasonably popular and even they have issues with head trauma.

Maybe instead of safety thing it becomes a medicine thing and not only applicable to CTE. Because I agree it would be difficult to change the game to the degree necessary and still have it be recognizable.

 

[smokeymicpot]

any proof of this evidence.

http://www.espn.com/espn/otl/story/...e-2007-gainesville-shooting-according-sources

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Authorities in the Massachusetts murder case against former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez have reached out to police in Gainesville, Fla., in hopes of determining whether Hernandez had any role in a 2007 shooting that left two men wounded, a source with knowledge of the murder investigation told ABC News. One of the men was shot in the back of the head, according to a police report of the shooting obtained by ESPN's "Outside the Lines."

The Gainesville Police Department on Wednesday initially issued a statement saying the report was not released publicly. It later changed that, saying that the report was released "inadvertently" after a public records request from ESPN that was "fulfilled in error by a clerk." The department said in a statement that the report was not complete because "there are still detective supplements outstanding because it is classified as an open criminal investigation."

The 2007 Gainesville shooting happened on Sept. 30, when Hernandez was a 17-year-old freshman with the Gators. The two men and a friend of theirs had left a nightclub and were in their car stopped at a light blocks away when their vehicle was fired upon, according to the statements two of the men gave to police. Corey Smith, a 28-year-old at the time who was sitting in the front passenger seat, was shot in back of the head. Justin Glass, the 19-year-old driver, was shot in the arm. Randall Cason, sitting in the back seat behind Smith, was unharmed.

Hernandez's dad dying and drug use probably played a huge chunk in all of this as well.

Can't say CTE was the cause of everything because that is bullshit.

 

[Drey1082]

They are going to look at O.J.'s brain when he dies and explain everything away with that. I don't look forward to that wall to wall coverage.

Serious disease and problem, I hope it's studied more and puts aspects in some context, without being a magic absolving wand.

The first thing I thought of when i saw this thread was what will happen when OJ passes away.

 

[Hunter S.]

Well there was a theory that he chose to do it then because his legal cases were all in a state where his death would leave him with a clean record and allow his daughter to collect more of his estate. It's impossible to know now though if he was even in his right mind due to all of the drugs and CTE.

Cool, there are many factors contributing to his suicide and that is really my point.

 

[hermit7]

Change the game entirely. You can't bend the laws of physics. Our heads didn't evolve to take so much blunt trauma repeatedly.

Well that is the crux of my question.

I am more curious what accomodations they need to make to ensure long term player safety. All phases of the game from pee wee to the NFL have responsibilities to maintain the safety of its participants.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

We have evidence of Hernandez shooting people during his recruiting trip during highschool. Stop making excuses for a long time phsychopath.

Was he playing flag football before college or something?

The lengths people will go to deny science these days because it's confusing or scary will never cease to amaze me.

 

[AndyD]

They're already seeing reduced enrollment rates in HS football and below.

Our kids are 4 but i was talking with some neighbors with kids 8-12 who are in football and they didn't want the kids to play, but the kids were pushing it due to peer pressure. All the boys in the friend circle play or try to play on the team, and the kids feel ostracized if they don't. I told the parents they need to just put their foot down and take the pressure off the kids and take the "blame" on themselves.

 

[Saint Gregory]

Not a chance in hell my soon to be second child (boy) will play football.

I have a friend with two young sons (both under 3) who all he talked about when his first son was born was how he was going to play football like all the other men in his family. I ran into him at a wedding a couple of weeks ago and the subject came up and he was like no way will any of his sons be playing now. The NFL has a huge problem and I don't think there's a fix. Robot players maybe?

 

[Diprosalic]

Football needs to end.

 

[Beefy]

Yeah I think soccer is going to be a bigger one than some realize. The good thing, though, is there are steps they can and are already taking to reduce that risk that won't result in fundamental changes to the sport, which is what football might be staring at.

Then you got Rugby!

 

[Byakuya769]

If I was an owner, I'd be selling my franchise. You'll lose some upside, but I wouldn't want to be holding the bag on the firesale days down the road.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

Well that is the crux of my question.

I am more curious what accomodations they need to make to ensure long term player safety. All phases of the game from pee wee to the NFL have responsibilities to maintain the safety of its participants.

Accomodations don't exist. There is no way to make the kind of contact that happens on every down of football, from lineman crashing into each other, QBs getting sacked from behind, linebackers crashing into running backs for tackles, safe. There is this misconception that it's just helmet to helmet hits that caise CTE. It's every part of the game. The human body was not built to do what is asked for it in the course of a football game.

 

[Lazy vs Crazy]

He played more games in college than in the NFL, and I'm sure many more games in high school.

I get that the NFL is where the money is but you gotta think the damage started way earlier.

 

[mechashiva]

If I was an owner, I'd be selling my franchise. You'll lose some upside, but I wouldn't want to be holding the bag on the firesale days down the road.

That's a pretty good call.

 

[uncredited male]

Soccer can adapt by using some sort of headgear. They could also change rules regarding heading and aerial challenges. Players will adapt.

No idea what the NFL will do.

There is a big study of the damage heading the ball does to footballers (soccer) here as well. So many sports need ti look into this seriously.

Women's soccer (and all women's sports it looks like) seems to have higher concussion rates than men's. Or perhaps underreporting is more prevalent in men's sports.

 

[Reptars Revenge]

http://www.espn.com/espn/otl/story/...e-2007-gainesville-shooting-according-sources

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Authorities in the Massachusetts murder case against former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez have reached out to police in Gainesville, Fla., in hopes of determining whether Hernandez had any role in a 2007 shooting that left two men wounded, a source with knowledge of the murder investigation told ABC News. One of the men was shot in the back of the head, according to a police report of the shooting obtained by ESPN's "Outside the Lines."

The Gainesville Police Department on Wednesday initially issued a statement saying the report was not released publicly. It later changed that, saying that the report was released "inadvertently" after a public records request from ESPN that was "fulfilled in error by a clerk." The department said in a statement that the report was not complete because "there are still detective supplements outstanding because it is classified as an open criminal investigation."

The 2007 Gainesville shooting happened on Sept. 30, when Hernandez was a 17-year-old freshman with the Gators. The two men and a friend of theirs had left a nightclub and were in their car stopped at a light blocks away when their vehicle was fired upon, according to the statements two of the men gave to police. Corey Smith, a 28-year-old at the time who was sitting in the front passenger seat, was shot in back of the head. Justin Glass, the 19-year-old driver, was shot in the arm. Randall Cason, sitting in the back seat behind Smith, was unharmed.

Hernandez's dad dying and drug use probably played a huge chunk in all of this as well.

Can't say CTE was the cause of everything because that is bullshit.

Oh yeah that happened in college, I thought there was one other incicdent I didn't know about.

 

[yuraya]

Tight ends probably have the worst cases of C.T.E among players in the league. The way they get hit and how they hit others is just gruesome at times.

 

[smokeymicpot]

Oh yeah that happened in college, I thought there was one other incicdent I didn't know about.

Other things probably happened that we don't know about.

 

[Stumpokapow]

Well, not the kickers hopefully.

Are kickers legally considered football players?

 

[TheChocoboCadet]

I don't the main takeaway of this should be about whether Hernandez's violent behavior or suicide were the product of C.T.E.

I think the main takeaway should be a guy who was in the NFL for just 34 games had severe C.T.E.. That would indicate that you don't need to be a 10 year veteran of the highest league to develop it. You're at high risk from the very beginning of your career.

 

[kirblar]

Women's soccer (and all sports it looks like) seems to have higher concussion rates then men's. Or perhaps underreporting is more prevalent in men's sports.

Women's injury rates across HS sports are generally straight up higher than mens overall - the culprit likely just being physical differences due to puberty. (IIRC the highest overall rate has historically been women's cross country, bizarrely.)

 

[Beefy]

Yeah, now I am thinking more about it. Imagine how bad Rugby players are.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

I don't the main takeaway of this should be about whether Hernandez's violent behavior or suicide were the product of C.T.E.

I think the main takeaway should be a guy who was in the NFL for just 34 games had severe C.T.E.. That would indicate that you don't need to be a 10 year veteran of the highest league to develop it. You're probably at high risk from the very beginning. Probably even earlier than that as well.

CTE has found in the brain of an 18 year old football player. Turns out when it comes to slamming your brain around in your head, the limit is "not even once".

 

[Sulik2]

Football in its current form needs to end. Destroying brains and pretty consistently causing suicide in advanced cases should end the sport as we know. Go to flag football if you have to, the strategy involved with 22 people on field has always been the best part of football. Just change the game to maintain the athletic chess without the hits.

 

[Oscar]

Unfortunately not surprising.

My son won't be playing football, that's for sure.

My dad kept me from both Football and Boxing for these reasons. I was angry at him as a kid because of it, but now that I'm in my late 20's I can respect that decision.

 

[AndyD]

I don't the main takeaway of this should be about whether Hernandez's violent behavior or suicide were the product of C.T.E.

I think the main takeaway should be a guy who was in the NFL for just 34 games had severe C.T.E.. That would indicate that you don't need to be a 10 year veteran of the highest league to develop it. You're probably at high risk from the very beginning. Probably even earlier than that as well.

The study that came out earlier in the year showed CTE even in high school players. So it's essentially pretty much there from day one, which means it's the sport as a whole, not the "pro level" that leads to it. By pro level it's just higher incidence.

http://www.cnn.com/2017/07/25/health/cte-nfl-players-brains-study/index.html

Out of 202 deceased former football players total -- a combination of high school, college and professional players -- CTE was neuropathologically diagnosed in 177, the study said. The disease was identified in 110 out of 111 former NFL players. It was also found in three of the 14 high school players and 48 of the 53 college players.