NFL brain damage (NY Times)

[bevosu]

111 N.F.L. Brains.
All but One Had Brain Damage.
A neuropathologist examined the brains of 111 N.F.L. players — and found 110 had C.T.E., the degenerative disease linked to repeated blows to the head.

 

[Guinness]

Wish I could say the results were stunning but they pretty much confirmed what everyone not named the NFL or Ncaa already knew.

Football is literally dead man walking.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

Wish I could say the results were stunning but they pretty much confirmed what everyone not named the NFL or Ncaa already knew.

Football is literally dead man walking.

My football-watching days are over. How do parents allow their children to play this sport?

 

[IthacaBarrel]

My football-watching days are over. How do parents allow their children to play this sport?

I would be curious is they ran the study on 100 high school players and then a 100 college players. I can see where guys in the NFL play for the money and college players at a certain level for scholarship. There is no denying it's barbaric and the size, speed, and strength of these guys is insane. The PED's don't help either.

 

[Guinness]

I would be curious is they ran the study on 100 high school players and then a 100 college players. I can see where guys in the NFL play for the money and college players at a certain level for scholarship. There is no denying it's barbaric and the size, speed, and strength of these guys is insane. The PED's don't help either.

In addition to the 111 brains from those who played in the N.F.L., researchers also examined brains from the Canadian Football League, semi-professional players, college players and high school players. Of the 202 brains studied, 87 percent were found to have C.T.E. The study found that the high school players had mild cases, while college and professional players showed more severe effects. But even those with mild cases exhibited cognitive, mood and behavioral symptoms.

There is still a lot to learn about C.T.E. Who gets it, who doesn’t, and why? Can anything be done to stop the degeneration once it begins? How many blows to the head, and at what levels, must occur for C.T.E. to take hold?

“It is no longer debatable whether or not there is a problem in football — there is a problem,” Dr. McKee said.

Would seem it starts at the lowest levels of the game and just continues to grow worse as the players progress into college and then the pros.

Don't see how I could ever even consider letting my son play on any level. The risks are simply not worth the rewards.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

In addition to the 111 brains from those who played in the N. .L., researchers also examined brains from the Canadian Football League, semi-professional players, college players and high school players. Of the 202 brains studied, 87 percent were found to have C.T.E. The study found that the high school players had mild cases, while college and professional players showed more severe effects. But even those with mild cases exhibited cognitive, mood and behavioral symptoms.

There is still a lot to learn about C.T.E. Who gets it, who doesn’t, and why? Can anything be done to stop the degeneration once it begins? How many blows to the head, and at what levels, must occur for C.T.E. to take hold?

“It is no longer debatable whether or not there is a problem in football — there is a problem,” Dr. McKee said.

Would seem it starts at the lowest levels of the game and just continues to grow worse as the players progress into college and then the pros.

Don't see how I could ever even consider letting my son play on any level. The risks are simply not worth the rewards.

Thanks, yeah that is pretty significant for sure. Going to be interesting where football is 8-10 years from now, maybe even sooner. No sweeping this stuff under the rug anymore

 

[jordoo]

My football-watching days are over. How do parents allow their children to play this sport?

Its funny you mentioned children. My youngest is 6 and a boy. He plays soccer and t-ball right now. They sent around flyers at the end of t-ball to do pop-warner football and my first thought was "no wonder football players have all these brain issues, they start getting hit in the head at 6 years old when their brain is still developing." My wife who doesn't follow sports much at all was pretty surprised when I told her I didn't want Ryan playing football . . . . until I explained the head/brain injuries aspect to her.

 

[jordoo]

I would be curious is they ran the study on 100 high school players and then a 100 college players. I can see where guys in the NFL play for the money and college players at a certain level for scholarship. There is no denying it's barbaric and the size, speed, and strength of these guys is insane. The PED's don't help either.

I would bet that you get the same results just not as far along. These guys start playing as young as 6 years old. Sure the hits aren't as powerful but its repetitive from a young age and amplifies as you get older.

 

[Guinness]

Its funny you mentioned children. My youngest is 6 and a boy. He plays soccer and t-ball right now. They sent around flyers at the end of t-ball to do pop-warner football and my first thought was "no wonder football players have all these brain issues, they start getting hit in the head at 6 years old when their brain is still developing." My wife who doesn't follow sports much at all was pretty surprised when I told her I didn't want Ryan playing football . . . . until I explained the head/brain injuries aspect to her.

6 year old kids playing tackle football just seems ridiculous on so many levels.

 

[jordoo]

Don't see how I could ever even consider letting my son play on any level. The risks are simply not worth the rewards.

I'm so glad they are doing the research on this. I recently made the decision not to let my boy get into football for this reason.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

I'm so glad they are doing the research on this. I recently made the decision not to let my boy get into football for this reason.

Makes the most sense at this point, why bother? Plenty of other options out there

 

[jordoo]

6 year old kids playing tackle football just seems ridiculous on so many levels.

It is and I've seen it because one of my daughters was a cheerleader for our local youth football organization. I believe the breakdown were by grades, 1st+2nd, 3rd+4th and then 5th through 8th. Something like that. That youngest group is basically kids with pads and helmets running into each other because they have a very hard time wrapping up.

 

[jordoo]

Makes the most sense at this point, why bother? Plenty of other options out there

My wife was pretty shocked when I made her google football head/brain injuries. That closed the door on Ryan's football career before it ever started