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You have to keep in mind that this data is coming from retired and deceased NFL players who played in another time/era when the game didn't take nearly as many precautions as it's doing in the present. I think before we call for full-on fundamental change, we need to see data from as many retired players who are currently in the league today - which of course this data won't come until years down the road. I would say with the present changes in rules and equipment, we will see a decline in CTE. I don't believe anyone is denying the fact that the game has caused these issues to past players. But these findings shouldn't surprise anybody. We know the game of football is a rough, contact, sport. You're never going to make it 100% safe. Such as in a lot of physical careers in this world, they come with a certain amount of danger. I never want to see any player get hurt or have serious disabilities for the rest of his life, but football is a tough sport. At least current technology and rule changes are a step in the right direction, but the sport is always going to be what it is.
You also have to keep in mind that NFL players have consistently gotten both bigger and faster. Kinetic energy is a function of mass and velocity. Today's NFL players impart significantly more energy to their targets than did NFL players of the past. For every improvement in the equipment and tweaking of the rules in favor of player safety, there is a commensurate improvement in the the ability of players to hit their opponents with greater force.
There's no getting around that.
I suspect the idea that 'now the NFL is safer!' is right up there with the old idea that 'now with filters and low-tar, cigarettes are safer!'.
PS - Those players of yesteryear also played shorter seasons. The bulk of this study was on players from the 1950s through the 1990s. The NFL only played 12 games/season until 1961 (1960 for the AFL) and 14 games per year thru the 1977 season. More games. More impacts. The number of games per postseason has also expanded from 1 round (through 1965) to two rounds to three rounds max to four rounds for some teams. More games still. More impacts still.
"Dr. Ann McKee, a neuropathologist, has examined the brains of 202 deceased football players. A broad survey of her findings was published on Tuesday in The Journal of the American Medical Association.
Of the 202 players, 111 of them played in the N.F.L. — and 110 of those were found to have chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or C.T.E., the degenerative disease believed to be caused by repeated blows to the head."
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Originally Posted by Unsettomati
You also have to keep in mind that NFL players have consistently gotten both bigger and faster. Kinetic energy is a function of mass and velocity. Today's NFL players impart significantly more energy to their targets than did NFL players of the past. For every improvement in the equipment and tweaking of the rules in favor of player safety, there is a commensurate improvement in the the ability of players to hit their opponents with greater force.
There's no getting around that.
I suspect the idea that 'now the NFL is safer!' is right up there with the old idea that 'now with filters and low-tar, cigarettes are safer!'.
PS - Those players of yesteryear also played shorter seasons. The bulk of this study was on players from the 1950s through the 1990s. The NFL only played 12 games/season until 1961 (1960 for the AFL) and 14 games per year thru the 1977 season. More games. More impacts. The number of games per postseason has also expanded from 1 round (through 1965) to two rounds to three rounds max to four rounds for some teams. More games still. More impacts still.
one thing i will note here is that every player knows the risks of playing football these days. in the old days there was no concussion protocol to follow. players were told to shake it off and go back in and play. these days there is a concussion protocol that must be followed not only at the pro level but at EVERY level of play.
there is also better equipment today than in years past. better helmets better pads, tighter rules, and better enforcement of those rules, all play a part. conditioning also plays a big part in injury, even concussion injury. the better condition the athlete is in, the less prone to injury they are.
and then there is the greater reliance on the fundamentals of football. in years past you ripped into your opponent, these days, you still rip into them, but your tackling technique is more proper since you tend to hit them in the midsection of the body rather than the head. defensive linemen can no longer use the head slap like they did in years past, they can hit with their hands no higher than the shoulder.
when tackling you cant body slam your opponent anymore, so that also reduces injury.
You also have to keep in mind that NFL players have consistently gotten both bigger and faster. Kinetic energy is a function of mass and velocity. Today's NFL players impart significantly more energy to their targets than did NFL players of the past. For every improvement in the equipment and tweaking of the rules in favor of player safety, there is a commensurate improvement in the the ability of players to hit their opponents with greater force.
There's no getting around that.
I suspect the idea that 'now the NFL is safer!' is right up there with the old idea that 'now with filters and low-tar, cigarettes are safer!'.
PS - Those players of yesteryear also played shorter seasons. The bulk of this study was on players from the 1950s through the 1990s. The NFL only played 12 games/season until 1961 (1960 for the AFL) and 14 games per year thru the 1977 season. More games. More impacts. The number of games per postseason has also expanded from 1 round (through 1965) to two rounds to three rounds max to four rounds for some teams. More games still. More impacts still.
You're speculating. Again, you won't know if the NFL is doing enough until we get data back from the players who are presently playing, long after they have finished the game of football. It's a freakin' contact sport ladies and gentlemen. Along with it comes risk. The players know this. The owners know this. The fans know this. There's no kidding ourselves into believing the NFL, or any other football league, will totally eliminate CTE, and if they can't they'll make fundamental changes to the sport. That's not going to happen. It's never going to be completely eliminated unless there is some vast technology being developed -which I hope there is. Lessening the chances of it is what we hope happens. Maybe instead of 200 out of 800 cases, we have 50 out of 800.
There's risk of long term impairment in a long of physical jobs. Should we just eliminate those jobs?
I do find that the dismissal of the validity of the data or excusing the damage being caused to the NFL employees just short of insanity. Lumberjacks, coal miners, police, soldiers, etc... all enter their trades knowing full well the inherent dangers of their work and yet no one would begrudge their expectation to be cared for both on the job and after their careers are ended because of their workplace injuries.
Difference being of course is that no one sits around in their coal miner-replica work clothes while pounding back a few brewskis watching some poor schmo filling up his lungs with coal dust on Sunday afternoons. Besides, NFL players got it made and we still have to work for a living, so they kinda get what's coming to 'em...don't they?
I do find that the dismissal of the validity of the data or excusing the damage being caused to the NFL employees just short of insanity. Lumberjacks, coal miners, police, soldiers, etc... all enter their trades knowing full well the inherent dangers of their work and yet no one would begrudge their expectation to be cared for both on the job and after their careers are ended because of their workplace injuries.
Difference being of course is that no one sits around in their coal miner-replica work clothes while pounding back a few brewskis watching some poor schmo filling up his lungs with coal dust on Sunday afternoons. Besides, NFL players got it made and we still have to work for a living, so they kinda get what's coming to 'em...don't they?
I don't believe anyone ever said they're dismissing the validity of the data on CTE. Who actually dismisses the data as being untrue?
Let's be honest, the NFL has and currently are doing everything possible to muddy the waters of validating the data. The latest being the league essentially taking off the table $16M of their $30M commitment to fund CTE research.
Here's a story from ESPN about it that needs to be read carefully, otherwise it might appear the researchers are the one's putting the kibosh on the endeavor.
take their helmets away and they'd be less inclined to use their heads as battering rams
One theory is the helmet actually makes football more dangerous as it gives players a false sense of security and are more apt to engage in head on collisions or using it as a weapon.
The retirement of John Urschel could become a common occurrence as we learn more about CTE. He is fortunate, however, to have other passions and gifts to pursue.
I don't believe anyone ever said they're dismissing the validity of the data on CTE. Who actually dismisses the data as being untrue?
Have they set up a control group? You know, like cops, infantrymen, soccer players, construction workers, etc., whose families noticed aberrant behavior similar to the behavior of the NFL players? How did the percentages compare against NFL players with the same symptoms?
Isn't that how a statistical study is to proceed?
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