Jeff Ulbrich, Michael Lewis and Harsh Reality of Concussion
by smellmyfinger on Oct 20, 2009 1:29 AM PDT
23 comments
"An offensive lineman can’t do his job without "using his head," one veteran says, but neuropathologists examining the brains of ex-N.F.L. players have found trauma-related degeneration.
One evening in August, Kyle Turley was at a bar in Nashville with his wife and some friends. It was one of the countless little places in the city that play live music. He’d ordered a beer, but was just sipping it, because he was driving home. He had eaten an hour and a half earlier. Suddenly, he felt a sensation of heat. He was light-headed, and began to sweat. He had been having episodes like that with increasing frequency during the past year—headaches, nausea. One month, he had vertigo every day, bouts in which he felt as if he were stuck to a wall. But this was worse. He asked his wife if he could sit on her stool for a moment. The warmup band was still playing, and he remembers saying, “I’m just going to take a nap right here until the next band comes on.” Then he was lying on the floor, and someone was standing over him. “The guy was freaking out,” Turley recalled. “He was saying, ‘Damn, man, I couldn’t find a pulse,’ and my wife said, ‘No, no. You were breathing.’ I’m, like, ‘What? What?’ ”"
I have been dimly aware of this issue and its impact on older, retired players, and the raw deal old players get in terms of medical care, etc., but this really crystallized it for me. With the retirement of one of our warriors, Jeff Ulbrich, and the same issue for Michael Lewis the reality of Ulbrich's retirement and the possible health impact for him because of brain trauma is a big issue.
This article about the impact of concussion on football players is truly disturbing and not something I really understood until reading this in the New Yorker. Kyle Turley's accounts of his experience with obvious brain damage since stopping playing, even during his playing days, and the affect of the traditions of toughness and manning up in the NFL are very disturbing.
This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Niners Nation's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Niners Nation's writers or editors.
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It's a bad thing
I know that Nfl players push theier bodies past the point of what they’re designed to do thru the course of their career, and a whole lot of retirees have major physical problems for the rest of their lives.
I’d be interested to know what percentage of ex-players experience these kind of post concussion brain issues.
I’d also like to see stats on whether the instances of long term injuries like this are improving or not since the NFL became more aware and started making rule changes to protect players.
Of course, most rule changes are only effective on Sunday. Players are taking hits of one degree or another 5-6 days a week. Maybe not as hard, but that’s still a repetitive stress and trauma.
So who’s responsible? Ultimately it’s got to be the player. They’re being well payed to go out and sacrifice themselves for the game.
I think they should be exposed to the stats and informed of the risks at the high school level, but it’s basically their choice to make. Most of these guys are world class athletes, that could excell in a variety of sports to fuel their need to compete. Track, wrestling, soccer…. but these don’t come with the prestige and the paycheck of the NFL.
Another interesting NN poll might be: “If you and the chance to play in the NFL, knowing the physical risks, would you?”
by Krowley on Oct 20, 2009 4:59 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I've been saying for a while
Health care is inadequate for these people that destroyed their bodies for our entertainment. Especially the older players, who weren’t making millions of dollars 20 30 years ago.
by Kaizre on Oct 20, 2009 9:41 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Some jobs come with higher risk
It’s the nature of the business. What do you expect when you have mammoths of men running full bore into each other? All these players know the consequences of the job much like the crab fishermen in the northwest know theirs. Nobody is forcing them to bash their heads in but the willing do if for their handsome compensation.
Don't sweat it. I'm illiterate.
by methodrampage on Oct 20, 2009 11:01 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, but that doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be protections written into the sport, whether they be in-game, post-concussion, or even post-career. Submitting yourself willingly to a brain-crushing job doesn’t mean that your employer should to be okay with your brain being crushed.
Context, people. More context is good. Less context is bad. If you're willing to be reductive, then you're willing to be wrong.
by howtheyscored on Oct 20, 2009 1:27 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I disagree
Submitting yourself willingly to a brain-crushing job doesn’t mean that your employer should to be okay with your brain being crushed.
Are you suggesting that the NFL is ignoring concussion problems and currently taking no steps to reduce them?
Grown men shouldn’t need babysitters. They should be able to educate themselves and make their own decisions.
Don't sweat it. I'm illiterate.
by methodrampage on Oct 20, 2009 2:50 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I’m not trying to suggest that, though clearly I phrased it poorly. The NFL does take care of its players to a point and has taken some steps to address these problems. I don’t think it’s ridiculous to suggest that maybe they’re not doing enough, though.
I mean, we saw a guy suffer two concussions in two weeks in the preseason this year only to come back… what, two weeks later just to eventually get his bell rung a third time?
Perhaps grown men shouldn’t need babysitters. Perhaps they should be able to handle this kind of thing on their own. History shows that’s not always the case, though. It’s not even always regularly the case. Maybe babysitters is the wrong word, even. It obviously comes with some fairly negative connotations. How about a regulatory system? There are plenty of times that grown men need regulation.
Context, people. More context is good. Less context is bad. If you're willing to be reductive, then you're willing to be wrong.
by howtheyscored on Oct 20, 2009 3:16 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Grown men shouldn’t need babysitters.
What if they’re grown men who have brain damage?
GROUGTHINK ALERT
The first Chester Arthur fanboy ever.
by groug on Oct 20, 2009 3:59 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sucks for them
Don't sweat it. I'm illiterate.
by methodrampage on Oct 20, 2009 8:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm trying to recall the 49er who had a special foam cover added to his helmet
It looked kind of strange but it appeared to help. Anyone recall? ( Early 90’s? )
The future ain't what it used to be.
by riderless on Oct 20, 2009 11:10 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
It was...
… Steve Wallace, the offensive tackle.
by sfgfan on Oct 20, 2009 12:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yes it was Wallace - Thx
‘…Another innovation in the 1990s was seen on the helmets of Buffalo Bills’ Defensive Back Mark Kelso and San Francisco 49ers’ Offensive Lineman Steve Wallace wore and exterior device called the “Pro Cap” which was manufactured by the company Protective Sports Equipment to reduce concussions. Both Kelso and Wallace had received multiple concussions and chose to wear this rather unorthodox looking device over the outer shell of their helmets to extend their careers…Riddell has come out with the Revolution IQ H.I.T.S. (Head Impact Telemetry System) which measures the impact via sensors and transmitted to a PDA on the level of force and severity of the impact from a blow suffered to the head as well as the number of hits the head and helmet have taken. This helpful information can be used to determine if a player can continue playing after an impact to the head.’
The future ain't what it used to be.
by riderless on Oct 20, 2009 2:17 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
The way the league treats retired players is shameful
I don’t know what kind of insurance package they get but I think that any player that plays x number of years (say 5) gets guaranteed health care for the rest of their lives. If they play a certain number of years (say 10) they should get a pension plan, because by that point their bodies are so beat up that it’s tough for them to do anything else.
Most of them don’t make really big money, and the league has enough doctors on staff (between the various team doctors and those that are hired by the NFL itself) to take care of the players.
It’s not as if the league is hurting for money either. It’s the most popular sport in America as well as being the most profitable.
by smileyman on Oct 20, 2009 1:56 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I strongly encourage everyone to check out the article in the New Yorker
Gladwell makes a pretty strong case that this is not a problem that better gear can fix.
by Ronaldinho on Oct 20, 2009 10:50 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Didn't new helmets come out a couple years ago?
I thought they were supposed to be “safer”. Anyways, I wonder how much, if any, of an affect not wearing a helmet properly, (i.e. so loosely that it routinely becomes disajoined with a players head) has on concussions? I don’t have any particular numbers but it seems like a large amount of players wear their helmets extremely loose and the only reason I can think of is because they don’t want to deal with the month or so of breaking in a properly fitting helmet.
Bascially, if players doesn’t care enough about themselves to wear their equipment in the proper way, because in this case the helmet will be uncomfortable about a month while the padding in the helmet forms to their head, then while should I give two shakes of a stick about whether the NFL is doing enough to address the health and well being of its players?
Don't sweat it. I'm illiterate.
by methodrampage on Oct 21, 2009 10:17 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
While...
… I totally understand the thought that no amount of “equipment” is going to eliminate concussions, I have to agree that equipment can continue to evolve to help reduce the amount of them.
The whole Revolution (I think that’s what it’s called) line of helmets were designed to be better for the player in terms of concussion reduction. I know it doesn’t eliminate the problem, but how many players are actually wearing these helmets? Not very many, that’s for sure.
I don’t want to sound like I’m talking for method, but I don’t think the intent is to be “cold” or “insensitive” about the subject. Yes, these players give up their bodies to entertain fans, but for the most part, they’re in the game for the money. Just like working at a saw mill means you run risks of being impaled or losing fingers, playing football runs tons of risks to your body. It’s risks that players fully understand are there but continue to play at their own risk.
by sfgfan on Oct 21, 2009 11:43 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
There are inherent dangers to certain jobs
I’m not trying to be cold or insensitive but some of these comments make it seem like the NFL is completely ignoring the issue, which I don’t believe to be the case.
The whole Revolution (I think that’s what it’s called) line of helmets were designed to be better for the player in terms of concussion reduction. I know it doesn’t eliminate the problem, but how many players are actually wearing these helmets? Not very many, that’s for sure.
Exactly, not very many. Even fewer probably wear them correctly. If better equipment exists and players choose not to wear it then whose fault is it when they get hurt while wearing inferior equipment? The NFL’s? The team’s? The fan’s? The player’s?
It seems to me that a lot of people are taking more interest in the health and well being of the players than the players themselves and that seems upside down to me. Why should I, or anyone else, care if the players don’t?
Don't sweat it. I'm illiterate.
by methodrampage on Oct 21, 2009 12:11 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Agreed
Football is a violent sport by nature. All players are aware of the risks in football. Injury from minor to major occur on a daily basis. Even at the High school level I remember playing hurt all the time. And I had two concussions my senior year. One of the concussions was very bad. However, I was still happy to play. It was my choice even though moms hated it.
Moreover, there are many other occupations that are high risk.
by carbone on Oct 22, 2009 2:14 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yes, it is high risk and yes, players are accepting that risk.
All I’m saying is that an occupation being high risk is not a reason to champion not trying to reduce that risk.
Context, people. More context is good. Less context is bad. If you're willing to be reductive, then you're willing to be wrong.
by howtheyscored on Oct 22, 2009 2:30 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't think...
… method was saying anything remotely close to that at all. From a fan’s perspective (mine, not necessarily methods, of course), nothing fans do or say can really change the NFL’s thinking without the players (and ex-players), first and foremost, stepping up to the plate. Since it appears that so many of them aren’t doing that, there’s very little a fan could do and thus shouldn’t feel responsible about it.
I don’t think method wouldn’t support players that want to be helped or that he’s against helping. He’s just saying that if players don’t seem to care, why should the fans make a big deal out of it?
by sfgfan on Oct 22, 2009 2:36 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well, if we’re talking burden of responsibility, then I’ve been misreading things from the start.
Context, people. More context is good. Less context is bad. If you're willing to be reductive, then you're willing to be wrong.
by howtheyscored on Oct 22, 2009 3:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
easy now.
I think that the apropriate steps have been taken to minimize injury. I don’t think the league or teams should have champion not reducing that risk. In fact there should always be an emphasis on well being and safety. But there is only so much that can be done in a game that feature big and fast people smashing one another.
If safety was the most important thing then football would be more like rugby or maybe even soccer.
Look at the rules in regards to hitting the QB. I’ve heard many retired QBs echo discontent with the rules. Because it takes away from the game. A game which is supposed to feature big hits. So I will agree with the football players on this one.
I will say again that I do not champion not trying to reduce the risk of injury.
by carbone on Oct 22, 2009 3:15 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
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