As Matt Dunnigan has stated that his children are not allowed to play football, I know my grandchildren never will. I love the game, but w now know the seriousness of concussions. Feel for all former athletes who were unknowingly exposed to long term mental health issues because of their choice to be a pro.
I heard an interview with Matt a couple of years ago and I believe he said he had some 17 KNOWN concussions....
My son plays baseball. Sometimes the batters get hit because the pitchers don't have very disciplined throwing arms. Yes, they have batting helmets, but how protective are they, really??
Now, I'm hearing that soccer players may be susceptible to CTE.
Sports is becoming a scary place... and for head contact!!
Our former Vets should get some help like the NFL has
Settled out of court but hey this is a tough one this would probably bankrupt our league
If Bruce wins and the ball starts rolling ....?$
The National Football League in the United States was also sued by former players who suffered concussions and other head injuries. The NFL settled for $1 billion, and the first two claims under the settlement were announced in June, for a total of $9-million in benefits.
The CFL has won the last 2 cases under the contention…
“In court, however, the CFL won two victories in cases decided on the issue of legal jurisdiction. The CFL successfully argued, first at the B.C. Supreme Court and then at the B.C. Court of Appeal, that concussions are a health-and-safety question that should be decided in arbitration under the league’s collective bargaining agreement, rather than in court.”
And this could prove to be a big road block in the next round of contract talks with the players’ union.
Ever notice how every other sport seems to skate by on the concussion discussion. Of course the rates are highest in football, but I also don't see any other sport working so hard towards safer equipment and modifying the rules from grass roots level and up in some sort of attempt to change the trend - whether it's working or will ever work is a different discussion. I quit football because of concussions, but at end of the day my confirmed concussions total as 2 playing football, 1 playing rugby, and 1 playing frisbee. Aka you can get a concussion doing many different things, whether it is a contact sport or not. I take concussions more seriously than most people, but it bugs me to no end that football has become the absolute enemy in the concussion debate meanwhile I never hear people talk the same about hockey, rugby, lacrosse or even soccer for that matter where people have actually died due to head trauma.
This is a slippery discussion, but all I want is for concussions to be addressed in every which way across every sport instead of football taking the brunt of the punishment while the people within the game of football are working vigorously to save it. It's especially dangerous because it seems everybody is searching for the safe alternative to football, but the truth is there is no safe alternative, only safer, which is a personal decision at the end of the day.
This is from MedStar Sports Medicine and probably sums up my thoughts better,
"Although the collision sports of football and boys' lacrosse had the highest number of concussions and football the highest concussion rate, concussion occurred in all other sports and was observed in girls' sports at rates similar to or higher than those of boys' sports. The increase over time in all sports may reflect actual increased occurrence or greater coding sensitivity with widely disseminated guidance on concussion detection and treatment. The high-participation collision sports of football and boys' lacrosse warrant continued vigilance, but the findings suggest that focus on concussion detection, treatment, and prevention should not be limited to those sports traditionally associated with concussion risk."
The biggest enemy in the concussion problem shouldn't be the entire game of football, but rather the National Football League, who withheld all this knowledge they already knew years ago for their own profit. They really screwed over the game with their witchcraft science and years of lying instead of facing the issue head on.
Interesting information, 2ez and thank you.
I came across this statistic the other day from the news...
"A study on former NFL players' brains found that 99% had signs of degenerative disease"
If that doesn't scare you out of signing up your child for the game..not sure what will!!
The movie "Concussion" will show you just how arrogant and evil the NFL can be. I bought the video to show to the family.
Times change. I used to think that players "accepted" the risk of head injuries, knowing full well that in football, sooner or later, you could either take a career ending severe shot to the head, or that over time, all those "small" shots would add up to serious problems forcing you out of the game. That's why they got paid so much for playing, compensation for potential injuries, in a way. I am no longer so sure that they really do, or if they do, if we should really let them. Sort of like the long term effects of smoking or second hand smoke, isn't it?
I'm old enough to remember the single thin "face guards" in football and the hockey players playing with no helmets. Probably, years ago in hockey, the only people to wear helmets were likely those who were playing through their concussion symptoms. Helmets were just not manly enough, until Bill Masterson (if I have it right?) died from a fall and blow to the head. And how long did it take that league to install a full helmet rule, and even now, how may refuse face and eye protection?
I can remember getting clocked in High School and being "knocked out". The "trainer" would give you a sniff of ammonia, the coach would look into your eyes, and if you could follow his finger back and forth, back in you went. With today's player size and speeds, injury inducing hits and helmet first tackling by so many players, it is no wonder that so many have head injuries. It amazes me that boxing remains as a "sport" and soccer allows players to re-direct balls like a 50 yard pass using their head. We have come a long way in head protection and player education, but I really don't know what the solution is. Arland Bruce's lawsuit could be the start of something positive, or the final straw that breaks the CFL's back?
Lately, I've been hearing that the NFL may have a problem stocking their teams with players as more parents are directing their children away from the sport.
I was always under the impression that players were paid a lot of money because of their talent and ability to generate interest and more income for the owners (jersey sales), for example Aaron Rogers, Lebron James.
Players now are bigger, faster and more physically capable. And then you have the reckless type like Kyries Hebert.
It's become a dangerous way to make a living. Now, even fatal.
Actually, that statistic was from the number pf NFL veterans' brains donated to the concussion and CTE center. I believe that of the 111 brains that were donated, 110 of them had signs of CTE. The key word is "donated". All of them were from players who had concers about CTE.
The original lawsuit was struck down because the lower court said that unionized employees must use labour arbitration and not the courts to resolve disputes that arise from their collective agreement.
But unlike all unions and workers in Canada, the CFL players have no long-term disability insurance plan and are not entitled to workers’ compensation.
So this could work in his favour. The lawyer has found a problem with the lower courts decision and a good reason to appeal to the supreme court.
If the CFL union had disability insurance and they were entitled to workers comp. the court would have a reason to turn it down.
"Actually, that statistic was from the number pf NFL veterans' brains donated to the concussion and CTE center. I believe that of the 111 brains that were donated, 110 of them had signs of CTE. The key word is "donated". All of them were from players who had concers about CTE."
Thank you, DCF. Understood.
Currently, the only way to determine the existence of CTE is by autopsy.
"The National Football League, which for years disputed evidence that its players had a high rate of severe brain damage, has stated in federal court documents that it expects nearly a third of retired players to develop long-term cognitive problems and that the conditions are likely to emerge at “notably younger ages? than in the general population."
Dr. Bennett Omalu,who was featured in the movie, Concussion, when asked about his children playing football, said this,
"My son is 6. I wouldn’t let my six-year-old son near any football field. And if any coach asks my son to play football, I’ll sue that coach, and I’ll sue the school.
Why?
Our children are the most vulnerable in our society. You wouldn’t hire children to become fighters. You wouldn’t let children jump from a plane to skydive. You wouldn't let children smoke. You wouldn’t let children drink alcohol. You wouldn’t even let children have sex. Why would we then put a helmet on the child, and tell the child to slam his head against another child’s head?"
Article Aug 30th
Hamilton Spec
The Hard Science of hard knocks
A big Lawsuit brewing?$
https://www.thespec.com/news-story/7525066-collision-course-the-hard-science-of-hard-knocks/
Today's Arricle : Series
Part 3 : Today's Spec
Lawyer:
When she first met Bruce, said Wishart, "he was living in an unlicensed truck with a duffel bag."
Terrible what happens to some of our players a real sad story I wish our fans could reach out and somehow help out our former players ?$
I think it's terrible that they are not entitled to Workers comp and other benefits. The sad thing is that CFL players do pay income tax like every other Canadian worker.
I think Wishart has a pretty good case, the courts can't come back and say that players can at least get Workers Comp.
Some will say that they chose this career therefore they shouldn't get any compensation, but so did construction workers, roofers and any other worker that claims compensation.
The Article does state that NFL players have
Medical benefits after they stop playing .
But I hope Spider-Man gets his day in court feel terrible for players like him and the health effects they deal with .