Nick submitted this article prior to the Bryce Harper wall escapade but it would certainly fall into this opinion piece.

While I didn’t intend to write a post about brain injury in sport, I was inspired to write it based on some events in the NHL playoffs.  Since it’s not my point to dissect the danger of the two hits, I won’t spend much time on them. In fact, I’ll just share the links to the Gryba hit on Eller and the Abdelkader hit on Lydman. Seriously, whether I think either of those hits was clean or delivered with malicious intent is not, in any way, the basis or inspiration for this post. What is, is the idea that we – the North American contact sports-loving public – have all but abdicated our right to a free conscience. Whether either hitter was deserving of the suspension they have subsequently received, depends not on the hit they delivered, but on which team you cheer for (or against), or whether or not you like seeing big hits in hockey. It has nothing to do with what happened.

Some people don’t like where the NHL or NFL are heading; the frequency with which penalties are called when a player hits anywhere near an opposing player’s head. I don’t think that either of these two leagues, NHL and NFL, understand the concept of risk and reward. Hard hitting contact sports are so popular because they exhibit risk in a raw form. That’s probably why some/many of the athletes who make it to the highest levels get into the types of trouble they do. We watch news about multi-millionaire athletes who crash Porsches or who get arrested, and we may think “why would someone with so much to lose risk so much?” However, the athletes actually made logical (that doesn’t necessarily mean good) decisions. They do what all of us do before making most decisions. They, however briefly, look at their risk/reward histories plus their confidence (which is unvaryingly high), and make the relatively clear choice that they should take the risk. Their risk/reward histories include their risky decisions to go all in into their sport, play with injuries, among others, and their rewards include playing a sport professionally, their lifestyles, the money, among others. You sometimes hear people who aren’t professional athletes say that they wonder if they could’ve made it if they went all in. These pro athletes took the risk when it was presented. For every athlete who took a big risk and made it big, there are many, many more, who took the big risks and it didn’t work out and had bad consequences. If taking a big risk always meant good things happened, it wouldn’t be a ‘risk’ at all. Hindsight takes away risks, or puts risks in perspective, and it’s why people pay to watch pro athletes.

However, it’s also why the NHL and NFL are not perpetual money machines. These leagues, like their players, have a risk/reward ratio. Their reward has been to make millions, billions of dollars off the risk accepted by young men, who as we’ve seen, are predisposed to take it. Still, there is one major risk I haven’t mentioned; a brief career – for the athletes – or a brief existence – for contact sports leagues. It’s obvious why pro contact sports are played primarily by men in their 20s, and the leagues should take note. The athletes stop when their bodies can’t take any more strain, and when they can no longer convince themselves that the risk/reward ratio looks good. Likewise, these leagues will have to make similar decisions about the brand of sport they choose to exhibit. I’m not going to say that these leagues should just shut down now, but in act of decency to players and fans, how about they not pretend the sport they’re promoting is risk-free, good, clean fun? Both sports are brutal. That doesn’t mean they’re not fun to watch or that I don’t like watching them, but, instead of providing an excellent product/service in many markets, they’re providing a poorer product/service in too many markets. This product/service is poorer because it’s delivered by only the best. Not the elite. For sports with such high risks, the highest levels of player talent, strength, endurance and intelligent play should be pursued. Unfortunately, this won’t happen. There’s too much money to be made.

In the end, the only choice facing these two leagues is that of the type of sport they’ll show; a highly regulated game in which contact is not necessarily banned, but is discouraged, or a game in which careers are generally shorter, contact is celebrated and serious injuries are par for the course. Obviously, these games will attract different fan bases, and the second option comes with onerous legal and insurance costs. That’s why I think the leagues are headed to option one. In geometry, an asymptote of a curve is a line such that the distance between the curve and the line approaches zero, but never touches. Contact in he NHL and NFL are on that curve. Right now they’re relatively high on the curve, such that contact is nowhere near zero, but as time passes, injuries build and memories fade, I think contact will approach zero and these leagues will have to deal with the repercussions; a smaller fan base, reduced revenue, and ultimately, their sustainability. Or maybe, people will watch in the same numbers, with the same enthusiasm because the contact we see today and in recent years, will no longer be important or necessary to the fans and players.

Whether or not fans want to admit it, we’re seeing the beginning of that whole process now. The debate over the two hits mentioned above, or any other hits for that matter, is divided relatively strictly between supporters of the respective teams, and less by whether or not the hits broke NHL rules or a some moral standard about hitting, or the reality of wrong place, wrong time. It’s not the hit or the consequences to the player who was hit that really inspires debate or anger (on both sides). It’s the punishment – penalty and/or suspension – or lack thereof, and the effect that has on a team, that really fuels discussion.

Even the current focus on brain injuries everywhere in society hasn’t increased awareness and understanding of the issue to a sizeable majority of the public. If I hadn’t been brain injured, I don’t know how much I would know about it either. For the most part, brain injuries are viewed as either, a bodily injury like any another, or one that is rare and obvious. This lack of wide-spread understanding is why hits causing brain injuries are so easily politicized by fans to advocate for ‘the rules’ or for  some moral high ground. For now, brain injuries are considered the simple price of playing contact sports and as such, are just another point to show the injustice done to ‘my team’ by some unfair interpretation of the rules. That’s how any debate about the seriousness of brain injuries ends, allowing fans on both sides to feel vindicated. Yet, no progress on the real issue is made.

To know anything about brain injury, fans, players and the general public must genuinely want to know. Otherwise, one of the most important issues that sports has ever faced is simply reduced to sound bites.

Tags: Bryce Harper, ConcussionTalk, Nick Mercer

Article source: http://theconcussionblog.com/2013/05/19/nick-mercer-why-we-continue-to-see-players-play/

The post Nick Mercer: Why we continue to see players play appeared first on stopconcussions.com.

A while back I saw that Chris Nowinski tweeted this, study by researchers at the University of Buffalo about the benefits of exercise for people who’ve had a concussion, and I thought I’d post now. I was constantly told that my recovery from a severe brain injury (even though, by no means am I back to the way I was pre-injury) was due to my pre- and post- injury fitness. This is an issue I am passionate about and it seemed obvious to me throughout my immediate rehabilitation and continuing recovery/life after my brain injury that exercise and fitness are extremely important. It hasn’t solved my problems or made them go away, but it’s incredibly beneficial and allows me to deal with the effects/issues confidently.

I should know better than to write those four title words when we’re hardly clear of winter. So, first I will apologize in advance to the people of St. John’s. For all intents and purposes, I’ve just guaranteed another dumping of snow. In fairness to me, the title sounds good and I’m looking at a beautiful sunset out my window, so I couldn’t help but write with a tauntingly cheery attitude. Nevertheless, sorry, my bad.

It’s Sunday and the wind was really kicking up a fuss this morning. I, however, stayed safely inside and, although it was sunny and marginally warmer than it has been in a while, I had no need or intention of going outside for very long. Plus, I was lazy today. That said, if I had to go outside for a while, the wind wouldn’t have been an issue. My balance has steadily improved (pun intended) since my brain injury and I’ve felt solid against the wind for some time, but ever since I’ve taken a keener interest in Pilates and working out with more of a concentration on my core, I’ve really felt confident and stronger on my legs.

I started doing Pilates a year ago and, appropriately enough, my instructor’s husband is a trainer who makes core strength a dominant part of his programs. I’ve always tried to keep in good shape, but since my brain injury almost 10 years ago, it’s been more difficult to actually ‘get to the gym’ or pool since I can’t drive, but walking,family, friends, and the odd taxi have made it happen for me. This way I’ve been able to stay active, get stronger, and, although it’s cliché, it’s made me feel better; about myself and about a lot else as well. Since my brain injury, swimming and working out have been important ways for me to keep some level of fitness, and now Pilates and my new workout regime have provided another challenge, which itself has obvious obstacles, but more importantly, the eventual and consequent results are clear and invaluable.

As you can probably tell, I’m keen on this. The reason I wanted to write about this is not an excuse to compliment myself, I’ve actually got at least three good reasons: 1) To thank and show my support to Sarah and Mike at Pony Locale on Lemarchant Road in St, John’s. Sarah’s the awesome Pilates instructor I mentioned, and Mike is the incredible trainer. Thanks! 2) The physically toughest things I’ve had to deal with since my brain injury have been my walking, balance, and efficient movement. Staying fit and challenging myself have been extremely important for me. From my experience living after a serious brain injury, keeping fit has been one of, if not the best thing I’ve been able to do. Not only does it help me meet physical challenges, it makes me feel good because it allows me to enjoy the other great parts of life. And 3) My mom suggested I write about it. The first two reasons were good, but 3) sealed it.

In the end, what I’m saying is, check out Pony Locale. Being brain injured is tough and it’s more of a challenge for some, it’s relative. Don’t base your perception of how hard you’ve worked on someone else. What does that matter? It’s not easy, but doing nothing is even harder.

Tags: ConcussionTalk, Nick Mercer

Article source: http://theconcussionblog.com/2013/05/18/nick-mercer-springs-on-the-way-get-moving/

The post Nick Mercer: Spring’s on the way. Get moving appeared first on stopconcussions.com.

I was forwarded an information sheet on the newly enacted Ohio Return to Play Law.  It appears as a Frequently Asked Questions form, here are some highlights;

• Guidelines for both interscholastic and youth sports
• Who can clear the athlete
• Specific definition of required training for coaches, referees and officials of youth sports
• Resources for parents and athletes

This “fact sheet/FAQ” is probably the best written resource I have seen regarding the new return to play legislative actions by states.  It is good that each state is doing something, but in my honest opinion these laws are just a start.

Unfortunately it took actions by legislature to make it perfectly clear that those with concussions, show signs of concussion or report concussion symptoms shall not return on the same day and must be evaluated by a health care professional.  This is something we have known for a few years now.  Each state piece is great for raising awareness.

What we need to advance is the true problem of this concussion “crisis”, that is the proper management and overall treatment of the brain injury.  Concussions will occur, it is an inherent part of all sports – essentially something we cannot “control” – however we can certainly control how the after effects of each concussion are handled.

Tags: FAQ of Return to Play, Heads Up, Ohio

Article source: http://theconcussionblog.com/2013/05/17/ohios-new-concussion-law-faqs/

The post Ohio’s New Concussion Law FAQ’s appeared first on stopconcussions.com.

Benjamin, hoping to help others in similar situations, wrote a letter discussing his experiences. Unfortunately, it is a story to which too many can relate. I urge young athletes, parents, educators, coaches and league administrators to read this letter and know that it was written by someone who is only 18:

I started playing hockey when I was 6 years old. I was dedicated, motivated and passionate about this sport and I trained hard at being the best player I could be. I never imagined that I would one day be told by a neurosurgeon that I could never play hockey again. At the age of 18, I was diagnosed with Post-Concussion Syndrome as a result of three concussions I had sustained while playing high school hockey. To say that this news was devastating and that it has impacted my life would be an understatement. My story, as I am learning, is like that of so many others.

By the time I had my third concussion, I was not allowed to play hockey for 6 weeks. I knew the only way to get my family doctor to sign the permission slip to allow me back on the ice was to lie about my symptoms. A doctor’s diagnosis/prognosis is only as effective as the concussed person’s ability to verbally express their symptoms. Therefore, I was in control of my fate — not anyone else.

That decision would end up being an irrational one. The symptoms I was trying to hide were headaches, dizziness and extreme fits of rage. The pressure of not wanting to let myself and others down was overwhelming. My grades, my personality, my angry outbursts, mood swings, lack of focus, indecisiveness, depression, frustration and anxiety were all too much to manage. It finally got to the point where I could no longer hide my symptoms and on Aug. 20, 2012, my mom called 911. My condition was having a profound effect on the people who care about me.

My symptoms have been exacerbated not only by the diagnosis, but by the trauma of the news that I will never play the sport I love again. How do you heal? How do you move on? My path to wellness has included counselling, researching, diet (green tea to help with anxiety; food rich in anti-oxidants to help my brain heal), rest, patience, a new black lab puppy (a gift from my parents) and a new car (a new focus and sense of accomplishment for me).

I do not know what my future holds, let alone how each day will unfold, but I do know that my story may help shed some light on the constant array of emotions a concussed 18-year-old person feels. As my mother tries to relay to me, as rotten a deal as this has been, “it could be so much worse “ — I could be in a hospital bed. She says my life is meant to have a different purpose. I just have to try and figure out what that purpose may be. I have to make sure that this experience and diagnosis do not define me or my potential.

Benjamin B. B. Gray

West Pennant, N.S.

Article source: http://www.concussiontalk.com/2013/05/16/a-story-like-that-of-so-many-others/

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Mark Roth of the Pittsburgh Post-Gaette put together an informational series on chronic traumatic encephalopathy; “a brain disease that afflicts athletes”.

In the first part that came out this past Sunday, Roth took a look at the global perception of CTE through the examples of Chris Henry and the possible case of still living Fred McNeill;

Chris Henry was a fleet wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals. During his five seasons with the team, he developed a reputation as a talented athlete on the field but a bad boy off it, even though those who knew him well say he was typically quiet and respectful. [...]

Fred McNeill played 12 seasons for the Minnesota Vikings in the ’70s and ’80s. After retiring, he finished law school and became a successful attorney in Minneapolis, helping to win major class-action lawsuits.

Henry would end up dead after an accident that was predicated with some unusual actions by him, McNeill now has full-time care takers as dementia has stripped him of everything he worked hard for.

Roth begins the second piece with those that can be easily called the experts in this area, Bennet Omalu and Ann McKee;

What he [Omalu] saw were smudges and tangles of tau deposits in the brain, similar to those that would be seen in Alzheimer’s disease, but without the accompanying plaques of beta amyloid protein also seen in Alzheimer’s. He later named the disorder chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which simply means a long-developing brain injury.

Around the same time, another pathologist, Ann McKee, was amazed at a brain she was examining in her lab outside Boston.

As you know, detecting CTE has proven nil in the living, it has only be detected posthumously but it does not mean people are not trying feverishly to change that;

Gary Small, a psychiatrist at the University of California at Los Angeles, hopes to change that with a new test that uses a radioactively tagged tracer to detect tau deposits in living brains.

In a February study of five former National Football League players and five control subjects, the positron emission tomography, or PET, scans showed that the former NFL players had higher levels of deposits in subsurface brain regions and the amygdala, an almond shaped structure that governs emotions like fear and anger.

The UCLA tracer attaches to both tau and beta amyloid proteins, which are found together in Alzheimer’s disease, but Dr. Small said the pattern of deposits is different than in Alzheimer’s.

The study is too small to draw definitive conclusions, but he hopes to study a much larger group as soon as he can arrange funding.

Later in the second article Roth: discusses blast injuries for soldiers and the relation, examines the origin of CTE (pugalistica dementia), and how to even tackle the treatment of this brain issue.

The final piece of this series looks into the “lynchpin” of CTE and NFL, Mike Webster of the Pittsburgh Steelers;

Garrett Webster still remembers the incident because it was so out of character for his dad.

His father, former Steelers center Mike Webster, had come to his elementary school to pick him up, and a woman drove through the school zone too fast, “and my dad chased her in the car, and got out of the car and started hitting her hood and yelling at her, and then he got in the car and drove away.” [...]

Pamela Webster, Mike’s wife at the time, saw a different but equally startling change. Her husband, who had always celebrated Christmas like an overgrown kid, now spent Christmas mornings sitting in a corner, “just observing. The kids would bring him presents, and he would just sit there. You saw parts of this man disappear, but you couldn’t put your finger on it.”

Tags: Ann McKee, Bennet Omalu, Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, CTE, Mark Roth, Mike Webster, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Article source: http://theconcussionblog.com/2013/05/16/series-from-the-pittsburgh-post-gazette-on-cte/

The post Series from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette on CTE appeared first on stopconcussions.com.

Bullying takes place in a wide variety of situations. We’ve all seen it and we see it all too often. Coaches yell at the kids and parents yell at the coaches, as well as other parents of kids on the team. Parents and coaches can behave in a way that is enough to drive you crazy. What type of role models are they to kids, who often model adult behaviour and end up bullying other kids, even those on their own team?

Bullying occurs because the individual dishing out the behavior uses it to meet one of life’s five basic needs: life, happiness, caring, control, or purpose. Bullying is harmful because, at the same time as it meets the bully’s need for control, it deprives the victim of his or her need for happiness and control of their own life and situation.

How the victim takes back control isn’t always easy, of course. Punching the bully in the nose may seem like a viable option at the time, but violence is never a good solution for obvious reasons, and will usually result in both the bully and the victim being disciplined or at worse, facing criminal charges. In the sports context, a better approach would be for fellow team members to confront the bully and tell him or her that the bullying must stop.

Early intervention and working with athletes to be “good team players� can drastically help. Coaches must learn the difference between “fair play and foul play� and they must do a better job to correct the power imbalance that takes place between the bully and the victim. A positive team and competitive environment that does not include bullying can only enhance the experience for young players and sport communities.

Dr. Joel Haber is a Clinical Psychologist and nationally recognized parenting expert who has dedicated more than 20 years to the prevention of abusive behaviors in children and adults — parents. coaches and team officials.

We can do more to curb and prevent bullying. Join the movement and the conversation with Dr. Joel Haber to find out how you can recognize and deal with the effects of bullying in sport. We’re LIVE at 7pm on Wednesday May 22^nd, 2013 at BEYONDtheCheers on blogtalkradio . Dial-in TOLL FREE 1-877-357-2448 in Canada and United States to ask a question, or email in advance.

Article source: http://www.beyondthecheers.com/removing-the-sport-of-bullying-behavior/

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One of the more gratifying things about this blog is the chance to educate anyone about concussions and the athletic training profession.  I truly enjoy going out to speak and even debate this hot topic.  I understand that my thought process is not like everyone else, nor do I expect everyone to see it the way I do; however I do want people to become more educated and understand what we are facing with this problem.

As I was wrapping up my interview for a local TV station about the new IHSA Heat Acclimatization Policy, I received and email from a school here in Illinois that used my blog to become better aware of the concussion issue.  Honestly, nothing makes me smile more than to provide that to teachers and kids.  The email ended with some questions regarding concussions, I will answer them here (not only for everyone to see but to give a little pub to the students and teachers of Cuba High School).

My current events class has been debating and conducting research about concussions. I have had them use your blog for resources and it is very informative. We also just finished watching “Head Games” documentary and had further discussions. Many of my students are athletes and have raised interesting questions specifically towards how our small rural high school can best prevent head injuries. I know you’re a busy guy so we cut our questions to just 3. Any chance of a response would be greatly appreciated.

1) The film “Head Games” recommended that high school football programs should only have 1 day of full contact per week (same as the NFL does) instead of having full pads all year round. What is your opinion about this?

2) What about schools like ours that can’t afford athletic trainers like bigger schools can? We do on game days but not always at practice. How can smaller communities like ours be creative about this issue?

3) Would you permit your children to play contact sports like football or hockey under the age of 14 or 12 or any age at all?

Thanks for your time and all the work you do around this important issue.

Joe Brewer

Cuba High School

No, thank you for your time and effort Coach Brewer, now on to the answers;

1. I believe contact limits are both necessary for safety and for the longevity of the sport of football in high school.  I have always wondered why the sports’ supreme athletes; who have the best coaching, the best medical care, the most resources for knowledge, and the most to lose due to injury have contact limits.  While, youth and high school aged players; who have decent coaching, who knows what for medical coverage, and limited resources are allowed to hit with no limits.  It seems a bit backwards to me.  Moreover, there are examples of programs doing this already, take for example the winningest football coach of all time – John Gagliardi – who does not hit in practices.  I do see a trickle down effect coming, as states and even the NFHS may adopt limits similar to the NFL and Ivy League, Arizona already has.
2. The athletic trainer issue is a tough one, only because of money.  I have stated many times before that I feel that if you cannot afford an athletic trainer you cannot afford collision sports.  It seems harsh but really the job of the athletic trainer is to protect kids and make sure they are safe.  Granted a high school coach has this ultimate responsibility too, but I would think coaches would welcome this to lessen their stress and problems.  Game coverage is an absolute minimum, if that is all can be afforded then perhaps there should not be hitting in practices?  If you can afford a day of practice, make sure the hit days coincide with the presence of an athletic trainer.  What can commonly be overlooked with the athletic trainer issue is that they are not just there for concussions, we can provide so much more in the way of injury prevention and assessment.  The investment is well worth the price, in my honest and biased opinion.
3. For better or worse, I am committed to not allowing my kids play full contact/collision sports until high school.  My son will be playing flag football this fall, and I am pumped for him to learn and love the game.  If any of my children wanted to play hockey or lacrosse or rugby, GREAT, but it will not be full contact varieties of those sports while they are young.  I do believe that children need to be part of sports, with that I also feel they can foster a love of the game or games without having to be subjected to repetitive head trauma.  Certainly risks arise with all sports (batted ball to the head, elbow to the head, etc.) but those sports are not based in full speed collisions, like football or hockey.  Do I fear – like I have heard so many times – that my sons will grow up and be less a “man” because he did not play full contact football until high school if he chooses?  ABSOLUTELY NOT!  Think about all the people in our lives and then find out how many played football, and of those how many played before 14, not many compared to who we know.  Another thing, the thought that playing pee wee football will help make a player better and more likely to play at higher levels, that is just nonsense.  Highly specialized and professional athletes are more often than not born with the abilities, granted some work hard, but they were lucky enough to win the sports DNA lottery.

Again thanks for the inquiry and I hope more teachers/coaches like you are out there!  Go Wildcats!

*NF stands for North Fulton, the sports cooperative that Cuba HS belongs to.

Tags: Cuba High School, Cuba HS Current Events Class, Joe Brewer, NF Wildcats

Article source: http://theconcussionblog.com/2013/05/10/hs-class-uses-blog-to-educate/

The post HS Class Uses Blog to Educate appeared first on stopconcussions.com.

And despite daily fitness, a healthy diet and taking time to rest, the body needs more time to heal properly as we age. Baby boomers are one of the most active aging populations in history, with over 8,000 per day enrolling in Medicare.

As a result of a less active lifestyle, people from elite professional athlete to weekend warrior have a greater chance of developing athletic injuries unique to this age group.

Yes, there are orthopedic problems and brain-trauma injuries that affect a number of aging athletes, but those interviewed in the ‘still fit’ athlete group from ages 40 to 100 reveal the need for experiences, inspiration and motivation that lead to better lifestyle habits, following the days of drill-sergeant coaching.

“It isn’t the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it’s the pebble in your shoe.� Muhammad Ali, The Greatest

Muhammad Ali may have given all he had physically; including repeated abuse to his body. But he has made an effort to stay fit, despite losing portions of his physical and mental wellness. Ali has said he doesn’t feel sorry for himself and doesn’t want others to feel sorry for him either.

We are all getting older. Wouldn’t it be better for all of us to learn about aging-and embrace it and adapt– rather than to deny it and fear it?

This is not a rebuff toward those of us who are gaining in years but rather a praise of the lengthiest part of life and living. If youth is wasted on the young, what do grown-ups get as the left-overs?

They get 6 to 8 more decades to sort things out and get moving again, so that they can thrive!

With 30 years of experience Dr. Steven M. Stoller is a pioneer in the field of arthroscopic surgery. He continues to make advancements today treating patients from elite professional athletes to weekend warriors. With a plethora of satisfied patients, he continues to be a visionary in new areas of sports medicine such as “The Aging Athlete”, sports specific training and nutrition.

Dr. Steven Stoller joins us in conversation to share his vast knowledge on how you can get off of the side-lines and back into the game. Be a part of the chat LIVE at BEYONDtheCheers on blogtalkradio on Wednesday May 15^th @ 7PM EST. Dial-in TOLL FREE 1-877-357-2448 in Canada and United States to ask a question, or email in advance.

Article source: http://www.beyondthecheers.com/aging-athletes-and-weekend-warriors-get-off-the-couch/

The post Aging Athletes and Weekend Warriors: Get off the Couch! appeared first on stopconcussions.com.

Some people don’t like where the NHL or NFL are heading; the frequency with which penalties are called when a player hits anywhere near an opposing player’s head. I don’t think that either of these two leagues, NHL and NFL, understand the concept of risk and reward. Hard hitting contact sports are so popular because they exhibit risk in a raw form. That’s probably why some/many of the athletes who make it to the highest levels get into the types of trouble they do. We watch news about multi-millionaire athletes who crash Porsches or who get arrested, and we may think “why would someone with so much to lose risk so much?” However, the athletes actually made logical (that doesn’t necessarily mean good) decisions. They do what all of us do before making most decisions. They, however briefly, look at their risk/reward histories plus their confidence (which is unvaryingly high), and make the relatively clear choice that they should take the risk. Their risk/reward histories include their risky decisions to go all in into their sport, play with injuries, among others, and their rewards include playing a sport professionally, their lifestyles, the money, among others. You sometimes hear people who aren’t professional athletes say that they wonder if they could’ve made it if they went all in. These pro athletes took the risk when it was presented. For every athlete who took a big risk and made it big, there are many, many more, who took the big risks and it didn’t work out and had bad consequences. If taking a big risk always meant good things happened, it wouldn’t be a ‘risk’ at all. Hindsight takes away risks, or puts risks in perspective, and it’s why people pay to watch pro athletes.

However, it’s also why the NHL and NFL are not perpetual money machines. These leagues, like their players, have a risk/reward ratio. Their reward has been to make millions, billions of dollars off the risk accepted by young men, who as we’ve seen, are predisposed to take it. Still, their is one major risk I haven’t mentioned; an brief career – for the athletes – or a brief existence – for contact sports leagues. It’s obvious why pro contact sports are played primarily by men in their 20s, and the leagues should take note. The athletes stop when their bodies can’t take any more strain, and when they can no longer convince themselves that the risk/reward ratio looks good. Likewise, these leagues will have to make similar decisions about the brand of sport they choose to exhibit. I’m not going to say that these leagues should just shut down now, but in act of decency to players and fans, how about they not pretend the sport they’re promoting is risk-free, good, clean fun? Both sports are brutal. That doesn’t mean they’re not fun to watch or that I don’t like watching them, but, instead of providing an excellent product/service in many markets, they’re providing a poorer product/service in too many markets. This product/service is poorer because it’s delivered by only the best. Not the elite. For sports with such high risks, the highest levels of player talent, strength, endurance and intelligent play should be pursued. Unfortunately, this won’t happen. There’s too much money to be made.

In the end, the only choice facing these two leagues is that of the type of sport they’ll show; a highly regulated game in which contact is not necessarily banned, but is discouraged, or a game in which careers are generally shorter, contact is celebrated and serious injuries are par for the course. Obviously, these games will attract different fan bases, and the second option comes with onerous legal and insurance costs. That’s why I think the leagues are headed to option one. In geometry, an asymptote of a curve is a line such that the distance between the curve and the line approaches zero, but never touches. Contact in he NHL and NFL are on that curve. Right now they’re relatively high on the curve, such that contact is nowhere near zero, but as time passes, injuries build and memories fade, I think contact will approach zero and these leagues will have to deal with the repercussions; a smaller fan base, reduced revenue, and ultimately, their sustainability. Or maybe, people will watch in the same numbers, with the same enthusiasm because the contact we see today and in recent years, will no longer be important or necessary to the fans and players.

Whether or not fans want to admit it, we’re seeing the beginning of that whole process now. The debate over the two hits mentioned above, or any other hits for that matter, is divided relatively strictly between supporters of the respective teams, and less by whether or not the hits broke NHL rules or a some moral standard about hitting, or the reality of wrong place, wrong time. It’s not the hit or the consequences to the player who was hit that really inspires debate or anger (on both sides). It’s the punishment – penalty and/or suspension – or lack thereof, and the effect that has on a team, that really fuels discussion.

Even the current focus on brain injuries everywhere in society hasn’t increased awareness and understanding of the issue to a sizeable majority of the public. If I hadn’t been brain injured, I don’t know how much I would know about it either. For the most part, brain injuries are viewed as either, a bodily injury like any another, or one that is rare and obvious. This lack of wide spread understanding is why hits causing brain injuries are so easily politicized by fans to advocate for ‘the rules’ or for  some moral high ground. For now, brain injuries are considered the simple price of playing contact sports and as such, are just another point to show the injustice done to ‘my team’ by some unfair interpretation of the rules. That’s how any debate about the seriousness of brain injuries ends, allowing fans on both sides to feel vindicated. Yet, no progress on the real issue is made.

To know anything about brain injury, fans, players and the general public must genuinely want to know. Otherwise, one of the most important issues that sports has ever faced is simply reduced to sound bites.

Article source: http://www.concussiontalk.com/2013/05/08/want-to-know/

The post Want to know appeared first on stopconcussions.com.

For a long time the “father” of CTE, the first pathologist to find/identify the disease in an American football player, Bennet Omalu has been relatively quiet; going about his normal business and continuing his work with CTE.  Last week he was highlighted on the ESPN Outside the Lines/PBS Frontline story about the Junior Seau death aftermath.

Even more recently Dr. Omalu was invited to speak at the 2013 Football Veterans Conference – a sport specific event put on by Dave Pear and his blog;

Well, we just wrapped up our 2013 Football Vets’ Conference in Las Vegas at the South Point Resort and it was our best yet! In two packed days, we covered everything retired football players need and want to know, from concussion lawsuits to CTE to visual rights and everything in between. Our sessions were packed and no one wanted to miss a single discussion. And thanks to the amazing Jennifer Thibeaux, all of our discussions from Friday are already processed and uploaded so you won’t have to miss a minute of it either!

Thanks to Dave we can bring you the entire talk by Omalu – although over an hour its worth your time.

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Tags: Dave Pear, Dave Pear’s Blog, Dr. Bennet Omalu, IFV Conference, Las Vegas, YouTube

Article source: http://theconcussionblog.com/2013/05/08/bennet-omalu-recent-talk/

The post Bennet Omalu Recent Talk appeared first on stopconcussions.com.