Ban all medication that can lead to depression, which can lead to suicide. Ban all fatty foods across the nation that lead to strokes, heart attacks, etc. Ban all tobacco products and other drugs/cancer causing agents. All cars on the road that don't have side impact air bags need to be banned...can't sell...can't drive; roll bars and Hans devices must be mandatory in all cars driven.

 

What needs to happen is all of us who have played football,and either 1) have had concussions and are perfectly fine and/or 2) haven't had a known concussion, and are fine need to start coming forth. If the silent majority doesn't start speaking up, then I agree, trouble looms. But, the powers to be better start acting on the changes above as well, because there are a heck of a lot more things out there that our entire society voluntarily engages in, that's a lot more dangerous (and, life threatening than football).

 

I'm all for concussion awareness and prevention (ALL FOR IT), but am I the only one wondering where the non NFL players are at in all of this? I haven't seen one report yet of men who played only high school and/or college level(s), has anybody else? Maybe what they need to do is put a limit on the nu,bee of years you can play in the NFL? I haven't even heard the 1-3 year NFL vets talk of these problems, it's only the guys who have gone 8+ years or so.

It's like that crock of crap PBS special last year about heat related illness in Arkansas...something like 12 kids in the state that summer who had suffered from reported heat related illness in football practice that week; well, ok, what about 99.99% of the population who didn't have any issues? Can we make a two hour documentary on them? Heck no.

Edited June 20, 201214 yr by Harry Doyle

You know that in none of your examples a third party certified adult was responsible and supposed to be trained to prevent a head injury, correct? You know that a school that doesn't have a certified professional at EVERY PRACTICE is begging to be sued for negligence, correct? Schools are leaving the judgment to men who are not trained when it comes to caring for their Johnny.

 

Putting on the helmet does not eliminate responsibility by the schools.

Clyde, I know that it's a passion for you to get ACT's at all football practices and games, and I for one hope that you get to see that happen. I truly am not against it, and am truly for it. But, things are judged by "standards" and "common practices". If evidence show that having a professional health care provider on site will reduce the likelihood of further injury, I hope it happens. But, that has not happened yet.

 

If fact, I would say that this article, in fact, proves that having health care providers on site has done nothing. We all know that the NFL has ACT's and doctors on staff and site during practices and games and that, by virtue of the article, has not prevented the problem.

My new favorite article....long read, but well worth it and a much needed, different view on things.

 

Junior Seau's suicide: Are concussions responsible? - Slate Magazine

 

Might have to just copy and paste the link in your web browser.

It's like that crock of crap PBS special last year about heat related illness in Arkansas...something like 12 kids in the state that summer who had suffered from reported heat related illness in football practice that week; well, ok, what about 99.99% of the population who didn't have any issues? Can we make a two hour documentary on them? Heck no.

 

And, it's been proven that almost all heat related problems come from two sources: 1. unknown, undiagnosed medical condition and 2. poor acclamation to the heat prior to beginning rigorous exercise in the heat. But, it's not as news worthy to report that.

Are you guys being obtuse or do you not realize how the jury system works?

Courtroom somewhere in America:

 

Prosecutor: Mr. Caregiver, are you certified through any professional care organization?

Caregiver: Yes

P: Is it your responsibility to make sure the player does not play in a game once he is hurt especially with head injuries?

C: Yes.

P: Isn't it true that your organization has guidelines that say a high school player with a potential concussion should not go back into practice or a game until it's shown he does not suffer from concussion symptoms?

C: Yes

P: Did you tell Johnny that he might have a concussion in the 2nd quarter in the game against County High?

C: Yes

P: Did you let Johnny re-enter the game?

C: Yes.

P: Did you know definitively at that moment that Johnny did not have a concussion?

C: No.

 

 

Checkbook, please.

You may be right, but a lot of what is going to be used to judge this is standard of care and common practice. If the trainer, or organization, does what is "standard practice" they are going to be found not liable. If they call in 100 trainers and those 100 trainers say they would have done the same thing, then that trainer on trial is not guilty of anything wrong.

 

Did the players really not know the danger? I'll use this example from 20 years ago, I played with a player in high school that had several scholarship offers. He had to turn them down because his doctor told him after his fifth concussion that he could not play football any longer. His fourth and fifth concussion came from very minor blows and he was told that the more concussion you have, the more easily a concussion could be sustained.

 

This was 20 years ago in North Eastern Kentucky. I don't think this doctor was that much more knowledgable then all the other doctors in practice at the time. Did he know something that no one else knew? No. It has been common knowledge in the health care industry for years. Has it changed the game of football? Has it caused radical inventions to solve the problem? No. Now, I have to think that the doctors associated with NFL teams have been aware of the possibilities. And I have to believe that the players, after playing high school football, college football, and now in the NFL, probably know of players that have had concussions and have similar stories to mine.

Are you guys being obtuse or do you not realize how the jury system works?

Oh, trust me, I know exactly how the jury system works. I promise I know how it works more then 99% of people.

Oh, trust me, I know exactly how the jury system works. I promise I know how it works more then 99% of people.

 

Then you know that my scenarios , especially #2, is going to result in a check being written.

 

That's the point of the article. Once checks start getting written hard looks are going to be taken when it comes to football. It doesn't matter what your theory is . The failure to provide proper healthcare and guidance is going to cost a school system a lot of money. That's not even debatable. The debate centers around "then what?"

Then you know that my scenarios , especially #2, is going to result in a check being written.

 

That's the point of the article. Once checks start getting written hard looks are going to be taken when it comes to football. It doesn't matter what your theory is . The failure to provide proper healthcare and guidance is going to cost a school system a lot of money. That's not even debatable. The debate centers around "then what?"

 

What I'm saying is, "Standard of Care" is the defining factor to malpractice. If a health care provider does what other health care providers would have done, there is no liability. The profession decides what is correct and incorrect.

What I'm saying is, "Standard of Care" is the defining factor to malpractice. If a health care provider does what other health care providers would have done, there is no liability. The profession decides what is correct and incorrect.

 

So you're telling me that a professional is going to get on the stand and say "yep, I would have sent him back in just like the coach did without running any tests?"

 

Checkbook, please.

Where the liability would come from is, all the high schools in the state has a training on site for all practices and games, but one school says, "we're not doing it". Now, that school has not lived up to the standard is liable. Now if only two schools in the state have trainers, there is no standard for other schools to have trainers because a large majority of schools do not have them. The profession of high school athletics determines what is the standard and what is not the standard.

So you're telling me that a professional is going to get on the stand and say "yep, I would have sent him back in just like the coach did without running any tests?"

 

Checkbook, please.

I'm saying what ever the standard process across the area, or the state, is what the person is going to be judged by.

Where the liability would come from is, all the high schools in the state has a training on site for all practices and games, but one school says, "we're not doing it". Now, that school has not lived up to the standard is liable. Now if only two schools in the state have trainers, there is no standard for other schools to have trainers because a large majority of schools do not have them. The profession of high school athletics determines what is the standard and what is not the standard.

 

Too many schools have them for a school to not be held liable. A school would not be able to hide behind cost, even if true, in a liability case.

I'm saying what ever the standard process across the area, or the state, is what the person is going to be judged by.

 

Let me play attorney again.

 

P: Do any schools in KY have onsite professionals?

Supe: Yes.

P: More than 1?

Supe: Yes.

P: How many NKY schools have them?

Supe: All of them.

P: Louisville?

Supe: Probably most if not all of them.

P: So it's not uncommon? It's not an aberration?

Supe: No.

P: Is there a professional in your area that could be hired?

Supe: Yes.

P: But you didn't hire him/her?

Supe: Nope.

P: Why?

Supe: No money.

P: Did you put a new turf in last season?

Supe: Yes.

 

Checkbook, please.

Let me play attorney again.

 

P: Do any schools in KY have onsite professionals?

Supe: Yes.

P: More than 1?

Supe: Yes.

P: How many NKY schools have them?

Supe: All of them.

P: Louisville?

Supe: Probably most if not all of them.

P: So it's not uncommon? It's not an aberration?

Supe: No.

P: Is there a professional in your area that could be hired?

Supe: Yes.

P: But you didn't hire him/her?

Supe: Nope.

P: Why?

Supe: No money.

P: Did you put a new turf in last season?

Supe: Yes.

 

Checkbook, please.

I don't think it would be that easy. I don't know of one team in my area that has trainers present for practice. Now, there are several that have them for games, but not practice and more of the deaths that I know of have occurred in practice. Now, I don't know the ratio of concussion in practice versus games, but I would venture a guess that more happen in practice then games.

 

So, in my area, the standard is to have trainers at games but to not have trainers at practice. Around the state? I don't know. But, I would be interested to know how many schools have trainers at games and how many schools have trainers at practice and games.