Junior Seau's brain had CTE---the tipping point

[Gulfsailinggator]

Junior seaus brain had evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy. No real surprise, but I think this is the tipping point. We now have a Face to put to the lawsuits that everyone knows, and everyone liked. NFL is going to do some real damage control...or not, but either way I think we have reached critical mass in the brain trauma and tackle football link. I wonder when the college athletes an high school athletes start suing.

[350Z33]

How can they prove his injury occurred during the NFL? Maybe it happened in college, high school, or earlier when the the brain is still developing. I think that's the route the NFL will take when it will have to defend itself and to be honest, it's a pretty legitimate question.

[tomis_gator]

This isn't really about the NFL...it's about football.

[STR8OUTDASWAMP1]

Originally Posted by tomis_gator

This isn't really about the NFL...it's about football.

100% agree. Also, if you're going to sue, who should be sued... the schools/league, the helmet manufacturers?

[regator]

Brad Culpepper is one of the players suing the NFL for head injuries.

I am not sure how that looks from his job as an attorney.

I mean would you hire a attorney who has brain damage?

[gatorman_07732]

Part of me wants to say that they took the risk because of the millions of dollars to be made. If they are successful in sueing the NFL then it will never end until they are out of business.

[g8r925]

Just sounds like a money grab to me, I knew when I played football that it was a violent sport. That is what draws young men and boys alike to it. Juniors death and the trauma that others have had will change the minds of a few parents and young men, but not enough to see a difference. Trying to bring a case with such a broad time span for injury will be hard to prove when in fact the injuries occurred and when the most damage was done to his brain.

This whole argument that will be brought up kind of reminds me of the people at one time that wanted to sue Mcdonald's for the heart attacks that they had suffered due to their obese weight. It all comes down to the choices that we make and knowing the ramifications of our decisions and choices.

[Gulfsailinggator]

I agree re: money grab. Caveat emptor. I think the scary part for NFL is the CTE. Dave duerson, Andre waters etc had this. It is not the concussions. It is the chronic disease from repetitive hits not causing concussions. Scary. Hey my kid plays baseball. Gonna stay that way

[LabraGator]

Might not be too long before they just switch back to soft helmets. I'm not saying leather, just something that can't be used as a weapon. Then, take off the face masks. Sure, there will be a few bloody noses and what not, but you'd see a lot less leading with the head.

What other solution remains? Even with stringent helmet to helmet rules the contact remains. Even incidental contact from an otherwise sound albeit violent tackle is inflicting head trauma.

Or maybe nothing is done and the cycle continues back to the days of Roman Gladiators. The game is fun to watch as is, and there will always be a steady of stream of immortal young people to keep me entertained.

[Loco]

Originally Posted by regator

I mean would you hire a attorney who has brain damage?

know any that don't?

[VTGator]

Originally Posted by g8r925

Just sounds like a money grab to me, I knew when I played football that it was a violent sport. That is what draws young men and boys alike to it. Juniors death and the trauma that others have had will change the minds of a few parents and young men, but not enough to see a difference. Trying to bring a case with such a broad time span for injury will be hard to prove when in fact the injuries occurred and when the most damage was done to his brain.

This whole argument that will be brought up kind of reminds me of the people at one time that wanted to sue Mcdonald's for the heart attacks that they had suffered due to their obese weight. It all comes down to the choices that we make and knowing the ramifications of our decisions and choices.

A better analogy is tobacco companies and smoking. Caveat emptor did not protect the tobacco companies from litigation and it might very well not save the NFL.

The main question is what did the NFL know about the long-term risks associated with head trauma and when did they find out. It is telling that NFL formed the Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Committee in 1994 to study head injuries and denied long-term risks of concussions all the way until 2009 despite opposition from independent researchers. If the committee is found guilty of concealing negative health consequences of concussions, the NFL will be in a world of trouble.

[gatorfansrule]

I say take off all hard plastic padding and face masks. Lets see how hard they want to hit without their plastic shells.

[Dreamliner]

Originally Posted by VTGator

A better analogy is tobacco companies and smoking. Caveat emptor did not protect the tobacco companies from litigation and it might very well not save the NFL.

The main question is what did the NFL know about the long-term risks associated with head trauma and when did they find out. It is telling that NFL formed the Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Committee in 1994 to study head injuries and denied long-term risks of concussions all the way until 2009 despite opposition from independent researchers. If the committee is found guilty of concealing negative health consequences of concussions, the NFL will be in a world of trouble.

And interestingly it didn't put cigarettes out of business either. Maybe there's a lesson in there. Maybe football will go on, albeit as an activity *everyone now knows* can damage your health.

[G8R92]

Originally Posted by 350Z33

How can they prove his injury occurred during the NFL? Maybe it happened in college, high school, or earlier when the the brain is still developing. I think that's the route the NFL will take when it will have to defend itself and to be honest, it's a pretty legitimate question.

Good point. Most football players aren't exactly nuclear engineers to begin with.

[socraticsilence]

Originally Posted by Gulfsailinggator

I agree re: money grab. Caveat emptor. I think the scary part for NFL is the CTE. Dave duerson, Andre waters etc had this. It is not the concussions. It is the chronic disease from repetitive hits not causing concussions. Scary. Hey my kid plays baseball. Gonna stay that way

This is where its going to hurt the game-just like Boxing the talent stream wont stop entirely but it will be lower than in the past as more and more parents stop letting their kids lace it up, it will persist in the deep south, parts of the rust belt and Texas but I could see High School football being seriously curtailed in a lot of the country in the next few decades due to lack of interest, not lawsuits.

[NitroSmoke]

A kid on my son's 6th grade team got a really bad one this year. Hes a VERY good player and his Mom is likely going to X it from his activities. For good!!!! And shes not alone either. Ive even heard many of the Dads talk about the possibility. So its not just some over-protective Moms not wanting their "babies" hurt.

[tilly]

Originally Posted by NitroSmoke

A kid on my son's 6th grade team got a really bad one this year. Hes a VERY good player and his Mom is likely going to X it from his activities. For good!!!! And shes not alone either. Ive even heard many of the Dads talk about the possibility. So its not just some over-protective Moms not wanting their "babies" hurt.

My 2 year old little boy loves to play "football" on the living room floor. It consists of him running at me with his nurf football yelling "kackle me Dada" ...I was watching him watching a game a few weeks ago. He was so enthralled by it. I love it.

Yet....I don't know if I will ever to let him play. Heck I know I'm protective of his big sisters...but I find myself feeling as protective of him.

I simply don't know what I will do.

[cocodrilo]

Originally Posted by regator

Brad Culpepper is one of the players suing the NFL for head injuries.

I am not sure how that looks from his job as an attorney.

I mean would you hire a attorney who has brain damage?

Attorneys of all people should be familiar with the legal concept of assumed risk.

[Gatorrick22]

These shysters are going to turn the NFL into flag football.... after they rape them for all the money they can siphon. They're parasitic leaches.

[rivergator]

Originally Posted by g8r925

Just sounds like a money grab to me, I knew when I played football that it was a violent sport. That is what draws young men and boys alike to it. Juniors death and the trauma that others have had will change the minds of a few parents and young men, but not enough to see a difference. Trying to bring a case with such a broad time span for injury will be hard to prove when in fact the injuries occurred and when the most damage was done to his brain.

This whole argument that will be brought up kind of reminds me of the people at one time that wanted to sue Mcdonald's for the heart attacks that they had suffered due to their obese weight. It all comes down to the choices that we make and knowing the ramifications of our decisions and choices.

I don't think people knew the likelihood of permanent brain damage was nearly as high as it apparently is. You were worried about your knees.