NFL brain injury Congressional inquiry

[Al DeFlorio]

I was watching last night's edition of PBS's The Newshour tonight and caught clips of the testimony of a neurologist who has investigated former NFL players who have developed chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).  As she was speaking, they showed a picture of a brain scan from a former NFL player who developed CTE and noticed the name Thomas McHale at the bottom of the image.  This prompted a search where I found this: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090127165938.htm

Was I the only one here unaware of this tragic end for Tom?

[Jim Hyla]

I was watching last night's edition of PBS's The Newshour tonight and caught clips of the testimony of a neurologist who has investigated former NFL players who have developed chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).  As she was speaking, they showed a picture of a brain scan from a former NFL player who developed CTE and noticed the name Thomas McHale at the bottom of the image.  This prompted a search where I found this: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090127165938.htm

Was I the only one here unaware of this tragic end for Tom?

No, I'm unaware as well. I hope they clean it up.

[mnagowski]

I wrote about this a little while back when Tom's story was featured in the New Yorker:

http://www.metaezra.com/archive/2009/10/the_dangers_of_homecoming_and.shtml

The big concern with football -- other than whether or not we will ever win an outright Ivy title again -- is just how violent of a sport it is -- and how dangerous it can be for a player's long-term health. This week's New Yorker documents Tom McHale, a Cornell and NFL alum, who suffered from "ridiculously abnormal" brain trauma due to repeated football-induced concussions, and ultimately died of substance abuse at the age of 45.

I, for one, would really love to see an emphasis on tackling below the waist at all levels of the sport. Everybody just loves to smash their helmets into each other for some reason.

[BCrespi]

I wrote about this a little while back when Tom's story was featured in the New Yorker:

http://www.metaezra.com/archive/2009/10/the_dangers_of_homecoming_and.shtml

The big concern with football -- other than whether or not we will ever win an outright Ivy title again -- is just how violent of a sport it is -- and how dangerous it can be for a player's long-term health. This week's New Yorker documents Tom McHale, a Cornell and NFL alum, who suffered from "ridiculously abnormal" brain trauma due to repeated football-induced concussions, and ultimately died of substance abuse at the age of 45.

I, for one, would really love to see an emphasis on tackling below the waist at all levels of the sport. Everybody just loves to smash their helmets into each other for some reason.

Unfortunately, in a sport where every inch of extra yardage is so important, emphasizing tackling below the waste (except in some open field situations, and against the biggest backs) just won't happen.  Yards and wins are less replaceable than safeties and receivers.

[Josh '99]

I wrote about this a little while back when Tom's story was featured in the New Yorker:

http://www.metaezra.com/archive/2009/10/the_dangers_of_homecoming_and.shtml

The big concern with football -- other than whether or not we will ever win an outright Ivy title again -- is just how violent of a sport it is -- and how dangerous it can be for a player's long-term health. This week's New Yorker documents Tom McHale, a Cornell and NFL alum, who suffered from "ridiculously abnormal" brain trauma due to repeated football-induced concussions, and ultimately died of substance abuse at the age of 45.

I, for one, would really love to see an emphasis on tackling below the waist at all levels of the sport. Everybody just loves to smash their helmets into each other for some reason.

Unfortunately, in a sport where every inch of extra yardage is so important, emphasizing tackling below the waste (except in some open field situations, and against the biggest backs) just won't happen.  Yards and wins are less replaceable than safeties and receivers.

That being the case, and the NFL making as much money as they do, there's no excuse not to *at least* mandate the use of the best helmets and mouth guards available to prevent concussions.