Life After Football Death
Thirty Bills Unpaid
Posts: 16,881
I tried to find another thread where this might fit, failed, and decided to start this one given that.
In short, young collegiate football player dies fom brain trauma. Coaches negligent: ignoring concussion symptoms and emphatically imploring player to persist in violent contact drills.
Coaches initially tell a story different from the apparent truth- which is revealed by a teammate after the fact. The story the teammate tells paints coaches- in particular, one- as brutal.
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/feature/25281366/life-after-football-death
In short, young collegiate football player dies fom brain trauma. Coaches negligent: ignoring concussion symptoms and emphatically imploring player to persist in violent contact drills.
Coaches initially tell a story different from the apparent truth- which is revealed by a teammate after the fact. The story the teammate tells paints coaches- in particular, one- as brutal.
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/feature/25281366/life-after-football-death
"My brain's a good brain!"
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Comments
It's really sad how much people value winning a game. Where I went to high school football was priority number 1. Football players got out of trouble, football players that broke the rules that were key players would get in less trouble than players that didn't matter as much when they broke the rules.
The saddest story, though, is the one year when there was a bunch of injuries. First of all he overplayed the players so many of them were injured (one player was the quarterback, played every snap on defense, and was the place kicker/punter, so he literally played on every single play of the game). But as if the overplaying wasn't enough, he started calling kids who hadn't played football since middle school and asking them to join the team, kids that were out of shape and would be going head to head against the hard hitting stars of the opposing team: it made me sick to my stomach.
I think this kind of bullshit needs to be regulated and monitored MUCH more than it is. Don't over play the kids, take them the fuck out if they are hurt, bottom line, no fucking questions asked.
The football culture most often demands athletes play through pain. Whenever athletes complain of pain, they are humiliated to some degree: this forces athletes to endure discomfort when, in reality, discomfort is a bodily response to let our minds know there is a problem.
I can speak to a young athlete that was left crying on the side of the field, subjected to snide remarks and disgusted leers, while his knee was- unbeknownst to anyone at the time for lack of any sort of physical examination- ruptured. His parents took him to the hospital after practice where the extent of the injury was established.
I can speak of many more as well including one very high profile incident.
The coaches in these cases were all decent guys, but they are victims of the same culture to some degree. It's kind of like religious people growing up and taught to fear the Lord. Some people within the sport of football only know one way.
Yet at this school, its s necessary part of practice?
Corroberated stories by players and they aren't liable?
Who in their right mind believes its ok?
NCAA is more concerned about the money they can make TAX FREE than the monenies rightfully owed to these kids for poor teaching of the game that results in injury.
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
It encourages all the worst behaviors and squashes the good behaviors. One of the basic tenets of football is trying to hurt one another, and if you disagree with that, you have obviously never played football lol
Football is huge around here...well in Texas in general. I've made it a point to take my son to EVERY football camp within a 3 hour radius of us (if he wanted to go). Not so he can get better, but so they can learn from NFL and NCAA coaches and players on how to play safer. Safety is huge for my wife and i to allow him to play. They stress heads up football, and teach them different ways to play that have been shown to dramatically reduce concussions.
He did well enough he actually got invited to a development camp in Ohio back in July so we drove him up there for it. It was an awesome experience for him. The group is USA Football, and they were founded by the NFL.
Honestly, football has made him a better human being than he already was. It's taught him to put other people above himself. His coaches are exceptional men that serve as great role models, it has made him double down on school because I told him B's wouldn't cut it if he wanted to keep playing, It's made him focus on his health and keeps him physically active. It has taken some of his bad habits (laziness for one) and crushed them.
He could quit today though and I wouldn't care. But he won't. All summer long when other kids were sleeping in or on vacation, he got up on his own at 6am...went to conditioning...it wasn't even required. All summer long he did that. And the first week of August high school practice started and he still had to get up at 6am so he could go do those. He has such heart and such love for it and he is absolutely the kindest and most gentle kid I know.
The problem I have is that football is the worst of the sports that can provide such character.
RR has a positive experience with the sport for his so as well if I'm not mistaken.
I alluded to participants' mentality, but as Gambs pointed out... the usual cuprits rear their heads as well to damage the integrity of the sport: in particular... parents that might undermine the positive messages their child might have received from the appropriate people.
A community places pressure on coaches that, if influenced, can act badly in a leadership role responding to the pressure (developing tactics to neutralize an individual athlete on an opposing team... or encouraging excessive hitting like hitting the unsuspecting 'looky-loo' at the edge of a pile up).
Further, a community will often forget their opponent is comprised of kids just like the ones they are cheering for. Skilled opponents become faceless targets on the field and often, the subject of discussion and source for motivation prior to competition.
It's across the board too with just about all sports. Basketball, soccer and baseball is the absolute WORST of all. When my son played baseball a few years ago, one of the parents on the other team actually yelled to his kid "TAKE THE HIT!!!"...meaning don't move out of the way of a wild pitch. Get hit, so you can get the walk. I thought my freaking head was going to explode I was so pissed.
Football is all about hitting the other guy as hard as you can, and baseball parents are seriously calm compared to Football parents.
As 30B said we were/are a football and big sports family.
My brother played college and pro baseball,My son since he was 5 played contact sports at a high competitive level .Hockey and Football were his sports.I was involved with coaching multiple sports and was involved in college recruiting for many years.Plus I was an athlete .All voluntary.
So when it comes to kids growing up with sports and the affects both positive and negative I've lived it and can shed a little light on it.
First of all yes there are injuries.My son has had 2 concussions,a torn Hamstring,dislocated throwing shoulder,busted ankle,skate blade gashes and multiple knocked out teeth,tweeted knee and busted digits.So it's true it takes it toll.But any responsible coach or adult would not sweep these issues under the rug and would seek immediate care for the child/athlete.Thats just being a good parent and caring coach.
Yes there are assholes involved with kids sports but many more who really,really care.
The positives far trump the nonsense one of you guys are saying.
Because of sports my son made lifelong friends,Learned crucial leadership,hard work and teamwork values.pushed himself to train and better himself instead of going out to party.Studied like crazy and kept a 3.7 honors gpa.Used his athletic talents to get into some of the best schoolsand programs in the country.On full scholarship.
If you don't think high level athletes don't have many doors open for them in the buisness world your crazy.It has at an unreal level.
Bottom line is it made him a better man.And it was all him ,not us.We were support that's all.So when people harp on not letting little jr play these rough games I shake my head.I get it that it's not right for every kid but for many it is an absolute blessing,others it's the only key to better themselves.We should not be so quick to just think it's a bunch of meatheads with idiot parents.