The Death of Football

[DocZaius]

There isn't nearly enough research done on this to draw any surefire conclusions. Need a hell of a lot bigger sample size than that.

I'm going to encourage my 4 year old grandson to play and knock the block off of other kids.

In 50 years we'll all be walking around in bubble wrap, that is if the government hasn't banned walking by then.

Hope you leave him a large enough inheritance to pay for long-term nursing care.

 

[5-Star Finger]

https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/30/health/youth-football-cte-study/index.html

There are more potential unique combinations of neurons in the human brain than there are particles in the observable universe. What we "know" about the brain is pretty limited. If we use the analogy of energy usage technology we are just now getting to the stage when we are using a bow drill to make fire.

There are squared away neuroscience professionals that don't even believe there is enough scientific evidence to believe CTE is a legitimate disease:
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy is not a real disease

You've got to have academic credentials to get access to his recent full peer reviewed paper, but the authors have been working in the field for some time. Here's a summary of some of his earlier work: Do sports concussions really cause chronic traumatic encephalopathy?

The problems with the claims for CTE are legion. The samples are non-random - meaning the only times we've seen the determination that it is CTE is when families have detected neurological symptoms. Most of the media you see about this takes those numbers and applies it to the whole population of players - which we have absolutely no scientific reason for doing.

Similar to the "punch drunk" syndrome scare among boxers in the early part of the last century there are legion of things that can cause the described symptoms including alcohol and drug abuse not to mention prolonged periods of undiagnosed VD that is likely not revealed by the individuals to family members and friends and not treated by team doctors. I'm not saying you don't get TBIs from contact sports, clearly it happens. I'm saying that you can't link TBIs to the symptoms described as CTE, at least not yet the way the media portrays it as "settled science."

 

[DocZaius]

I get that the science isn't settled yet, I do. But there's something to it, and as much as I enjoy watching it, I'm not going to risk my kids' brains for it (not that they're at all interested). There's plenty of other sports they can play without risking brain damage.

 

[stephenPE]

The tobacco companies stonewalled for a long time, also. Ask Mike Webster's wife if she thinks he just lost his mind for natural causes.

 

[Pablos Tunnel]

Mike Webster was crazy to begin with. Loved watching him play. The most violent center to ever play. I fear though his repeated head trauma killed him. A tragic end.

 

[oxrageous]

Hope you leave him a large enough inheritance to pay for long-term nursing care.

This is flat-out embarrassing. How many millions have played football? And what percentage of those are crippled or are drooling vegetables as old men because of it? It is absolutely minuscule, so small you’d need a microscope to see it.

If people don’t want play football fine, quit trying to eff it up for everyone else.

 

[T REX]

There are more potential unique combinations of neurons in the human brain than there are particles in the observable universe. What we "know" about the brain is pretty limited. If we use the analogy of energy usage technology we are just now getting to the stage when we are using a bow drill to make fire.

There are squared away neuroscience professionals that don't even believe there is enough scientific evidence to believe CTE is a legitimate disease:
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy is not a real disease

You've got to have academic credentials to get access to his recent full peer reviewed paper, but the authors have been working in the field for some time. Here's a summary of some of his earlier work: Do sports concussions really cause chronic traumatic encephalopathy?

The problems with the claims for CTE are legion. The samples are non-random - meaning the only times we've seen the determination that it is CTE is when families have detected neurological symptoms. Most of the media you see about this takes those numbers and applies it to the whole population of players - which we have absolutely no scientific reason for doing.

Similar to the "punch drunk" syndrome scare among boxers in the early part of the last century there are legion of things that can cause the described symptoms including alcohol and drug abuse not to mention prolonged periods of undiagnosed VD that is likely not revealed by the individuals to family members and friends and not treated by team doctors. I'm not saying you don't get TBIs from contact sports, clearly it happens. I'm saying that you can't link TBIs to the symptoms described as CTE, at least not yet the way the media portrays it as "settled science."

This post sounds like big tobacco talking to the public in the 50s and 60s.

 

[Back Alley Gator]

I get that the science isn't settled yet, I do. But there's something to it, and as much as I enjoy watching it, I'm not going to risk my kids' brains for it (not that they're at all interested). There's plenty of other sports they can play without risking brain damage.

Like soccer? ;)

 

[oxrageous]

This post sounds like big tobacco talking to the public in the 50s and 60s.

Good God, the nanny society train just keeps on rolling.

If you asshats think that football is truly this bad, in that it’s destroying lives, etc, then what does loving every minute of it say about you? Quit watching it and supporting it.

 

[Back Alley Gator]

How long until Godwin's law is illustrated?

 

[5-Star Finger]

This post sounds like big tobacco talking to the public in the 50s and 60s.

Not even close. The authors have no ties to the NFL and institutions like Oxford have published these people's studies of the studies - not industry groups. The studies right now are absolute junk scientifically. You can't take a non-random sample (not to mention an incredibly small one) and then make any kind of meaningful statement of fact. That's the exact opposite of what the research into tobacco use represented.

 

[oxrageous]

How long until Godwin's law is illustrated?

I did Nazi that coming.

 

[Back Alley Gator]

I did Nazi that coming.

Anne Frankly, its a bit out of mein kampfort zone...

 

[5-Star Finger]

Anne Frankly, its a bit out of mein kampfort zone...

 

[AuggieDosta]

Glad y'all are posting here in the ole US of A because in Germany...

 

[ChiefGator]

How long until Godwin's law is illustrated?

I had no idea what this might be. It should not be called a "law" nor even a "theory" more like a guess with little to no data to support it. And having it actually might make it more true as well.

 

[T REX]

Good God, the nanny society train just keeps on rolling.

If you asshats think that football is truly this bad, in that it’s destroying lives, etc, then what does loving every minute of it say about you? Quit watching it and supporting it.

 

[Back Alley Gator]

I had no idea what this might be. It should not be called a "law" nor even a "theory" more like a guess with little to no data to support it. And having it actually might make it more true as well.

Actually its just a question of statistics. The longer ANY conversation goes on the chance of ANYTHING being mentioned approaches 1. Our chatbox pretty much proves that daily.

 

[T REX]

Not even close. The authors have no ties to the NFL and institutions like Oxford have published these people's studies of the studies - not industry groups. The studies right now are absolute junk scientifically. You can't take a non-random sample (not to mention an incredibly small one) and then make any kind of meaningful statement of fact. That's the exact opposite of what the research into tobacco use represented.

My post was partly in jest. I will say that I believe when all is said and done they'll find a direct correlation. Might not be tomorrow or the next day but it would be naive to think that all those concussions don't have a negative effect on the brain.

 

[Back Alley Gator]

Thanks Coach. :)