The NFL’s $100 Million Concussion Initiative Is Pointless. Commissioner Roger Goodell wants you to believe he cares about concussions, but the record says otherwise

[rangerrebew]

The NFL’s $100 Million Concussion Initiative Is Pointless
Commissioner Roger Goodell wants you to believe he cares about concussions, but the record says otherwise
This guy again... — Getty Images
By Robert Silverman
Sep 14, 2016 at 12:15 PM ET

Roger Goodell really, really cares about player safety. He cares so much about the well-being of NFL players that he—and by “he” we mean “an entire squadron of public relations lackeys and lawyers”—wrote a nice open letter titled, “NFL Commitment To Player Health And Safety: A Letter from Commissioner Roger Goodell.”

Oh goody. Vocativ read the entire thing so you don’t have to. You’re welcome. There’s one bit of actual news contained therein: the NFL is throwing $100 million dollars at its newly-minted Play Safe, Play Smart initiative. How this all differs from the $45 million they spent funding “Heads Up Football,” an initiative which produced at best, questionable results, Goodell can’t or won’t explain. Further, by funding its own initiative rather than simply giving the money to medical researchers, the NFL retains the power to dictate the direction and bent of the initiative’s work.

Really, this is the same song and dance the NFL has been selling for years: “the science” will eventually rid football of much of the damage that comes hand-in-hand with playing the game. Trust us.

This bit is particularly delightful.

http://www.vocativ.com/359149/nfl-concussions-initiative-roger-goodell/

[driftdiver]

The NFL’s $100 Million Concussion Initiative Is Pointless
Commissioner Roger Goodell wants you to believe he cares about concussions, but the record says otherwise
This guy again... — Getty Images
By Robert Silverman
Sep 14, 2016 at 12:15 PM ET

Roger Goodell really, really cares about player safety. He cares so much about the well-being of NFL players that he—and by “he” we mean “an entire squadron of public relations lackeys and lawyers”—wrote a nice open letter titled, “NFL Commitment To Player Health And Safety: A Letter from Commissioner Roger Goodell.”

Oh goody. Vocativ read the entire thing so you don’t have to. You’re welcome. There’s one bit of actual news contained therein: the NFL is throwing $100 million dollars at its newly-minted Play Safe, Play Smart initiative. How this all differs from the $45 million they spent funding “Heads Up Football,” an initiative which produced at best, questionable results, Goodell can’t or won’t explain. Further, by funding its own initiative rather than simply giving the money to medical researchers, the NFL retains the power to dictate the direction and bent of the initiative’s work.

Really, this is the same song and dance the NFL has been selling for years: “the science” will eventually rid football of much of the damage that comes hand-in-hand with playing the game. Trust us.

This bit is particularly delightful.

http://www.vocativ.com/359149/nfl-concussions-initiative-roger-goodell/

Finding it really hard to care about the NFL anymore.

[Quix]

The brain is about the consistency of very partially set jello.

It doesn't take much to cause some damage. Some folks have torn their brains on an internal bone spur merely by turning their head too quickly too far.

Bungee jumpers are really risking damage too but that's why it is head down--the top of the skull is smoother with less risk than if they did it feet first.

High school football players are at risk, too. And certainly soccer players who hit the ball with their heads suffer damage. WHEN they do that, there WILL BE some damage. Repeatedly, greater damage.

Life is hazardous. But sports ought to not be soooo hazardous to our rather needful brains.

IIRC, a lot of the damage tends to occur in the frontal lobes . . . which, IIRC, among other things are needed for higher level functioning and particularly in relationship management types of judgments and processing.

It would be tough having a son or daughter who wanted to play football or soccer.

I'd AT LEAST give them a VERY THOROUGH education about the highly likely sorts of brain damage and the consequences. If I could, I'd have them watch a dozen videos of players and boxers before damage and afterwards.

And, I'd even seriously consider just preventing their playing.