Former Redskin/Steeler Antwan Randle El suffering memory loss

[Riggotoni]

Last week, it was Antwaan Randle El, a brilliant all-around player for the Steelers, who told a reporter for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that he has trouble walking down stairs and that, though he’s only thirty-six, his memory is failing. “I ask my wife things over and over again, and she’s, like, 'I just told you that.’ ”

Randle El is just one of many players to point out that the violent nature of the game—the focus of our guilty pleasure—is the same thing that breaks spines, shatters bones, renders middle-aged men demented. “I love the game,” he said. “But I tell parents you can have the right helmet, the perfect pads on, and still end up with a paraplegic kid.”

Sad news, regardless of how much he may have been a disappointment here.

Presidents and Football - The New Yorker

 

[Chris]

Pretty scary thing overall. Like multiple car accidents every game. Amazing that anyone survives it without suffering long term.

i wonder how much those fears affected his play at the end of his career. His punt return performances seemed to be.

 

[Goaldeje]

Yeah, frightening. My 11 year old son hasn't asked to play, but I know what the answer would be if he did ask.

Lots of interesting socio-economic ramification and parallels that this isn't the place to discuss. Suffice to say, it will be interesting to see how the trend continues and develops over the next 10-20 years.

 

[Goaldeje]

A lot of that comes from my wife. She would fight me tooth and nail over that one I think. As you said, if it was about MY happiness, I'd have a really hard time signing him up for that. If my son really loved playing football that much and it was important to him, it would be much harder.

But either way, if momma ain't happy...

 

[ntotoro]

Rundellell is the athletic director where Totorospawn #1 went to two years of preschool and Kindergarten and Totorospawns 2 and 3 will attend preschool next year. Heck of a nice guy. Shame to see things like this happen.

Nick

 

[Riggotoni]

Wierd thing is I don't think anybody had more collisions than Riggins, plus he was a heavy boozer, and he's still sharp as a tack now in his 70s.

 

[TomE]

Wierd thing is I don't think anybody had more collisions than Riggins, plus he was a heavy boozer, and he's still sharp as a tack now in his 70s.

Not quite, Riggo.......Born: Aug 04, 1949 (age 66)

 

[Solitary Man]

I wish there was data readily available on players affected by CTE before the NFL went to hard hats.
I believe the game would be safer if they went back to leather helmets. Guys would not launch themselves as much. Everyone knows this is true. There would be more broken noses and lost chicklets, unless they could figure out a way to protect the face with a softer helmet.

There probably would be a few more spinal injuries as well, although I am not sure about this, but the counter argument is that a few more people might die on the field. I believe there would be far fewer cases of guys blowing their chests off with shotguns, with notes reading "give my brain to CTE science". The pros outway the cons, IMO.

The NFL would hate to do this for several reasons. Admitting they have been wrong, would be the big one. Then, the shiny gladiator losing its head gear would also hurt their "brand".


You guys are a smart, mature bunch here on BGO. Other boards, I would readily face people that would argue the players knew what they were getting into. Really? They knew that if their brains took enough sub concussive hits that 5 or 10 years after they retire, they would beg their families to leave the house so that no one else gets shot? Getting them to admit that CTE even exists was a challenge.

 

[stevenaa]

My wife wanted my son to play. I told her we would not encourage or influence him. He just turned 12 and plays Baseball and Basketball. I'm pretty set on not letting him play. Just not worth the risks.

 

[Fear The Spear]

Another football player dies, likely as a direct result from the sport.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf...nsive-end-solomon-jackson-dies-154420937.html

 

[ntotoro]

These are just babies now... what in the hell is going on?

My Wife is from Buffalo and got her undergrad at UB. I wonder if she has gotten any notification about this.

Nick