PBS Broadcast: League of Denial: The NFL Concussion Crisis

[jerrym]

Please excuse me for including this under the Argos threads but I believe that the following broadcast raises disturbing questions about concussions not only about the NFL, but the CFL, the NHL and any contact sport at the professional, college and even the high school or younger levels.
The PBS Frontline put on a program tonight entitled "League of Denial: The NFL Concussion Crisis". It can be viewed at:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/league-of-denial/

Here is part of one commentary on the program:

It’s so huge that the NFL has been able to muscle ESPN out of participating in this project (http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/9745797/new-book-league-denial-says-nfl-used-resources-power-two-decades-deny-football-link-brain-damage),League of Denial, on which the network had been collaborating with Frontline. ... It’s hardly surprising that the NFL can pressure ESPN to withdraw from League of Denial: in fact, it only reinforces this report’s argument, that the NFL, a many-pronged, multi-billion dollar enterprise, has been manipulating and manufacturing truths for decades, buying expert “opinions” and public support, and buying time as well. ...
It’s this last bit that League of Denial means to open up, especially, the NFL’s effects as a merchandising machine on college, high school, and even younger players. If only ten percent of mothers might be convinced that their sons should not play football, suggests one NFL representative to Omalu, “That is the end of football.” It sounds dire, and perhaps that is the end, eventually, but for now, League of Denial suggests a shorter term goal, one that might reshape the game, but will certainly change the NFL, its self-representation, its commitment to its players.

http://www.popmatters.com/review/175759-frontline-league-of-denial-the-nfls-concussion-crisis/

[Wobbler]

I watched this last night and thought it was quite excellent (as Frontline generally is). The early data showing a surprisingly high incidence of CTE is very troubling. Although professional football won't be significantly affected in the near future, the sport has a big problem long-term. I'll be very surprised if the number of kids playing contact football doesn't start to drop in the next few years.

[1argoholic]

Man I forgot to watch. Frontline is a killer show. Haven't seen it since moving west. I know that our friends son plays Midget football on Vancouver Island and he's suffered at least one concussion last year as a bantam. Tell me that UFC type fighters won't be jello heads in a few years. Kicks and punches to the head as well as being slammed to the mat can't help.

Just look at NHL or pro football from 20 years ago and compare to today. The guys are all stronger and faster. Head contact has to be worse. No amount of equipment will stop concussions. Love watching sport but the older I get the more concern I have for the players.

[Argo57]

My son played Atom tackle house league (9-10 year old) last year, our team alone had three concussions and an ambulance on the field when one of our players got a "stinger" while making a tackle. I wasn't heartbroken when my boy decided not to play this year!!

[ArgoRavi]

I watched the program tonight and it is sobering. The NFL got off lightly with that lawsuit with former players that they settled recently too.

[Mulder]

Started watching last night, said 2 hours! But then couldn't put it down. Really shocking how the NFL is in such a state of denial.

[Wobbler]

How much brain research has the CFL funded? I'd say there is plenty of denial going around.

[ArgoRavi]

How much brain research has the CFL funded? I'd say there is plenty of denial going around.

I believe that the CFL has been involved in some brain research for some time now. A major difference between the two leagues is that the CFL, to my knowledge, has never made the kinds of claims that the NFL has that there are no long-term effects of concussions.

[Wobbler]

According to this ESPN article from last year (http://m.espn.go.com/general/story?storyId=8274837&src=desktop), the CFL has not funded any brain research. Since this is Canada, I doubt that anyone is asking them tough questions; I wouldn't give *too* much credit for the lack of public denials.

[ArgoRavi]

According to this ESPN article from last year (http://m.espn.go.com/general/story?storyId=8274837&src=desktop), the CFL has not funded any brain research. Since this is Canada, I doubt that anyone is asking them tough questions; I wouldn't give *too* much credit for the lack of public denials.

I don't give the CFL too much credit as nobody has called them on the carpet for the concussion issue. What is interesting his how the concussion issue in Canada seems to revolve much more around hockey than it does football which has certainly been to the CFL's benefit.

As I was watching that doc last night, I remember when Matt Dunigan was forced to retire as a player in 1996 after sustaining his 12th (?) concussion. I don't recall hearing much about concussions prior to that but that seemed to be a turning point of sorts in Canada as far as media attention towards this topic. I can recall some neurologists at the time talking about the cumulative and long-term effects of concussions and this was in 1996!

[Ron]

I watched the program tonight and it is sobering. The NFL got off lightly with that lawsuit with former players that they settled recently too.

I wonder if you'd change your tune if the CFL got hit with a big lawsuit like this that threatened to close it down.

[ArgoRavi]

I wonder if you'd change your tune if the CFL got hit with a big lawsuit like this that threatened to close it down.

If there were the same kind of evidence against the CFL, I would feel the same way. Furthermore, the lawsuit against the NFL would have hardly closed that league down even if the former players had been successful in getting the $2 billion that they were asking for (IIRC). The settlement was something like $765 million which is a figure that the NFL will barely even notice and, on top of that, they didn't even have to acknowledge any wrongdoing.