PBS "Frontline: League of Denial (The NFL's Concussion Crisis)

Started watching this new documentary, it's very interesting and disturbing. I highly recommend to watch or DVR so check your local listings It will re-air again late tonight (early tomorrow morning?). The beginning feature on Mike Webster (Pittsburgh center during their 70's dynasty) is pretty compelling, his autopsy photos are nasty. The investigative reporters in charge of this doc. asked for and were denied participation of the Roger Goodell NFL administration. Steve Young is a featured interviewee.

There is an 8 minute video here with a clip from it I believe. Half way down the page.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sports/league-of-denial/the-autopsy-that-changed-football/

Yeah on top of these new rules I think it's time for Nike, Ridell, Bike and whoever else is making helmets to work harder on creating better helmets. Nike seems to be too worried about prettying up the helmets and uniforms instead of working harder on making the helmets better protect from concussions. The last 10-20 years Reebok and the other companies that worked with the NFL haven't really done much for player safety. Reebok never did much of anything. Start working on making pads and helmets better and stop worrying about making stuff shiny and pretty. I know there has been a little bit of progress but just not enough.

You may want to do a little research on just how many improvements have been made in this pretty helmets. They even have hemets now with sensors to let the players know how many and how severe of hits they have sustained to help keep an eye on cumulative hits.

Do they still use water helmets or is that showing my age? I remember this guy on my team had the hugest head imaginable. Almost every other player on the team could put his helmet on and spin it around on our heads. That helmet must have weighed 30 pounds.

Originally posted by kingairta:
You may want to do a little research on just how many improvements have been made in this pretty helmets. They even have hemets now with sensors to let the players know how many and how severe of hits they have sustained to help keep an eye on cumulative hits.

That just started like a year ago and the NFL isn't even using them yet. I believe it's being used in high school though. Not positive. By the way I said I know there have been some improvements but not nearly enough. There isn't a lot of difference between the helmet now and the helmet 30 years ago. At least not as much as their should be. I know a few players wear those helmets that are designed to help protect against concussions but if they did their job why hasn't he nfl made everyone wear one. I'd love to hear all the adjustments that have been made besides the sensors that aren't even in place yep and just became popular a year or 2 ago. I'd love to hear how padding has changed as well. I really don't think the companies have put much effort into making those better either. At least they are requiring players to wear knee and thigh pads. Knee pads, thigh pads, butt pads, shoulder pads, neck pads, etc... has there really been any change in these? The only thing I can think of is kevlar vests and rib protectors. My main point is with today's technology they are no where near where they should be with the helmets and pads. I know there have been a few improvements but haven't been enough.



Edit: and one other thing you see some guys not buckling both chin straps or having loose helmets. Last few years you see guys helmets coming off often. Well don't recall that happening as much in the early 2000s and before that. I wouldn't be surprised if some guys for comfort reasons don't have the proper fitting helmet.

Wow that Troy Aikman piece really shocked me, that's scary.

For the people that say the solution is wearing no helmets, I don't know about that. Steve Young and Troy Aikman both got concussed from getting hit in the head from someone's leg/knee.

Interesting as f**k. Everything Frontline does is gold, imo.

Should've been called League of Lies. "Denial" makes it sound like the NFL honchos were just in denial, but actually they covered up evidence of long-term consequences of concussions and that's why the NFL's settlement included keeping their files hidden.

PBS link to full documentary

Great watch. But I must say, does anybody go into football not knowing the dangers? You use your head like a battering-ram.... what do you think the consequence will be? I get the shady s**t by the NFL and it's disgusting. That aside, it's a violent game, every fan and player knows it. With violence comes injury, with injury comes the possibility of long term injury.

Originally posted by jreff22:
Great watch. But I must say, does anybody go into football not knowing the dangers? You use your head like a battering-ram.... what do you think the consequence will be? I get the shady s**t by the NFL and it's disgusting. That aside, it's a violent game, every fan and player knows it. With violence comes injury, with injury comes the possibility of long term injury.

well what sucks is the sport won't be the same in the future

Originally posted by DonnieDarko:

well what sucks is the sport won't be the same in the future

I don't want our guys downing antifreeze or eating bullets in 10-20 years. I would like to see and hear Willis talk normal during his HOF speech. Some things will change but the game will still be violent.

Originally posted by jreff22:

Originally posted by DonnieDarko:
well what sucks is the sport won't be the same in the future

I don't want our guys downing antifreeze or eating bullets in 10-20 years. I would like to see and hear Willis talk normal during his HOF speech. Some things will change but the game will still be violent.

if the game has to be changed then it has to be changed.

Anyone who hasn't watched it yet should. Here's the link just click play. It's 2 hours long almost but worth the watch.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/league-of-denial/

The NFL is just like any other big business. It's leaders are like politicians and its loaded with lawyers.

Like I said in my earlier post though it's time for Nike, Ridell, Bike, and whoever else makes helmets (and pads) to get the lead out and put more effort into making helmets that better protect against concussions and head trauma. For decades the NFL and the companies that they chose to make their equipment did little to improve safety. With today's technology there is no reason they are still wearing nearly the same helmets they were 30+ years ago. Same thing with pads. The new safety rules are only a part of making the game safer. The NFL makes billions; time to spend more on player safety technology and just overall taking better care of the players past and present. I know those players know the risk going in but not every players makes 50 million dollars. A lot of them don't even have enough to play their hospital bills post football.

I watched this show last night. Basically it shows that the NFL is concerned 100% about PROFITS and not about the actual players. Guys get injured and new stars emerge every year.

It really put the 765Million concussion settlement into perspective. 1. The settlement states the NFL does not admit to anything regarding football and head injuries. 2. ESPN alone pays the NFL 2 billion a year for tv and media deals. 3. 765milion is peanuts to the NFL.

Seeing the college and high school kids taking their lives after suffering head trauma from football is really sad. We will see if documentaries like this and books like "League of Denial" will prevent parents from putting their kids in football.