Jim McMahon, 6 others sue NFL over concussions

CBS News ^ | 8/20/2011 | Staff

[FlingWingFlyer]

I’m happy if I can still remember what I’m looking for after I find my glasses.

LOL! Been there, done that. I'm glad to hear that it's normal.

[discostu]

From my reading the suits are predicated on the league publishing a report that lied about the concussion risks, both the risks of getting them at all and the risk of permanent damage once you have one. Everybody knew there was some level of risk, but if the league actually did lie to them about that level of risk they’ve got a case.

[Dem Guard]

"One persons solution was to go back to leather helmets! His reasoning is that heads would not be used as weapons any more, and less injuries would happen as a result."

Well there are two ways the can go. Eliminate helments entirely to deter head use, or wrap their heads in foam rubber about the size of bean bag. (Like Jack from Jack in the Box.)

[Travis McGee]

54 years young here, Boomer Class of 1957.

Can still run though. I'm blessed. 28th wedding anniversary today.

[Figment]

Be a man Jim, walk it off

[RGF]

Interesting book on the subject by Gay Culverhouse, former President of the Tampa Bay Bucs. It’s called Throwaway Players: Concussion Crisis From Pee Wee Football to the NFL. Pretty appropriate title.

[heye2monn]

<<>>> “Isn’t a voluntary assumption of a known risk?” >>>

Absolutely! McMahon knew it was an extremely violent game. He made millions off that violence.

All of sudden, he says, why didn’t the league tell me it was violent?

[tal hajus]

In the rare event you find yourself on the floor do you look around for things you need to do while you’re down there?

[gorush]

If I’m on the floor I’m doing my back exercises. :{(

[Leavemealone]

So you’re saying it’s the modern helmet that’s at fault.

Why aren’t they suing the helmet manufactures?

We all know the answer to that, they don’t have near the money the NFL does.

[dancusa]

Maybe Obama can appoint a commission to shut down the NFL.

Obama will also appoint a czar to prevent people running with scissors.

[Loud Mime]

The sad fact about this is that the lawyers running this lawsuit will make more than the players will.

Get rid of the helmet and the shoulder pads. Rugby can do it, so can the NFL.

....and yes, I played Rugby for eight years. years. years. years.

[Loud Mime]

McMahon’s problem is going to be proving he wasn’t messed up in the head before he entered the NFL.

---

Darn, where was it that he went to college? I forget.... ;^)

[hattend]

Happy anniversary!

[Northern Yankee]

“forgets why he entered a room”

Hell... I've been doing that for years. At least he knows he entered a room.

[RichInOC]

BYU. I have no idea how that happened. Did they know what they were getting?

[Alberta's Child]

The helmets aren't a problem at all. Helmets are designed primarily to prevent head injuries such as skull fractures. A concussion is more of a "whiplash" injury that results from the brain moving inside the skull due to the sudden movement (or change in movement) of the head. There isn't a helmet in the world that can ever prevent that.

I can sympathize with players who have legitimate complaints about the treatment they received when they were injured in the NFL, but the long-term impacts of a lot of these head injuries weren't always well understood in sports. Things are changing now, but I'm not sure players like McMahon have a strong legal case here.

[Cyber Liberty]

Outrageousness!

[goodwithagun]

When scissors are outlawed, only outlaws will have scissors.

[lonestar]

Troy Aikman had several concussions, IIRC.