Posted on 09/12/2014 11:45:41 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
The NFL believes that nearly three in 10 former players will develop debilitating brain conditions, and that they will be stricken earlier and twice as often as the general population.
The disclosure Friday comes in data the league prepared for its proposed $765 million settlement of thousands of concussion lawsuits.
Both the league and players' lawyers estimate that 28 percent of the retirees will develop Alzheimer's disease, moderate dementia or more serious neurological problems.
That would represent nearly 6,000 of the 19,000 living former players. Dozens of them could develop Lou Gehrig's or Parkinson's disease.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
Three 20th century consumer products come to mind: antiperspirants, cake mix, and toothpaste. The first two used to be laden with a powdered aluminum drying agent which has been linked to Alzheimers, and the latter used to be packed in leaded tubes.
Alzheimers at least seems to be letting up a bit:
http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/press_article.php?pressReleaseID=1156
“Fewer cases of dementia reported in developed nations suggests possibility of prevention and risk reduction”
It seems to vary with the individual. But overall they have made incredible strides in IBD areas since the ‘old days’. Remicade was a breakthrough and the biotic stuff, if gross to think about, seems to have helped many.
I’m fairly skeptical of that, can you provide a link?
Everybody knows it.
Not only that. Football is All American and you know how our leftist enemies hate anything All American.
Did you see the uptick in stories last time the World Cup (soccer) was taking place? Liberals were pumping it. Why? They want America to take up a sport where they will be forced to play international teams.
you stated: Something is going on, and I don’t think it’s football
Yes you are right - it’s called redefining terms. I read or heard the other day that 1 in 50 kids now have autism. I would like to know the definition of autism in 1960 and the definition of autism in 2010. I’d bet there is a big difference.
Try reading a statement put out by this current White House and then try to have some understanding of exactly what they meant. What they say and what they mean are often miles apart.
I don't have a medical degree and if,by chance,you don't either than perhaps we should leave judgments like yours up to those who do.
Indeed. Suddenly every kid has a behavior problem and a social worker. A lot of that diagnosis redefinition had nothing to do with medical and everything to do with political.
Then perhaps you'll cite about a dozen research studies.By "everybody" I assume you mean everybody in the medical community.
Looks as if they could have provided some actual statistsical comparisons to the general population rather than that general statement.
And they didn't start playing pro football, or football in general thirty or forty years ago. Pro football started well before WWII. The first pro football players have died of old age. Looks like there'd be a fair sized population of former players to study and generate stats from.
Lots of assumptions and generalities and not many well supported facts.
“Football has a lot of enemies in the Left because they see it as an old throw-back to militaristic mindset.”
In this case it sounds like a bunch of NFL ex-players who burnt through all their money have hired lawyers to try to get more cash.
Just basic greed.
I don’t think widespread use of steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs is good for long-term mental clarity either.
True. Look at how many ex-NFLs in their 50s and 60s can barely walk. Hip and knee replacements are common. Now combine that with what we are learning about repeated blows to the head, and fewer guys in high school--and thus college, and thus the pros--will be playing football. At least guys who have better career options and want to live a long and healthy life.
And if that happens where will the NFL draw their players from 10 or 15 years from now.
The same demographic as professional boxing.
I would be very dubious of any connection between head hits, dementia and earl onset in an offensive lineman. I am sorry your friend passed so early but I also played college football as a running back. Took a lot of hits for many years and delivered a lot as well. 63 now and IQ same as it was the day I enlisted in the Army.
I am thinking that certain percent of the population is susceptible to dementia due to heritability and concussions can accelerate the progress but if you live long enough your neuronal network is most likely gonna go down for good.
Does your insider knowledge tell you this is not relevant?
Is it your assumption that only boxers, football players, and other contact sports players are accounting for all this?
A broad spectrum of the public is contracting this illness.
One factoid that should speak volumes to you, is that approximately 66% of those contracting Alzheimer's are women.
How many women boxers and football players are you aware of?
Here:
The danger of working on the inside, is that sometimes everyone forgets to look on the outside. That's all I'm saying here. Yes, you are seeing what you believe is a direct result, because you see this population base. I'm not arguing there isn't an increase. There is across the board. It's not just athletes or those with impact injuries at all.
Back when football players were 5’10”-6’2”and 180-220 pounds, and not propelling themselves into each other quite as fast, the impact of the collisions was less.
No one said concussive force is the only cause of dementia. Try to use reasoning skills.
I signed the permission slip for my son to play high school football 10 years ago. I’m not so sure I’d do it today, knowing what I now know.
One thing you need to keep in mind here, the people being hit are also bigger than they used to be. It’s all relative. If there weren’t more injuries back then, why would there be more now, sizes relatively comparative?
Agreed. That is definitely part of it.
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