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[smokeymicpot]

Wasn't there a big piece in SI about Hernandez and how his personality basically changed when he his father died suddenly when he was 16. He'd already been playing football for 8 years or so at that point.

That was the thing that set him up on a downward path. His dad died when he was 16 and at 17 started doing stupid shit in College.

 

[XiaNaphryz]

But college and high school football are equally at fault and i think people will start to move away. My oldest is 13, had a coach begging him to play and he knows we ain't having it.

We're already starting to see the effect now. Some high school football teams are already having to disband because they don't have enough players. Parents aren't letting their kids participate, or the kids themselves are pursuing other sports instead by choice. If the supply at the high school level starts to dwindle, it will inevitably affect the college and NFL ranks.

Example stories:

http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/08/...t-marin-high-school-to-drop-varsity-football/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/spor...3b6516-836e-11e7-82a4-920da1aeb507_story.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/spor...275c3a-8480-11e7-ab27-1a21a8e006ab_story.html

And these aren't necessarily small schools. That first link, the school has nearly 1500 students and is in the SF Bay Area.

 

[peteykirch]

Mike Francesa is absolutely confused as to how Aaron Hernandez had SEVERE CTE when he pretty much played WR, and only was in 38 NFL games could end up with what a report is saying is the worst CTE ever diagnosed.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

Mike Francesa is absolutely confused as to how Aaron Hernandez had SEVERE CTE when he pretty much played WR, and only was in 38 NFL games could end up with what a report is saying is the worst CTE ever diagnosed.

That's because Mike Francesca is a huge Fucking moron.

 

[K-Gun]

Pitching is a weak comparison. Damaging your arm/elbow isn't the same kind of long term quality of life concern as CTE. Boxing and man, sure, but when you have youth and pee wee boxing/mma, where kids are bashing each other's skills in, or public funded high school boxing/mma, where again, teens are concussing each other on a regular basis, your comparison might be valid, and I'm sure the outcry would be equal.

You have high school kids bashing their heads against the floor via HS Wrestling, against the boards in HS Hockey (my mother would not let me play at all even though I loved the sport). Your body is not meant to do a lot of things, it's not just football. Public awareness is crucial, people will hopefully make informed decisions in the future, although that won't stop them from making bad ones, and things will self correct.

But as long as people show up to watch the next GGG/Canelo fight then some young guns are going to bash each others heads in for a chance at stardom.

 

[peteykirch]

That's because Mike Francesca is a huge Fucking moron.

His logic is he didn't play OL, or Defense so he wasn't smashing into another 300lb person for 50 snaps a game.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

You have high school kids bashing their heads against the floor via HS Wrestling, against the boards in HS Hockey (my mother would not let me play at all even though I loved the sport). Your body is not meant to do a lot of things, it's not just football. Public awareness is crucial, people will hopefully make informed decisions in the future, although that won't stop them from making bad ones, and things will self correct.

But as long as people show up to watch the next GGG/Canelo fight then some young guns are going to bash each others heads in for a chance at stardom.

I generally agree with you, but you understand that the way football is ingrained as a sport in this country from the time kids can walk is going to garner a lot more attention? As long as people are being made aware, and able to make smart, educated decisions on behalf of their kids and themselves, that's the goal. I think the problem is the NFL has actively worked to prevent that information from getting out. It's not all that different from the tobacco lobbies trying to hide links to cancer.

 

[MugiwaraCole]

His logic is he didn't play OL, or Defense so he wasn't smashing into another 300lb person for 50 snaps a game.

What an idiot.

Dude had been playing organized tackle since he was at least 8. As a guy who made it to the NFL, he was likely the best athlete on every team he played on till he got to college, meaning he played a bit of everything. There's no accounting for how much time his programs spent harping on (relatively) safe technique and how many freak hits he took himself. He very likely just suffered a perfect storm of injuries.

 

[kmfdmpig]

His logic is he didn't play OL, or Defense so he wasn't smashing into another 300lb person for 50 snaps a game.

In the recent study a kicker and punter were found to have had CTE. Considering how rarely they are tackled or hit that's a very troubling sign that even a few hits can cause long term damage.
With Hernandez, however, if the argument is that CTE is what turned him into a murderous piece of shit then he must have gotten it well before the NFL as he had been trash for a long time before even getting to the NFL.

 

[XiaNaphryz]

His logic is he didn't play OL, or Defense so he wasn't smashing into another 300lb person for 50 snaps a game.

He's also dismissing just how many hours of practice time is involved. It's not like players only see impacts, collisions, and falls to the turf on game day. And not just weekly practice leading up to the game, there's also all the off-season practices and training camps.

 

[K-Gun]

I generally agree with you, but you understand that the way football is ingrained as a sport in this country from the time kids can walk is going to garner a lot more attention? As long as people are being made aware, and able to make smart, educated decisions on behalf of their kids and themselves, that's the goal. I think the problem is the NFL has actively worked to prevent that information from getting out. It's not all that different from the tobacco lobbies trying to hide links to cancer.

Totally agree with you about the sport being front and center, actually deleted a line in my original post about that, but I think your last two sentences are why folks should crucify the league. Their stance and behavior are unacceptable/despicable. We've seen HoF players reduced to nothing, most fans know what this sport does to players, but to go out of your way to hide it, disgusting. I know they have to protect their business, but how about warning the public and addressing this shit instead of sending packs of lawyers to threaten researchers.

 

[JABEE]

This part was especially horrifying and tragic. Like they were aware something was wrong with their heads, but couldn't do anything about it

Same thing with Andre Waters.

 

[MugiwaraCole]

In the recent study a kicker and punter were found to have had CTE. Considering how rarely they are tackled or hit that's a very troubling sign that even a few hits can cause long term damage.
With Hernandez, however, if the argument is that CTE is what turned him into a murderous piece of shit then he must have gotten it well before the NFL as he had been trash for a long time before even getting to the NFL.

Unsurprising. Those players are rarely hit, but when they are, they're usually rocked. And they're not as used to the contact.

 

[BlazinSkatinAxel]

Tioneb Sirhc had CTE too.

 

[Random Painted HIghway]

Cte? This is perhaps the least surprising news regarding Hernandez I've read since he was initially arrested.

 

[StanleyStutters]

CTE is really scary stuff. I would say that based on his history, Hernandez was likely on the wrong path regardless of if he ever played football. It's scary to think how much of his rage was escalated by CTE and how many players, from kids to the NFL, are suffering injuries that will destroy their lives in the future.

Hopefully, they are able to find a way to test for this on living people. I wonder how many current players would be willing to get tested for it.

 

[peteykirch]

He's also dismissing just how many hours of practice time is involved. It's not like players only see impacts, collisions, and falls to the turf on game day. And not just weekly practice leading up to the game, there's also all the off-season practices and training camps.

But to be fair, at least for Aaron Hernandez he's in the new school camp where the rules on hitting at practice have been greatly intensified, to the point it rarely happens anymore compared to say the 80s and 90s.

 

[shira]

Would the NFL work as Sports Entertainment like the WWE?

 

[Rommel]

We're already starting to see the effect now. Some high school football teams are already having to disband because they don't have enough players. Parents aren't letting their kids participate, or the kids themselves are pursuing other sports instead by choice. If the supply at the high school level starts to dwindle, it will inevitably affect the college and NFL ranks.

Example stories:

http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/08/...t-marin-high-school-to-drop-varsity-football/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/spor...3b6516-836e-11e7-82a4-920da1aeb507_story.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/spor...275c3a-8480-11e7-ab27-1a21a8e006ab_story.html

And these aren't necessarily small schools. That first link, the school has nearly 1500 students and is in the SF Bay Area.

I look forward to seeing these athletes on the baseball diamond.

 

[Renegade Frost]

CTE is really scary stuff. I would say that based on his history, Hernandez was likely on the wrong path regardless of if he ever played football. It's scary to think how much of his rage was escalated by CTE and how many players, from kids to the NFL, are suffering injuries that will destroy their lives in the future.

Hopefully, they are able to find a way to test for this on living people. I wonder how many current players would be willing to get tested for it.

Guess someone should do a full on Timeline of his descent into madness ala Serial

 

[DragonKnight]

They are going to look at O.J.'s brain when he dies and explain everything away with that. I don't look forward to that wall to wall coverage.

Serious disease and problem, I hope it's studied more and puts aspects in some context, without being a magic absolving wand.

Why are you still hung up on OJ. Thats what id like to know.

Why are people hung up on him in general, really?

 

[Brock Reiher]

I look forward to seeing these athletes on the baseball diamond.

I think statements like this should be enough to scare people into accepting non-tackle football.

 

[DragonKnight]

That's because Mike Francesca is a huge Fucking moron.

And his job literally depends on him doing everything is his power to discredit C.T.E. and its deleterious effects on NFL players.

 

[Vampfox]

We have evidence of Hernandez shooting people during his recruiting trip during highschool. Stop making excuses for a long time phsychopath.

I agree.
Personally I'm glad he's dead. He was a bad person who killed innocent people. He didn't deserve to live.

 

[charsace]

Not surprised he had it. Probably had it even before HS. I played for 2 years in HS and had my bell rung badly a few times, mostly in practice. My coach would just ask if your fine and leave you laid out on the sideline for the rest of practice. There were times I got hit and forgot where I was.

The guys that did the most violent things in HS were usually guys that played football at some point. Hernandez doesn't surprise me at all. The guy did some bad shit and for sure the head trauma had something to do with it.

I would love to know if War Machine has CTE.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

I agree.
Personally I'm glad he's dead. He was a bad person who killed innocent people. He didn't deserve to live.

Who is making excuses for him? Why is trying to find contributing factors for why something happened characterized as an "excuse"? Is it because science is hard? And saying "he was a bad person I'm glad he's dead!" is mindnumblingly easy?

 

[LifEndz]

i don't listen to lebatard, what is his stance?

That football is essentially human cockfighting and while he enjoys it, he's becoming more and more uncomfortable with seeing the effects of football both during a game where people are being carted off the field and postcareer where people are committing suicide and begging for science to study their brains to determine what playing football did to them.

 

[buttery fistful]

Would the NFL work as Sports Entertainment like the WWE?

As a bettor, it sometimes feels just as scripted..

 

[Doc Holliday]

We have evidence of Hernandez shooting people during his recruiting trip during highschool. Stop making excuses for a long time phsychopath.

NFL players usually start playing football long before they go pro.

 

[Linkura]

More evidence that football needs to be banned. He was only 23 when he stopped playing and already had a severe case of CTE. Honestly makes me feel bad for him despite all he did. There's no doubt in my mind the brain damage influenced his behavior.

 

[KHarvey16]

Good luck with that lawsuit - this is a pure PR stunt considering her damages are loss of consortium and he had just been sentenced to life in prison. You aren't going to be able to show a but for cause her and even if you could, there would be no damages since he was sentenced to life in prison. Also, murdering people tends to cut off your damages.

Case was under appeal and I have no idea at all why you think his conviction would prevent someone from suing.

 

[DragonKnight]

I agree.
Personally I'm glad he's dead. He was a bad person who killed innocent people. He didn't deserve to live.

Not that im defending Aaron, but if he truly was a psychopath due to his individual brain chemistry does that really make him a person who didnt deserve to live? Sounds like he got the shitty fucking end of a stick. Just saying that its not as black abd white as you are making it out to be.

Definitely not issues Id want to have or struggle with thats for fucking sure.

 

[BlastProcessing]

Nor is it for boxing, mma, pitching in baseball, can probably name others but there's no point.

Getting Tommy John surgery doesn't make you fly into fits of rage or forget your children's names. The physical risks of Baseball fit in a fundamentally different category.

 

[MugiwaraCole]

I feel like football is just gonna become more and more for impoverished kids looking for a way out. Which makes me sad.

Getting Tommy John surgery doesn't make you fly into fits of rage or forget your children's names. The physical risks of Baseball fit in a fundamentally different category.

No, but, getting popped in the face with a baseball might.

Vastly different circumstances, of course.

 

[Doc Holliday]

I don't know if CTE had anything to do with Hernandez being a fucking murderer, but I do know that he;s not the only NFL player who did crazy shit and also had CTE.

Just look at Junior Seau and Jovan Belcher.

 

[Linkura]

Not surprised he had it. Probably had it even before HS. I played for 2 years in HS and had my bell rung badly a few times, mostly in practice. My coach would just ask if your fine and leave you laid out on the sideline for the rest of practice. There were times I got hit and forgot where I was.

The guys that did the most violent things in HS were usually guys that played football at some point. Hernandez doesn't surprise me at all. The guy did some bad shit and for sure the head trauma had something to do with it.

I would love to know if War Machine has CTE.

I'm sure he does tbh. All of this shit needs to be banned. There are plenty of sports that don't have this problem.

 

[offtopic]

American Football has more subconcussive hits, which make up the bulk of what may cause CTE.

I'm curious what happens with Soccer, though. I haven't seen many retired soccer players have issues like our guys. Have you?

Soccer isn't nearly as inherently violent as football where the goal on every play is bring someone down with a maximum amount of damage done to dislodge ball and demoralize. In high level football almost every play is a car accident that would put your average adult in the hospital.

In soccer most concussions occur from clash of heads, elbows to heads or knee/foot to head of a fallen player. A properly struck header wouldn't even register as subconcussive and that isn't what is causing CTE anyways.

I think we will see football mandate wrapping up to tackle within the next 10 years and helmets will become much more minimal.

 

[BlazinSkatinAxel]

Would the NFL work as Sports Entertainment like the WWE?

Chris Benoit had CTE.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

I feel like football is just gonna become more and more for impoverished kids looking for a way out. Which makes me sad.



No, but, getting popped in the face with a baseball might.

Vastly different circumstances, of course.

Getting popped in the face is not an inherent part of baseball. It's not supposed to happen. Sub concussive hits are inherent to football.

 

[Sato Koiji]

Mike Francesa is absolutely confused as to how Aaron Hernandez had SEVERE CTE when he pretty much played WR, and only was in 38 NFL games could end up with what a report is saying is the worst CTE ever diagnosed.

Hanging himself might have worsened the results of his brain check?

 

[The_Inquisitor]

I played soccer for 23 years. I am fairly worried I will have some form of CTE from the headers I made. Not as bad as a football player but I do bet I have some damage.

 

[BlazinSkatinAxel]

Don't worry man they just made flexible helmets

Is this going to stop a player's brain from hitting their own skull?

 

[SillyEskimo]

Convicted Murderer Aaron Hernandez had severe C.T.E.

 

[Hesh]

Sadly, I don't think this will change anything. Naysayers will just blame his criminal activity on something else or claim Hernandez's brain trauma is an outlier. I get the feeling that people won't realize how dangerous football is to the human brain until a player either drops dead or murders another player at the 50 yard line in the middle of a game. Then again, they'd probably find something else to pin the blame on so people can continue destroying their brains for their entertainment.

 

[TheSecondSpitter]

I'll bet anybody $5000 autopsy results will show OJ has it too

 

[Ninja Scooter]

Is this going to stop a player's brain from hitting their own skull?

If it's anything like boxing, the more cushion you add the more dangerous you probably make it.

 

[MugiwaraCole]

Is this going to stop a player's brain from hitting their own skull?

People seriously don't understand concussions mostly come from brains shaking around in our skulls. No helmet we can design will make football a safe sport for a human to play. Just is what it is.

Getting popped in the face is not an inherent part of baseball. It's not supposed to happen. Sub concussive hits are inherent to football.

Obviously. Hence the "vastly different circumstances" bit.

It's still a thing that happens.

 

[TheSecondSpitter]

If it's anything like boxing, the more cushion you add the more dangerous you probably make it.

Yeah just go back to leatherheads. It will make the football more exciting too

 

[GashPrex]

Case was under appeal and I have no idea at all why you think his conviction would prevent someone from suing.

Well I am a lawyer admitted in Maine, Mass and Fl, own a law firm, practice civil law and generally pay attention to current legal precedence - so I think I’m qualified to give an opinion.

Of course you completely mistate what I said - I never said he couldn’t sue, only that his damages will be limited or nonexistent because of his own bad acts, aka killing people even assuming he can prove causation. Also, his conviction was vacated because of a procedural rule, but the substantive evidence would still be admissible. Also I believe his other conviction still stands.

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

So you are saying research is not needed, weird.

...

How did you draw that conclusion from what I said?

Not sure why you're being so defensive.