Sadly, the final topic for our blog was obvious due to recent unfortunate events. Junior Seau, former
linebacker for The San Diego Chargers committed suicide by gunshot wound to
the chest on May 2, 2012. Speculation from several different news broadcasters
suggested that his suicide might be caused by brain damage similar to other
football players. No suicide note, no previous hints of depression, and the
wound site gave hints to the broadcasters that Seau wanted his brain studied.
According to the
Associated Press report published on the US News and World Report website (May 2, 2012), Gina
Seau, his ex-wife, said that he had many concussions during his career. Yet the league and his previous team said that there was no evidence of previous concussions. The article mentions that in October, 2010
after a domestic violence incident involving his girlfriend, he went off a
cliff in his SUV. He told authorities that he fell asleep. The May 3, 2012 USA Today
article about Seau’s death provides more information about the incident and
quotes Shawn Mitchell (San Diego Charger’s Chaplain): “I’m used to people who
are close to suicide; (the 2010 incident) wasn’t a suicide attempt.”
Susan Milligan’s
blog in US News and World Report(May 3, 2012) contains a question that needs to be answered.
She wonders if all the hits, if all the concussions by professional and college
ball players experience have a long term effect. She also mentions that perhaps
football has become a more violent game due to the use of painkillers, and
extra padding. And yes, she does mention the “bounties” scandal, and suggests
stronger penalties on “damaging hits on the field.”
ESPN.com reported on
May 5, 2012 that Junior Seau’s family is no longer affirming that they will
allow researchers to examine his brain for concussion damage. The Brain Injury
Research institute had requested that the family donate Seau’s brain. Boston
University’s Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy did not tell the
reporters if they had been in touch with the family. This is a private matter and it should be the family's decision.
Even without the examination of Seau's brain, the lawsuits between the National Football League and greater than 1,000 former players will bring the issue of concussion to the attention of the public. At issue are the questions of why the NFL did not tell the players about the dangers of cumulative concussions and why treatment is not more comprehensive today.
Even without the examination of Seau's brain, the lawsuits between the National Football League and greater than 1,000 former players will bring the issue of concussion to the attention of the public. At issue are the questions of why the NFL did not tell the players about the dangers of cumulative concussions and why treatment is not more comprehensive today.
The NFL and Seau's family aren't the only parties affected over these questions of safety. Parents whose children play football are also beginning to rethink their choice of sport. Kurt Warner said he wanted his children to "find another sport to participate in", and that "the thought of his sons playing football 'scares me.'"[1] But some parents aren't deterred by the evident dangers of football. The
article on Rex Ryan’s endorsement of his injured son Seth’s continued
football career focuses mainly on Ryan’s wishes rather than Seth’s own
decision. Ryan seems to justify his position by invoking masculinity:
“It takes ‘somebody special’ to play the game.”[2] The language employed by
Ryan suggests that any injuries are the fault of those injured, and
those who let a little thing like a concussion stop them from playing
football are weak and unmanly. “I love the sport,” says Ryan (emphasis ours), but his son’s opinion, probably informed by his concussion, is not shared.[3] Now that the dangers of playing football are more widely known as a result of Seau's death, we as a country need to have a frank discussion and determine whether the slim possibility of our children's athletic stardom is more noble a goal than protecting them from the very real possibility of serious injury and brain damage.
[1] http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/redskins/jets-rex-ryan-supports-son-playing-football-despite-concussion-injury-concerns-in-sport/2012/05/05/gIQAtBs93T_story.html
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid.