GQ Story Exposes The NFL's Cover-Up Of Brain Injuries To Retired Players

by August West on Sep 23, 2009 11:57 AM CDT in Tennessee Titans News Comment 5 comments

"How does a guy go from four Super Bowl rings to... pissing in his own oven and squirting Super Glue on his rotting teeth?"

That's the billion dollar question. Retired NFL players are suffering from dementia, depression and a slew of other seriously debilitating mental symptoms that are affecting the game's heroes at a freakishly high rate. The symptoms go way beyond the traditional 'punch drunk' diagnosis. It's killing them at very early ages. There's something serious going on here, and it's only going to get worse.

One forensic pathologist from Pittsburgh appears to have found the cause and wants to create a cure. Independent experts and colleagues have reviewed his work, and believe in his conclusions. So why is the NFL making it a mission to discredit and marginalize his research?

The answer is straight out of the tobacco company playbook, and it's disgusting. If you read one article this week, make it this one.

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That is the most disturbing thing I've read all week.

I had heard about the concussion summit last year, and assumed that the NFL was starting to come around on the issue.

But this sounds like this goes deeper than just concussions.

by hartley on Sep 23, 2009 1:05 PM CDT reply actions

A great read

But a disappointing one. Amazing what greed drives people to do.

by TheElusiveShadow on Sep 23, 2009 1:29 PM CDT reply actions

a reminder

of the heartless, vicious nature of a big corporation trying to protect it’s gravy train. i hope the bad press intensifies 100 fold until the nfl finally is forced to do the right thing. they have built an entertainment empire on the backs (and brains) of thousands of young men and it’s time they paid up. it’s great to hear that the courts threw the book at the NFL with the $1.5 million verdict to walker’s family. too bad that money came 4 years too late for it to do the 9-time Pro-Bowler any good. the nfl should be ashamed, both for the concussion cover up and for the ongoing injustice being done to NFL pensioners in general.

appointing a rheumatologist to run the their brain studies? what, they couldn’t find a single neurologist willing to accept money and say what the NFL wanted to hear? why not just appoint a pony show operator to be the head of FEMA? wait, that happened? ok bad example…

i would be interested to know at what point this kind of cover up can constitute criminal negligence. you also have to wonder how long they can keep this charade up of using bought and paid puppets with medical degrees to try and discredit a growing body of irrefutable evidence: something, whether it be steroids or concussions, is causing NFL players to suffer from cerebral degradation the likes of which experienced neurosurgeons, even those who have studied Alzheimer’s extensively, have never seen before.

it will also be interesting to see if this stuff gets any louder once the CBA negotiations really get going.

The Dual Threat, Official Enforcer/Stat Geek of MCM.

by hal41605 on Sep 23, 2009 1:58 PM CDT reply actions

Example of the failure of the NFLPA

Why the hell would they not have hired their own doctors or teamed up with this Omalu or even SLI?

T-Rac's Posse - T-Rac is one boss raccoon.
My personal Tribute to Air McNair

by T--Rac's Posse on Sep 23, 2009 3:41 PM CDT up reply actions

Well

So why is the NFL making it a mission to discredit and marginalize his research?

Well, I think there needs to be a big factor telling them they are wrong so that the Scientists can further prove that their cure will work. I think if the scientists make one that works then the NFL will go with it.

by cashvilletitans12 on Sep 23, 2009 2:58 PM CDT reply actions