Aaron Hernandez had "severe CTE"

[aknow]

Originally Posted by ThermiteTermite

I played football all through high school in higher contact positions, (noseguard, defensive end, center) and 'butted heads' enough to split two helmets while I played.

I always ascribed to the Jack Tatum theory of, when you hit the guy, you hit him clean, but you try to put him in the cemetery on each and every play, and if he is worth anything, that is what he should try to do to you.

I loved it and was a rabid NFL fan for years.

The publicized behavior (on and off the field) of players, the NFL's wink wink nudge nudge attitude towards that behavior, along with the politicization of the game, started to cool my ardor, and when I went back and looked up my childhood football heroes like Dave Dalby and Mike Webster (the strongest man in the NFL) and how they met their premature deaths, I quit watching altogether.

I haven't watched an NFL game in three years aside from one Super Bowl that my wife wanted to see because our home team was a participant.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Webster

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Dalby

If I had a child, I would never let him or her play football. Wrestling develops the same qualities without being so destructive.

Congratulations for evolving!!!

[aknow]

Originally Posted by Otterhound

Ever treat any non athletic types for spinal issues ?

Since I first started practicing, 33 years ago, patients have become obese, with a great increase in spinal and joint/tendon issues. Not to mention there are so many meds that have deleterious effects on our weight bearing components.

[aknow]

Originally Posted by catdaddy

CTE risk with football is a health issue much like cancer is a risk with cigarette smoking. The dangers are well known, and yet significant numbers of people still persist in the risky behavior. Make no mistake, there will be noise made about the need for changes, but as long as making money is involved the health risks will be deemed acceptable by our society and the NFL will carry on much like tobacco companies continue to do.

I disagree. Tobacco smoking is almost non-existent compared to my childhood in the 1950's when Everybody smoked, it was encouraged on TV, and endorsed by the AMA as beneficial to health.
The facts and causes of CTE are not well known.
Most people are not pro-active to measures that improve their health and longevity. Maybe that's one reason pro football players make such excessive salaries. I used to treat ex Oakland Raider Rod Martin. One day, shortly after Rod retired, he came in with his sister. During the treatment, she started crying, saying she wished he had never seen a football.

[Otterhound]

Originally Posted by aknow

Since I first started practicing, 33 years ago, patients have become obese, with a great increase in spinal and joint/tendon issues. Not to mention there are so many meds that have deleterious effects on our weight bearing components.

You chose obesity . I have no doubt that there are other reasons .
Anyway , should we now control all diets ? What about other risky behaviors like bull riding , skiing , skydiving , driving , using stairs ?
Point being that once one risky behavior is banned , where does it stop ?
Dirk Peterson claimed to lead the path to long life through massive vitamin consumption and healthy eating yet died fairly young .
I say , let people live their lives .
I will guess the Aaron Hernandez enjoyed playing football . It may have cost him dearly . Sometimes , that is the price to be played .
Many people have died due to the consequences of intimacy , what should be done ?

[buddyhu]

Originally Posted by Otterhound

You chose obesity . I have no doubt that there are other reasons .
Anyway , should we now control all diets ? What about other risky behaviors like bull riding , skiing , skydiving , driving , using stairs ?
Point being that once one risky behavior is banned , where does it stop ?
Dirk Peterson claimed to lead the path to long life through massive vitamin consumption and healthy eating yet died fairly young .
I say , let people live their lives .
I will guess the Aaron Hernandez enjoyed playing football . It may have cost him dearly . Sometimes , that is the price to be played .
Many people have died due to the consequences of intimacy , what should be done ?

Sharing one's thoughts and stories is a long ways from pursuing regulation, nor has anyone in this thread advocated banning risky behavior.

CTE should be discussed, sexual behavior that is risky should be discussed, contributors to obesity should be discussed, etc. sometimes the discussion will include expressions of dismay. In some instances, (but so far, not in this thread) discussions may lead to speculation about whether something represents a public health issue that might warrant regulation (as in the case of second hand smoke, or quarantining people who contract Ebola or measles).

So I am not quite sure why you have been hitting this note repetitively.

[ThermiteTermite]

Originally Posted by Dirk Hofman

Well one certainly doesn't need football to have a well-rounded education, but certainly there are values it teaches that should be part of one's education. They can be found elsewhere.

I'm certainly glad my own experience getting an education wasn't limited to just what I did in class. Education comes from experience, and struggle is tremendous experience.

This statement has me turning over in my head what values football taught to Aaron Hernandez..

[catdaddy]

Originally Posted by aknow

I disagree. Tobacco smoking is almost non-existent compared to my childhood in the 1950's when Everybody smoked, it was encouraged on TV, and endorsed by the AMA as beneficial to health.
The facts and causes of CTE are not well known.
Most people are not pro-active to measures that improve their health and longevity. Maybe that's one reason pro football players make such excessive salaries. I used to treat ex Oakland Raider Rod Martin. One day, shortly after Rod retired, he came in with his sister. During the treatment, she started crying, saying she wished he had never seen a football.

While the percentage of people who smoke has decreased from 42.4% in 1965 to 16.8% in 2014 the actual numbers of smokers are still "significant" to use the term you chose to disagree with. With a U.S. population of 194.3M in 1965 versus a U.S. population of 318.6M in 2014 that puts the actual number of smokers at 82.4M (1965) compared to 53.5M (2014). Do you really believe that 53.5M smokers is not a significant number of people involved in risky behavior?

As for your statement that "The facts and causes of CTE are not well known."
I refer you to this Boston University website regarding their extensive research into CTE and its etiology.

[Dirk Hofman]

Originally Posted by ThermiteTermite

This statement has me turning over in my head what values football taught to Aaron Hernandez..

Since I've yet to come across any lesson that took effect on everyone to whom it was given, I struggle to get your point.

[Otterhound]

So I am not quite sure why you have been hitting this note repetitively.[/QUOTE]
Because it needs to be done .
Of course , if you would prefer to limit the discussion .......

[Otterhound]

Originally Posted by ThermiteTermite

This statement has me turning over in my head what values football taught to Aaron Hernandez..

A very astute observation .
I applaud your clear thinking .
So many cannot process thoughts past their hero worship capacity .

[buddyhu]

Originally Posted by Otterhound

So I am not quite sure why you have been hitting this note repetitively.

Because it needs to be done .
Of course , if you would prefer to limit the discussion .......[/QUOTE]

Ever read the book, "Games People Play"?

[Nyghthawk]

Originally Posted by buddyhu

Because it needs to be done .
Of course , if you would prefer to limit the discussion .......

Ever read the book, "Games People Play"?[/QUOTE]

A pop-psychology book on transactional relationships? SMH. Don't see how that's anymore relevant than the discussion of government regulation. I must be missing something.

[ThermiteTermite]

Originally Posted by Dirk Hofman

Well one certainly doesn't need football to have a well-rounded education, but certainly there are values it teaches that should be part of one's education. They can be found elsewhere.

I'm certainly glad my own experience getting an education wasn't limited to just what I did in class. Education comes from experience, and struggle is tremendous experience.

Originally Posted by ThermiteTermite

This statement has me turning over in my head what values football taught to Aaron Hernandez..

Originally Posted by Dirk Hofman

Since I've yet to come across any lesson that took effect on everyone to whom it was given, I struggle to get your point.

If you miss the irony of bringing up and touting the 'values' taught by football in a thread about Aaron Hernandez, I suppose that is your affair.

[RP]

Originally Posted by ThermiteTermite

If you miss the irony of bringing up and touting the 'values' taught by football in a thread about Aaron Hernandez, I suppose that is your affair.

I didn't but decided to keep that to myself....

[Dirk Hofman]

Originally Posted by ThermiteTermite

If you miss the irony of bringing up and touting the 'values' taught by football in a thread about Aaron Hernandez, I suppose that is your affair.

I'm not missing it, I just think it's not a particularly valuable or astute obsevqtion. For the reasons stated above. But you don't need to convince me to carry on.