This is alarming.
Dan, did you know that 59% of all new AIDS cases in America occur among the 1.73% of the population that is homosexual men?
We need more data about buttfuckers, of course, but the anecdotal evidence isn't good.
More interesting would be a study looking into the impact of playing football at the high school or collegiate level where the number of people potential effected would be far more significant.
As a side note, what's the effect of rugby on the brain?
@2, there's no data for rugby. It's hard to say, because rugby players do have high-impact collisions, which is what causes it (brain sloshing around in its cage).
But rugby players don't wear helmets, and ironically helmets CAUSE the damage, because they (a) allow much higher impacts, as much as 100 Gs (ten times a fighter pilot's), over and over, and (b) because they themselves can be used as a weapon.
Helmets today do not resemble the thin shells of the 60s; they are serious armor. They keep the skull intact during incredible impacts, but in so doing they are encouraging those impacts.
Not surprising... It also makes you a little crazy... I remember as a kid that the father of one of his baseball teammates was a former Seahawk and we would routinely catch him in the outfield talking to the grass, having conversations with rakes, etc. We thought it was hilarious as kids, but looking back now its kind of sad.
There are many types of impacts, it should be pointed out - you can get frontal temporal dementia (FTD), various motor impacts, aphasia (forgetfulness) and a lot of other things.
So if that 50 yo former football jock seems to be forgetting who he is, it could be a sign of an underlying problem.
@16 - based on most football I've watched, the average football player (world football, not American football - aka soccer) is more in danger of damage to their legs and joints although some get some head injuries. American and Canadian football has a higher risk factor for serious TBIs.
Hipsters: Dissing on football since the beginning of time.
(That's just for those of you who think you're so cool because you don't like football or sports in general. The actual issue of brain damage is very serious.)
As a guy who has been playing soccer since the first grade (who gags every time some poser calls it futbol) I remember tons of controversy over the possible effects of soccer on brains-according to this concussions account for the same percentage of injuries as in football
@21, that study talks about concussions. Concussions are relatively rare in soccer. They're actually fairly rare in football, too, at least as far as officially recognized. What the new research is pointing at is that EVERY player, at least every lineman, is undergoing hundreds of these impacts that lead to Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. It's literally eating their brains away.
And the symptoms are not just memory loss. The parts of the brain that are being destroyed deal with mood and aggression, too. You know when you read about football players being violent or criminal? The evidence is starting to suggest that's BRAIN DAMAGE.
For one example of where this could go, what would be your response if it was determined that Michael Vick's problem was irreversible brain damage suffered on a football field? The research on this how brain damage affects behavior is barely beginning -- what if most murderers were prompted not by sociopathology or evil but by accumulations of tau proteins due to abuse?
The NFL's reaction to this news has, of course, been to deny everything and go to court to avoid paying disability pensions. The union's record is no better. These researchers have about 20-25 brains they've examined so far, but they're collecting more -- they've got pledges from a number of NFL and NHL players who are worried about their futures.
Playing in the NFL is one the most destructive things you can do to your body. Knees, hips, back, neck, shoulders, hands, head can all be ruined for life.
Dan, did you know that 59% of all new AIDS cases in America occur among the 1.73% of the population that is homosexual men?
We need more data about buttfuckers, of course, but the anecdotal evidence isn't good.
As a side note, what's the effect of rugby on the brain?
So, basically, you think your brother is a moron?
Go Hawks!
But rugby players don't wear helmets, and ironically helmets CAUSE the damage, because they (a) allow much higher impacts, as much as 100 Gs (ten times a fighter pilot's), over and over, and (b) because they themselves can be used as a weapon.
Helmets today do not resemble the thin shells of the 60s; they are serious armor. They keep the skull intact during incredible impacts, but in so doing they are encouraging those impacts.
In other words, not at all.
So if that 50 yo former football jock seems to be forgetting who he is, it could be a sign of an underlying problem.
(That's just for those of you who think you're so cool because you don't like football or sports in general. The actual issue of brain damage is very serious.)
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/so…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgEwh3px9…
There are different sports - Americans used to love playing totally different games than what we play nowadays and continue to change as time passes.
And the symptoms are not just memory loss. The parts of the brain that are being destroyed deal with mood and aggression, too. You know when you read about football players being violent or criminal? The evidence is starting to suggest that's BRAIN DAMAGE.
For one example of where this could go, what would be your response if it was determined that Michael Vick's problem was irreversible brain damage suffered on a football field? The research on this how brain damage affects behavior is barely beginning -- what if most murderers were prompted not by sociopathology or evil but by accumulations of tau proteins due to abuse?
The NFL's reaction to this news has, of course, been to deny everything and go to court to avoid paying disability pensions. The union's record is no better. These researchers have about 20-25 brains they've examined so far, but they're collecting more -- they've got pledges from a number of NFL and NHL players who are worried about their futures.
I was referring to Dan's last statement, not the effects of PLAYING the game.