LOL - OBY unsure if he'd let a son play football

**NCRAVEN** · 01-28-2013, 08:23 AM

Originally Posted by wickedsolo

Just because my football coach in high school said that getting your bells rung was a badge of honor didn't mean that they were. This same coach could barely walk because of multiple knee surgeries from playing football (he played for the Detroit Lions in the 70's). I had 2 big concussions in high school and 1 my freshman year of college (actually given to me by John Kuhn...go figure) and I can adamantly tell you that there was nothing about them that were badges of honor.

I had 20/20 vision until my freshman year of college...after that last concussion, I needed a prescription for glasses. I forgot my home phone number. I would forget homework assignments. I mixed up class times (to the point where I would walk into a class thinking I was the first in, sit down, and realize that I had missed the class when no one showed up), and I was just really depressed. The neurologist told me that he was recommending to my college coaching staff that they not let me play anymore. They didn't. I was pissed for a while, but now I'm glad they didn't let me suit up again.

8 years later: I have 20/20 vision again and have no other symptoms (memory loss, etc).

According to the neurologist I saw, it takes approximately 3 years for a concussion to fully heal (depending on the severity). So, guys who are suffering a concussion every season (Jahvid Best comes to mind) are REALLY pushing the envelope on their post-NFL life.

IT really is kind of funny when you look at how different sports handle concussions. I remember a baseball player for the twins (Mauer, I think) had a concussion and was basically out a whole year. Crosby for the Penguins was out about that amount of time if I remember correctly.

I know there are different level of concussions or sometimes when someone gets there bell rung is it a concussion? For example, when I see a guy catch a pass head hits the ground and he gets up wobbly for a second, is that a concussion? Or is it like watching UFC where a guy takes a stiff jab and his knees buckle for a second? On the other hand Steven Ridley got KTFO and I bet if the Pats won he'd be playing in the Super Bowl, if this were the UFC he couldn't even have contact with the league for 90 days.

**AirFlacco** · 01-28-2013, 08:27 AM

Originally Posted by wickedsolo

Just because my football coach in high school said that getting your bells rung was a badge of honor didn't mean that they were.

It was for us in the 60s and I'm sure kids feel that way today. Look at little league games today with fathers as coaches
pushing their sons to the limit to excel. And the coach's son is always the QB in football or the pitcher in baseball
or the center in basketball. They're not saying they're not letting their sons play football.

John Mackey died because of his football injuries. I doubt he wouldn't change a thing about his career. Unitas
couldn't comb his hair in retirement because of his crooked fingers. I saw them myself when he shook my hand they
were so brittle looking and I know his son played football at Loch Raven hi school.

I put the thread in the political forum because the president said it. It was about football but a mod would have moved
it here like the other thread.

Again, I never had any serious injuries and I played a ton of football in the trenches on both lines and ran the ball
a little and neither did my brother or his son who plays football now and wrestles for his team. An article was just
written about him in the county news paper.

He's also better and faster than both of us were.

As for those players that said the same thing, they were severely criticized for it too by their colleagues like
Toomer who is a retired receiver. Warner was forced to clarify his remarks. He took much from the game and then
zaps it. Hell, he was discovered playing in Arena ball as a vet and working in Wall Marts or some such place and
then he zaps the game after taking millions from it after going to a couple of SBs.

**HoustonRaven** · 01-28-2013, 09:04 AM

Originally Posted by JAB1985

Seems everything in AirFlaccos life is Liberal VS Conservative. If he doesnt like or agree with it, he refers to it as Liberal.

Pretty much. Add in name calling to pols he doesn't agree with and you're 100% correct.

Originally Posted by JAB1985

Football is for entertainment. Just because you enjoy that entertainment doesnt mean you want your child doing it. Its comparative to going to the strip club but "keeping your daughter off the pole".

Great point.

**wickedsolo** · 01-28-2013, 09:45 AM

Originally Posted by AirFlacco

It was for us in the 60s and I'm sure kids feel that way today. Look at little league games today with fathers as coaches
pushing their sons to the limit to excel. And the coach's son is always the QB in football or the pitcher in baseball
or the center in basketball. They're not saying they're not letting their sons play football.

John Mackey died because of his football injuries. I doubt he wouldn't change a thing about his career. Unitas
couldn't comb his hair in retirement because of his crooked fingers. I saw them myself when he shook my hand they
were so brittle looking and I know his son played football at Loch Raven hi school.

I put the thread in the political forum because the president said it. It was about football but a mod would have moved
it here like the other thread.

Again, I never had any serious injuries and I played a ton of football in the trenches on both lines and ran the ball
a little and neither did my brother or his son who plays football now and wrestles for his team. An article was just
written about him in the county news paper.

He's also better and faster than both of us were.

As for those players that said the same thing, they were severely criticized for it too by their colleagues like
Toomer who is a retired receiver. Warner was forced to clarify his remarks. He took much from the game and then
zaps it. Hell, he was discovered playing in Arena ball as a vet and working in Wall Marts or some such place and
then he zaps the game after taking millions from it after going to a couple of SBs.

I don't disagree with you that there is a sense of hypocrisy in former players saying that they wouldn't let their kids play, however, having dealt with concussions I can understand why they are saying that they'd rather not see their kids jeopardize their futures like that. Sure, the money is great and if wisely handled can set you and your family up for the rest of your life...and some, but that doesn't negate a parent's worry for their child's quality of life.

And John Mackey is a great point of how countless incidents of head trauma can severely hinder one's quality of life. However, like I pointed out in posts above, back then a concussion wasn't even in the repertoire. Rub some dirt on it and get back out there.

Back in colonial times, people who had mental illnesses were thought to be possessed by the Devil, witches, and any number of things to try and explain why they are the way they are. They used to burn witches at the stake. We now know that witches aren't real. Should we still burn free-spirited women at the stake? While this is a major analogical step, the point is that we now KNOW a lot more about head-trauma as it relates to football. We know about symptoms. We know about proper equipment measures. And we know what possibilities are of long-term effects from sports-related head-trauma. Does that mean we should still turn a blind eye to it and hi-five our sons for knocking the shit out of someone on the field? Of course there are going to be parents who do that. I can't honestly say that I WONT do that if my son chooses to play football, but I still am going to be approaching this from an entirely different angle than I would have 10 years ago. And if parents (players or Presidents) want to urge their sons to pursue different sports, then so be it.

There isn't anything "wussie" about not wanting your kid to suffer head-trauma.

**AirFlacco** · 01-28-2013, 09:53 AM

OK, we agree on the athlete's and I say same with parents who played the game but won't let their sons play.

This is a political forum and it is conservatives vs liberals. I'm all excited bout the Super Bowl and my team playing
in it for the first time in 12 years and pick up the news and see a liberal president dissing the game.

I get real pissy having to pay all these taxes the liberals keep adding on us and I've been just as critical of GOP
liberals like Bush and Rove as OBY and Reid.

**NCRAVEN** · 01-28-2013, 10:01 AM

Originally Posted by wickedsolo

Back in colonial times, people who had mental illnesses were thought to be possessed by the Devil, witches, and any number of things to try and explain why they are the way they are. They used to burn witches at the stake. We now know that witches aren't real. Should we still burn free-spirited women at the stake? While this is a major analogical step, the point is that we now KNOW a lot more about head-trauma as it relates to football. We know about symptoms. We know about proper equipment measures. And we know what possibilities are of long-term effects from sports-related head-trauma. Does that mean we should still turn a blind eye to it and hi-five our sons for knocking the shit out of someone on the field? Of course there are going to be parents who do that. I can't honestly say that I WONT do that if my son chooses to play football, but I still am going to be approaching this from an entirely different angle than I would have 10 years ago. And if parents (players or Presidents) want to urge their sons to pursue different sports, then so be it.

That's not true. Haven't you seen the Da Vinci code?

And yes that was pointless but I am just trying to keep busy till Sunday.

**wickedsolo** · 01-28-2013, 10:10 AM

Originally Posted by NCRAVEN

IT really is kind of funny when you look at how different sports handle concussions. I remember a baseball player for the twins (Mauer, I think) had a concussion and was basically out a whole year. Crosby for the Penguins was out about that amount of time if I remember correctly.

I know there are different level of concussions or sometimes when someone gets there bell rung is it a concussion? For example, when I see a guy catch a pass head hits the ground and he gets up wobbly for a second, is that a concussion? Or is it like watching UFC where a guy takes a stiff jab and his knees buckle for a second? On the other hand Steven Ridley got KTFO and I bet if the Pats won he'd be playing in the Super Bowl, if this were the UFC he couldn't even have contact with the league for 90 days.

Totally true NC. There is a major double-standard for head-related injuries in various sports.

I've never understood how a guy could show concussion symptoms after a game and then a week or two later be back in the lineup. They're not fully healed at all. They're just not showing symptoms anymore.

That's the problem and honestly, without multiple MRI's and CT scans, there is no real way to gauge whether or not someone has healed properly from a concussion.

**wickedsolo** · 01-28-2013, 10:14 AM

Originally Posted by AirFlacco

OK, we agree on the athlete's and I say same with parents who played the game but won't let their sons play.

This is a political forum and it is conservatives vs liberals. I'm all excited bout the Super Bowl and my team playing
in it for the first time in 12 years and pick up the news and see a liberal president dissing the game.

I get real pissy having to pay all these taxes the liberals keep adding on us and I've been just as critical of GOP
liberals like Bush and Rove as OBY and Reid.

We're just going to have to agree to disagree. Yes, there is a small bit of hypocrisy, but think about it...as a parent our sole job is to educate, protect, and prepare our kids for adulthood. Allowing your kid to do something that you know could be potentially harmful to them without educating them is worse than being a bit of a hypocrite. You can call me a hypocrite all you want man. However, if I tell my son about how football changed my life and he chooses to play another sport because he doesn't want to deal with that, then good for him.

I don't see this as an "us vs them" debate or a "conservative vs liberal" debate at all.

At the end of the day, if people want to play football, then they have to acknowledge and understand the consequences. That is why I completely disagree with these lawsuits and what they're aiming to get. You don't need a waiver form or a doctor to tell you that getting hit in the head by a 300lb man running full speed is going to potentially do bodily harm to you. That's why I think a lot of these players are just looking for $$$. Not all of them, but a lot of them.

Concussions are a hot topic right now and state/local governments have been working to improve the level of training for high school coaches. So, it shouldnt come as a surprise to anyone that the President is going to be asked about concussions.

**AirFlacco** · 01-28-2013, 10:26 AM

Originally Posted by wickedsolo

We're just going to have to agree to disagree. Yes, there is a small bit of hypocrisy, but think about it...as a parent our sole job is to educate, protect, and prepare our kids for adulthood. Allowing your kid to do something that you know could be potentially harmful to them without educating them is worse than being a bit of a hypocrite. You can call me a hypocrite all you want man. However, if I tell my son about how football changed my life and he chooses to play another sport because he doesn't want to deal with that, then good for him.

I don't see this as an "us vs them" debate or a "conservative vs liberal" debate at all.

I obviously do. Again its the taxes. I'm bracing for $100 to be taken out of my fixed income after
the last increase and libs are pissed it isn't more. This isn't the same country my dad fought for in
WW 2 and with the debt and all it's going the same way as Greece. LIbbies just keep spending more
and crucify Ryan for trying to curb it. The entire country crucified him.

At the end of the day, if people want to play football, then they have to acknowledge and understand the consequences. That is why I completely disagree with these lawsuits and what they're aiming to get. You don't need a waiver form or a doctor to tell you that getting hit in the head by a 300lb man running full speed is going to potentially do bodily harm to you. That's why I think a lot of these players are just looking for $$$. Not all of them, but a lot of them.

Concussions are a hot topic right now and state/local governments have been working to improve the level of training for high school coaches. So, it shouldnt come as a surprise to anyone that the President is going to be asked about concussions.

Yes indeed but there are still about 10,000 kids playing little league football and just about every hi school in the
country has a football team. BTW, that City team I went out for in the 60s had the 5th best team in the country.
Most of that team played college football. Tom Gatewood our WR became an All American at Notre Dame and played
about 8 or 9 years for the Giants in the 70s. The guy who beat me out at RB scored 2 TDs vs Oklahoma 4 years
later and was drafted by the Squeelers. He was beaten out by someone name Franco Harris.

One became the mayor of Baltimore
after playing safety at Yale. He was our QB and had the fastest pair of hands you ever saw faking the ball. He
out-faked the entire defense. George YOung said he'd never play pro ball though because he wasn't fast enough but
I bet he'd say he wouldn't let his son play today either because he was a liberal mayor-lol.

Great posts from you.

**ActualSpamBot** · 01-28-2013, 10:30 AM

What do taxes have to do with concussions in football? I literally don't even understand the thought process here.

**wickedsolo** · 01-28-2013, 10:56 AM

Originally Posted by ActualSpamBot

What do taxes have to do with concussions in football? I literally don't even understand the thought process here.

**AirFlacco** · 01-28-2013, 01:41 PM

You're right Spam, taxes don't have anything to do with football but I was just answering someone about the name calling
and explaining why the names in the this forum because someone called me out on it. I had another thread cussing out the libbies for raising taxes on the fiscal cliff deal.

I'm just a little old pissed off poster on a message but but look at Pelosi calling people names. She said the old people
were Nazis for opposing OBama Care. Now that's one of our highest leaders and the head of the House calling old people
names but that's Ok with the libbies. The moderator here will get complaints for my saying O Bummer Care and OBY.

I was on a Christian board and they said I was going to hell for saying OBY-lol. I said that was just my cute little name
for the Prez. Hell, I called Nixon Tricky Dick which he was. Just ask Muskie. He broke into the Watergate 14 times before
he got caught and the Ellsberg case was dismissed for all the times he broke into his office. The judge had enough. I was pissed off at him for betraying us. He thought he was above the law.

Click on link and then the story calling for Pelosi's dismissal. And long before you Spam and JAB came into the forum
a lib was calling me all kinds of names before I ever said anything. Galen is no longer here. He called me names just
for using the edit button so many times.

http://www.google.com/search?client=...UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

**HoustonRaven** · 01-28-2013, 05:50 PM

Please Trap.

You've been whacked more times than a Sopranos snitch. Lets not pretend you're some victim here and never called people names yourself.

And enough with the libbies nonsense and other name calling. I am trying to elevate the level of debate in this area of the forum. If you can't control the mocking posts or name calling, find another place to debate politics.

**AirFlacco** · 01-28-2013, 07:58 PM

OK, no mas, but like I said a million times, I never fired first in here. It was self defense and other insults to me stood while I was
whacked.

Anyway, you better tell Tony about the mocking and elevation part. I found this piece on Pelosi while logging on to the football forum and I just mentioned her in here because I thought she was politics. I'm sure no one will complain about
Tony's staff.

Couldn't have mocked her better myself.

http://russellstreetreport.com/nancy...ers-for-49ers/