Harrison says players assume certain risks when they agree to play in NFL

[stillers4me]

Like quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, linebacker James Harrison self-reported a concussion when he played for the Cincinnati Bengals two years ago. But he hid them when he was younger and thinks most players, especially young ones, still say nothing when they have a head injury.
He added that it all comes with the risk of playing football.


“If you’re younger and you’re trying to make the team, you’re not reporting anything,’’ Harrison said Wednesday after Steelers practice. “You can’t afford to miss a game, you know. Guys who lie vs. guys who actually report it is probably 100-1.”


Harrison, 37, and in his 13th NFL season, does believe players are more likely to report symptoms these days than they were in previous years or generations but that it depends on their own values and perhaps status. He estimated that 100-1 figure to include the mild concussions players “shake off.’’


“I had a whole bunch of them, everyone’s had a whole bunch of them..........

read more @ http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2015/12/03/On-the-Steelers-Assumption-of-risk/stories/201512030094

[86WARD]

Uh oh...Harrison is exposing the truth that Roger doesn't want you to know!!

[ALLD]

That's a fine and he will also be placed on the "No-fly" list.

[zulater]

Life is all about risk / reward. If you're in a free society and danger is being thrust upon you then it's up to you to decide to go on or not. For example if you want to feel sorry for someone feel sorry for Vietnam vets, most of who had no choice in the matter of "defending our country" from whatever threat Vietnam supposedly posed. I mean at least now our service members who are wounded or die in action joined of their own accord. Anyway getting back to the exaggerated risk's inherent in football, yeah make it safer when you can without compromising the integrity and appeal of the game. But you will never be able to remove all risk that comes from this game. And there's nothing wrong with that. These men are well compensated, the rewards offered from the game far outweigh the inherent risk. I mean jeez if you want to live your life in bubble wrap please feel free to do so, just don;t make the rest of us do it. Don't sanitize the world to the point that anything posing even a hint of a risk is no longer allowed. People get killed in crosswalks. People break their necks on stairs. Al Sharpton's daughter is suing the city of New York for 15 million because she sprained her ankle ( allegedly) on a curb. Of course it didn't stop her from going out dancing that same weekend.

Yeah ok I'm going all over the place with this. But to me this isn't just about football, it's about the quality of our life and tradition. Everyone needs a "safe place" now. Not only do we live as a society terrified of anyone getting a boo boo, but now merely saying something or displaying something ( i.e. confederate battle flag) that someone deems offensive is just unacceptable! The horror of being challenged with unpopular ( to you) thought or provocative images. Are too much to handle! Kids can't even play cops and robbers anymore without someone taking great offense!

Anyway getting back to football. I know some retired players personally ( not well, just casual greetings and introductions through the horse racing world) and I;d wager to guess the vast majority of them would do it ll over again at a moments notice. People such as Sam Huff and Geno Marichetti have had long productive life's post football. They ( whoever the fuck they are) claim that football shortens lifespans significantly. Really? Tell you what, go to Profootballrefeference pick a team from the past, go through 4 or 5 complete rosters from teams of the 50's, 60's, 70's, and it gives you all those players date of death if they are deceased. If you do this as I have done explain to me exactly how average NFL life spans differ from the vast majority of American men? Give you a perfect example. Just for a starting point go to the first SB winner the 66 Packers. Of their 24 starters ( including kickers and returners) 18 are still alive. Of those that died, one died in his 40's, two in their 50's, one in their 60's, and two in their 70's. Of those still alive they are all into their 70's with some already being in their 80's. So 75% still alive, and football shortens lives?

Oh but what about the Steelers and all their premature deaths? Ok let's examine then, the 79 Steelers entire roster. 45, 39 still alive. Mike Webster, Dwight White, L.C.Greenwod, Steve Furness, Steve Courson, and Theo Bell have passed on. Those still with us are all in their 50 and 60's. So how's this out of line with the majority of Americans?


I'm sorry but football is a great way to make a living if you're good enough at it to play at the NFL level. The minimum wage is more than most skilled professionals make in 3 or 4 years of work. What does a public defender make these days? How many doctors haul down over 300k a year? It's ridiculous painting these people as victims! They're not! Stop already! :frusty:

[steelreserve]

Life if all about risk / reward. If you're in a free society and danger isn't being thrust upon you then it's up to you. For example if you want to feel sorry for someone feel sorry for Vietnam vets, most of who had no choice in the matter of "defending our country" from whatever threat Vietnam supposedly posed. I mean at least now our service members who are wounded or die in action joined of their own accord. Anyway getting back to the exaggerated risk's inherent in football, yeah make it safer when you can without compromising the integrity and appeal of the game. But you will never be able to remove all risk that comes from this game. And there's nothing wrong with that. These men are well compensated, the rewards offered from the game far outweigh the inherent risk. I mean jeez if you want to live your life in bubble wrap please feel free to do so, just don;t make the rest of us do it. Don't sanitize the world to the point that anything posing even a hint of a risk is no longer allowed. People get killed in crosswalks. People break their necks on stairs. Al Sharpton's daughter is suing the city of New York for 15 million because she sprained her ankle ( allegedly) on a curb. Of course it didn't stop her from going out dancing that same weekend.

Yeah ok I'm going all over the place with this. But to me this isn't just about football, it's about the quality of our life and tradition. Everyone needs a "safe place" now. Not only do we live as a society terrified of anyone getting a boo boo, but now merely saying something or displaying something ( i.e. confederate battle flag) that someone deems offensive is just unacceptable! The horror of being challenged with unpopular ( to you) thought or provocative images. Are too much to handle! Kids can't even play cops and robbers anymore without someone taking great offense!

Anyway getting back to football. I know some retired players personally ( not well, just casual greetings and introductions through the horse racing world) and I;d wager to guess the vast majority of them would do it ll over again at a moments notice. People such as Sam Huff and Geno Marichetti have had long productive life's post football. They ( whoever the fuck they are) claim that football shortens lifespans significantly. Really? Tell you what, go to Profootballrefeference pick a team from the past, go through 4 or 5 complete rosters from teams of the 50's, 60's, 70's, and it gives you all those players date of death if they are deceased. If you do this as I have done explain to me exactly how average NFL life spans differ from the vast majority of American men? Give you a perfect example. Just for a starting point go to the first SB winner the 66 Packers. Of their 24 starters ( including kickers and returners) 18 are still alive. Of those that died, one died in his 40's, two in their 50's, one in their 60's, and two in their 70's. Of those still alive they are all into their 70's with some already being in their 80's. So 75% still alive, and football shortens lives?

Oh but what about the Steelers and all their premature deaths? Ok let's examine then, the 79 Steelers entire roster. 45, 39 still alive. Mike Webster, Dwight White, L.C.Greenwod, Steve Furness, Steve Courson, and Theo Bell have passed on. Those still with us are all in their 50 and 60's. So how's this out of line with the majority of Americans?


I'm sorry but football is a great way to make a living if you're good enough at it to play at the NFL level. The minimum wage is more than most skilled professionals make in 3 or 4 years of work. What does a public defender make these days? How many doctors haul down over 300k a year? It's ridiculous painting these people as victims! They're not! Stop already! :frusty:


:applaudit::applaudit::applaudit:

[katmandu]

Life is all about risk / reward. If you're in a free society and danger is being thrust upon you then it's up to you to decide to go on or not. For example if you want to feel sorry for someone feel sorry for Vietnam vets, most of who had no choice in the matter of "defending our country" from whatever threat Vietnam supposedly posed. I mean at least now our service members who are wounded or die in action joined of their own accord. Anyway getting back to the exaggerated risk's inherent in football, yeah make it safer when you can without compromising the integrity and appeal of the game. But you will never be able to remove all risk that comes from this game. And there's nothing wrong with that. These men are well compensated, the rewards offered from the game far outweigh the inherent risk. I mean jeez if you want to live your life in bubble wrap please feel free to do so, just don;t make the rest of us do it. Don't sanitize the world to the point that anything posing even a hint of a risk is no longer allowed. People get killed in crosswalks. People break their necks on stairs. Al Sharpton's daughter is suing the city of New York for 15 million because she sprained her ankle ( allegedly) on a curb. Of course it didn't stop her from going out dancing that same weekend.

Yeah ok I'm going all over the place with this. But to me this isn't just about football, it's about the quality of our life and tradition. Everyone needs a "safe place" now. Not only do we live as a society terrified of anyone getting a boo boo, but now merely saying something or displaying something ( i.e. confederate battle flag) that someone deems offensive is just unacceptable! The horror of being challenged with unpopular ( to you) thought or provocative images. Are too much to handle! Kids can't even play cops and robbers anymore without someone taking great offense!

Anyway getting back to football. I know some retired players personally ( not well, just casual greetings and introductions through the horse racing world) and I;d wager to guess the vast majority of them would do it ll over again at a moments notice. People such as Sam Huff and Geno Marichetti have had long productive life's post football. They ( whoever the fuck they are) claim that football shortens lifespans significantly. Really? Tell you what, go to Profootballrefeference pick a team from the past, go through 4 or 5 complete rosters from teams of the 50's, 60's, 70's, and it gives you all those players date of death if they are deceased. If you do this as I have done explain to me exactly how average NFL life spans differ from the vast majority of American men? Give you a perfect example. Just for a starting point go to the first SB winner the 66 Packers. Of their 24 starters ( including kickers and returners) 18 are still alive. Of those that died, one died in his 40's, two in their 50's, one in their 60's, and two in their 70's. Of those still alive they are all into their 70's with some already being in their 80's. So 75% still alive, and football shortens lives?

Oh but what about the Steelers and all their premature deaths? Ok let's examine then, the 79 Steelers entire roster. 45, 39 still alive. Mike Webster, Dwight White, L.C.Greenwod, Steve Furness, Steve Courson, and Theo Bell have passed on. Those still with us are all in their 50 and 60's. So how's this out of line with the majority of Americans?


I'm sorry but football is a great way to make a living if you're good enough at it to play at the NFL level. The minimum wage is more than most skilled professionals make in 3 or 4 years of work. What does a public defender make these days? How many doctors haul down over 300k a year? It's ridiculous painting these people as victims! They're not! Stop already! :frusty:I agree with most of this but Concussions and CTE are no freaking joke.

The culture in football has always been... " Shake it off, Get over it, Play through it, Be a real man, it's "just" a ringer.... etc.......

Technology and Medical knowledge is in it's infancy when it comes to understand the brain and injuries to it. As we know, CTE is a relatively new discovery that the Medical community (and the rest of us) are just learning about.

Coaches have forced players to play through ringers all the time. This obviously is detrimental to the health of the player. In this sense, they are victims. I don't care how much money they make.

The vast majority of Professional football players do not make huge amounts of cash.

How much money do College, High School and little kids make playing football ??

Watch Faulk, Irvin and Tomlinson talk about Ben and their personal experiences with concussions.


http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/0ap3000000594704/Changing-culture-in-NFL-regarding-concussions

I by no means am suggesting to pussy-fie football, but more needs to be done to prevent concussions. There needs to be a happy medium. Good luck with that in this dichotomous country of ours.

[Dissolv]

I always though the assumed risk was that you had to play against James Harrison??

:p


Dissolv

[zulater]

I agree with most of this but Concussions and CTE are no freaking joke.

The culture in football has always been... " Shake it off, Get over it, Play through it, Be a real man, it's "just" a ringer.... etc.......

Technology and Medical knowledge is in it's infancy when it comes to understand the brain and injuries to it. As we know, CTE is a relatively new discovery that the Medical community (and the rest of us) are just learning about.

Coaches have forced players to play through ringers all the time. This obviously is detrimental to the health of the player. In this sense, they are victims. I don't care how much money they make.

The vast majority of Professional football players do not make huge amounts of cash.

How much money do College, High School and little kids make playing football ??

Watch Faulk, Irvin and Tomlinson talk about Ben and their personal experiences with concussions.


http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/0ap3000000594704/Changing-culture-in-NFL-regarding-concussions

I by no means am suggesting to pussy-fie football, but more needs to be done to prevent concussions. There needs to be a happy medium. Good luck with that in this dichotomous country of ours.

No one is saying concussions are a joke. But a couple things. You can't change the past. What's done is done, and I would say what was done was done almost completely without malicious intent. The teams, the coaches, the doctors of yesteryear, really didn't think they were putting players at excessive risk. Perhaps there's was an ignorance of convenience to some extent? Being willfully ignorant of something that would hurt you from a competitive and business standpoint doesn't justify something, but I think given the mindset of the times it helps explain it. You just can't assign modern day rationale to yesterdays problems be it with the founding fathers of our country or with head trauma protocol from 20, 30, 40 years ago.

Yeah things have changed and I'm glad for it. But at the same token how's everyone going to feel when a star qb is removed from the game by a spotter on an incidental hit in a playoff game or Super Bowl, only to find out later after the game has been lost that the qb was fine all along, the spotter just overreacted because the fear inflicted upon him (or her) by the Union, and the league? Sometimes if it isn;t blatantly obvious you should leave it to the player to decide if he's fit to play or not. And even if they lie it's not as though each and every concussion is a future dehabillator. For example Terry Bradshaw, Steve Young, Troy Aikman, Ron Jaworski, Merrill Hoge, Kurt Warner, and any many more former NFL alumni suffered multiple concussions throughout their respective careers. They all seem to be doing pretty good for themselves Yeah who knows? Maybe when they're in their 80's it will catch up to some of them? I hope not, but I'm sure it probably will. But again risk / reward, these guys were set up for life by putting it on the line for a few years. Do you really think any of them would change it?

Now about high school kids and college kids. Again concussions and CTE are no guarantee of early impairment. And these kids got hit less often and with far less ferocity than the aforementioned pro's. So personally as someone who played, was concussed, and is now 55 and clear headed as can be ( despite what my posting may suggest) who knows many others with similar personal histories who are quite lucid years later as well, I think the damage of concussions and CTE are greatly exaggerated. I think it's far more the exception than the rule a hit that has you seeing stars will put you at great risk later in life.

Now obviously I'm not saying turn back the clock and ignore head trauma ( even slight) when it happens. I'm not saying better helmets and future technology should not be implemented when it becomes available. But just as it's important not to minimize the risk it's also wise not to exaggerate it either. Because if we continue to go down the path we're headed on all contact sports will be banned within a generation or two. And that's really not a world that would appeal to me.

[katmandu]

No one is saying concussions are a joke. But a couple things. You can't change the past. What's done is done, and I would say what was done was done almost completely without malicious intent. The teams, the coaches, the doctors of yesteryear, really didn't think they were putting players at excessive risk. Perhaps there's was an ignorance of convenience to some extent? Being willfully ignorant of something that would hurt you from a competitive and business standpoint doesn't justify something, but I think given the mindset of the times it helps explain it. You just can't assign modern day rationale to yesterdays problems be it with the founding fathers of our country or with head trauma protocol from 20, 30, 40 years ago.

Yeah things have changed and I'm glad for it. But at the same token how's everyone going to feel when a star qb is removed from the game by a spotter on an incidental hit in a playoff game or Super Bowl, only to find out later after the game has been lost that the qb was fine all along, the spotter just overreacted because the fear inflicted upon him (or her) by the Union, and the league? Sometimes if it isn;t blatantly obvious you should leave it to the player to decide if he's fit to play or not. And even if they lie it's not as though each and every concussion is a future dehabillator. For example Terry Bradshaw, Steve Young, Troy Aikman, Ron Jaworski, Merrill Hoge, Kurt Warner, and any many more former NFL alumni suffered multiple concussions throughout their respective careers. They all seem to be doing pretty good for themselves Yeah who knows? Maybe when they're in their 80's it will catch up to some of them? I hope not, but I'm sure it probably will. But again risk / reward, these guys were set up for life by putting it on the line for a few years. Do you really think any of them would change it?

Now about high school kids and college kids. Again concussions and CTE are no guarantee of early impairment. And these kids got hit less often and with far less ferocity than the aforementioned pro's. So personally as someone who played, was concussed, and is now 55 and clear headed as can be ( despite what my posting may suggest) who knows many others with similar personal histories who are quite lucid years later as well, I think the damage of concussions and CTE are greatly exaggerated. I think it's far more the exception than the rule a hit that has you seeing stars will put you at great risk later in life.

Now obviously I'm not saying turn back the clock and ignore head trauma ( even slight) when it happens. I'm not saying better helmets and future technology should be implemented when it becomes available. But just as it's important not to minimize the risk it's also wise not to exaggerate it either. Because if we continue to go down the path we're headed on all contact sports will be banned within a generation or two. And that's really not a world that would appeal to me.

- - - Updated - - -



No one is saying concussions are a joke. But a couple things. You can't change the past. What's done is done, and I would say what was done was done almost completely without malicious intent. The teams, the coaches, the doctors of yesteryear, really didn't think they were putting players at excessive risk. Perhaps there's was an ignorance of convenience to some extent? Being willfully ignorant of something that would hurt you from a competitive and business standpoint doesn't justify something, but I think given the mindset of the times it helps explain it. You just can't assign modern day rationale to yesterdays problems be it with the founding fathers of our country or with head trauma protocol from 20, 30, 40 years ago.

Yeah things have changed and I'm glad for it. But at the same token how's everyone going to feel when a star qb is removed from the game by a spotter on an incidental hit in a playoff game or Super Bowl, only to find out later after the game has been lost that the qb was fine all along, the spotter just overreacted because the fear inflicted upon him (or her) by the Union, and the league? Sometimes if it isn;t blatantly obvious you should leave it to the player to decide if he's fit to play or not. And even if they lie it's not as though each and every concussion is a future dehabillator. For example Terry Bradshaw, Steve Young, Troy Aikman, Ron Jaworski, Merrill Hoge, Kurt Warner, and any many more former NFL alumni suffered multiple concussions throughout their respective careers. They all seem to be doing pretty good for themselves Yeah who knows? Maybe when they're in their 80's it will catch up to some of them? I hope not, but I'm sure it probably will. But again risk / reward, these guys were set up for life by putting it on the line for a few years. Do you really think any of them would change it?

Now about high school kids and college kids. Again concussions and CTE are no guarantee of early impairment. And these kids got hit less often and with far less ferocity than the aforementioned pro's. So personally as someone who played, was concussed, and is now 55 and clear headed as can be ( despite what my posting may suggest) who knows many others with similar personal histories who are quite lucid years later as well, I think the damage of concussions and CTE are greatly exaggerated. I think it's far more the exception than the rule a hit that has you seeing stars will put you at great risk later in life.

Now obviously I'm not saying turn back the clock and ignore head trauma ( even slight) when it happens. I'm not saying better helmets and future technology should be implemented when it becomes available. But just as it's important not to minimize the risk it's also wise not to exaggerate it either. Because if we continue to go down the path we're headed on all contact sports will be banned within a generation or two. And that's really not a world that would appeal to me.Again, I do agree with the majority of your views.

I will say this. I think the intent of having a Spotter is well intended. Giving all the power to one individual in a high stakes game, the potential for corruption and the great decrease in the integrity of the NFL League office, it is a scary scenario for us faithful fans.

As I've stated countless times before, concussions and their after effects vary GREATLY for every individual.

I know from my own personal experience of having a near fatal concussion. My accident happened way back in 1977 (15 years old...I'm now almost 54). I'll spare the details for now.... I suffered a severe concussion, ended up in ICU for (5) days. Doc banned me from all contact sports for a year.

My postings here in reflect the residual effect from my concussion OR all the frat/dorm parties while I was at WVU !! LMFAO !! I think the latter! LMAO !! I don't know what's worse.... a concussion or getting totally shitfaced at a Mountaineer party ! LMAO !

Anyways, to this day, I have memory issues and get easily frustrated (and angry) when under great duress. Even so, I was able to complete a (32) year career as a Clinical Scientist (Medical Technologist). 20 of them in the USAF. Retired as an E7.

If I never had that concussion I may have become a brain surgeon and run for president ! Lol ! I'm afraid my past from WVU would have been exposed nixing all that ! LOL!

[zulater]

Again, I do agree with the majority of your views.

I will say this. I think the intent of having a Spotter is well intended. Giving all the power to one individual in a high stakes game, the potential for corruption and the great decrease in the integrity of the NFL League office, it is a scary scenario for us faithful fans.

As I've stated countless times before, concussions and their after effects vary GREATLY for every individual.

I know from my own personal experience of having a near fatal concussion. My accident happened way back in 1977 (15 years old...I'm now almost 54). I'll spare the details for now.... I suffered a severe concussion, ended up in ICU for (5) days. Doc banned me from all contact sports for a year.

My postings here in reflect the residual effect from my concussion OR all the frat/dorm parties while I was at WVU !! LMFAO !! I think the latter! LMAO !! I don't know what's worse.... a concussion or getting totally shitfaced at a Mountaineer party ! LMAO !

Anyways, to this day, I have memory issues and get easily frustrated (and angry) when under great duress. Even so, I was able to complete a (32) year career as a Clinical Scientist (Medical Technologist). 20 of them in the USAF. Retired as an E7.

If I never had that concussion I may have become a brain surgeon and run for president ! Lol ! I'm afraid my past from WVU would have been exposed nixing all that ! LOL!

I understand what you're saying, and I have my own history with concussion to attest to how scary they can be. But it wasn't mine, it was my wife's. While horse back riding she got knocked completely senseless. Anyway I wont bore you and the board with the details, other than to say it was scary.

I'm just trying to offer some balance to the conversation, because at the end of the day if we take things too far we end up losing the patient to rid ourselves of the tumor.