Former Giants Safety Found to Have C.T.E.

[twisted_steel2]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/27/sport ... p=cur&_r=0

Former Giants Safety Found to Have C.T.E.

When the former Giants safety Tyler Sash was found dead at age 27 of an accidental overdose of pain medications at his Iowa home on Sept. 8, his grieving family remained consumed by a host of unanswered questions about the final, perplexing years of Sash’s life.

Last week, representatives from Boston University and the Concussion Legacy Foundation notified the Sash family that C.T.E. had been diagnosed in Tyler’s brain and that the disease, which can be confirmed only posthumously, had advanced to a stage rarely seen in someone his age.

Sad story.

 

[joeseahawks]

I love to watch football. But, I ain't letting my kids play it.

 

[GeekHawk]

Have you seen any articles about how the Seahawks are promoting and teaching rugby-style tackling? Sending out people to college, high school, even Peewee leagues to spread the word. They say it'll reduce things like this by a lot.

 

[ivotuk]

This story is so misleading and such BS. "Former Giants Safety" They fail to mention that he was in the league 2 years and started ZERO games.

He had a total of 17 tackles in his career....makes me wonder if the doctors saw NFL and said "Hey, let's get our names in the news."

If he had CTE, it could have been from playing in College, or he could have been in a car crash. Or, maybe he played Rugby. But no, let's just throw the name of an NFL team out there.

What about the schools? Do they take any responsibility? None. Instead, sue the entity with the biggest pockets. Then raise the price of game tickets, jersies, TV commercials and anything else that a fan wants to buy.


http://www.nfl.com/player/tylersash/2495506/profile

 

[djb28]

This story is so misleading and such BS. "Former Giants Safety" They fail to mention that he was in the league 2 years and started ZERO games.

He had a total of 17 tackles in his career....makes me wonder if the doctors saw NFL and said "Hey, let's get our names in the news."

If he had CTE, it could have been from playing in College, or he could have been in a car crash. Or, maybe he played Rugby. But no, let's just throw the name of an NFL team out there.

What about the schools? Do they take any responsibility? None. Instead, sue the entity with the biggest pockets. Then raise the price of game tickets, jerseys, TV commercials and anything else that a fan wants to buy.


http://www.nfl.com/player/tylersash/2495506/profile

It is the schools that should take responsibility. These young men, most of them have been playing football 10 - 12 years before entering the NFL. That is a huge toll on the body and the head. It isn't just "The big hit" It is a constant jolt to the noggin just doing the basic stuff. Hell, Even head butting each other on a good play or psyching each other up is an effect.

It is always the last guy that gets caught. In this case the NFL. I really love this sport but I too do not think I will let my youngest play. My oldest did and he ended up quitting after high school. No concussions that I know of in his 4 years, But this is getting scary. When I see stupid Facebook posts about people ripping on why these guys get paid so much for doing something they love, It kinda pisses me off. They do not understand exactly how much these guys are giving up to play the sport they love. It is dangerous business for sure.

I was listening to Plaxico Burris on a talk show. ( who was very very cool, humble and straight forward ) Talking about how hard these guys really hit. Two men running full speed up to 20 miles an hour and colliding into each other. Even himself catching a ball knowing the hit is coming and then laying on the ground in so much pain, but getting up to not show he was affected, Because the moment you show it they target you and break you down mentally which becomes physically too. I think over the past four years the Seahawks have had a outstanding effect on the league. Sure everyone hates us now, But I bet they wouldn't mind being us!

A lot of teams seem to be doing what and how we do things. That says a lot of this organization and from where it was to where we are going! I am enjoying the hell out f this ride. I just hope there can be a way to keep players on ALL teams safer. Only time will tell.

 

[Rob12]

I don't think his story is BS at all. 27 is too young to die.

The NFL doesn't deserve all the blame, but if I hear one more jackass say that the league is getting soft, I'm going to lose it. These young men are literally destroying their brains. How many more NFL players do we need to hear about that have significant CTE damage? I mean, they know the risks. They accept those risks. But the league should always look for ways to better protect the players, even if it doesn't serve our barbaric fan desires. What was that stat? 90 dead NFL players, and 86 tested positive for CTE? Of course, you can't attribute all of their deaths to their brain injuries, but come on, guys... Whether or not these talented young men make millions or not, they deserve to be protected. Tony Dorsett shouldn't forget where he is going when he is one minute out of his driveway, or forget how to get home after he buys some groceries. Imagine our guys suffering that same fate. I'm not good with that.

I have three boys - ages 5, 3, and 2. And you better believe that I am going to do all I can to steer them away from playing football. Maybe this story is sensationalism, but his brain was jacked up, and that should probably give us a little pause. A little used NFL player had his brain turned to mush.

Have some respect... Let's look for ways to improve the game, and the safety of the players. If you don't, you're not looking at the humanity side of this whole fan thing... And that's a damn shame.

 

[ApnaHawk]

When you play the game. The coaches tell you it's a deadly game. Any right coach would. Does it stop players from using their head, no! That's the game. Everyone knows what they're signing themselves up for.

I hate how they're trying to expose the NFL. I understand brain trauma is bad, but it's bad in the NHL as well.

 

[Attyla the Hawk]

I love the sport. But I've spent an inordinate amount of effort to get my sons to abandon it.

I don't think it's an NFL problem. I think it's just a sport problem. And not one that will ever be resolved adequately. Human beings aren't meant to absorb that kind of repetitive collisions in the day to day of practice. NFL players have been playing the sport for many years. I believe this is a problem of repeated damage over time.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

This story is so misleading and such BS. "Former Giants Safety" They fail to mention that he was in the league 2 years and started ZERO games.

He had a total of 17 tackles in his career....makes me wonder if the doctors saw NFL and said "Hey, let's get our names in the news."

If he had CTE, it could have been from playing in College, or he could have been in a car crash. Or, maybe he played Rugby. But no, let's just throw the name of an NFL team out there.

What about the schools? Do they take any responsibility? None. Instead, sue the entity with the biggest pockets. Then raise the price of game tickets, jersies, TV commercials and anything else that a fan wants to buy.


http://www.nfl.com/player/tylersash/2495506/profile

Most of the "football causes C.T.E." articles and medical opinions I've seen and read state that the brain damage is done young, like gradeschool, highschool and college................not the pros. While the brain's still in the developmental stages.

So how many games this guy played as a pro is irrelevant.

 

[joeseahawks]

I believe this is a very naive take on this issue. What we see in the NFL doesn't start in the NFL. It starts, when parents drive 10 year kids to the field, buy them helmets and shoes, sign them up for Pop Football leagues. It starts when college coaches walk into the house of a 17 year old kid and recruit him to go play for Alabama, Oregon, USC, WASU, ...etc. At that age, these kids aren't even allowed to purchase cigarettes or alcohol. They aren't even allowed to vote. But, they are already addicted to football. They have already been hit countless times. Some parents have made the decisions to let them play a sport, that might later destroy their lives.
Dr. Omolu (who worked on the CTE) thing said he would recommend law makers to prevent children from playing football until they reach the consent age of 18. Because they are the ones, who will ultimately need to live with the consequences. I believe he has a valid point.

When you play the game. The coaches tell you it's a deadly game. Any right coach would. Does it stop players from using their head, no! That's the game. Everyone knows what they're signing themselves up for.

I hate how they're trying to expose the NFL. I understand brain trauma is bad, but it's bad in the NHL as well.

 

[Happypuppy]

I think it starts very young. They play pop Warner , middle school , HS and college. Some of the gear I remember was just garbage

Boxing it is thought it's the accumulation of hits over a career.

 

[ivotuk]

The other thing I find upsetting is that the news people report this like the only people in the world to have concussions are NFL players.

I have had several concussions in my life, car wrecks, snowmachines, construction work. Concussions effect a lot of people, and I'm positive it effects more non-football players than it does NFL players. Fortunately the NFL has been forced to spend money on research that will benefit all concussion sufferers, but they aren't the only liable entity out there, just the richest.

The thing is, the current level of medical knowledge is far from conclusive. There is no medical procedure to establish connections because the guys getting tested are dead. They can't answer questions about their medical history, accident history, or playing history. They aren't there to tell the doctors "I started noticing memory problems when I was X years old."

So it's difficult to pin it down. But at least studies are being funded now.

And the awareness will hopefully help the non-football player recognize, and deal with concussions that they might not have recognized otherwise.

In response to above posts, I never said "HIS story is BS" The story that is BS is making it out like his concussions were solely caused by the NFL.

And it is NOT irrelevant how many professional football games a person played. Knowing that number helps people recognize that the NFL is NOT the sole cause of concussions. But that there are other causes that need to be recognized and addressed.

And finally, this is just my own opinion, but I believe every person is different when it comes to susceptibility to concussions, and whether or not a concussion will early deterioration for a particular person. Kam Chancellor is not susceptible to concussions.

 

[joeseahawks]

I'm really not sure about the point you trying to make.
My grand mother lived into her 70s, although she was a smoker. My cousin died at age 45 from lung cancer. Are you saying that because my Grandmother lived that long ... Smoking wouldn't cause cancer?
Of course, we are all different. And things affect us differently ...
The real question is: Do repetitive violent hits cause CTE ... If the answer is YES ... then it is the responsibility of society to make sure, those who engage in this activity know the risks.

And finally, this is just my own opinion, but I believe every person is different when it comes to susceptibility to concussions, and whether or not a concussion will early deterioration for a particular person. Kam Chancellor is not susceptible to concussions.

 

[twisted_steel2]

The other thing I find upsetting is that the news people report this like the only people in the world to have concussions are NFL players.

I have had several concussions in my life, car wrecks, snowmachines, construction work. Concussions effect a lot of people, and I'm positive it effects more non-football players than it does NFL players.

You have a point there. Its a rough world out there. My first thought is soldiers.