Art Monk vs. NFL

[Defensewins]

Originally Posted by GusFrerotte

Ah dude, players know it is a dangerous, rough sport, when they decide to play the game, just like hockey players, or even race car drivers know they could get into a serious car accident. If the players are just trying to increase awareness or get the NFL to maybe spend more on protective equipment I am all for it, but to be honest, with these guys getting bigger and faster every decade, it is going to be very hard to really increase the protection they can get. The whole thing is tremendous blunt force. Maybe create a helmet with some sort of shock absorber mechanism, but even that might only alleviate the force some.

For me it is about raising awareness. Especially for parents that let their small little kids play full contact pee-wee football or hockey. They might think differently once educated on the real risks of exposing a young child to a certain sport at such an early age.
I had never heard of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy until just a few months ago. I did not know that it has been found in kids as young as 18 years old.
As the research and funding continue to grow we will learn more about this preventable condition. I hear they are close to developing a test that will identify it in the living.

What shocked me is when Kurt Warner was recently quoted on "The Dan Patrick Show", saying he would prefer if his children did not play football. Backlash and criticism followed, “I think it’s irresponsible and unacceptable,” Merril Hoge said on "NFL Live" on ESPN. "He has thrown the game that has been so good to him under the bus. He sounds extremely uneducated.”
Really?
Merril Hoge a former running back suffered a concussion during the 1994 season with the Bears, but was cleared to play without further examination by the team doctor. A few weeks later, he suffered another concussion, this one causing him to stop breathing. Hoge was eventually resuscitated and spent two days in intensive care, which marked the end of his football career.

In the weeks, months, and years following this incident Merril Hoge experienced severe memory loss and even had to learn to read again.

It is nearly mind-boggling to hear Hoge, who nearly lost everything on the field, not only question Kurt Warner’s safety-related comments, but to essentially call blasphemy on the Super Bowl MVP. Hoge more than anyone should understand the extreme risks that come with playing an extremely violent sport.