The NFL is a Scam

Football=Brain injuries, it's that simple.

Ashley DuBeau
November, 2018

The NFL is a Scam

    TBI is also known as Traumatic Brain Injury. It is a brain injury usually, "resulting from a violent jolt to the head," (MayoClinic). Although some TBI injuries can heal on their own over time, "more serious TBI's can result in bruising, torn tissures, bleeding, and other physical damage to the brain," (MayoClinic). The Center for Disease Control and Prevention defines TBI as a, "disruptive impact in the normal function of the brain...everyone is at risk for TBI, especially children and older adults," (CDC). It is even further of a risk for children and older adults because their brains are not as protected as middle aged adults are. This can be because of a child's development, as their brain structure is not as development as a young adults, and just as well an elderly adult's brain is not as secure and protected because of the effects of aging.
   
TBI can result from any kind of violent jolt to the head; for example, "larder focal damage, bullet wounds, and motor vehicle crashes," (TBI: Causes). For instance, in a motor vehicle accident, when there is force that comes into contact with the head, that impact can cause the brain to jolt from within the cranial cavity. According to the CDC, in 2013 falls," accounted for 47%of all TBI-related emergency visits, hospitalizations, and deaths," (CDC). The second leading cause of TBI was, "being struck by or against an object," (CDC) such as a football or another player's helmet, being struck by another human body, falling and getting pounded by another player, or even during basketball. The CDC stated once more that over 1 in 5 TBI-related visits and deaths were caused by being struck by an object. This is prevalent because there is now a leading known factor as to why TBI occurs.
   
Unfortunately, TBI is still prevalent in the athletic community. According to the Institute of Medicine and National Research, "between 2001 and 2015, 3.4 million instances of TBI were accounted for by sport participation," (Milroy, J.J). This study accounted for high school and professional sports. Another study was conducted by the IMNR stating that, "65.6% of collision sports...suffered some kind of sport related concussion," (Milroy, J.J). This piece of evidence indicates how frequently people in collision sports suffer from brain injuries. However, this percentage does not take in account the collisions that are not reported. This percentage could increase dramatically if the undocumented cases were accounted for. The same study suggests that between the ages of 19-21, the percentage of being at risk of a sports related concussion was between 22-23.9% chance, then decreases after the age of 22," (IMNR). This indicates that the younger you are the more at risk you could be at for having a concussion or TBI injury. This could be in addiction to the fact that at a younger age your brain is not fully developed and a quick jolt to the head could cause severe damage.
   
Sadly enough, it has been reported that not all concussion injuries related to sports are reported. According to the IMNR by another study, "out of 284 participants, only 208 reported their injury while 74 cases were not reported," (Milroy, J.J). Although more than half of the cases in this study were reported, it is still significant that there was still a good chunk of people did not report their injury. This could be in cause of not wanting to sit out during a game, being scolded, or afraid of being kicked out of the sport. This also suggests that children are taught not to record injuries that happen during practice or games because it is not important enough. If people were able to take responsibility to the causes of injuries, than more people would be able to get treated.
   
CTE, or Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy has been known as, "the industrial disease of football," (NFL Settlement). Not only is it a disease that does not get enough attention, but it is also, "a long term consequence of brain injuries, usually due to repetitive brain trauma," (NFL Settlement). CTE can be prevently found in football players who had commited suicide, or have died from complicated measures. From donated brains by deceased football players, "a dot-like structure or distribution of phosphorylated tallaggregated in neurons, astrocytes, and cell process in perivascular spaces within the death of the cortical sillci," (Yunan, S.H). These structures are the physical evidence of CTE which is brain damage that cannot be fixed, treated, or altered.
   
CTE not only destroys the personality of someone, but changes their behavior drastically. According to the article by S. H Yunan and SG Wang, "some behavioral symptoms can be seen as depression, emotional lability, apathy, aggression, suicidality, and trouble sleeping." CTE does not just show emotional symptoms, but CTE also causes motor and cognitive symptoms. Some of these cognitive symptoms can include impaired attention and concentration, memory deficits, and dementia. Another article posted by E.S Stone states that. "The symptoms of CTE are not limited to memory loss...it also includes difficulty controlling impulsive or erratic behavior,impaired judgement, and behavioral disturbances including some difficulty with balance," (E.S Stone). Because of these symptoms, it has also been seen that symptoms of  CTE could be misdiagnosed as depression, dementia, or any other behavioral disorder. Because of this, early symptoms are not treated accordingly, and the patient is unaware of their actual situation.
   
Within CTE there are several areas in the brain are attacked by this disease. Within an article by Clinedge, "in 2002 Boston University dound 50 cases of CTE in football players, one in which was seventeen years old," (Clinedge). Dr. Ann Mckeem a neuropathologist identified four stages in which Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy takes effect. Stage one is seen as, "isolated spots of the tau protein building up around the frontal lobe of the brain. No symptoms are yet to show," (Clinedge). From then is stage two, where, "defective tau proteins affect more nerve cells in the brain's frontal lobe, the patient shows symptoms of rage, depression and impulsive behavior," (Clinedge). By stage three, the tau protein has surpassed the frontal lobe and has started to reach the, "temporal lobe. This affects the hippocampus and amygdala...these sections are responsible for your emotions and memory, (Clinedge). By now the patient is confused and has memory loss. At the last stage, the tau protein has completely, "taken over the brain and has shrunk the brain to almost half its original size; the patient now suffers from severe dementia," (Clinedge). CTE is sometimes misdiagnosed and is seen as Parkinson's or Alzheimer's due to the similar symptoms, however as Clinedge reports, "87% of NFL players have been shown to have CTE present in their brain."
   
Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy has been seen in not only football players. Found in an article by Boston University Research, "CTE is found in other athletes like hockey players. Rugby, mixed martial arts, wrestling, and military veterans," (BU Research). In each contact sport it has been seen in multiple instances that with brutal body slams, helmet crushing, and body tosses to mats and the ground, it is clear that there is some form of damage to the brain even if there is not a present concussion.
   
I believe that children should not be allowed to play football. During adolescence, a child's brain is still changing and developing and it is crucial that they are not subjected to brain injuries. In an essence, I believe that sports are idolized far too much that children believe that if they play sports and do well, they will be just as idolized as the sport itself. In 2011, the AMerican Academy of Pediatrics and the Canadian Pediatric society stated that, "parents [should] stop allowing their kids to play high-impact sports like football, boxing, and mixed martial arts altogether," (BrainandSpinalcord.org). It is clear that at such a young age, getting such violent impacts to the head are damaging and even more importantly, Dr. Stefan Duma compared the injuries that a child faces during a contact sports is just as much as a car crash. Because football is a sport that is on such a high pedestal, a lot of people do not want to admit that sustaining a head injury and concussion at any age can ultimately lead to brain damage that cannot be reversed.
   
I believe that football and another contact sport should not be viewed in such hig regard in the first place. There are other positions and careers that do so much more greatness to the world and the community than that of entertainment, such as teachers, care-takers, CNA's, and nanny's. Because of this, I believe that children should not be able to play sports and professional athletes should not be given million dollar contracts which entices the society into playing that much more.
   
I also believe that if children and parents are that desperate to play contact sports, it should be mandatory to take a safety class in which a qualified professional explains just how dangerous brain impacts are, and the real damage that can occur from continuous hits to the head. Just as well, coaches should be more worried about their players and teammates than how successful the team is doing. TheBrainandSpinalcord.org website states that, even with helmets on 90% of concussions still take place," and from former NFL legend Mike Ditka claims that after his evidence, "the risk is much worse than the reward," (Brainandspinalcord.org). Bennet Omalu, discoverer of CTE in Mike Webster stated to the New York Times that, "why do we continue to intentionally expose our children to this risk?"  A lot of people do not understand that once someone loses a neuron, that individual cannot get that neuron back; it cannot be replaced.
   
It was seen in 2015, "less than 44% of youth coaches were properly trained in tackling techniques," (Brainandspinalcord.org). If less than half of youth coaches were not properly trained in these techniques, what else are they not properly trained in, and how are parents allowing their children to be subjected to this kind of coaching? How are children supposed to play carefully if at all, when their coaches don't even know hot to properly coach a team? If children are going to play a sport, even after all of the warning signs, than it should also be mandatory that all coaches be professionally taught the rules of how to safety tackle players, safe movements of the body, and the risks of having a head injury.
   
With regards to community intervention to make contact sports and football in specific safer for children, I believe that parents should be actively involved in research studies about CTE and brain injuries, and safety procedures that help make these sports safer. All in all, in my personal belief, football and other contact sports should not be allowed for children, and professional sports should not be given the attention, money, and time that they are given today. Our society has been taught to value the sports more than valuing the people playing them. The NFL does not seem to understand that people's lives mean more than what can come from games, raffles, parties, medial influences, and any other industrial gain. Or maybe it's the dreadful fact that they know and understand, they just do not care enough to do anything about it. Big corporations have been blinded to see only money signs instead of the faces of people who could be hurt permanently.
   
Pertaining to the NFL in regards to the development of CTE and the numerous cases that have shed light on how dangerous football can be, it is repulsive how this major company can continue to put people in harm just for a nice wallet. Through their deceitful lies, promises, and persuasion, the real problem with football and the increasing rate of CTE is being covered up by their committee. It is true that if the community knew how dangerous football was, there would be a chance that players would not play anymore. However, when it comes to society and people in general, what is more important; keeping your loved ones healthy and alive, or risking their lives for the sack of football?

Citations
#1 Abrel, M.A, Cromartie, F. J. & B.D. (2016). Chronic TRaumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) and Former NFL Players Suicides. Sports Journal, 1-12. Retrieved on September 20th, 2018.
#2 Boston University. Frequently asked Questions about CTE. (N.D.) Retrieved on November 3rd, 2018.
#3 BrainandSpinalcord.org. Should Children Play Tackle Football? Newsome. (N.D.) Retrieved November 3rd, 2018.
#4 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Report to Congress on Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in the United States: Steps to Prevent a Serious Public Problem. Atlanta (GA): Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2003. Retrieved on October 7th, 2018.
#5 Clin. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) Effects on the BRain. March 15th, 2016. Retrieved on November 3rd, 2018.
#6 Milroy, J.J., Hebard, S., Kroshus, E., & Wyrick, D.L. (2018). Sport-Related Concussion Reporting and Coach-Athlete Attachment Among Collegiate Student-Athletes. Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology, 12 (2), 268-281. Retrieved September 25th, 2018.
#7 Stone; E. S. (2017). The NFL Settlement, Traumatic Brain Injury, and CTE: Fact, Fiction, and Spin Doctoring. Journal of Legal Nurse Consulting, 28(3), 8-11. Retrieved October 13th, 2018.
#8 Taylor CA, Bell JM, Braiding MJ, Xu L. Traumatic Brain Injury- Related Emergency Department Visits, Hospitalizations, and deaths- United States, 2007 and 2013. MMWR Suweill Summ 2017;66 (No. SS-9) :1-16.
#9 TraumaticBrainInjury.com. What are the Causes of TBI? (N.D.) Retrieved on September 8th, 2018.
#10 Yunan, S. H., & Wang, S.G. (2018). Alzheimer's Disease due to Suspected CTE from Subconscious Head Impact. Case Reports In Neurological Medicine, 1-4. Doi: 10.1155/2018/7890269. Retrieved on October 7th, 2018.