Are They Trying to Kill These Guys?

First, they make good...no make that great money. They think they are bullet proof, and most of us do at that age. It's a life of total pure D Glamour and we would probably kill to be in their place. Having said all this, they are dropping like flies.

I'm talking about pro football players. The ones who played at this level in the 60's, 70's and 80's are passing away too quickly. Jim Otto can barely get out of bed. Conrad Dobler needs his leg amputated. He had about 12 knee operations just on one knee and numerous knee replacements. One problem, his wife is a paraplegic, so he has to walk to take care of her. The list is long. And these are the guys who are alive. The list is just as tragic on the guys who have died before their time. ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease is rampant in this demographic group. The recent study shows that the jarring of the brain shakes loose the protein enzyme that causes this fatal disease. That's why in ex-NFL players the disease is hundreds of times more prevalent than it is in the general population.

Now we are hearing that their will be some hardball played between owners and players in the off season and the owners will get paid the TV revenue regardless if their is or is not a season. The tipping point they say may be an 18 game season.

Let's look at the current season. Philly's starting QB, Concussion first game. In fact their linebacker also had one and was allowed to wobble back onto the field. It was scary he was so out of it. Jason Whitten of the Cowboys had a concussion during week one and argued in vain to get back in while the team hid his helmet. Matthew Stafford of the Lions, the number one draft choice in 2009, made it exactly one game.

This is a totally violent game with players getting bigger and faster by the year. Watch any game and you will see a 300 pound defensive end chase down a fast fairly athletic quarterback who tries to scramble. My point is, the injuries in a 16 game season are dicey. I think we will lose even more players with 18 games. But, in the end, greed always wins out.
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If you get a chance, watch Russell Wilson of NC State. I stumbled on the last 2 of his games, and this kid is something else. He has a cannon for an arm and is fast enough to get out of trouble. And he is really accurate. He generally passes rather than runs, but is really fast. He is already playing pro baseball, but wants to play in the NFL. His only drawback is his size...five eleven. Check him out, you will like him. He will surely give NC State a chance at the championship game in the ACC.