A 38-year old man sits inside a small High School gym in Wisconsin watching his son and his son's peers play basketball. It's a sunny summer day on the outside, but air conditioning keeps the gym cool on the inside. You can hear a slight murmur from the crowd and the dribble of a basketball, but little else. From most accounts, this is a perfectly comfortable Sunday afternoon. But this man isn't one of those accounts. He fidgets and sweats as if he was being placed in an oven. The man complains of hearing ringing, but no refs are blowing their whistle, no buzzers are going off. The other parents attempt to make small talk with the man, but he quickly feels overwhelmed and is forced to politely excuse himself. He gingerly steps down the wooden bleachers, looking as uncoordinated as someone who just finished a weekend bender. The man pauses at the door before reaching the hallway and watches his son fire up a shot as the first half nears a close.
1500 of 2500 former NFL players surveyed reported that they suffered at least 1 concussion during their time in the league. On top of that, another 600 players suffered 3 or more concussions in their career. Why is this important? It's important because concussions play a huge role in severe mental defects such as depression, post-concussion syndrome and chronic traumatic brain injury. All of these defects range from minor problems that can be shaken off in a couple days to something that can end one's life. In the case of professional athletes, it's more often the latter than the former.
One who suffers from concussions, especially multiple ones, is more likely to suffer from depression later in life. It shouldn't be a surprise that a recent study revealed that 87% of former NFL players suffer from depression. The shift in mood swings, poor sleep habits, and general down feelings that depression brings have serious implications on their overall well being.
Take this stat for example. While the average American lives to the age of 76, the average NFL player lives to see just 58. Much of this has to do with conditions like arthritis, depression, and brain injuries suffered from concussions.
Looking at these figures, people must realize the sacrifices pro football players (and other athletes who participate in contact sports) make at the expense of their bodies. People usually focus on the money, but these short-lived careers (the average NFL player only lasts about 6 years in the league) give athletes limited windows with which to build up a lifetime's worth of savings.
Back to the man mentioned in the beginning of this article, he's now back, but wearing sunglasses. Getting a tremendous deal of attention from the parents and siblings of the other student basketball players, he gracefully converses with them when approached.
The man is Al Toon, a former standout wide receiver at the University of Wisconsin. Toon enjoyed a successful career in the NFL with the New York Jets, leading the league in receptions once, making 3 Pro Bowls and making an All-Pro first team. If not for constant injuries, he would've gone down as one of the better receivers during his time. Instead, he only played 1 full season in the NFL and retired at the prime age of 29. He suffered a double digit amount of concussions during career and has had post-concussion syndrome as a result. He's just another casualty to the modern day Gladiator games.
1500 of 2500 former NFL players surveyed reported that they suffered at least 1 concussion during their time in the league. On top of that, another 600 players suffered 3 or more concussions in their career. Why is this important? It's important because concussions play a huge role in severe mental defects such as depression, post-concussion syndrome and chronic traumatic brain injury. All of these defects range from minor problems that can be shaken off in a couple days to something that can end one's life. In the case of professional athletes, it's more often the latter than the former.
One who suffers from concussions, especially multiple ones, is more likely to suffer from depression later in life. It shouldn't be a surprise that a recent study revealed that 87% of former NFL players suffer from depression. The shift in mood swings, poor sleep habits, and general down feelings that depression brings have serious implications on their overall well being.
Take this stat for example. While the average American lives to the age of 76, the average NFL player lives to see just 58. Much of this has to do with conditions like arthritis, depression, and brain injuries suffered from concussions.
Looking at these figures, people must realize the sacrifices pro football players (and other athletes who participate in contact sports) make at the expense of their bodies. People usually focus on the money, but these short-lived careers (the average NFL player only lasts about 6 years in the league) give athletes limited windows with which to build up a lifetime's worth of savings.
Back to the man mentioned in the beginning of this article, he's now back, but wearing sunglasses. Getting a tremendous deal of attention from the parents and siblings of the other student basketball players, he gracefully converses with them when approached.
The man is Al Toon, a former standout wide receiver at the University of Wisconsin. Toon enjoyed a successful career in the NFL with the New York Jets, leading the league in receptions once, making 3 Pro Bowls and making an All-Pro first team. If not for constant injuries, he would've gone down as one of the better receivers during his time. Instead, he only played 1 full season in the NFL and retired at the prime age of 29. He suffered a double digit amount of concussions during career and has had post-concussion syndrome as a result. He's just another casualty to the modern day Gladiator games.
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