Football,Tom Brady, Mental Tougness,CTE,and Chuck Mather

"If one dream should fall and break into a thousand pieces, never be afraid to pick one of those pieces up and begin again."
– Flavia Weedn

 

Football season is here as the NFL is concluding its preseason games this week and the college season begins. Some of you couldn’t care less about football, whether it’s college or the pros. However, the numbers do not lie. For instance, youth football alone has 2.8 million players; high school has 1.1 million;  college 68,000 and the pros have 1, 696 players on their opening day roster. Not only that, just think of all the involvement by parents , coaches, auxiliary  personnel, trainers and medical folks. The numbers are staggering.

It was said in the Wall Street Journal, August 17-18, 2013 “football provides the US with the kind of civic religion, but we cannot be blind to legitimate criticisms of the game we love.” The article went on to talk about this dangerous sport and suggested that the critics are exaggerating the risks. The article also suggested that critics fail to see contributions to the lives of young players and their communities.

 

Can you honestly say that the game of football contributes  your life? If it doesn’t benefit your life, you may not want to read any further. However, it may enhance the life of somebody you love/care about. And, for that reason it might benefit you. To paraphrase and quote American President Teddy Roosevelt, Roosevelt suggested that abolishing this violent game would result in turning out “ mollycoddle’s instead of vigorous men.” Roosevelt went on to say “it is to my mind, simple nonsense, a mere confession of weakness, to desire to abolish a game because tendencies show themselves, practices grow up, which proved the game ought to be reformed.”

A research study found in the Journal of  Neurology, evaluated  the autopsies of 334 deceased NFL players. They found that they were three times more likely than the general population to suffer from neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and ALS. On the other hand, a 2002 study by the Mayo Clinic studied 915 football players between the ages of nine and 13. The researchers found that the injuries were relatively rare and when they did occur, were mild, the most common being contusions/bruises. Of course, comparing dead NFL players with grade school players is not equal. I do not expect you to reach any conclusion just yet. On the other hand, a report by the Consumer Product Safety Commission(these injuries resulted in hospitalization or death) estimated the  numbers treated in US hospital emergency room’s: 1. Basketball   8, 246  2. Football 10,115  3. ATVs, mopeds, mini bikes , 28,040  4. Bicycles and accessories   42,221. Allow  the numbers to speak for themselves.

 Did you know that future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady played, for the first time, tackle football in his freshman year of high school?  Did you know that the average annual salary of an NFL player is $1.9 million? Did you know that 32,000 college athletes attend college  on a  football scholarship? Did you know that New York Giant head coach Tom Coughlin , talks about “the tremendous bond” with his teammates from a championship high school team a half-century ago?

Of course, there is plenty more information about this game, that  I’m going to cover in my next book on mental toughness. As far as mental  toughness goes, tomorrow’s television guest is Chuck Mather. In his story, you likely hear about  his Western States, ride and tie and Tevis exploits. Chuck was also was one of my Pacers on my Western States run. In any event, keep moving, laughing, smiling and deep breathing,  In spite of the smoky conditions.