The new and improved concussion thread

[Llama19]

New study says number, severity of brain injuries raises dementia risk

To quote:

"Researchers analyzed 36 years of health records of 2.8 million people in Denmark, where a national health system makes it possible to explore connections in a far-reaching way.

Overall, the risk was small. About 95 per cent of people who suffered a brain injury never developed dementia.

But a single severe brain injury increased the risk of later dementia by 35 per cent compared with a person who never had brain trauma. A mild brain injury increased the risk by 17 per cent. Each additional brain injury added to the danger."

Source: www.thestar.com/life/2018/04/11/new-study-says-number-severity-of-brain-injuries-raises-dementia-risk.html

 

[Llama19]

Is the NHL doing enough to prevent concussions? Eric Lindros, others don't think so

To quote:

""We can do more," Eric Lindros, the former Flyers captain, said over the phone recently.

"To me, they're just protecting their interests," Keith Primeau, another Flyers captain, had said a day earlier.

"I don't think you can plead ignorance, which is what they're trying to do. And it's scary.""

Source: www.philly.com/philly/sports/flyers/eric-lindros-keith-primeau-cte-nhl-flyers-gary-bettman-concussions-20180419.html

 

[LadyStanley]

Former NHL enforcer Daniel Carcillo to donate brain for CTE research

In a string of tweets last week, Carcillo called out the league and the players association for a lack of treatment and education for repetitive head traumas. He claims their inaction "has directly led to the deaths of 4 former players" — Derek Boogaard, Steve Montador, Wade Belak and Rick Rypien.

Until the current lawsuit is settled, I doubt the NHL and/or NHLPA really "want" to do anything that may be seen to damage their current position, unfortunately. Sigh.

 

[LadyStanley]

Are we closer to having early CTE diagnosis and treatment?

Sport Illustrated feature.

No such study [like NFL recent study of 100+ brains for CTE] has been conducted among hockey players; the sample of available brains just isn’t large enough yet. And even then McKee is quick to point out that much more comprehensive trials—in which patients are tracked across multiple years, containing control groups and such—are needed before any sort of true consensus can be reached. But she is leading the scientific charge at a critical time for the sport. With head hits taking center stage during these 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs—see: Washington’s Tom Wilson on Pittsburgh’s Zach Aston-Reese—the calls are growing louder for the NHL to adopt a zero-tolerance policy, rather than issue discipline based on ambiguous terms such as “intent” and “main point of contact.”
...
As part of their full-throated defense in U.S. District Court that same year, NHL lawyers attempted to subpoena every available medical record, photograph and micrograph from the bank’s then-approximately 400 brains. “It was very intrusive,” says McKee, who fired back with multiple affidavits and eventually scored salvation from a recordkeeping nightmare that she estimated would’ve taken until 2030 to complete.
...
According to McKee, the scientific community has already established an age-related progression with CTE. The disease worsens over time, spreading throughout the brain and infecting other functions. But there has to be a trauma-related trigger, too. “We’re trying to establish what that is,” she says. The big, concussion-causing hits are obvious candidates, but McKee points elsewhere. “On some level, that big impact is safer because you’re going to rest your brain,” she says. “The small ones you don’t even recognize you have, you’re going to rush back in and re-injure. Twenty percent of CTE cases never had concussions. Our work is really pointing to these repetitive small hits that occur, practically every play in football, but a lot in hockey too, especially if they’re an enforcer or a rough player going into the boards a lot.”

Organization getting five calls/day from families thinking about donating brain of loved one.

 

[LadyStanley]

Tick, tock

After more than four years of arguments in courtrooms, boardrooms and science labs, the concussion lawsuit brought by retired players against the NHL has finally reached a critical stage. U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson has heard closing arguments from both sides, and she is deliberating whether to certify the case as a class-action lawsuit

 

[cbcwpg]

https://www.tsn.ca/years-into-concu...er-nhl-owners-deny-knowledge-of-cte-1.1095287

 

[Killion]

https://www.tsn.ca/years-into-concu...er-nhl-owners-deny-knowledge-of-cte-1.1095287

Wow. What can you say? Blatantly lying, denying any knowledge. Jeremy Jacobs completely unaware?. After the NFL settles for nearly a billion dollars (and despicably are playing games with the player association & those affected)?. That is in no way even remotely plausible & obviously Jacobs, Bettman & the rest of them could care less about any possible civil perjury suits. As the former NFL Lawyer Jodi Balsam suggests, paraphrasing "they must be dilettantes if true that their completely unaware of CTE" as several have claimed, under oath in sworn testimony.

I dont quite understand why the Judge would order portions of their testimony redacted though I can understand why he'd order the players testimony redacted due to the personal nature of the testimony they would have given. If that all gets out pre-trial, not good in terms of even handed, objective adjudication. Seriously amp things up.... The other reporting, Shanahan "cant remember which players" expressed deep concerns for the health & well being, lives; the Leafs & others employing "Secret Concussion Spotters" in-building but who wont release their names & so on. Taking pages right out of the Deep State Playbook. Unreal. I get it though. Most do. Hell of a lot at stake.... And good job there TSN. Not dancing around the issue the way a huge swath of the media is. Sycophants beholden to the NHL & or their sponsors.

 

[cutchemist42]

This really struck me....

 

[Killion]

^^^ Man is that ever bad.

 

[LadyStanley]

Note that Jacobs met with NHL lawyers prior to his deposition.

 

[mouser]

Note that Jacobs met with NHL lawyers prior to his deposition.

Perhaps Jacob has CTE?

 

[LadyStanley]

Perhaps Jacob has CTE?

Jeremy Jacobs - Wikipedia

He is 78. So, he could have any number of memory deteriorating illnesses.

 

[cutchemist42]

Many pointing out on reddit the balance Jacobs might be failing in the public eye with donations to the Neurology studies at the University of Buffalo while publicly claiming this as well.

 

[cutchemist42]

^^^ Man is that ever bad.

I mean, we know we have higher-ups in the NHL who are thinking of controlling officiating for a public image. I mean, I know NA leagues aren't rigged. but elements are there and talked about clearly...

 

[cbcwpg]

https://www.tsn.ca/nhl-lawyer-requested-dementia-warning-be-removed-from-concussion-poster-1.1097016

A medical consultant to the National Hockey League Players’ Association has testified under oath that a top NHL lawyer watered down a warning to players about the long-term dangers of repeated head trauma on a poster displayed in every NHL team dressing room.

According to the testimonies of an NHL lawyer and a league medical consultant, as well as that of an NHLPA medical consultant, an NHL doctor worried about using too many words on the poster because of the growing percentage of foreign players in the NHL and so-called cultural differences.

 

[cbcwpg]

NHL Commissioner Bettman sidesteps question about concussions

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, who has stated in the past that there is no proven link between repeated concussions and the degenerative brain disease Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), declined to respond Monday when asked if he still holds that opinion.

"I'm not going to start another news cycle. There's nothing new on the subject," Bettman said

Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly, sitting beside Bettman, added, "This is not the commissioner's view. It's the science view. So all we're doing is reiterating what the scientists have concluded, which is there's not enough information to draw that link."

 

[Llama19]

Jamal Lewis Making Most of Post-NFL Life—but Preparing for Darker Days to Come

To quote:

"The emptiness is inevitable, inescapable and, sometimes, fatal. Once pro football is through with you, count on it spitting you back out into society a concussed and confused man, searching for purpose."

Source: bleacherreport.com/articles/2778321-jamal-lewis-making-most-of-post-nfl-life-and-preparing-for-darker-days-ahead

 

[LadyStanley]

Franzen dealing with post concussion issues. Wife blogging about situation.

Very tough to read through how it's impacting everyone.

 

[Killion]

Very tough to read through how it's impacting everyone.

Yeah I wasnt aware of Franzens situation. Brutal. You read any number of these guys stories going way back, over the past 40 odd years, so many of them & its just heartbreakling.

 

[Rick Kehoe]

Jamal Lewis Making Most of Post-NFL Life—but Preparing for Darker Days to Come

To quote:

"The emptiness is inevitable, inescapable and, sometimes, fatal. Once pro football is through with you, count on it spitting you back out into society a concussed and confused man, searching for purpose."

Source: bleacherreport.com/articles/2778321-jamal-lewis-making-most-of-post-nfl-life-and-preparing-for-darker-days-ahead

Jamal Lewis made a grown man's choice to play football, just like others have decided to join the military, or other high-risk occupations. He voluntarily decided not to choose a profession which would have been easier on the body. While Lewis is unfortunately having problems, other retired pros aren't. I wish the best for Lewis, but the pros of playing pro football still easily outdistance the cons. Ditto for the NHL.

 

[LadyStanley]

https://www.usnews.com/news/healthi...ities-bring-awareness-to-mental-health-issues

With a number of celebrities coming forward to make public statements about their struggles with mental health (including anxiety, depression, grief, etc.), seems like it's becoming less of a stigma regarding mental health.

Here's hoping that folks will be more open with their mental health and medical providers to properly diagnose and treat folks.

 

[LadyStanley]

Newly Obtained Video Depositions Provide Glimpse of NHL Defense in Concussion Lawsuit

Depositions released in NHL concussion lawsuit.

 

[Killion]

Newly Obtained Video Depositions Provide Glimpse of NHL Defense in Concussion Lawsuit

Depositions released in NHL concussion lawsuit.

Thanks for posting this.... Will be some required watching when I have time.

...... annnnd watched it. Just 3min's & change. Bettmans & et al's Video Depositions from 2015. According to the station & anchor & reporter "heavily redacted".... Gary Bettman being very combative as one would expect.... Lou Lamoriello sounding like an idiot quite frankly with his "90% of fights asre just wrestling matches with no punches landed", which was true in the 50's & 60's I would think but no studies ever done.

Pretty sure Louie's watched a few Junior & NHL fights in the 70's, 80's & 90's. Don Cherry videos etc. Lots of live hockey incld'd. Absolutely insane the number of punches players are throwing. Targeting each others heads like Speed Balls in so many cases, others, just a one timer KO. But obviously, a lot more than just fighting causing concussions. Much much more. ....

No idea what Shanahan was droning on about. Mumbled something about enforcers from a letter or statement he was reading from.... I'd be shocked if the Judge doesnt rule this forward, Class Action suit proceeds... NHL gets annihilated & loses badly... and then like the NFL goes full on World Class Sleaze in terms of the processing & delivery of claims, financial aid, medical assistance & so on... precipitating yet further legal action all of which will take years, a decade or more to settle... if ever.... has to be done though. No question in my mind at anyrate.

 

[Llama19]

 

[Killion]

^^^ And here we go..... @Llama19 .... isnt there a US High School Football case pending as well or was that all just talk? Seem to recall reading something about that a couple of years ago.