NFL phases way down by 1995, earlier knowledge of CTE, plus the high road.

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https://www.newseum.org/2014/09/19/usa-today/

The first issue of USA Today on Wednesday, Sept. 15, 1982. So, a major thread of 3 PODs:

Earlier medical knowledge of CTE.

USA Today jumps in and runs with this topic, and

Other newspapers compete.​
 
However, since it was two years later in 2017 that Andrew again had shoulder issues, I'm not at all sure it was the same injury.
Was same shoulder and was from same injury but from other incident(either on or off field) still the point have both the NFL AND NFLPA take health more seriously, Luck history would not have ended a tragedy, still a shame.
 
Was same shoulder and was from same injury but from other incident(either on or off field) still the point have both the NFL AND NFLPA take health more seriously, Luck history would not have ended a tragedy, still a shame.

While I agree that the NFL and the player's union need to take health more seriously, I think the biggest issue behind what happened to Luck specifically is unintended consequences from the rookie wage scale in the 2012 CBA that allow teams to arbitrage rookie, and to a lesser extent 3rd/4th or more quarterback contracts to have cap space to sign more players or resign their own drafted players, which then puts salary pressure on teams with QBs in their primes to economize where they can, which to less competent GMs often times appears like the offensive line. While Luck was on his rookie contract most of that time, I would posit that that line of thinking still probably influenced Ryan Grigson's thinking wrt how most efficiently to compose a team.
 
Thank you, yes, looks like it may have been same nagging injury.
I know luck issue, poor guy, he was killed because GM incompetence and voodoo physicians, as say before, have both side cared health and have contracts take care of health luck story would be other, still as say before, healtcare and pensions are the issue not CTE
 
I agree that something like a knee injury can be disabling. But how can this be more serious than brain damage?

And often it’s the EQ emotional (intelligence) quotient, and I’ll find a reference on that.
Both Destroy your quality of life but in long term..is the risk of a sport, i see baseball players getting concused but their depleted arms are even more awful, Boxing is still there even with CTE, MMA Exist even when people know the danger, is inherent, at times you're too patronizing with a job people do in their own risk...but the injustice is not healt, are right, with better right, Luck tragedy would have not happened.
 
MMA Exist even when people know the danger, is inherent, at times you're too patronizing with a job people do in their own risk...
I embrace the criticism! :) And thank you, for if you’re thinking it, other people are as well.

My response:

Well, even though I talked about how with earlier and greater knowledge, colleges are unable to justify continuing football, and even though I mentioned “mighty mite” football (ages 7-9), the conversation inevitable turns to the pro level. Plus, the title of course.

And then, even with a phased-down NFL in which the sport is slightly behind hockey, pro soccer U.S.-style and auto racing by ‘95, adults still of course have the right to make their own choices. I agree. And I’d almost be siding for a safer sport without so many interruptions and so many automatic first downs for cheap pass interference penalties. Instead, I’d prefer a league in which some teams win championships with a run-oriented attack and others with a pass-oriented attack. And the flow is a more interesting side-to-side style. And, since some of the rules are relatively new, there’s still some strategy left to explore.

And again, the main public health issue is not several thousand pro athletes.
 
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While I agree that the NFL and the player's union need to take health more seriously, I think the biggest issue behind what happened to Luck specifically is unintended consequences from the rookie wage scale in the 2012 CBA . . .
And I think rookies get short shift as much as the union might swear up and down that they don’t.

And then there’s the interesting aspect in which former Players’ Association executive director Gene Upshaw said, on at least several occasions, that he’s not paid to represent the retired players. He was both right, but also in a way wrong.
 
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And I’d almost be siding for a safer sport without so many interruptions and so many automatic first downs for cheap pass interference penalties. Instead, I’d prefer a league in which some teams win championships with a run-oriented attack and others with a pass-oriented attack. And the flow is a more interesting side-to-side style. And, since some of the rules are relatively new, there’s still some strategy left to explore.

That's exactly what I'd like to see. And it wouldn't be that complicated to get there. Mandate wrap up and follow through tackling, clarify the pass interference rules and call them evenly, probably limit it to a 15 yard penalty instead of a spot foul like in college too. Get rid of the defenseless receiver over the middle rule and let safeties make contact with receivers when they're in the act of catching the ball, so long as they're form tackling and not launching themselves at the receiver like a missile. But the NFL won't do any of that, because in their minds, casual fans won't enjoy a game like that, particularly female fans.

And I think rookies get short shift as much as the union might swear up and down that they don’t.

And then there’s the interesting aspect in which former Players’ Association executive director Gene Upshaw said, on at least several occasions, that he’s not paid to represent the retired players. He was both right, but also in a way wrong.

Most everybody gets short shift in the NFL except the big name QBs, receivers and DEs. And I see where Upshaw is coming from, but that's shortsighted too, since the players of today are the retirees of tomorrow.
 
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http://dev.realclearsports.com/lists/work_stoppages_in_sports/1982_nfl_strike.html

OTL:

The 1982 strike lasted from Sept. 21 to Nov. 16, and the regular system ended up being nine total weeks.

People more remember the 1987 strike because of the movie.

Both throw curve balls because, frankly, the public tends to side against the players.​

ATL:

?
As say before the owners are the true villains, not CTE,even with CTE, i can see remplacaments and other coming as they got their only shot for their dreams, unless we got a full baseball strike and players won big(fully guaranteed contracts and lifetime health insurances)
 
As say before the owners are the true villains, not CTE,even with CTE, i can see remplacaments and other coming as they got their only shot for their dreams, unless we got a full baseball strike and players won big(fully guaranteed contracts and lifetime health insurances)

I hope that happens in 2021.
 
What if we go the other way - suppose the rules changes in '78 don't come about which expanded offense greatl (compared to what it had been.) It was done for ratings, I think, but let's say owners are just too stubborn to change and some butterflies from before lead to a lack of change.

Suddenly even tougher, more menacing defenses cause lots more concern early on as the explosion in physics problems occurs.

Yes, I said physics problems.

Look, if a 250-pound guy hits you repeatedly, that's bad enough. If a 300 pound guy does so, that's worse - it's simply physics. Same if you're 300 pounds versus 250 and forced to stop suddenly.

This link shows that in 1970 there was one guy over 300 pounds, 3 in 1980, almost 100 in 1990 and then more and more. So at the same time, a lot of 200 pounders were becoming 250 pounders, one would think. So, have more injuries as a whole because some misguided poll speaks of fans desiring more defense, and by 1990 with almost 100 players over 300 pounds, you stgart to see things pile up. Maybe have JOe Montana's 1986 back injury happen differently so it's a career-ender or nearly so.

All of a sudden, you have people crying out for change, and with owners still in control, players tart to leave for other sports.

It can be a combination of injuries to key players inother areas (like Luck recently) and CTE problems then. Maybe it's not quite by 1995 but it could be close. However, I think the huge growth recently in the sie of NFL players is what is driving part of this, at least.

(Edit: Montana going down for good in '86 on the heels of William Andrews and Billy Sims in '84 could have meant something - it's always the quarterbacks who are most visible. Have 1-2 of them go down for good and you could have fans sensing a serious problem. The 49ers might still trade for Steve Young and maybe that would be enough to win the Super Bowls they did OTL - it probably would be - butg he retired dur to concussions in the late '90s, so the sme injury happening to him s happened to MOntana in 1990 plus a few others could push it to 1994 or so he retires, and we could always posit him staying with Tampa or going to another team which outbids the 49ers. and then can't keep him healthy.)
 
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Rugby is worse, that still don't avoid CTE, French is an nationald debate as their tackling is even more deadly https://www.theguardian.com/global/2018/dec/18/france-rugby-union-deaths

From what I've read, I wonder if rugby wouldn't benefit from the introduction of some PPE, maybe not the bulky helmets and pads of American football (which are counterproductive to a degree because they can be used as weapons) but at least some sort of equipment that can absorb blows, it seems that rugby doesn't have as much of an occurrence of CTE and other cumulative issues but deadly injuries are more common.
 
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