NFL and Players Reach Concussion Lawsuit Settlement

[digitaldean]

Manwich did have concussion problems:
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1...kers-officials

Stand corrected. Thanks for the link.

[pbmax]

Lawyers with deep pockets were after the League and its deep pockets so the players were on an even playing field in those terms. In return for fronting the money, the Lawyers get a significant slice (25 or 33%) without even needing to go to court.

It would have gotten ugly for both sides. For each player in a bad way that would have made news and bad PR for the League, there were 3 or 4 (McMahon, Mandarich, Butler, Levens) for whom the effects were not as visible.

As for QBs with a history of multiple concussions that experience a typical retirement, the state of the research last time I read up was that the number of blows over time was the most significant contributing factor. Even if the repeated blows were sub-concussive, they could still make the player susceptible to later, more serious injury.

So while Commissioner PressRelease and the Competition Committee are worried about QBs and WRs in the middle of the field, the most significant damage is probably occurring along the LOS on every snap.

[QBME]

Lawyers with deep pockets were after the League and its deep pockets so the players were on an even playing field in those terms. In return for fronting the money, the Lawyers get a significant slice (25 or 33%) without even needing to go to court.

It would have gotten ugly for both sides. For each player in a bad way that would have made news and bad PR for the League, there were 3 or 4 (McMahon, Mandarich, Butler, Levens) for whom the effects were not as visible.

As for QBs with a history of multiple concussions that experience a typical retirement, the state of the research last time I read up was that the number of blows over time was the most significant contributing factor. Even if the repeated blows were sub-concussive, they could still make the player susceptible to later, more serious injury.

So while Commissioner PressRelease and the Competition Committee are worried about QBs and WRs in the middle of the field, the most significant damage is probably occurring along the LOS on every snap.

Well stated as usual.
An interesting tidbit in the news reports is that the NFL is covering "some legal fees" as part of the settlement. I have no idea what that translates to in terms of billings, but my gut tells me it's not quite the customary percentage, but worth their time and effort for a quick resolution. Some of the national pundits were speculating a $10BN exposure for the NFL for a ruling in favor of the players. If that is truly the case, they settled for a little less than 8% of the pot.

Again, I really hope, as you pointed out, I hope the help goes to those who really need/deserve it.

[Guiness]

Close line play probably does result in some minor, if repeated concussions. Over in the Reggie Williams thread we're talking about Astroturf and I remember seeing some guys head bounce off that surface.

[Patler]

For each player in a bad way that would have made news and bad PR for the League, there were 3 or 4 (McMahon, Mandarich, Butler, Levens) for whom the effects were not as visible.

If you mean that McMahon is not in a bad way, he really is. He has already been diagnosed with early stage dementia, and his condition has had significant impact on his present lifestyle. Can't remember his team mates, daily schedule, things like that. His wife keeps a running daily log so he knows what he has to do that day, what things are in the days ahead that he needs to prepare for, etc. He's just 54.

[Guiness]

If you mean that McMahon is not in a bad way, he really is. He has already been diagnosed with early stage dementia, and his condition has had significant impact on his present lifestyle. Can't remember his team mates, daily schedule, things like that. His wife keeps a running daily log so he knows what he has to do that day, what things are in the days ahead that he needs to prepare for, etc. He's just 54.

Agreed, McMahon should not be on the 'not that bad off' list. That guy took an absolute pounding on the field and aside from any concussion related issues, the rest of his body (shoulders, knees, etc) are in bad shape as well. He was one of the 6 original players that filed the class action suit against the NFL and SI did a story on his condition.

[Patler]

Agreed, McMahon should not be on the 'not that bad off' list. That guy took an absolute pounding on the field and aside from any concussion related issues, the rest of his body (shoulders, knees, etc) are in bad shape as well. He was one of the 6 original players that filed the class action suit against the NFL and SI did a story on his condition.

SI had an article on him about a year ago. Apparently he has gone downhill very quickly in just a couple years. I read several other articles about him that he said he had been very outgoing, engaging and charismatic. Enjoyed being at "events" etc. Now, he often is in a mental fog, doesn't remember what city he is in or what he just did minutes ago and shows little personality.

[mraynrand]

SI had an article on him about a year ago. Apparently he has gone downhill very quickly in just a couple years. I read several other articles about him that he said he had been very outgoing, engaging and charismatic. Enjoyed being at "events" etc. Now, he often is in a mental fog, doesn't remember what city he is in or what he just did minutes ago and shows little personality.

Yeah I saw him a while back and it is quite tragic. It's amazing how bad this stuff is that it makes you truly feel sorry for a guy you absolutely hated as a competitor.

BTW, one of my fav. Jim McMahon stories is about when he was at BYU. They had a strict no alcohol policy, so of course Jim gets a six pack and drinks it on the main campus lawn. At least that's what I recall from a story told to me by a fellow student who witnessed it. Makes me wonder about the contribution of other substances to these guy's conditions. A very hard, physical life on the field coupled with a hard life off the field - bad combo.

But my heart goes out to guys like McMahon, Seau, Webster, and even Al Toon, who seems to be living in a lighter fog than McMahon. Damn shame.

[pbmax]

If you mean that McMahon is not in a bad way, he really is. He has already been diagnosed with early stage dementia, and his condition has had significant impact on his present lifestyle. Can't remember his team mates, daily schedule, things like that. His wife keeps a running daily log so he knows what he has to do that day, what things are in the days ahead that he needs to prepare for, etc. He's just 54.

I have not seen him very recently, only heard him on the radio. He sounded alert and coherent (he was never a scintillating interview in my mind) but he might not qualify for the "doesn't look injured" squad. But there are many other players, some recently retired, who seem no worse for wear from appearances who have filed suit.

I still hold that both sides could have pointed to certain plaintiffs to make their case in the public relations sphere.

[Patler]

I still hold that both sides could have pointed to certain plaintiffs to make their case in the public relations sphere.

I'm sure they could have, there are always plaintiffs at each extreme in a huge, multi-party suit. I wasn't disputing that part of your comment. I just wanted to point out the problems that McMahon is having.

[pbmax]

I'm sure they could have, there are always plaintiffs at each extreme in a huge, multi-party suit. I wasn't disputing that part of your comment. I just wanted to point out the problems that McMahon is having.

Gotcha; no problem. I feel bad for including McMahon erroneously, as I tend to sympathize on this issue with players whose complaints might not be obvious. Including him proved my point that its easy to dismiss injuries to mental faculties.

[Jimx29]

Some of the better known Packers:

Chris Jackie?
I suppose it's as logical as some of the other teams players

http://bleacherreport.com/tb/db88g?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=green-bay-packers

[pbmax]

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/9622926/players-initially-sought-2-billion-plus-nfl-concussion-settlement

A Post Mortem on Settlement Talks

1. Players initial offer was $2 billion, League had similar lowball, but unclear how low.

2. Players were told significant numbers of players would be dismissed if Judge on case were to get to the ruling on motions stage.

3. Owners were told a significant number of players (those who claims did not extend from 1994-2000) would make it to court.

4. NFL told players they were willing to go to court, but they were apparently willing to settle to avoid disclosure and press. Unfortunately, this is the weakest part of the article, its not specific and the NFL stance would be typical of any defendant who believes they may prevail (not certain) in court.

5. $765 million is amount of payout to players but does not represent the lawyers fees. The NFL will pay those, and the total payout to the League is estimated at about $1 billion.

Interesting that the players in 1994 to 2000 were in jeopardy of being thrown off the case. 1994 was the year the NFL's first concussion committee was formed and it is that committee where most of the publicly known instances of a research, recommendation and implication shell games were centered. So either the committee itself shielded the players and later, worse, behavior caused the NFL risk, OR the CBA/NFLPA agreements were changed/formalized and there was not enough significant disagreement over the poor work until after 2000.

Most of the current stories and research about the effects concussions can have are relatively recent. But the Committee's inability to deal effectively with damaging research in the field was evident early. But I think the largest step the Committee took was the recommendation to allow players to re-enter games if symptoms subsided on the sidelines. I believe that was an early step and is now thought to have been nearly completely wrong. *Note: might not have been an early step, it was still possible in 2007 for this to happen.*

Neurological testing on the sidelines is difficult on Game Days and there is much doubt about the efficacy of tests under those conditions. The tests in use at the time were modest and there was no player baseline to refer to, each player was compared to one standard. The test were simple enough that players could lie and pass several of them and in some cases evade part of the test entirely.

[Patler]

...and then there is boxing......

[pbmax]

...and then there is boxing......

Funny you should mention boxers:

At a press briefing afterward, Omalu's name kept coming up, and so Casson responded: "The only scientifically valid evidence of chronic encephalopathy in athletes is in boxers and in some steeplechase jockeys. It's never been scientifically, validly documented in any other athletes."

Read More http://www.gq.com/sports/profiles/20...#ixzz2dlQgfGlQ

Omalu is the guy who spotted the damage in Mike Webster's brain. Casson was a physician on the NFL's Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Panel. Needless to say, Omalu was proven correct.