Gordio Posted January 20, 2016 Share Posted January 20, 2016 “There’s no correcting it. There’s no helmet that’s going to correct it. There’s no teaching that’s going to correct it. It just comes down to it’s a physically violent game. Football players are in a car wreck every week.” Yet he sued the NFL anyway. "Severe spinal cord injuries"? Also, he's delusional if he thinks he would, as a 14th round pick "still be playing baseball"---not in MLB. yeah you never know. Piazza was drafted in 62nd round & he was only drafted because his father asked Lasorda to draft him as favor & he just got elected to the hall of fame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick the Greek Posted January 20, 2016 Share Posted January 20, 2016 Junior Seau also regretted playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordio Posted January 20, 2016 Share Posted January 20, 2016 A 14th round pick in baseball isn't what you think it is. I have no idea how good he was, but if teams think a high school player is likely to go to college for baseball, they don't draft him until later. Generally speaking, if you're not drafted in the first 1-2 rounds of the MLB draft, it's smarter (and more montarily rewarding at the end of the day) to play college baseball. The additional complicating factor with someone like Randle El was that he was clearly a football prospect too. There's too much risk to draft someone like that in, say, the 3rd through 5th rounds of the MLB draft. MLB is loaded with later-round picks because of the uncertainty surrounding whether a HS player will play college baseball or not. After three years in college, a player can re-enter the draft and be drafted all over again. A few years ago, the Yankees drafted Gerrit Cole out of high school in the late first round, but he went to college (UCLA) instead. A few years later, the Pirates drafted him #1 overall. You can bet the Yankees regret that pick despite the fact that they were right (Cole is awesome). http://www.si.com/mlb/photos/2015/06/08/diamonds-rough-baseballs-best-late-round-draft-picks/1 Always thought the baseball draft was weird. Players don't have to declare, if they don't like where they get drafted they simply go back to college. I always love the story of Jeter. He was a top prospect but several teams passed on him due to they thought he was going to go Michigan. He also, due to a hrroible spring up north only played liked 13 games his senior year of high school. When the Yankees called his representative, I believe it was Stick Michaels, they asked him, "we like derek but we are scared he is going to go to Michigan." Michaels reply was a classic, "he isn't going to Michigan, he is going to Cooperstown.". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick the Greek Posted January 20, 2016 Share Posted January 20, 2016 Little guys in the NFL seem to get it the worst. Great athletes who are fun to watch and shine in college end up in the pro arena's among the heavy hitters and they don't belong out there. Getting crushed by an nfl LB or strong safety that has 50 plus pounds on you WILL end up injuring you (duh). In some cases, like Randle El's end around plays, you may end up getting slammed by a guy almost twice your weight. How is it a surprise that these dudes have lifelong effects from that? I hope I'm wrong but the Daryl Talley $150k "help me" fundraiser has probably been noticed by lots of retired fan faves around the country. Expect Randle El to have a fan donation thing going soon, if he doesn't already. I don't know if I agree with you on this one. I feel like offense/defensive linemen get it the worst. See Mike Webster of the Steelers. He's the poster child for CTE. Linemen bash there heads together on nearly every play. This are big, strong men as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave mcbride Posted January 20, 2016 Share Posted January 20, 2016 Always thought the baseball draft was weird. Players don't have to declare, if they don't like where they get drafted they simply go back to college. I always love the story of Jeter. He was a top prospect but several teams passed on him due to they thought he was going to go Michigan. He also, due to a hrroible spring up north only played liked 13 games his senior year of high school. When the Yankees called his representative, I believe it was Stick Michaels, they asked him, "we like derek but we are scared he is going to go to Michigan." Michaels reply was a classic, "he isn't going to Michigan, he is going to Cooperstown.". It is weird. The guy who said that about Jeter was the scout Dick Groch, and Jeter was in fact drafted 6th overall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbb Posted January 20, 2016 Share Posted January 20, 2016 The way I read it is he doesn't regret playing football so much as playing football over baseball. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. WEO Posted January 20, 2016 Share Posted January 20, 2016 Junior Seau also regretted playing. So much that he retired and then unretired 4 days later. He is one guy who never wanted to stop playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YoloinOhio Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 I regret watching Randle El play football. Too soon? he was a heck of a basketball player at IU too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augie Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 It's not just head direct head blows that talley up to "CTE". It's any drastic deceleration. Basically any big hit. I'm not saying it IS just direct head contact. But seriously, what percentage of the problem is from severe shoulder to shoulder contact, or falling to the ground. I'd say more than 90% is from head banging. It happens on every play. Guys do it routinely on purpose. That's how the game is played. I'm not taking a stand, just pointing out the obvious. These guys are not forced to play, they know the risks, and they take them. I don't want injury, but they are making that decision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. L. Hot-Flamethrower Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 I'm not sure it is fair to say these guys KNEW the risks. This issue is just getting out into the mainstream in recent years. Starting to play now-perhaps. Starting to play in 1980 or 1990- no way guys knew they would end up with the problems they incurred. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augie Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 I'm not sure it is fair to say these guys KNEW the risks. This issue is just getting out into the mainstream in recent years. Starting to play now-perhaps. Starting to play in 1980 or 1990- no way guys knew they would end up with the problems they incurred. That's a fair point, but I can only think of ONE guy who has walked away. (Forget name...LB from Wisconsin? Chris Borland?) Because you started 10-20 years ago doesn't mean you can't just walk away now that the risk is clear. How many players in the NFL each year? They are electing to continue. Most former players say they wouldn't change a thing. This didn't come out a few weeks ago, it's been years that we've know about long term health and brain concerns. It's their ticket and they're going to use it, for scholarships, joy of the game or riches. No judgment on my part. Just observing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. L. Hot-Flamethrower Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 That's a fair point, but I can only think of ONE guy who has walked away. (Forget name...LB from Wisconsin? Chris Borland?) Because you started 10-20 years ago doesn't mean you can't just walk away now that the risk is clear. How many players in the NFL each year? They are electing to continue. Most former players say they wouldn't change a thing. This didn't come out a few weeks ago, it's been years that we've know about long term health and brain concerns. It's their ticket and they're going to use it, for scholarships, joy of the game or riches. No judgment on my part. Just observing. Good point in bold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordio Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 (edited) It is weird. The guy who said that about Jeter was the scout Dick Groch, and Jeter was in fact drafted 6th overall. Yeah I know he was drafted 6th, but I beluieve several teams passed on him that liked him because they were scared he was going to play college ball. The Reds were one of those teams that passed over on Jeter. They get a pass though since they already had Barry Larkin. Edited January 21, 2016 by Gordio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
26CornerBlitz Posted January 21, 2016 Author Share Posted January 21, 2016 Numbers suggest Jeff Samardzija wise to choose baseball over football But this is about Samardzija and former Steelers wideout Antwaan Randle El. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. WEO Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 I'm not saying it IS just direct head contact. But seriously, what percentage of the problem is from severe shoulder to shoulder contact, or falling to the ground. I'd say more than 90% is from head banging. It happens on every play. Guys do it routinely on purpose. That's how the game is played. I'm not taking a stand, just pointing out the obvious. These guys are not forced to play, they know the risks, and they take them. I don't want injury, but they are making that decision. Ia gree 100%. These guys are like smokers--it's inherently and even intuitively dangerous. Claiming others "hid" the risks has never been a convincing or sympathy generating argument. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave mcbride Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 Numbers suggest Jeff Samardzija wise to choose baseball over football Yup. It's also worth noting that Bo Jackson's decision to play football destroyed a promising MLB career. He should have stuck with baseball. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8-8 Forever? Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 So glad I turned down opportunity to play college football... got injured so much just in High School it just didn't make sense to play in College and get really beat up... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CodeMonkey Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 (edited) Only way to fix this problem is to get rid of helmets and force you to play the right way. My thought is to make the game as safe as possible would require getting rid of the helmet and all pads, except for the cup. But it wouldn't be anywhere near the same game, or nearly as popular, if the players weren't using their bodies as weapons at full speed. Edited January 21, 2016 by CodeMonkey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkAF43 Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 Honestly at first I was thinking when my son is old enough to play I'd let him, now I just don't see any benefit to allowing him to play, it's just not safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave mcbride Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 Honestly at first I was thinking when my son is old enough to play I'd let him, now I just don't see any benefit to allowing him to play, it's just not safe. Have him play in the NFL-sponsored flag leagues. It's a phenomenal sport. My son has been playing in one for 7 years (he's 16), and while baseball is by far and away his #1 sport, he thinks flag is more fun than any sport around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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