Heels20X6 Posted February 2, 2007 Posted February 2, 2007 Let the Belichek is a heartless monster chat start now: http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/6434128 Johnson says Belichick ignored LB's concussion Associated Press Posted: 6 hours ago NEW YORK (AP) - Former New England Patriots linebacker Ted Johnson said coach Bill Belichick subjected him to hard hits in practice while he was recovering from a concussion - against the advice of the team's top trainer. Johnson, who helped the Patriots win three Super Bowl titles before retiring two years ago, told The New York Times that a collision with another player during that 2002 practice led to another concussion. And, after sustaining additional concussions over the next three seasons, he now forgets people's names, misses appointments and suffers from depression and an addiction to amphetamines. "There's something wrong with me," the 34-year-old Johnson told the Times in a story posted on its Web site Thursday night. "There's something wrong with my brain. And I know when it started." The Boston Globe, which is owned by the Times, posted a similar story on its Web site. Johnson, who played 10 years in the NFL, said he began to deteriorate in August 2002 with a concussion during an exhibition game against the New York Giants. He sustained another concussion four days later after Belichick prodded him to participate in a full-contact practice, even though he was supposed to be avoiding hits, Johnson said. The next month, with their relationship already strained, Johnson confronted Belichick about the practice after the coach asked him to meet in his office. "I told him, 'You played God with my health. You knew I shouldn't have been cleared to play,"' Johnson told the Globe. Belichick told the Globe he got no cue from Johnson in practice that day that he was hesitant about participating in the full-contact drill. "If Ted felt so strongly that he didn't feel he was ready to practice with us, he should have told me," Belichick said. The Patriots did not allow Jim Whalen, still their head trainer, to comment for this story, according to the Globe. Patriots spokesman Stacey James told The Associated Press on Thursday night that the team was aware of the report but was not prepared to comment. In a story last month, the Times reported that brain damage caused on the football field ultimately led to the suicide of former NFL defensive back Andre Waters last November, according to a forensic pathologist who studied Waters' brain tissue. "We have been focused on the issue of concussions for years," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told the AP. "It remains one of our prime concerns as we continue to do everything possible to protect the health of our players." NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is expected to answer questions about the issue at his annual state of the NFL news conference Friday. Dr. Lee H. Schwamm, the neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital who examined Johnson, wrote in a memo on Aug. 19, 2002, that Johnson sustained a second concussion in that practice, the Times reported. Schwamm also wrote that, after speaking with Whalen, that the trainer "was on the sidelines when he sustained the concussion during the game and assessed him frequently at the sideline," and that "he has kept Mr. Johnson out of contact since that time." Johnson said he spoke with Belichick the next day about the incident, but only briefly, the Times said. "He was vaguely acknowledging that he was aware of what happened," Johnson said, "and he wanted to just kind of let me know that he knew." Johnson sat out the next two preseason games on the advice of his neurologist, but played in the final one. Then, thinking he was still going to be left off the active roster for the season opener against Pittsburgh, he angrily left camp for two days before returning and meeting with Belichick. "It's as clear as a bell, 'I had to see if you could play,"' Johnson recalled Belichick saying, according to the Times. Moments later, Johnson said, Belichick admitted he had made a mistake by subjecting him to a full-contact drill. "It was a real kind of admittance, but it was only him and I in the room," Johnson told the Times. After returning to game action, the linebacker sustained more concussions of varying severity over the following three seasons, each of them exacerbating the next, according to his current neurologist, Dr. Robert Cantu. Cantu told the Times he was certain that Johnson's problems "are related to his previous head injuries, as they are all rather classic postconcussion symptoms." He added, "They are most likely permanent." Cantu, the chief of neurosurgery and director of sports medicine at Emerson Hospital in Concord, Mass., also said Johnson shows signs of early Alzheimer's disease. "The majority of those symptoms relentlessly progress over time," Cantu said. "It could be that at the time he's in his 50s, he could have severe Alzheimer's symptoms." Johnson told the Globe he estimates he had at least six concussions in his last three seasons, but reported only one because he already had a reputation as an injury-prone player and he didn't want to make it worse. "Looking back, it was stupid not to tell anyone," Johnson said. "But I didn't know then that every time you have a concussion, you are four to six times more susceptible the next time. I had no idea the damage I was causing myself." Gene Upshaw, executive director of the NFL Players Association, spoke in general terms about concussions at a news conference Thursday in Miami, where the Super Bowl will be played Sunday. "If a coach or anyone else is saying, 'You don't have a concussion, you get back in there,' you don't have to go, and you shouldn't go," Upshaw said, not speaking about Johnson's case specifically. "You know how you feel. That's what we tried to do throughout the years, is take the coach out of the decision-making. It's the medical people that have to decide." Upshaw told the AP that concussions are one of the issues the union is examining this year. "We've seen a number of concussions in the NFL this year, and as a result of our studies, we've seen a change in the helmet. We're also studying the effects of that on concussions," Upshaw said.
RJsackedagain Posted February 2, 2007 Posted February 2, 2007 Not to defend Belichick here, but if Johnson has all these problems from football why was he considering a comeback last summer? ... Sounds fishy to me
justnzane Posted February 2, 2007 Posted February 2, 2007 Eh i could believe that Belechick is that unethical with his players, but I can also see Johnson try to get one last paycheck out of the deal also
smokinandjokin Posted February 2, 2007 Posted February 2, 2007 Ted Johnson was a 10-year vet who played the most brutal postition in a brutal sport, where heavy collisions are the norm. He KNOWS he hurt his noggin in a practice in August 2002, but continued to play for three complete seasons in '02, '03, and '04? "I was hitting my head with a hammer at 10am, and it started to hurt around 10:05, and I kept hitting my head with a hammer until 4pm. Now I can't remember where I put my car keys. That smash at 10:04am must've really done me in." The Pats are shady too, though, because of the way they are so secretive with their staff and only let Belichick deal with the media. I imagine that flies when you are winning, but when you are losing, the secretive stuff is an insult to fans and becomes extremely annoying- a la Mularkey/Donahoe.
Beerball Posted February 2, 2007 Posted February 2, 2007 The Pats are shady too, though, because of the way they are so secretive with their staff and only let Belichick deal with the media. I imagine that flies when you are winning, but when you are losing, the secretive stuff is an insult to fans and becomes extremely annoying- a la Mularkey/Donahoe. Damn right they are. Why has this taken so long to come out? Why wasn't it posted sooner? Someone should have had this up by 9:30 this morning, but I guarantee you that Bellickek surpressed this. Bastard MFer. All the more reason to hate the pats.
drnykterstein Posted February 2, 2007 Posted February 2, 2007 Not to defend Belichick here, but if Johnson has all these problems from football why was he considering a comeback last summer? ... Sounds fishy to me Didn't the article say he forgets things. He probably forgot he had a concussion.
Heels20X6 Posted February 2, 2007 Author Posted February 2, 2007 Didn't the article say he forgets things. He probably forgot he had a concussion. TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, THE BELICHEK DEI HAVE FOUND OUT ABOUT THE RELEASE OF THIS INFORMATION AND I AM IN DANGER NOW. PLEASE DO WHAT YOU CAN TO BREAK THE CODE - HEELS SO DARK THE CON OF PATS
generaLee83 Posted February 3, 2007 Posted February 3, 2007 Not to defend Belichick here, but if Johnson has all these problems from football why was he considering a comeback last summer? ... Sounds fishy to me He's probably out of money due to his self admitted amphetamine addiction. How one connects a concussion with amphetamine addiction is beyond me. Sounds fish, I still hate Billy B. though.
PromoTheRobot Posted February 3, 2007 Posted February 3, 2007 As much as I believe Bill Belichick sold his soul to Robert Kraft (aka Satan) I think Ted Johnson shares as much of the blame, as does the whole NFL culture. Unless you are a superstar, you have to fight to stay employed. An injury is nothing more than a chance for your backup to take your job. A coach like Belichick expects players to perform. If they can't, they have to step aside. Ted chose to keep playing than give himself the chance to heal. It's a tough choice, but entirely his to make. If he sat, it may have cost him his job with the Pats, but he'd still have his health now, and he probably could have caught on with another team. I hate the Pats as much as anyone, but sorry, this one is all on Ted. PTR
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