Projecting my opinions on concussions

I have been looking to write about my thoughts on concussions for a while now.  For the last issue of The Projector, Red River College's student newspaper, I had the opportunity to write a sports column and I chose concussions as my topic.  Here is my column along with a link to The Projector's website.

Picture from National Post

Concussions and Contact Sports

I felt no joy watching Georges St-Pierre punch Johny Hendricks in the face and that was strange.

As I watched UFC 167 on pay-per-view, all the elements were in place to make Hendricks receiving a fist to the head a highly enjoyable experience. It was in the second round and St-Pierre, who I’m a fan of, needed momentum against an obnoxious Hendricks.

As St-Pierre’s punch connected with Hendricks’ chin, I did not think of the fight’s implications; I thought about Hendricks’ brain smashing against the side of his skull.

Ever since watching the PBS Frontline documentary League of Denial: The NFL’s Concussion Crisis, I have been thinking differently about athletes receiving blows to the head.

The documentary deals with the NFL and its denial of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in football.

League of Denial includes stories from players like former Pittsburgh Steelers player Mike Webster, who died at the age of 50.  In the documentary, Webster gets confused, forgetting what he had just said in an interview and his wife talks about how his personality changed drastically as he grew older.

New York Magazine claimed in an October headline “You won’t watch football the same after League of Denial”.

I haven’t watched a lot of sports in the same way since I saw the documentary.

All my favourite sports — hockey, football, MMA and rugby — are contact sports. I love the way contact sports test athletes both mentally and physically. Growing up playing contact sports, nothing was more exhilarating than delivering, and possibly receiving, a big hit.

It is the love of the struggle, not maliciousness that makes me a supporter of fighting in hockey. It’s why I enjoyed watching headhunting defensemen like Scott Stevens patrol the blue line for the New Jersey Devils. Violence in sports presents an opportunity for athletes to show just how badly they want to win.

But as it turns out, athletes are also human beings.  Even though I like St-Pierre and dislike Hendricks, I think both deserve to live long healthy lives with their families.

As more information comes out regarding brain injuries, it’s important for sports leagues and fans to think of player safety and be open to change. 

While the NHL banning headshots is a step in the right direction, as a long-time supporter of fighting in hockey, I think it’s time to have a serious discussion about fighting’s long-term effects on players' brains.

I love contact sports, but I think changes need to be made for the safety of the athletes.  Players are increasingly aware of health risks, but I do not want to spend money and gain enjoyment by watching them ruin their lives.

The Projector: http://theprojector.ca/stories/view/mikes-scoresheet