Broncos-Patriots game reveals players' dilemma with injuries, scrutiny

[Denver Native (Carol)]

When a player is injured during a Broncos game, from where I sit I can hear the media-relations staff get the call before the news is announced over the loudspeaker in the press box. It's like a 30-second advance on the tiny snippets of news, and on Sunday night, I heard it and heard it and heard it.

Omar Bolden, tested for a concussion. Duke Ihenacho, tested for a concussion. Kevin Vickerson, hip. You watched the game. You saw what happened.

One of the bigger injuries, though, wasn't announced. Running back Knowshon Moreno limped off the field in overtime and came through the locker room on crutches afterward. On Monday, he had just one crutch, which the media saw after it was told that Moreno would likely be back at practice by the end of the week.


rest - interesting - http://www.denverpost.com/lunchspecial/ci_24604584/broncos-patriots-game-reveals-players-dilemma-injuries-recovery-scrutiny

[Joel]

I think it was two years ago (the franchises first playoff game) that the Texans introduced Earl Campbell along with Bum Phillips before the game. The commentators were expressing their happines that the 56 year old used a walker to stand and wave, noting he'd been unable to get out of a wheelchair just a few weeks earlier. Football's a full contact sport, and hasn't always taken the best care of its athletes even when the short and long term effects of injuries were well known (which they also haven't always been.)

It HAS gotten better, mainly (IMHO) because of the NFLs growing and quite justified terror of massive legal liability for concealing and even waging misinformation media campaigns against the ramifications of injuries when they DID become known. It's not JUST concussions, but a string of high profile murders and suicides has made them the canary in the coal mine. One of the non-sports articles I read about it a couple years ago linked to doctors report warning that even a few—perhaps even ONE—concussion significantly raised brain damage and senility risks.

I say, "senility," because Alzheimers wasn't discovered till long after the EARLY '50S, which is when the doctors conducted the study, compiled the report and presented it to the NFL as well as their own colleagues. The NFL reaction? Conceal, deny and publicly discredit. It's eerily like the tobacco company lawsuits a generation ago: Highly profitable company conceals and discredits known risks for decades, then when the risks, their knowledge and their concealment are proven, excuses itself with "they knew the risks; EVERYONE does."

The NFL's dealing with it the same way, too: Pay an eye-popping settlement to be released from liability for judgements that would be many times larger. And it prompts the same conclusions such settlements always do: If the NFL was willing to pay well over half a BILLION dollars just to make the problem go away, just how guilty do they know they are?

As to Morenos specific case: I trust Del Rios judgement and (relative) candor when he says we'll see Moreno back on the field by the end of the week; I sincerely doubt that translates to "will play Sunday." Depending on DRCs specific injury, the same applies. Del Rio's done a lot of talking about their injuries without saying much (but then, KC's listening, too.) I hope and pray for the best for all of them, and that goes for Hali, Houston and all the other players. Everyone, really; they're just higher profile than most.