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Post by nerdinitupagain on Oct 29, 2010 12:29:04 GMT -5
I've been thinking about this the last few weeks with the NHL, NFL & MLB all doing more to protect their players from concussions. The Benoit murders were the first major concussion + head trauma mainstream media awareness incidents that I can pinpoint to. Chris Nowinski lead the way with this to really beef up study on brain trauma and it seems 3 years later, he's succeeded in getting public awareness for this issue.
MLB is more about player care since there are only a handful of ways you're going to get a concussion in baseball and only two of them are really intentional & dangerous events. Running over a catcher & a bean ball at the head, however, most beanings at direct at the back/shoulder as throwing at the head usually results in much longer suspensions.
The NFL & NHL have REALLY pushed this issue though, altering rules for hitting to limit shots to the head. The NFL requires players to have base line testing and any deliberate shot to the head for a head to head contact is likely to be met with a large fine, suspension and penalty. The NHL has responded with Game Misconducts for elbows to the head, suspensions (Donald Brashear is the first person I can think of two years ago in the playoffs who received a 4 game suspension for this), and after Matt Cooke's display of douchebaggery against Mark Savard last year which Savard is still recovering from... it's safe to say the NHL is not letting this issue slide. Players now have to have medical clearance to return from concussions as well.
WWE really were the first sports group to focus on concussions as a whole, and I would imagine that some of their ideas (baseline testing being one) have directly influenced these major sports leagues to change how things operate.
Now, this is in no way a Benoit sympathy post, I have no respect for the man as a person. Although a child hood hero, he's no longer someone I have any positive thoughts for.
My discussion points are as follows
Would we have this sort of mainstream awareness of brain trauma if Chris Benoit does not commit the horrendous murders followed by his suicide? And a side note... although there can be no forgiveness for what Benoit did, does the potential positive impact on thousands of athletes that reform in their sports has had, give you some sort of solace and comfort that the heinous acts at least have contributed to a better quality of life for thousands of pro and amateur athletes in an attempt to minimize the likely hood for similar incidents in the future?
If you feel this would have happened eventually despite the murders, why was the issue not taken seriously by anyone prior to the murders? The NHL and NFL are notorious for guys who have had their brains rattled too many times. WWE clearly didn't take it seriously with chair shots, head butts, and people such as Angle and Benoit who probably suffered double digits amounts of concussions over the years. Jerry McGuire even makes a point of this with the NHL Player in the beginning of the movie.... and up until last year, they were very fine with sweeping the issue under the rug.
I look not for opinions on Benoit himself, but on the impact on pro-wrestling and other professional sports that his acts have had.
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comahan
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
Posts: 17,899
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Post by comahan on Oct 29, 2010 13:00:37 GMT -5
I think the NFL's stance on the issue has a lot more to do with how many of their older players are being found to be suffering brain damage around the age of 50, rather than the Benoit situation. It might have had a small factor, but I dont think it's the main reason.
Wrestling wise though? Absolutely.
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Post by Chuckie Finster on Oct 29, 2010 13:29:13 GMT -5
Nowitski was studying NFL player's brains before the Benoit tragedy. The NFL use to hire their own doctors to refute the Sports Legacy Institute's claims.
The sports world becoming more concerned with head-trauma progressed as SLI studied the issue and major breakthroughs on diagnosing and treating concussions were made.
The only company Benoit affected was WWE, even though they only recently approached SLI about working together.
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Post by smokey1980 on Oct 29, 2010 13:36:58 GMT -5
Thing is, all the mainstream press that came out of the Benoit situation focused on "OMG Roid Rage!". The story about what the Sports Legacy Institute found out by studying his brain was pretty much buried, outside of wrestling sites. I bet most people, who haven't followed the situation closely, still think it was all about the 'roids or what not.
That being said, though, you've got to give a ton of credit to Chris Nowinski, for pushing the issue on all fronts. But he was pushing it both before and after the Benoit situation.
The only silver lining, really, to come specifically from the Benoit tragedy, is that WWE does now have a wellness policy, and while it isn't perfect, I venture to guess it has saved some lives.
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Post by TripleMerc on Oct 29, 2010 16:24:58 GMT -5
The only silver lining, really, to come specifically from the Benoit tragedy, is that WWE does now have a wellness policy, and while it isn't perfect, I venture to guess it has saved some lives. Eh, that was more of an Eddie G. instituted thing, if I remember right.
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Post by smokey1980 on Oct 29, 2010 19:07:28 GMT -5
The only silver lining, really, to come specifically from the Benoit tragedy, is that WWE does now have a wellness policy, and while it isn't perfect, I venture to guess it has saved some lives. Eh, that was more of an Eddie G. instituted thing, if I remember right. You may be right. I couldn't remember the timeline exactly.
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Post by Bald Bull on Oct 29, 2010 21:11:22 GMT -5
Even though National Media recognized the Benoit Tragedy as a Roid Rage Incident.
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saintpat
El Dandy
Release the hounds!!!
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Post by saintpat on Oct 29, 2010 21:27:58 GMT -5
I think it did lead directly to the end of chair shots to the head in WWE, which is a good thing.
As for the media's portrayal of it as a 'roid rage thing, I personally think that was probably a factor in there somewhere. Yes there are some studies that suggest bizarre and even violent behavior sometimes happens in people with multiple concussions, it also happens with people who have never had even minor brain trauma.
It's an area where there still hasn't been a lot of studies to know better what exactly the long-term effects are. And throwing steroids into the mix are sure to make it a more volatile situation.
Fact is, a lot of people have had tons of concussions and not ever killed anyone, or even assaulted anyone.
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Post by Mayonnaise on Oct 29, 2010 21:55:49 GMT -5
The only silver lining, really, to come specifically from the Benoit tragedy, is that WWE does now have a wellness policy, and while it isn't perfect, I venture to guess it has saved some lives. Eh, that was more of an Eddie G. instituted thing, if I remember right. Correct. Benoit had all his pills and roids thanks to a loophole in there that allowed them if prescribed by a doctor (re:the Asten Case).
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Post by Vice honcho room temperature on Oct 29, 2010 22:32:44 GMT -5
I think it did lead directly to the end of chair shots to the head in WWE, which is a good thing. As for the media's portrayal of it as a 'roid rage thing, I personally think that was probably a factor in there somewhere. Yes there are some studies that suggest bizarre and even violent behavior sometimes happens in people with multiple concussions, it also happens with people who have never had even minor brain trauma. It's an area where there still hasn't been a lot of studies to know better what exactly the long-term effects are. And throwing steroids into the mix are sure to make it a more volatile situation. Fact is, a lot of people have had tons of concussions and not ever killed anyone, or even assaulted anyone. He had the brain of an 85-year-old Alzheimer's patient. Something wasn't right there.
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saintpat
El Dandy
Release the hounds!!!
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Post by saintpat on Oct 29, 2010 22:57:33 GMT -5
He also had 10 times the normal human level of testosterone and high levels of oxycodone and Xanax in his system.
I also note that there aren't a lot of cases of 85-year-old Alzheimer's patients murdering their families.
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Post by Mayonnaise on Oct 29, 2010 23:03:16 GMT -5
He also had 10 times the normal human level of testosterone and high levels of oxycodone and Xanax in his system. I also note that there aren't a lot of cases of 85-year-old Alzheimer's patients murdering their families. There are cases of that happening though, most famously, Verne Gagne killing his roommate in a nursing home. There are also several cases of football players either killing themselves or attacking and nearly killing people and they have had multiple concussions. I am not saying this to take the blame from Benoit (far from it), just that this isn't that uncommon.
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JMA
Hank Scorpio
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Post by JMA on Oct 30, 2010 0:07:17 GMT -5
Damage the brain enough, and the objective nature of the world as perceived by an individual becomes more and more subjective. That, combined with the drugs, other injuries, and stress, is the reason the tragedy happened, in my view.
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Cranjis McBasketball
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Knew what the hell that thing was supposed to be
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Post by Cranjis McBasketball on Oct 30, 2010 1:46:46 GMT -5
Right now they're are floating a theory that Jason Pominville of the Buffalo Sabres can't return to hockey, simply because he can't actually regain his baseline test. They think they may have done so well, it's basically impossible to match it. He's skating, working out and all with no problems, but can't get cleared to play because he can't pass the test again.
I don't think Benoit really pushed things entirely on his own, but it certainly helped the SLI since several NHLers (and others I assume, but don't know) are donating their brains.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 30, 2010 12:53:53 GMT -5
I don't think Benoit really pushed things entirely on his own, but it certainly helped the SLI since several NHLers (and others I assume, but don't know) are donating their brains. Yep, several NFL players are doing the same.
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Post by Milkman Norm on Oct 30, 2010 15:07:29 GMT -5
He also had 10 times the normal human level of testosterone and high levels of oxycodone and Xanax in his system. I also note that there aren't a lot of cases of 85-year-old Alzheimer's patients murdering their families. There are cases of that happening though, most famously, Verne Gagne killing his roommate in a nursing home. There are also several cases of football players either killing themselves or attacking and nearly killing people and they have had multiple concussions. I am not saying this to take the blame from Benoit (far from it), just that this isn't that uncommon. Many Alzheimer's patients due display aggresive behavor because they are scared and confused. My grandfather needed to restrained a few times in the last year of his life when he was in a home due to his behavor in order to keep himself safe. Of course he was an frail 88 year old man and Chris Benoit was a strong athelete in his forties. So the danger of the behavor, but not the possible cause.
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Post by capnsteve on Nov 1, 2010 2:33:51 GMT -5
I think it did lead directly to the end of chair shots to the head in WWE, which is a good thing. As for the media's portrayal of it as a 'roid rage thing, I personally think that was probably a factor in there somewhere. Yes there are some studies that suggest bizarre and even violent behavior sometimes happens in people with multiple concussions, it also happens with people who have never had even minor brain trauma. It's an area where there still hasn't been a lot of studies to know better what exactly the long-term effects are. And throwing steroids into the mix are sure to make it a more volatile situation. Fact is, a lot of people have had tons of concussions and not ever killed anyone, or even assaulted anyone. He had the brain of an 85-year-old Alzheimer's patient. Something wasn't right there. I wish people would stop repeating this ridiculous quote.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Nov 1, 2010 6:18:23 GMT -5
He had the brain of an 85-year-old Alzheimer's patient. Something wasn't right there. I wish people would stop repeating this ridiculous quote. What's ridiculous about it?
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Post by capnsteve on Nov 1, 2010 23:58:22 GMT -5
It's just sensationalist crap meant to grab your attention. The idea that all this brain damage was concentrated in the "don't kill your family" section of the brain, leaving him completely normal otherwise, is ridiculous. 85 year old Alzheimer's patients are generally concerned with trying to remember who their family members are, and if they're lucky they don't need full time professional care.
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Post by The Summer of Muskrat XVII on Nov 2, 2010 0:16:55 GMT -5
The Benoit incident was just another domino, as the SLI was founded just before the murders, and it was based on some NFL players who had committed suicide and violent acts out of character. With or without the Benoit incident, they would've came to the same conclusions eventually.
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