Tag Archives: Chris Nowinski

ESPN OTL Article Sparking Quite A Debate

8 Apr

On the surface this article may be innocuous to many, but the the minutia of concussion research and information is coming to a head very quickly, especially pertaining to the NFL.  Tomorrow is the first hearings in front of the judge – and the possibility of total dismissal - for the concussion law suits filed by thousands of former NFL players.

ESPN and its Outside the Lines department (in conjunction with Frontline) filed this article taking a look at two of the most prominent people in the concussion research/awareness arena, Dr. Robert Cantu and Chris Nowinski;

Two prominent concussion researchers — including a senior adviser to the NFL — served as paid consultants to law firms suing the league for allegedly concealing the link between football and brain damage, according to interviews and documents obtained by “Outside the Lines” and “Frontline.”

The article written by Steve Fainaru and Mark Fainaru-Wada sheds light on the very issues the research community faces with this problem.  Some of this information can be classified as “not new” to people who participate in the constantly shifting arena of litigation and research, while some information can be deemed as scathing.  There is a very tight and ubiquitous line in this matter;

Researchers often are asked to appear as expert witnesses in legal proceedings related to their fields. The NFL suit, with the potential for billions of dollars in damages, has created a large demand for researchers with expertise in the science of concussions.

But some researchers said they have turned down such requests despite the potentially lucrative payoff out of concern the perceived conflict could compromise their research.

Conflict of interest (COI) is something we all need to pay attention to, although it applies to this current article, the COI in this field is rampant and often unchecked.  This is nothing new, players have talked about COI, other journalists have noted it, and one of our prominent commentators (Dr. Don Brady) on the site has even devoted some of his dissertation to COI.

It would seem this is nothing “new” in the world Continue reading →

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Ding, ding, ding!

16 Nov

I recently read a story in the Globe and Mail, “Stampeders backpedal on concussion talk” about Calgary QB Drew Tate who was hit in a head-to-head collision in the 2nd quarter of play on Sunday, November 11. At halftime, Tate said that he had his “bell rung” and couldn’t remember the first half of play, generating this comment from Eric Francis of the Calgary Sun, “All the questions Monday will and should revolve around the apparent silliness of letting Tate play after his halftime admission to TSN.” (emphasis added) Not to worry though, according to Tate all that really happened is that he was “dinged” and “felt some fuzziness”, besides, as Tate says, “As far as talk about a concussion, I didn’t get what the fuss was because I felt fine and just wanted to play.” The Stampeders administered concussion tests during the game, after the game, and Monday morning. Tate was ruled to be symptom free.

It seems fairly clear that Tate was concussed. However, not according to Dave Dickenson, Calgary’s offensive coordinator and a former QB, whose diagnosis was that  he “can tell when I look into someone’s eyes if they are concussed or not,” and he didn’t see any symptoms. Nevertheless, Chris Nowinski knows a thing or two about concussions, concussion management, and the Continue reading →

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Concussion Awareness Helping Change Attitudes

20 Aug

I have stated from day one, that simple awareness of what a concussion is and how it should be handled will help with the epidemic and looming issues in all sports.  Football is the easy target but concussions come from all walks of life, mainly bike riding and wheeled activities like skateboarding.  Awareness is spreading, and along with that there will be changes to the things we enjoy.  They should not be taken away, but to prevent someone from doing that proactive steps must be taken.

Mike Cardillo of ctpost.com wrote an article about such culture change in his neck of the woods, Connecticut;

“There’s always been a culture of football about playing through injury,” Coyne said earlier this summer at a concussion awareness night in Westport. “It doesn’t seem like a real injury, like an ACL tear, so it doesn’t seem important.”

Across the board, only a few years after Coyne last played a down, attitudes toward concussions and how they pertain to the sport of football have changed, if not revolutionized.

And more changes are needed, if we are to stave of those that want to bubble wrap our kids.  The article explained the Pop Warner rule changes with practice, a good first step in my opinion, but there is more to be done without harming the game, as Chris Nowinski stated in the article;

“The way we were playing in the past, a few years ago, I wouldn’t expose any child to where you’re hitting three, four days a week, drills that never should be done with coaches who aren’t trained for concussions. That was the Wild West,” he said. “Now if we truly commit to attacking all the risk factors, which does include assessment and management, then it remains to be seen if it’s safe enough. Then it becomes a personal decision for the parents to make.”

And with that, the injury of concussion is not the elephant in the room, Continue reading →

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‘Head Games’ Film Set for Release

2 Aug

Apparently it is press release day here at The Concussion Blog, ha.  The film that used Chris Nowinski’s “Head Games” as its base will be released September 21st for the general public.  Although I was invited to the premiere in Chicago I could not make it, so I too am looking forward to what Steve James has directed.  Regardless of who produced this work it has the potential to provide the needed awareness about the negative culture of sports in regards to concussions.  Here it the official press release;

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Award-winning filmmaker tackles hot-button issue of concussions in sport

Contact:
Alex Klenert, Prodigy PR, ak@prodigypublicrelations.com, 310-857-2020 x141
Dylan Marchetti, Variance Films, dylan@variancefilms.com, 212-537-6769 x1

New York, July 31, 2012 – Variance Films announced today that it has acquired theatrical rights to HEAD GAMES, the new documentary feature from acclaimed director Steve James (“Hoop Dreams,” The Interrupters”) that takes a nuanced, intelligent look at the concussion crisis in American sports.  The film will begin its theatrical run on September 21st in select cities and expand throughout top markets in September and October, with select screenings to feature guest speakers and panel discussions.

Additionally, audiences elsewhere will have the opportunity to bring the film to their local theaters using Tugg, a new collective-action web platform that enables individuals to choose the films that play in their local theaters.

HEAD GAMES contrasts eye-opening evidence and cutting-edge science on head trauma from the nation’s leading medical experts with first-hand accounts from athletes, coaches, and parents who Continue reading →

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Quick Hits

17 Jul

The Ivy League once again takes proactive steps in regards to concussions.  After reducing contact days in football last year, the league Presidents approved similar changes for lacrosse and soccer;

The league announced Monday that its presidents accepted a series of recommendations made by a committee, including the possibility of suspension for hits to the head. The changes, which also will limit the amount of contact in practice, will take effect this fall for men and women.

The recommendations call for continued emphasis on educational initiatives. Consistent with current protocols, preseason meetings will emphasize learning and recognizing the signs of concussions, as well as the importance of reporting symptoms of concussions.

The Ivy league will next turn its attention on hockey.

I truly appreciate what the Ivy League is doing; non-radial with little to no cost moves that will be reassessed as time goes on.  I don’t know why it takes the smartest schools to make simple changes.  Honestly do you think they were the first to figure out that decreasing exposure will decrease concussions?

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Lester Munson of ESPN gives a insiders perspective of the law suits the former NFL players have filed;

The numbers are reaching the point where the litigation now qualifies as “mass tort,” a legal term that has been used to describe litigation on tobacco, asbestos and toxic medications.

The players are also demanding in a separate class action lawsuit that the NFL fund a program of medical monitoring for all former players (even those who did not play enough to qualify for retirement benefits), a program that would provide periodic examinations for early signs of concussion damage. The number of retired NFL players is uncertain, but players’ lawyers and their union estimate that there are at least 20,000 players who Continue reading →

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Head Game Movie Providing Head Scratching Already: UPDATE

14 May

UPDATE BELOW

Irv Muchnick has been using his investigative nature to find out about the new movie “Head Games” based on the Chris Nowinski book and history.  Although the use of alternate media is a wonderful thing and that this movie will at least bring more people to the discussion there are some peculiar things about at least the production and the producers that make one wonder.

Muchnick, who has turned over a new leaf and started to lean away from the ‘nuclear option’ of banning the sport of football period to a more incremental – albeit very conservative incremental (however he does deserve credit for adjusting his train of thought) – approach to limiting tackle football for youth.  However the bulldog that he is, Muchnick has uncovered some interesting tidbits on the new movie, currently he is in Part 5;

The principal funder of the new documentary film Head Games is Steve Devick, a billionaire music and technology entrepreneur, who co-invented and is marketing a sports sideline concussion tool called the King-Devick Test.

On the virtual eve of the first preview screening of the movie in Chicago – originally billed as a “red carpet premiere,” now called a “private sneak peek” – Continue reading →

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CTE Insight from the Bostonia: but take time to remember the real pioneer

3 May

Shortly before this blog began in September of 2010 there was a brilliant article written in Bostonia regarding the work that Boston University was doing.  This article did not fall into my lap until yesterday during the Junior Seau reporting, it was found tweeted out by none other than Will Carroll, @injuryexpert.

We have come to understand a bit more about chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) though the work of those in Boston.  It would be an absolute shame to not mention the person who first found this brain issue, Dr. Bennet Omalu.  Dr. Omalu found it but then was unceremoniously Continue reading →

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White Paper

3 Feb

Sometime today Sports Legacy Institute (SLI), headed by Dr. Robert Cantu and Chris Nowinski are going to release a “white paper” that will “plan to spread successful NFL policy changes to all youth sports,”  this according to Irvin Muchnick via his blog Concussion Inc.

What is a white paper?  Glad you asked it is important for context (via Wikipedia);

A white paper is an authoritative report or guide that helps solve a problem. White papers are used to educate readers and help people make decisions, and may be a consultation as to the details of new legislation. The publishing of a white paper signifies a clear intention on the part of a government to pass new law. White Papers are a “ … tool of participatory democracy … not [an] unalterable policy commitment.[1] “White Papers have tried to perform the dual role of presenting firm government policies while at the same time inviting opinions upon them.”

It is mentioned that along with SLI, Boston University’s Center for the Study of Chronic Traumatic Encephelopathy (headed by Dr. Ann McKee) will be in the white paper as well.

I will be interested to see what exactly they are Continue reading →

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Lessons to Learn: Fighting for Football

26 May

“Like there haven’t been concussions in the last 100 years of sports.  Toughen up.  Quit looking for an excuse to sit on the sidelines.” [Comment on USA Today’s “Concussions now a hot issue as leagues toughen policies”]

In football, “pain” is considered “weakness leaving the body.”  It is a sensation that comes with pride and is the noted product of an individual own sacrifice of self to perform for the well being of the team he plays for.  The game itself revolves around the violence that defines football—a collection of organized aggression that is considered to be only accepting of the hard-nosed play of men.  If you can’t take a hit, then you might as well get off the field.  With violence comes expendability, where both characteristics of football blend to give it its beautiful but unforgiving persona.

So tell me what pain is.  Across the country, football players throughout all levels of play are taught the clear difference between being hurt and injured.  The aches, bruises, and cuts; this is when you’re hurt.  You can play through them, and one way or another, you or your coach will make damn sure that you play through them.  The muscle tears and broken bones, however, are clear to be defined as injuries, where slings, crutches, and casts are provided in relations of series of x-ray scans that prove that something is wrong with your body.  Here you are forgiven.  We’ll see you in a few weeks when you’re ready to go.  And as long as you stay true to your promise that you have dedicated yourself to this football program, then you will have your position on the depth chart back when you’ve shown the medical professionals that your body is in sufficient condition to play.

Now the real question is, what is a headache?  Sure, we’ve all played through headaches at one point or another throughout the course of our football careers, but did we ever stop to think about what it may be, or take the time to give ourselves a self-evaluation of our ability to continue playing at an efficient level?  Did we maybe forget being the huddle immediately as we placed our fingers on the line of scrimmage before the play began?  Did we fumble our words when calling an offensive or defensive play because we simply did not consolidate the routine signals or calls that our coaches have engrained in our minds since day one?  Did we ever come to forget the score of the game, or wonder how or why you were in on a certain play but not have the ability to recall making the tackle? Continue reading →

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The Downfall of Dave Duerson

6 May

(Project Brain Wave)  In 2007, at a Senate subcommittee hearing regarding the implications of long-term cognitive deficits as it relates to repetitive trauma to the head in football, Dave Duerson questioned the legitimacy of such a claim by dismissing any thoughts of relation to the game he played and loved to the neurological struggles of his peers.  Such an assertion at the time was of course denied by many involved with the game, and was largely considered an attack on the forefront of football’s integrity.  During his career, Duerson had at least ten concussions, and lost consciousness during some, according to his family.  And yet Duerson’s argument was founded upon the following claim:

“In regards to the issue of Alzheimer’s, my father’s 84, and as I mentioned earlier, Senator, spent 30 years at General Motors,” Duerson testified.  “He also has—he also has Alzheimer’s and brain damage but never played a professional sport.  So the challenge, you know, in terms of where the damage comes from, is a fair question.”

2007 was a time of inquiry for the national pride of football, as it found itself under tremendous scrutiny dating back to the finding of chronic traumatic encephalopathy in former Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Fame center, “Iron” Mike Webster.  Chronic traumatic encephalopathy is a progressive degenerative disease of the brain that develops as a result of repetitive head trauma.  This trauma includes the symptomatic, and asymptomatic concussive blows to the head.  It is a disease that is associated with memory loss, impulse control problems, confusion, impaired judgment, aggression, depression, and eventual progressive dementia, most notably characterized by the build-up of tau protein in the brain—an abnormal protein that serves as a decisive key to the mental deterioration of the individual.

What is it that Duerson allowed to blockade his openness to such a proposal?  Without a doubt the pride instilled in the football athlete holds true and strong to the immense withholding of responsibility to the game itself.  Players will defend their sport, because they feel indebted to the numerous life lessons, experiences, and unforgettable memories that paint the legacies of players such as Duerson.  It is also a tremendous rejection of anything that may have been perceived to be a way of life to rather be a way of deferring one’s future to that of an accelerated cognitive decline.  It is fear.  It is knowing that the unknown could be developing without your awareness.  Duerson’s comments regarding the rejection of such a proposal of neurodegenerative implication as a result of playing football signify the feelings of the time.  After all, this was only found in just a few of his fellow football retirees.  This was something that was not widely accepted or acknowledged by those with medical degrees all throughout, and it certainly was something that the National Football League was not willing to endorse. Continue reading →

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ESPN Radio: Nowinski on Concussions

11 Mar

Bill Simmons recently interviewed Chris Nowinski of the Sports Legacy Institute and Boston University Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy on ESPN Radio.  Their discussion covered many aspects of the leading issue in sports: the concussion crisis.  The podcast covers such things as Nowinski’s story, his involvement, and what he and others are doing in taking on the issue from all directions.  Simmons leads the conversation regarding how sports and medical institutions are working toward exposing the truth to the injury, the need for proper injury management, and how this is to be best addressed in the world of athletics, most notably at the professional levels.  Nowinski gives an in depth review on how concussions in sports need to be asked the how’s and the why’s to further the progress in research involving chronic traumatic encephalopathy.  Nowinski has always been someone who I have paid close attention to because his opinions and suggestions are truly in need of being heard by all.  I encourage everyone to listen to this podcast for it is rich with information.  Listen here.

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Nowinski Now Trending Toward Omalu on Rest

4 Mar

We have seen that Omalu and others in the field have been saying one or two weeks may be not enough to “calm down” the effects of a concussion.  What was pointed out by our friend Matt Chaney is that some of the “heavy hitters” had not followed the same plan.  That was until now, as Chris Nowinski of the Sports Legacy Institute said this during an interview on the Dennis & Callahan show of WEEI;

Nowinski said it makes no sense to rush an athlete back after a concussion. “Science is starting to show that you almost can’t be too sensitive to this issue,” he said. “While guys are coming back from concussions in a few days or maybe a week or two, some studies are showing that the changes in the brain — that really expose the brain to another hit will cause more damage, this window of vulnerability — is really a lot longer than a few days. And some people might be 30 days or even 60 days. The reality is, maybe if you don’t want to make a concussion worse, no one should be back within a month. The science is starting to point in that direction, but it will be a while before we can confirm that.”

This is a very positive trend, one that I have been hammering into the coaches and Continue reading →

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Nowinski on Duerson & ‘Hit Counts’

1 Mar

The Sports Legacy Institute, on Facebook, shared this video posted by the New England Comcast Network.  It is an interview involving Christopher Nowinski, who briefly discusses the downward spiral of Dave Duerson as well as the introduction of a system that would be analogous to baseball’s ‘pitch count,’ which would carefully follow and measure the number of hits to one’s head.  It is a brief, yet definitely worthwhile video to watch.  Let us hear your thoughts about how the game of football may be improved, in correlation to the proposals made in the past year.

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Fighting the Battle

18 Feb

My playing days in football taught me a lot about the culture of the game—the masked actions of those involved within the structure of a football program that the general public is not necessarily aware of.  This would most notably be the treatment of injured athletes.

When I sustained my first diagnosed concussion during my sophomore year of high school, I was shocked at how my teammates reacted to the injury.  I was no longer one of the leaders to those in my class, nor to the team.  I was no longer seen as the guy who put everything on the line for the sake of the game—the kid who showed up early and left late for each practice, the kid who pushed himself beyond his own limit, the kid who did not put up with any lack of determination in his teammates.

No.  I was now the one who lacked determination.  I was the one whose commitment was put to question, and whose very existence as an active member of the team was scrutinized.  I was faking it, but many forget that after my first concussion, I got right back up and went back into the huddle.  Really? Many forget that I was the one who, against the decision of the athletic trainer, suited up at training camp (still concussed) and played with the team until I wound up in a hospital bed.  Really, he did that? And despite many medical recommendations to give up football my junior year, I still returned; only to be confronted by another concussion that ultimately marked the end of my career.  I didn’t know he did that either! Continue reading →

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The Smart Athlete

10 Feb

While doing the usual searches I came across a neat article on an obscure website.  Although the ranking of these individuals is purely subjective it is nice to see some “dues” being paid.

The title of the story is 10 Famous Athlete Who Are Also Incredibly Smart with the no. 1 spot going to Bill Brady (granted Myron Rolle has not achieved the stature of Brady I believe that Rolle may be the smartest ‘famous athlete’).  However that is not what dove me there, it was number five ranked Chris Nowinski;

Chris Nowinski: Wrestling is no longer the costume sport for maladjusted 13-year-old boys: the brief tenure of Chris Nowinski shows that even Harvard-educated guys can take a pounding. Nowinski was WWE’s first Harvard alum, having studied sociology at the Ivy League school. He suffered a number of concussions during his wrestling career, and he retired in 2003 before going on to write Head Games: Football’s Concussion Crisis, which examines the dangers of concussions in football and pro sports. He’s now an expert in the field and serves as president of the Sports Legacy Institute, which is devoted to athlete brain trauma.

Not too shabby for a “wrassler” who had is “bell rung” a few too many times.

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Looking to Spend Some Holiday Cash?

29 Dec

Why not buy a book, a good book?

First of all, the fact that I am recommending a book will come as a shock to my mother, as she swears I don’t know how to read anything other than the internet and research.  Secondly, I am shocked that it took me this freaking long to get this out there.

Chris Nowinski of Sports Legacy Institute, and formerly of the WWE and a Harvard football player, wrote a book in 2006 that opened A LOT of eyes.  If you have not read it or heard of it, now is a good time to do so.

You can visit his website or go to Amazon.com and get it for your Kindle, “Head Games” is the title.

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Concussions and Politics

12 Nov

Irvin Muchnick of BeyondChron out of San Francisco wrote an article about the concussion issue reaching a critical mass both in sports and in the political arena.

He makes great points about the start of the investigations into the long-term effects of concussions, crediting Chris Nowinski of the SLI and formerly of  World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).  We have shed a bright light on the issue many times here, however the angle that Muchnick takes is into the political scene.  With the election of Richard Blumenthal in Connecticut (home of the WWE), he feels that more attention needs to be given to the matter of concussions.

Although we as sports fans are not looking for an overhaul of the “distractions” we enjoy, particularly on Sundays in the fall, the impetus is now, and with help we can come up with resolute actions to protect EVERYONE.  This includes the professionals all the way down to the youth, and back up to the recreational athlete.   Plus, do not forget about the general public, as this is not a sports-only issue.  Sports will be the vehicle to get the action Muchnick is looking for.

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Can the NFL Teach the Youth?

26 Oct

A story by WCVB TV in Boston takes a look at how the NFL needs to start teaching, by example, how often dangerous hits can cause harm.

Story HERE

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National Story on Sports Legacy Institute

12 Oct

Pat Graham penned a story for the AP today about the Sports Legacy Institute and its ongoing contribution to the “concussion crisis” we are facing.

Interviewed in the story were various professional sports athletes, as well as Chris Nowinski the Director of the SLI.  The point of the story was to shed light on the fact the 300+ people are dedicating their “brains” to the research of it all.  Not only will these people donate their brains after a long life, they are undergoing annual testing for data collection.

Ideally, Nowinski said the center would like to sign up 50 athletes from each sport. Most of the volunteers are men, but there are women in the registry including soccer player Cindy Parlow and swimmer Jenny Thompson.

Athletes who are enrolled in the registry take a medical history every year, perform cognitive tests and answer an array of questions, such as if they’ve been dealing with bouts of depression. It’s a way to establish a medical baseline, helping researchers watch for signs of CTE, which can eventually lead to dementia.

“We have no idea how much head trauma is necessary to produce (CTE),” said Dr. Robert Cantu, a clinical professor of neurosurgery and co-founder of the institute. “We just know those who play sports and who have higher amounts of head trauma have a higher incident of it. … This is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of studying this problem.”

Follow this JUMP to read the entire article.

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Sports Legacy Institute

5 Oct

I encourage everyone to visit the Sports Legacy Institute via the link on the left.  This is a great initiative that began in 2007 with the ideas from Chris Nowinski.  Headed on the medical side by Robert Cantu, MD this program is the leader in CTE research.

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2010 Head Trauma & The Athlete

4 Oct

On Friday October 1st, this conference was held with 192 in attendance listening to the 11 speakers about how head trauma is affecting sports/athletes in Boston, MA.  More importantly it was being discussed how the young athlete is most susceptible and preventative steps must be taken.

Chris Nowinski, co-director of the Boston University Center for study of CTE, and advisory board member of www.sportsconcussions.org, was to the point about reducing hits to the head of individual athletes,

“We can have a way to reduce the number of hits in the head from 1,000 to 300, tomorrow.”

But a lot needs to be studied and in order to do that more brains are needed.  Thankfully there are some out there that are willing to donate when the time comes.

Some 350 athletes, from all sports and including amateurs, have agreed to donate their brains to the Boston University center since the program’s inception last year; its goal is 750 donations. Meanwhile, six retired pro athletes are participating in a study in which their brains undergo state-of-the-art imaging tests, and they already have produced evidence of lost brain tissue compared to non-athletes.

Next month, the center directors said, 200 retired NFL players of all ages and years of experience will begin a program of neurological, psychiatric and medical study that will include spinal taps, to track potential brain injury and disease and find other ways that they can be diagnosed.

Read the entire story here.

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