Only Days To Repair Years Of Abuse
October 28th, 2009
Richard "Batman" Wood sometimes gets lost driving near his Tampa home, a result he believes is from the constant beating he took as an NFL linebacker.
Have a cold adult beverage sometime with former Bucs linebacker legend and radio analyst Scot Brantley and he’ll tell you how years of pounding running backs have left his body pounded.
Despite not wearing a neckbrace, Scot rarely turns his head to talk to you, he turns his body his neck is so stiff, like someone who has a perpetual neck injury.
Brantley, who periodically writes an article for Joe, is just one of many former Bucs and NFL players who are suffering the ill effects of playing all out for the sport they loved.
Once the crowds file out of the stadium, the klieglights of the TV cameras turned off and most reporters moving on to other stories when the players’ careers have ended, the game lingers on for many former NFL players the rest of their lives, often with painful if not tragic results.
Gay Culverhouse, daughter of former Bucs owner Hugh Culverhouse and former Bucs president, is trying to do the right thing, writes Alan Schwarz of the New York Times. Culverhouse will testify before Congress offering an insider’s look at to how NFL teams years ago often treated injured players as chattle.
Culverhouse is lending a helping hand to former Bucs, but she has limited time. She has blood cancer and doctors fear she has scant few months left.
Every former player Culverhouse called had debilitating physical problems, she said. A stunning portion had cognitive ones, even in their mid-40s, and most of them lacked the short-term memory or concentration required to seek medical assistance or slog through the disability paperwork. One player told her, “I’m headed for the 88 Plan.”
“The thing that I always admired about Gay is that she’s a rebel with a cause,” said Brantley, 51. “Football was a man’s world. Still is. I’ve always said, if you want something done and done right, get a woman involved. No one else has shown any interest in us for a second. We might as well have the plague.”
Schwarz’s piece is a moving look at how NFL players sacrifice their bodies if not lives for football. Other former Bucs featured are Richard “Batman” Wood and the late Jeff Winans.
October 28th, 2009 at 11:58 am
Joe, doesn’t this make you want to stop supporting pro football? I mean, there are only really two solutions to this problem: either develop extremely advanced medicines that can fix any sort of medical issue (not going to happen anytime soon), or stop supporting the sport that pays men to destroy their bodies.
I’m not sure what sort of outcome you want… these men have the freedom to play the game for money, or not. It’ their choice. I wouldn’t want to deal with the health problems they do, not even for millions of dollars, but they chose and choose differently.
Also, I also have no idea why Congress has any reason to be hearing testimony on the NFL. Seriously, they have plenty to do right now: wreak health care, the economy…
October 28th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Justin:
No, Joe still loves pro football but Joe also thinks it is despicable that NFL owners, wealthy beyond their imaginations, cannot do more to help out those who sacrificed their bodies so these men can pay for their winter vacation homes in the Bahamas and spare yachts.
(Or their English kickball teams.)
As you stated Justin, no one is forcing people to play pro football. There are big rewards and big risks involved. It’s not unlike pro wrestling or even basketball where players pretty much sacrifice their knees.
Congress has every right to look into this issue. If owners/coaches were forcing team physicians to shoot up players or pass their physicals when the players shouldn’t have suited up, all in the name of the almighty dollar, then in Joe’s eyes that’s a serious abuse issue.
What turns Joe’s stomach about pro football are the rules trying to turn it into touch football.
October 28th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
So, you want more charity from owners? Sure, they’re rich, but they also pay their players highly–the NFL already has a league minimum that would make anyone else gasp. Why stop at calling the owners greedy?
Again, these guys know the risks. Risks, that you as a viewer want to stay the same, and not decreased. What exactly do you want, besides grandstanding? With the money these men are paid, they should be able to afford whatever medical care they need. Period.
If not, they shouldn’t play. I’m putting my money where my mouth is–I would never play football. It’s not worth it to me.
And finally, I disagree. Congress should not in any way be involved with pro sports. They should be working on serious matters, not making sure New England can watch a Patriots game(see Kerry in 2007), holding steroid hearings, etc. If there is a real issue, with actual evidence, then go through the courts.
October 28th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
Justin:
“Pro Sports” is interstate commerce and a multi-billion dollar industry, of which Congress very much has every right to look into if there are abuses. This is not a “Pro Sports” issue, it’s a labor issue.
With your premise, Congress in the 1950s should not have held hearings on black lung and other physical issues and dangers coal miners suffered from. After all, they knew the risks of going down in the mines.
In short, the NFL should provide medical coverage for former NFL players if they log a specific amount of games in the league. Why the union has not bargained this issue is lost on Joe.
Sure, the players know — or should know — what they are getting into. But being taken advantage of is another story.
If employees of GM (government motors) had the same percentage of retired employees with physical disabilities from working in the plants, Congress would have the outfit shut down.
October 28th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
Flaco, it’s nasty out there!
That’s why girls don’t play the game, coach.
October 28th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
Batman Wood was one my favorite Bucs of All time. Sad state of affairs for former players but that is our society, once were done with you your done.
October 28th, 2009 at 3:40 pm
Joe, I think this is a matter for the courts, not Congress. My premise doesn’t excuse abuses.
The reason the courts are better is you must actually produce evidence. Congress has the right to hear on any topic they please; however, right now it seems like Pro Sports should be at the bottom… WAY bottom. But by letting Congress hear WHOEVER they want–unlike calling witnesses in a trial–Congress can’t paint whatever picture they want. Want the NFL to look like Nazis? No problem! Want them to look like saints? Easy.
And again, where are these abuses coming from? It’s not like football players don’t have a platform! Can you say the same about mine workers?
If pro football players need advocacy, they have it. Whenever a player speaks he is quoted in the national media, the local media, and blogs. How many former pro football players, coaches, assistants do you see on television per day?
Again, can you say the same about a miner with black lung?
I think we need to be asking, “why?” Why are players now looking for hearings? Because if they had a real case, with real evidence, I think they would go through the court system.