"The Price of Fearlessness"

"Tom Dempsey relished hitting
opponents. Now 66, Dempsey,
with his wife, Carlene, has
dementia."

        Numerous studies continue to appear about the price football players have paid physically in order to compete. In fact, Mr. Bolos's blog "Sunday Suckers" talks about the serious injuries and illnesses that  NFL players have suffered due to the aggressive nature of the sport. With Super Bowl XLVII coming up this weekend, Tom Dempsey, former NFL kicker, attempted to share his complete story in last Sunday's New York Times. However, due to his onset of dementia resulting from repeated hits on the field, Dempsey had trouble remembering details of his own past. Over the course of his 10-year NFL career, he was the kicker for the Saints, the Eagles, the Rams, the Oilers and the Bills. His coaches would sometimes call him "the wedge buster -- football's version of a kamikaze pilot -- on kickoff." You would think that out of all people on the field, the kicker would be the safest from injury. Not in this case! Along with being the kicker, back then he also played offense and/or defense which is almost unheard of today.

         "Over the course of his career, the Dempseys say, Tom had
           three concussions that were diagnosed, but that several others
           likely went undiagnosed. They recalled one game in which
           Dempsey, after laying a jarring hit on someone after kickoff,
           was so disoriented that he ran to the wrong sideline and  
           grabbed a seat on the opposing team's bench. He had to be
           shown back to his place across the field by an equipment manager,
           and he later returned to the game."

        Instances like these always come back to haunt the players after retirement. Doctors have done extensive amounts of research, but what is the good of that without taking action? We now know that these kinds of injuries could be life-threatening -- would it be on your conscience if a player got seriously injured under your watch and you knew the NFL was fully aware something like that could happen? Albert Breer interviewed Roger Goodell, commisioner of the NFL, about their large donation to the National Institutes of Health, $30 million! But donating the money isn't taking enough action. Yes, it was very generous for them to make this donation, but what some concerned people want to see is a change on the field, in equipment and/or rules. I am not saying I want the game of football to change, afterall it is America's "modern day pastime," but keeping the players more safe is not optional.