Resident tight end moron Rob Gronkowski said this week that he’d rather suffer a concussion than a torn ACL, so resident ESPN talking head moron Colin Cowherd naturally had to agree.
“The fear is exaggerated. The suggestion that concussions do this, this, this, this, because Dave Duerson committed suicide,” said Cowherd on his radio show Thursday.
Well, yeah, other than Dave Duerson, and many others, committing suicide at the end of careers in the NFL that saw them endure multiple concussions and untold numbers of sub-concussive impacts, there is no case for worrying about the impact of head injuries on one’s health.
“Knee injury—severe—or concussion? I’d take the concussion. Absolutely, no-brainer.”
This counts as a hot take, incidentally.
I can’t speak from experience about concussions, but I can speak from experience about severe knee injuries. Twenty-five years ago, I blew out my right ACL, and yes, it sucked. Six months of rehab, another 18 months afterward of being apprehensive every time I played basketball, fearful that something else was going to happen.
Fast-forward to today. I’m training for a marathon, can squat 650 pounds.
Long-term effects? None.
The long-term effects of concussions and repeated sub-concussive impacts on high school, college and NFL football players? Headaches, light sensitivity, mood changes, early onset dementia, depression, yes, suicide.
“The best sports broadcasters in the country? Have you ever thought about this? The best football broadcasters? All multiple concussions.”
This is what qualifies as a retort from Cowherd. It’s also inaccurate. The best football broadcasters? Maybe the best color commentators, unless he’s suggesting that guys like Jack Buck and Jim Nantz go beat their heads against a brick wall before games to catch up with their buddies Troy Aikman and Phil Simms.
So looking at that more limited subset of broadcasters, the realm of football color commentators, those jobs largely go to former players and coaches, the coaches themselves having been former players, so it’s a given that you’re going to have a good incidence of concussion history in that particular population.
You’re also not going to find too many people who can’t find something resembling early-onset dementia with some of the nonsense ramblings about the game that you get from the ex-jock in the broadcast booth.
Otherwise, again, great argument, Cowherd.
– Column by Chris Graham
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