With Superbowl played in a couple of days we wanted to share an article that was posted a while back so as to emphasize the importance of safety for all sports.

Some sports are becoming far too competitive in today’s world and the question asked is simple for anyone thinking sports are too  violent.

Simply asked; should Parents, Coaches and Officials become more educated in what concussion are and how to reduce them?

Leagues, mostly Adult Rec Hockey Leagues fail to understand the overall importance of this and only worry about payment from the teams to make revenue.

Others take a proactive stand on what to look for and what should be done when this happens during any game, but clearly not enough leagues.

Hockey Canada has taken the stand to call roughing and other infractions as “Check to the Head”, but officials have no idea what to look for, other than call a penalty.

Being proactive with safety is far more important than the final score of any game, but how many simply don’t understand this?

Plenty and it’s these individuals that are only concerned about winning and nothing else.

You have to ask the question “do leagues have insurance for this” and if not why not as they are only protecting everyone working the league. 

I have had discussion with several pro teams in the area and they understand the overall importance of what this means, especially for the Family of the injured player.

The photo to the right shows Navorro Bowman clearly has the football as his leg is pinned under Jermaine Kearse’s body.

Photo Credit (USATSI)

Now we are hearing reports from the States (south of the 49th) that the NFL concussion stats, based on the league’s stance for traumatic brain injury, failed to include more than 100 concussions.

The stats logged the number of concussions between 1996 and 2001 and were used for 13 peer-reviewed concussion studies. 

Reportedly that research NFL officials pointed to for years as evidence there was no link between football and traumatic brain injury.

That strategy which was borrowed from Big Tobacco, a link to which the newspaper reported it uncovered its findings.

The Dallas Cowboys either failed to list one concussion over the six-year period in the database. 

During that time reportedly QB Troy Aikman sustained four concussions during that period, according to the NFL’s league injury report or in news stories.

The 49ers (San Francisco) didn’t report any concussions from 1997 through 2000, despite quarterback Steve Young sustaining at least two during that time period.

Records also showed that the NFL and Big Tobacco shared lobbyists, lawyers and consultants.

A lawyer for the NFL told The New York Times. “The N.F.L. is not the tobacco industry and had no connection to the tobacco industry which (he called) perhaps the most odious industry in American history.”

The NFL released an extensive statement Thursday afternoon refuting the Times’ story, which listed below is the league’s full statement.

Today’s New York Times story on the National Football League is contradicted by clear facts that refute both the thesis of the story and each of its allegations. 

The New York Times states: “The Times has found no direct evidence that the league took its strategy from Big Tobacco.” 

Despite that concession, the Times published pages of innuendo and speculation for a headline with no basis in fact.

The studies that the focus of the Times’ story was used from data collected during the time period 1996-2001. 

They were necessarily preliminary and acknowledged that much more research was needed. 

Since that time, the NFL has been on the forefront of promoting and funding independent research on these complex issues.