May 6th, 2007 → 9:18 am @ Seth Mnookin // No Comments
Well, if you subscribe to the Globe, anyway: I wrote the cover story in this week’s Globe Magazine on the risks and long-term health consequences of pro-athletics and the shifting allegiances among athletes, agents, team doctors, owners, and players. It was a sobering story to write, and nowhere are the risks (and consequences) more frightening than in pro-football, where players ritually abuse their bodies (and their minds) without the safety of a guaranteed contract. Let me know what you think…
Post Categories: Boston Globe & Sports injuries & Sports Reporters
gwgdd
17 years ago
Read the article quickly over coffee this morning and appreciated it and agreed with almost all of it…While many of us respect and even admire Schilling, Bruschi, Johnson and others for their dedication (especially when it’s for a winning cause!)in athletic endeavors, we need to stay aware of the sacrifices in quality of life that can result down the road…And the influence that such “heroic” acts and the publicity around them can have on the decisions of younger athletes and the judgements of coaches at any level…
Enjoy the blog and Feeding the Monster was a great read – picked up “Faithful” for a dollar last week and read recently King & O’Nan’s book is going to be the basis for an HBO special(?) Any plans for a “Feeding the Monster” feature :>)
V06
17 years ago
An interesting perspective on the “Dirt Dog” win-at-all-costs attitude. Many contact sports are actually hyped as some modern-day gladitorial combat in the Arena. The frightening thing is the shortened life-spans as well as poor quality of life endured by pro athletes after their playing days. And that this is condoned by health professionals. Most any other type of careers have various safety regulations and government watchdog agencies, OSHA, etc. But this may be a case where unions are actually looking out for their worker members rather than trying to exploit them.
I think that in some cases, especially in the NFL and other contact sports, young guys DO know the long-term risks associated with playing with injuries. But often times these guys come from low-income backgrounds and are willing to sacrifice themselves in order to enable their families and future generations of their family to get ahead financially.
All this is committed in the name of entertainment and amusement for us.
Maybe JD Drew has the right idea by taking a couple days off every time he has the sniffles. I’d imagine Drew will outlive Johhny Damon or at least be able to beat him at chess when they’re in their fifties.
Which reminds me of Johnny D.’s impaired vision the year after his concussion in the playoffs against Oakland. Didn’t he have trouble seeing pop ups in the Metrodome… I wonder how quickly the vision thing was resolved.
Shalomar
17 years ago
Re: the earlier Crisp defense comment, I disagree that you can’t get ‘hot’ on defense. Just for some context (and, yes, a little braggadocio), I was an All-Conference center fielder back in the day in Jersey, and at times when my confidence was low, I got shakier jumps on the ball and played much more cautious (e.g., let the ball bounce in front instead of going for the dive). When my confidence was high because I had recently made a good play or was hitting well, I begged them to hit the ball near me, would get much better jumps, and would dive with abandon. That looks like what Coco is going thru right now; he’s in a groove where he thinks he can catch anything, and he’s pretty spot on.
pulse92
17 years ago
It’s a tough call. There’s something innate in humans to compete and to win, and the question becomes, “How far are you willing to go to win?” The “Vince Lombardi”-rooted culture doesn’t really have room for guys that say, “If winning means I may not remember my own name 5 years from now, it’s not worth it”.