News: DMN: Settlement worth $765 million being considered in concussion case featuring Tony Dorsett,...

[WoodysGirl]

Albert Breer ‏@AlbertBreer 14m
Plaintiff's attorney says NFL owners were tough, adding to a Houston reporter: "You got one down in Texas I would say is a hard ***." ...
... Asked to clarify which Texas team he was talking about, the attorney said, "I don't even know who the owner in Houston is."

Bart Hubbuch ‏@HubbuchNYP 17m
Lead attorney for the players says the two sides were “still fighting it out” as recently as this morning.
Lead players attorney says Jerry Jones was “a real hard***” in the settlement negotiations.

daniel kaplan ‏@dkaplanSBJ 18m
Co-counsel Seeger calls NFL owners tough negotiators, and that retirees got everything they could. calls jerry jones a "hard ***."

 

[cowboys2233]

If you have ever had a serious concussion, you know for a 100% fact that you arent right no matter what anyone else might say or think about you. These men are college educated, they should be willing to take some personal responsibility for the choices they made and the well fare of their bodies. When is the lawsuit against the NCAA? Their highschool leagues?

College educated? What the heck does that have to do with anything? Yes, you don't feel right immediately after getting a concussion, but that's not what this is about. At all. It's about the long term health issues that arise from repeated concussions. Get a concussion, rest a few days, you feel fine. Go out there again, get a concussion, rest a few days and you feel fine. But what about ten years down the road? Do you think guys like Jim McMahon would have played as long or as recklessly as he did if he had any clue he would be dealing with what he is today? I guarantee you he would not. I've heard that man talk and he is flat out scared about what the future holds for him, as are many of these players. They see what happened to guys like Dave Duerson and Mike Webster and are all too aware they are heading down that same path.

What if the NFL knew about some of these potential long term issues? What if their doctors were complicit in hiding that info? What if they had access to technology that would have significantly reduced the rates of concussions but didn't act on it because of the higher associated costs? Better helmet technology, softer or more shock absorbing field material, etc. Use your imagination.

 

[cowboys2233]

Albert Breer ‏@AlbertBreer 14m
Plaintiff's attorney says NFL owners were tough, adding to a Houston reporter: "You got one down in Texas I would say is a hard ***." ...
... Asked to clarify which Texas team he was talking about, the attorney said, "I don't even know who the owner in Houston is."

Bart Hubbuch ‏@HubbuchNYP 17m
Lead attorney for the players says the two sides were “still fighting it out” as recently as this morning.
Lead players attorney says Jerry Jones was “a real hard***” in the settlement negotiations.

daniel kaplan ‏@dkaplanSBJ 18m
Co-counsel Seeger calls NFL owners tough negotiators, and that retirees got everything they could. calls jerry jones a "hard ***."

Of course they called them hard negotiators. It puts the players' attorneys in a more positive light. "Yeah, it was one heck of a hard fight, but we got everything we could for these players considering the circumstances." Please. I would have asked for twice as much. But hey, these lawyers are walking away with GOBs of money, why drag it out when they could get paid now?

 

[Flinger]

What if the NFL knew about some of these potential long term issues? What if their doctors were complicit in hiding that info? What if they had access to technology that would have significantly reduced the rates of concussions but didn't act on it because of the higher associated costs? Better helmet technology, softer or more shock absorbing field material, etc. Use your imagination.

And, what if.... there was no conspiracy? the NFL really didn't know the long term effects? doctors were only doing their sworn duties? there is no secret test lab facilities spending millions of mad scientist dollars on super safe technology just to tease and not use? What if...

We used facts instead of our imagination?

 

[erod]

Good deal for the owners, but I still don't see why they should have to pay a nickel.

No one forced one of these guys to play, and they knew full well how dangerous it was.

A good amount of their postcareer issues are related to steroids and just poor care for themselves. Look at Jim McMahon.

The old guys probably think this is a good deal of money, but the 80s players and after are in debt millions, so they'll never see a red cent.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

When is the lawsuit against the NCAA? Their highschool leagues?

Sad thing is, they're coming.

 

[Plankton]

I understand the players plight, and sympathize with their situations. I think that players should be able to get paid as much as they can, because unlike other sports, these players options after football are a lot less due to the physical damage that they suffer.

That being said, I have a HUGE problem with the lawsuit. It boils down to this: I can name three players whose careers ended due to concussions:

Roger Staubach
Steve Young
Troy Aikman

None of the three were plaintiffs in any of the assorted litigations.

Why?

Because they were successful after their careers ended.

All this is is a big money grab. I don't doubt that players have issues with head trauma, and that they have had to make some difficult adjustments. But, the profile of the players that are plaintiffs fit a similar mold:

By and large, all of them are down on their luck.

Does the NFL bear responsibility for that, or does the player? No one forced them to play this game.

 

[onlyonenow]

College educated? What the heck does that have to do with anything? Yes, you don't feel right immediately after getting a concussion, but that's not what this is about. At all. It's about the long term health issues that arise from repeated concussions. Get a concussion, rest a few days, you feel fine. Go out there again, get a concussion, rest a few days and you feel fine. But what about ten years down the road? Do you think guys like Jim McMahon would have played as long or as recklessly as he did if he had any clue he would be dealing with what he is today? I guarantee you he would not. I've heard that man talk and he is flat out scared about what the future holds for him, as are many of these players. They see what happened to guys like Dave Duerson and Mike Webster and are all too aware they are heading down that same path.

What if the NFL knew about some of these potential long term issues? What if their doctors were complicit in hiding that info? What if they had access to technology that would have significantly reduced the rates of concussions but didn't act on it because of the higher associated costs? Better helmet technology, softer or more shock absorbing field material, etc. Use your imagination.

you keep wanting to absolve the players of all responsibility. Guess what. that would NOT have worked in court and that is why they settled.

 

[cowboys2233]

What if the NFL knew about some of these potential long term issues? What if their doctors were complicit in hiding that info? What if they had access to technology that would have significantly reduced the rates of concussions but didn't act on it because of the higher associated costs? Better helmet technology, softer or more shock absorbing field material, etc. Use your imagination.

And, what if.... there was no conspiracy? the NFL really didn't know the long term effects? doctors were only doing their sworn duties? there is no secret test lab facilities spending millions of mad scientist dollars on super safe technology just to tease and not use? What if...

We used facts instead of our imagination?

The funny thing is, you talk like it's completely out of the realm of possibility but choose to conveniently ignore the points about tobacco companies who have done this very thing. Oh, not to mention hundreds of other companies, who tried to hide the damage that their products were causing. Seriously, are you new to this world?

 

[Flinger]

The funny thing is, you talk like it's completely out of the realm of possibility but choose to conveniently ignore the points about tobacco companies who have done this very thing. Oh, not to mention hundreds of other companies, who tried to hide the damage that their products were causing. Seriously, are you new to this world?

Probably been around a lot longer than most... tell me - what about playing football doesn't include the risk of injury? I played in the 70's in high school. We had concussions then. We had torn ACL's. We had broken bones. Waayyy back in the 70's...

Don't be so naive - jocks have been put on pedastels since they were young kids. They have received every advantage life has to offer and treated 'special' from everyone else. They know the risks. Always have.

How about personal responsibility and a little less 'blaming the man' for taking advantage of these 'poor' athletes? Give me a break.

 

[pansophy]

If you have ever had a serious concussion, you know for a 100% fact that you arent right no matter what anyone else might say or think about you. These men are college educated, they should be willing to take some personal responsibility for the choices they made and the well fare of their bodies. When is the lawsuit against the NCAA? Their highschool leagues?

I'm happy for the players, but this is why we are getting all the rule changes.

 

[17yearsandcounting]

The funny thing is, you talk like it's completely out of the realm of possibility but choose to conveniently ignore the points about tobacco companies who have done this very thing. Oh, not to mention hundreds of other companies, who tried to hide the damage that their products were causing. Seriously, are you new to this world?

I diddnt realize people were signing contracts and getting compensated for smoking cigarettes.

 

[Flinger]

When is the lawsuit against the NCAA? Their highschool leagues?

Lawyers are smelling money... the 'victims' are smelling money... afterall - college football players and high school football players have their rights and 'the man' has been taking advantage of them their whole lives...

There is no love lost for the NCAA or the colleges that milk every penny to build their opulent campus's... but, there will be a way to connect the dots in court... all college players will receive a check for $2.40 while the law firm of Schister and Greed will make away with billions to buy their opulent houses to keep up with the campus's...

 

[Longboysfan]

Wonder who's going to pay for that $765M?

The saps, like me, who buy current day game tickets.

 

[ClarenceDarrow]

Nobody in the 70s or 80s knew that concussions could lead to long-term effects, such as a 40 year old man having the brain of someone twice his age or that of an Alzheimer's patient. In the 90s, players didn't know, but there are allegations that league officials started to become aware. This settlement ensures that those allegations are never confirmed or disproven. Beyond that, college education is not the same as a medical degree.

Someone compared football players to soldiers or coal miners. Both are asinine comparisons, but how about we accept them and give NFL players lifetime medical care or pensions at the expense of the league/owners? Many of you are defending billionaires thriving off of the suffering of people - suffering that was not immediate, so therefore somehow not relevant.

 

[brucekr]

Nobody in the 70s or 80s knew that concussions could lead to long-term effects, such as a 40 year old man having the brain of someone twice his age or that of an Alzheimer's patient. In the 90s, players didn't know, but there are allegations that league officials started to become aware. This settlement ensures that those allegations are never confirmed or disproven. Beyond that, college education is not the same as a medical degree.

Someone compared football players to soldiers or coal miners. Both are asinine comparisons, but how about we accept them and give NFL players lifetime medical care or pensions at the expense of the league/owners? Many of you are defending billionaires thriving off of the suffering of people - suffering that was not immediate, so therefore somehow not relevant.

That may be true, but how many of those players knowing beforehand the risk would turn away? Not many.
Not to mention, I'd guess a majority of the current NFL ownership wasn't even involved with their franchises when these plaintiffs even played.

I'm happy for the players. Many of them are players I watched growing up. But to me it sets a bad precedent. And ultimately, the fans will pay the price.

 

[Flinger]

Nobody in the 70s or 80s knew that concussions could lead to long-term effects, such as a 40 year old man having the brain of someone twice his age or that of an Alzheimer's patient. In the 90s, players didn't know, but there are allegations that league officials started to become aware. This settlement ensures that those allegations are never confirmed or disproven. Beyond that, college education is not the same as a medical degree.

Someone compared football players to soldiers or coal miners. Both are asinine comparisons, but how about we accept them and give NFL players lifetime medical care or pensions at the expense of the league/owners? Many of you are defending billionaires thriving off of the suffering of people - suffering that was not immediate, so therefore somehow not relevant.

Sorry, my friend - not true. Roger Staubach retired early after frequent concussions. Maybe the science has advanced in terms of understanding of the deeper aspects of concussions, which is normal for anything in life with enough time for study and scientific discovery, but that doesn't absolve personal responsibility to use common sense and protect their own lives - just like Roger did. About 15-20 years later, Troy stepped down for some of the same reasons.

They knew the risks and they knew the affects.

They just don't blame 'billionaires' for everything just because they have deep pockets. They were accountable for their own lives and not victims.

Question - should coal miners and soldiers have life long medical care or pensions at the expense operators or government?

Owners are thriving off of suffering people that is not immediate? Really? Have you seen the minimum wage of those that suffer? Do you earn that much? Does any normal person make, minimally, $400k at 22 years old? Hey, I've got an idea - perhaps those responsible players that are victims could take a simple 10% of their annual income to buy medical insurance for life. One time investment for their own future. How about that? When they are finished with their careers - they are covered for life.

 

[khiladi]

I diddnt realize people were signing contracts and getting compensated for smoking cigarettes.

By that logic, one could say the NFL has no duty to provide medical attention when the player is actually playing.

 

[khiladi]

Question - should coal miners and soldiers have life long medical care or pensions at the expense operators or government.

Military servicemen, contingent upon certain years, get medical insurance the rest of their lives.

 

[Nightman]

The research on brain injuries and their relation to CTE and ALS is all pretty recent. A couple researchers in Boston have been studying the brains of recently deceased players, but it's still too early to draw any solid conclusions. It would be pretty hard to prove that the NFL had been studying brains for years on their own, found out about the possible long term damages from concussions and then decided to hide the evidence. Teams may not have taken concussions as seriously as they could have, but players also share in that blame.

This is a fair settlement that will really help those that need it and will also protect the league from 1000s of separate trials and potential run away damages. It also closes the books on these types of cases, as awareness and protocols are now in place. Most of the plaintiffs signed on to cover their butts, but the families that really suffering will get millions. I was really shocked it got settled so quickly.