Field injuries felt later for former Gamecocks
At least six ex-USC athletes among group of past NFL players suing league in connection with concussions, later effects
By JOSH KENDALL - jkendall@thestate.com
At age 55, Rick Sanford sees behavior in himself he doesn’t recognize. He’s worried what he’ll see at age 65.
“It absolutely scares me,” the former South Carolina star said.
After a seven-year NFL career as a defensive back, Sanford is one of more than 1,800 former professional football players suing the NFL in relation to concussions and their resulting health issues. At least six former Gamecocks are part of the lawsuits, including Sanford, George Rogers, Terry Cousin, Kalimba Edwards, Darren Hambrick and Troy Hambrick.
The recent suicide of former San Diego Chargers star Junior Seau is the latest in a string of incidents that have raised questions about the long-term mental health of football players. Former NFL standouts Andre Waters and Dave Duerson also committed suicide. Duerson shot himself in the chest and asked his family to have his brain studied for damage.
“I look at those and I go, ‘Am I next? Who’s the next guy? Am I going to wake up one day and be somebody different?’ ” said Sanford, a chiropractor for 21 years who is now a morning sports talk radio host on 560-AM. “It really is a scary thought. I am very concerned about it as I continue to age.”
Sanford, a first-round draft pick in 1979, has seen “notable” changes in his mental function, he said.
“I’m not quite as quick as I used to be in my thinking, and (there has been) some impulsive thinking,” he said. “I’ve seen things that have happened to myself. It’s very scary where it may end up down the road.”
Rogers, the No. 1 overall pick in the 1981 NFL Draft, also has suffered memory loss, he said.
“Short-term memory, I might as well forget it,” the former Heisman Trophy winning tailback said. “They didn’t tell us that later in life you are going to have memory loss, and that’s what I have.”
NFL players in the ’70s and ’80s when Rogers and Sanford played, played with concussions regularly, they said.
“I would come off the field for that play, but I would be ready to go back out there the next,” Rogers said. “A lot of times you fear for your job while you are playing football and you feel like you have to stay on the field because if you don’t stay on the field, the next guy is going to take your place.”
Studies in 2000 and 2007 found a link between concussions suffered by football players and future problems including depression, loss of memory, speech impediments and headaches. After the NFL downplayed the studies, a congressional hearing in 2009 featuring NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell led to changes in the way head injuries are handled in the league.
South Carolina players and all major college football players are required to pass a series of cognitive tests following a concussion before they are allowed to play again.
“Back when we had a head injury or a concussion, there was no such thing as, ‘You’re not going to play next week,’” Sanford said. “I can only recall one concussion when I even came off the field. Why would there be this many people having as many problems as they are having if there wasn’t a correlation with head injuries. There has to be some kind of correlation, and for years and years the league denied it. If there weren’t problems, why would they be so careful now with these guys?”
Sanford said he believes the NFL should come to a financial settlement with all the plaintiffs, but that’s not why he joined his lawsuit. There are more than 70 separate suits.
“I did it because I think it’s the right thing to do,” he said. “I don’t feel like this is a case where we are just all seeking money. I don’t think it’s anything like that. We’re all just seeking retribution, you might say, for the damage that is done.”
That and hoping.
“Hopefully, I can maintain some of my memories,” Rogers said. “I want to be able to play with my grandkids
link: http://www.gogamecoc...felt-later.html
At least six ex-USC athletes among group of past NFL players suing league in connection with concussions, later effects
By JOSH KENDALL - jkendall@thestate.com
At age 55, Rick Sanford sees behavior in himself he doesn’t recognize. He’s worried what he’ll see at age 65.
“It absolutely scares me,” the former South Carolina star said.
After a seven-year NFL career as a defensive back, Sanford is one of more than 1,800 former professional football players suing the NFL in relation to concussions and their resulting health issues. At least six former Gamecocks are part of the lawsuits, including Sanford, George Rogers, Terry Cousin, Kalimba Edwards, Darren Hambrick and Troy Hambrick.
The recent suicide of former San Diego Chargers star Junior Seau is the latest in a string of incidents that have raised questions about the long-term mental health of football players. Former NFL standouts Andre Waters and Dave Duerson also committed suicide. Duerson shot himself in the chest and asked his family to have his brain studied for damage.
“I look at those and I go, ‘Am I next? Who’s the next guy? Am I going to wake up one day and be somebody different?’ ” said Sanford, a chiropractor for 21 years who is now a morning sports talk radio host on 560-AM. “It really is a scary thought. I am very concerned about it as I continue to age.”
Sanford, a first-round draft pick in 1979, has seen “notable” changes in his mental function, he said.
“I’m not quite as quick as I used to be in my thinking, and (there has been) some impulsive thinking,” he said. “I’ve seen things that have happened to myself. It’s very scary where it may end up down the road.”
Rogers, the No. 1 overall pick in the 1981 NFL Draft, also has suffered memory loss, he said.
“Short-term memory, I might as well forget it,” the former Heisman Trophy winning tailback said. “They didn’t tell us that later in life you are going to have memory loss, and that’s what I have.”
NFL players in the ’70s and ’80s when Rogers and Sanford played, played with concussions regularly, they said.
“I would come off the field for that play, but I would be ready to go back out there the next,” Rogers said. “A lot of times you fear for your job while you are playing football and you feel like you have to stay on the field because if you don’t stay on the field, the next guy is going to take your place.”
Studies in 2000 and 2007 found a link between concussions suffered by football players and future problems including depression, loss of memory, speech impediments and headaches. After the NFL downplayed the studies, a congressional hearing in 2009 featuring NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell led to changes in the way head injuries are handled in the league.
South Carolina players and all major college football players are required to pass a series of cognitive tests following a concussion before they are allowed to play again.
“Back when we had a head injury or a concussion, there was no such thing as, ‘You’re not going to play next week,’” Sanford said. “I can only recall one concussion when I even came off the field. Why would there be this many people having as many problems as they are having if there wasn’t a correlation with head injuries. There has to be some kind of correlation, and for years and years the league denied it. If there weren’t problems, why would they be so careful now with these guys?”
Sanford said he believes the NFL should come to a financial settlement with all the plaintiffs, but that’s not why he joined his lawsuit. There are more than 70 separate suits.
“I did it because I think it’s the right thing to do,” he said. “I don’t feel like this is a case where we are just all seeking money. I don’t think it’s anything like that. We’re all just seeking retribution, you might say, for the damage that is done.”
That and hoping.
“Hopefully, I can maintain some of my memories,” Rogers said. “I want to be able to play with my grandkids
link: http://www.gogamecoc...felt-later.html
Last edited by a moderator: