Welp, Aaron Hernandez had CTE...

Submitted by FauxMo on

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/21/sports/aaron-hernandez-cte-brain.htm…

Apparently it was "one of the most severe cases anyone had ever seen," and he was only 27 at the time of his death. It certainly doesn't excuse his disgusting actions, but it may help explain why such a young guy with a bright future and all the money in the world seemed to like to murder people for fun? 

MGoBoard

jamesjosephharbaugh

September 21st, 2017 at 5:30 PM ^

In the past 3 years this has been such a conflict for me.  Around that time I gave up football (I mainly watched NFL back then during the UM dark ages) because it got to be such a feeling of glorified punishment/injury.  Like, I wouldn't watch a Roman gladiator match if it was around today, so why should I watch football?  Then the Shane Morris concussion stuff happened around that time and this seemed like further confirmation I should just walk away.  So I boycotted watching football altogether and I was sad about it.  At the time, Bill Simmons wrote, "You don't know anyone who has stopped watching because of this," but I had.

Then Harbaugh came along and made UM football so fun to be a part of again - and his ENTHUSIASM for the game and the experience, and the love of competition, and training the players to be students and men and citizens, and of course the on-field success, sucked me right back in.  It felt great to be a part of this thing.

But the CTE data shows such an obvious problem now that I'm greatly conflicted about continuing to support college football at all with my viewership/fandom.  CTE is not just an NFL problem.  Many players at the college level and maybe even HS will suffer.  And this is worse because it's not a calculated risk with a million dollar paycheck attached.  Certainly no scholarship is worth the risk of CTE?? And 18 year olds are too young and stupid to make a properly calculated choice about the risk anyway.

So anyway I'm not sure what to do - is anybody else out there in MGoLand even considering giving it up?  Do you feel a twinge of guilt at all about giving your time, viewership, ticket money, or anything else to this juggernaut that is probably harming some of our athletes?

I'm not judging anyone out there - it's probably much more complex and we don't know too much yet, but just wondering what anybody else is thinking.

 

Joined: 10/17/2016

MGoPoints: 495

HarbaughsLeftElbow

September 21st, 2017 at 7:00 PM ^

There isn't really much data on CTE yet. Most of the brains that they are examining are from players who showed obvious signs of CTE. Football definitely causes it in many but it may not be a big factor throughout the general population of players. 

I still think everyone should be cautioned about the immense dangers about the possibility of developing CTE but I am not about to boycott watching it.

Joined: 08/22/2016

MGoPoints: 1651

BIGBLUEWORLD

September 21st, 2017 at 7:05 PM ^

I strongly respect your comments. They were thoughtful, intelligent and extremely honest. You've given us something to really consider and reflect upon.

So now I'm wondering: How in the heck did you wind up on MGoBlog?

 

Joined: 07/14/2012

MGoPoints: 4239

MaizeAndBlueWahoo

September 22nd, 2017 at 10:52 AM ^

Certainly no scholarship is worth the risk of CTE??

No?  It's not hard to find football players who say things like "I'd probably be dead or in jail" without football to get them out of the situation they're in.  Even in the most cold-blooded assessment, trading the risk (not guarantee, but risk) of problems that may happen decades down the road for a much more likely death within five or ten years, that's a great trade.

I would also argue that anyone who is that concerned about scholarships-for-CTE should be turning their attention to ROTC scholarships as much as football ones, particularly the Army or Marine Corps variety.

Joined: 07/02/2008

MGoPoints: 41586

Franch Dressing

September 21st, 2017 at 7:26 PM ^

dude played football for 10 plus years, was a known gangster. killed numerous people. dudes was a detriment to society! dude was a straight up asshole.

Joined: 02/03/2009

MGoPoints: 860

GoBlueUSMC

September 21st, 2017 at 7:42 PM ^

He has advanced CTE ACCORDING TO HIS LAWYER... the same guy who defended casey anthony in her murder trial. 

Not exactly the most upstanding character witness.

Joined: 01/02/2011

MGoPoints: 1283

UM Griff

September 21st, 2017 at 8:03 PM ^

As we learn more about CTE going forward, his data will contribute to our understanding to make things better for the next generation of athletes. May his soul Rest In Peace.

Joined: 12/03/2016

MGoPoints: 9833

Clarence Beeks

September 21st, 2017 at 8:25 PM ^

Baez should know that he's not going to win this lawsuit. There is no way they can establish proximate cause. Perfect example of a blind spot exhibited by a defense lawyer moonlighting as a plaintiff's lawyer. This one may ultimately go toward proving the exact opposite of the theory that CTE is caused by football and anyone behind the CTE anti-football movement would be wise to slowly back away from using this one to make their case.

Joined: 09/06/2008

MGoPoints: 22814

bj dickey

September 21st, 2017 at 10:48 PM ^

I'm pretty sure that the biggest components of mr Hernandez issues have nothing to do with football, itself. He was obviously a very competitive and very aggressive human. He had a significant violence problem dating back, at least, to high school. He was clearly drawn to football because of these traits, among others. He probably used steroids in high school. Those who blame all on cte should spend some time reading up on the effects of substances on the brain. For instance: "In summary, the use of anabolic steroids can cause considerably long-lasting changes in the user’s brain neurotransmitter pathways. The serotonin neurotransmitter system often reacts the strongest to nandrolone administration. This supports the previously observed side effects, such as aggressiveness and mood changes, because decreased serotonin levels in the brain relate to the aggressive and uncontrolled behaviour of both humans and animals." He was in prison. He was depressed. For good reasons. Many people kill themselves for those reasons who have never played football. Many who have never had a concussion. Stop with the alarmism. Cte is "real" but like many things it is one of many factors that contribute to a persons health. Frankly, it sounds like Hernandez may have died in a gang fi(got 10 years ago but for football. But that's not the popular narrative right now.

Joined: 10/03/2014

MGoPoints: 1416

TESOE

September 22nd, 2017 at 2:37 AM ^

nor does it phase me in the slightest.  All CTE case histories have cognitive or behavioral symptoms.  Hernandez had his.  

CTE is out there.  It has been for many thousands of years.  Some of us have it.  Let's focus on the science, make the adjustments in light of the science and get on with it. 

Hernandez didn't commit murder because of CTE.

The youngest CTE donor is Isaac Harding 14. y.o.

 

The oldest probable CTE donor...the boxer at rest.

 

Joined: 09/21/2009

MGoPoints: 8494