ExiledInIllinois Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/18955466/san-francisco-49ers-legend-dwight-clark-diagnosed-als Caused by playing football? Clark seems to think so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augie Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 I don't even want to read it, but prayers sent....... So sad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jr1 Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 prayers up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted March 20, 2017 Author Share Posted March 20, 2017 Yeah prayers all the way around. I never knew this, curious to look it up: "A standout football and baseball player, Gehrig signed his first contract with the New York Yankees in April 1923. Over the next 15 years he led the team to six World Series titles and set the mark for most consecutive games played. He retired in 1939 after getting diagnosed with ALS." I didn't know Gerhig played football, but one can suspect it. :-( :-( Could it have caused it? His early football days? Then there is this (7 years old): https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/science/2010/aug/17/lou-gehrig-disease-baseball-death "...According to a paper to be published tomorrow in a leading journal, Gehrig and a string of American football players and soldiers recorded as dying of ALS, may instead have died due to brain traumas..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Brown Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 Poor guy. I pray it continues to progress as slowly as possible. I would think long and hard about ever letting my kid play football like I did. These college football players have to ask themselves is the money in the NFL worth the health risks. I hope Aaron Williams doesn't return to football. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
row_33 Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 Sorry to read this. I have known a few who died of ALS without playing football, especially at at a very young age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YoloinOhio Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elite Poster Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 Suffering any amount of head injuries will predispose you to essentially any neurodegenerative disease. There will be more stories like his. I hope one day they can figure out a way to protect everyone's heads. It's just a game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadian Bills Fan Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 Prayers for him. So sad CBF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beast Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 Poor guy. I pray it continues to progress as slowly as possible. I would think long and hard about ever letting my kid play football like I did. These college football players have to ask themselves is the money in the NFL worth the health risks. I hope Aaron Williams doesn't return to football. Why don't you just quit following football if it bothers you that much? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobobonators Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 Poor guy. I pray it continues to progress as slowly as possible. I would think long and hard about ever letting my kid play football like I did. These college football players have to ask themselves is the money in the NFL worth the health risks. I hope Aaron Williams doesn't return to football. Based on everything ive read on ALS over the years, the fact that Clark is somewhat older may suggest that he was genetically predisposed to the disease. Wish him all the best. Horrible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LEBills Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 Why don't you just quit following football if it bothers you that much? Good question, it's tough to give up the game you love. It's becoming harder and harder for me to keep supporting it knowing what former players are going through. I will always be a Bills fan, but I may have to stop supporting the sport out of my own conscious. I'm not sure when the tipping point will be because I do love the sport and the Bills so much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramza86 Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 Thats a bummer to hear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldmanfan Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 Sad to hear this. At this point there is still research to be done, but early data suggests NFL players may be more predisposed towards this disease. I have mixed feelings about this entire issue. I think NFL players now must realize there is significant potential for damage from playing the game, but they choose to do so because of love of the sport and because financially it is so lucrative a profession. College players get a free education through football, and the elite get a chance to play professionally. But as a parent, would I encourage my child to play pee-wee through high school? Probably not. I have two daughters and have not had to make that choice, but even with daughters the issue exists; a friend of my younger daughter who is a soccer player was out 2 months from a concussion she suffered. So long as there are contact sports these issues are going to be there. So do we abandon such sports, or just accept the risks and move on, and try to keep things as safe as possible knowing you can never eliminate risk? Probably the latter, and centuries from now I'll wonder if folks will look back and wonder how a society could be so barbaric that they would allow such conduct. For me I'll still watch the Bills every Sunday (been doing so for 57 years, how could I stop now), and go to the local high school games. And pray that no one gets seriously hurt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
row_33 Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 Why don't they use boxers to determine the effects of blows to the head? Are they ignored because its too obvious? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plenzmd1 Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 (edited) Very sad to hear... from anyone. I hope that studies can continue on head trauma and sports, and include ALL sports and that more athletes across the board donate their brain in the effort to understand CTE better. If only football players that show symptoms donate, the sample sizes will continue to be too low. We need soccer players, hockey players, water polo players, basketball players etc to all participate. I would also be interested to know if the ALS rate or rates of depression etc are greater in football players than other sports and just the general population. (edit: in MMQB, says ALS death 4 times more likely in football players) Edited March 20, 2017 by plenzmd1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malazan Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 Poor guy. I pray it continues to progress as slowly as possible. I would think long and hard about ever letting my kid play football like I did. These college football players have to ask themselves is the money in the NFL worth the health risks. I hope Aaron Williams doesn't return to football. The health risks aren't a secret. They players have access to the information...and they choose the money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frogger Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 If anyone wants a really good cry, watch "Gleason" it's on Amazon prime, it shows what ALS does to a person. It breaks my heart every time I see him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
row_33 Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 The health risks aren't a secret. They players have access to the information...and they choose the money. A major problem is team doctors telling them they are 100% okay to go back out there when they clearly aren't recovered from a concussion. refusing to stand by the obviously shaken player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 Why don't you just quit following football if it bothers you that much? I have a friend who did that. He decided watching football was hypocritical if he wasn't going to allow his sons to play. ALS is the worst disease ever; very sad for Clark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
row_33 Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 I have a friend who did that. He decided watching football was hypocritical if he wasn't going to allow his sons to play. ALS is the worst disease ever; very sad for Clark. Niners prized rookie packed it in. With the restrictions on rookie contracts it isn't worth it if you feel at risk. Yup, there's a hypocrisy out there, I watch and attend boxing title fights, I won't watch MMA/UFC or that stuff, I won't watch women try to destroy each other. I watch tons of college and pro football each weekend and on weeknights and will continue to do so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsFan130 Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 Such a scary disease, and scary to think football is likely a trigger for it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobobonators Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 Such a scary disease, and scary to think football is likely a trigger for it I dont know if we can even use likely yet. Theres is nothing even remotely conclusive as to cause/effect of head trauma to ALS. We dont even have a specific test for ALS. Its sad that there has been such little progress with respect to ALS over the last 100yrs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
without a drought Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 If anyone wants a really good cry, watch "Gleason" it's on Amazon prime, it shows what ALS does to a person. It breaks my heart every time I see him. Also available is the documentary "Not Dead Yet" which chronicles the story of Jason Becker, the brilliant guitar prodigy who was stricken by the disease as his career was just starting to take off. It's both depressing and inspirational. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
row_33 Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 I dont know if we can even use likely yet. Theres is nothing even remotely conclusive as to cause/effect of head trauma to ALS. We dont even have a specific test for ALS. Its sad that there has been such little progress with respect to ALS over the last 100yrs. They sure stated with near 100% certainty that Gehrig got it from football injuries when someone was trying to sell their book... typical fake news... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsFan130 Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 I dont know if we can even use likely yet. Theres is nothing even remotely conclusive as to cause/effect of head trauma to ALS. We dont even have a specific test for ALS. Its sad that there has been such little progress with respect to ALS over the last 100yrs. You're correct in saying there is no direct evidence to point that way, but don't you think that it's a big red flag that ex football players seem to get diagnosed with ALS more frequently to other sports like baseball or basketball? (Non head contact sports) I think sometimes logic trumps evidence (outside of the court of law of course) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WGBillsFan Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 prayers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malazan Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 (edited) A major problem is team doctors telling them they are 100% okay to go back out there when they clearly aren't recovered from a concussion. refusing to stand by the obviously shaken player. Yet, you almost never hear about players taking issue with a team doctor's diagnosis until after they paychecks stop. You also hear about players hiding their symptoms so they can play. Edited March 20, 2017 by jeremy2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobobonators Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 You're correct in saying there is no direct evidence to point that way, but don't you think that it's a big red flag that ex football players seem to get diagnosed with ALS more frequently to other sports like baseball or basketball? (Non head contact sports) I think sometimes logic trumps evidence (outside of the court of law of course) Its certainly something that needs to be looked at further but its not even remotely scientific. ALS affects women at almost equal numbers. Looking at a group of 1000 people in the NFL in a non controlled study is not logical its purely anecdotal and dangerous bc thats how false information is created. Sure, there actually may be something to it but we dont know that yet, so why jump to conclusions. There is so much bs out there that we dont need to perpetute it further. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsFan130 Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 Its certainly something that needs to be looked at further but its not even remotely scientific. ALS affects women at almost equal numbers. Looking at a group of 1000 people in the NFL in a non controlled study is not logical its purely anecdotal and dangerous bc thats how false information is created. Sure, there actually may be something to it but we dont know that yet, so why jump to conclusions. There is so much bs out there that we dont need to perpetute it further. Ya I hear ya. I am not jumping to conclusions and saying football is a direct cause to ALS. All I am saying is there are a lot of red flags out there, and to your point, it really needs to be looked at further Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Info Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 Good to see several active clinical studies evaluating both new components along with re-use of existing therapies for treatment of ALS: https://www.mda.org/research/clinical-studies-and-trials/amyotrophic-lateral-sclerosis Best to Mr. Clark and others afflicted with ALS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsFan130 Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 Its certainly something that needs to be looked at further but its not even remotely scientific. ALS affects women at almost equal numbers. Looking at a group of 1000 people in the NFL in a non controlled study is not logical its purely anecdotal and dangerous bc thats how false information is created. Sure, there actually may be something to it but we dont know that yet, so why jump to conclusions. There is so much bs out there that we dont need to perpetute it further. https://breakingmuscle.com/learn/pro-football-players-have-4-times-greater-risk-of-als-and-alzheimers Article showing pro football players have 4 times greater risk of ALS and Alzheimer's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave mcbride Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 I dont know if we can even use likely yet. Theres is nothing even remotely conclusive as to cause/effect of head trauma to ALS. We dont even have a specific test for ALS. Its sad that there has been such little progress with respect to ALS over the last 100yrs. Not a certainty; more like 99.4 percent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Brown Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 Why don't you just quit following football if it bothers you that much? Because I've been a die hard Bills fan for 30 years and football is the best sport in the world to watch. I watch boxing, but would never enter the ring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boatdrinks Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 Look, it's too bad. But it is a choice. Although the players of the past didn't make as much money, it now comes down to this. Would you take a shorter life in exchange for a lot of money, perhaps millions of dollars? And being an NFL player and everything that comes with it? I still think many would do it , even though the known risks are more highly publicized than ever. Guys continue to play hockey even though concussions are common in the sport. Most of those players are probably not from disadvantaged backgrounds either. So the lure of fame and money can trump a lot of physical concerns. Especially at a young age where one may feel somewhat invincible anyway, and a few decades down the road seems like a lifetime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CowgirlsFan Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 Horribly sad and heartbreaking even for a Cowboys fan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohio bob Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 I feel for him and his family. I pray for a treatment to combat this horrible disease. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punching Bag Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 I think blame will always be aimed at those who have money which laywers think they can pry them from and any sport with settlements will be a top target. NFL has many multiples of players including training, preseason, etc compared to other sports and NFL is the target. Most of the players in claims played other sports including college football but those are not being targeted like NFL. And there other factors which factor into this including alcohol, drugs, outside activities, etc. I will worry about the NFL players when their representatives, the NFLPA, is more concerned with protecting players than protecting the head hunting players from penalties and suspensions for such hits. http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/18955466/san-francisco-49ers-legend-dwight-clark-diagnosed-als Also on Sunday, Buffalo Bills Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly took to Instagram in support of Clark after his announcement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldTimeAFLGuy Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 (edited) ...just devastating...lost two HS classmates to it....a good friend of mine, a retired U.S. Marshall lost THREE siblings to it....scared to death about when or if.....NONE played football... Edited March 20, 2017 by OldTimeAFLGuy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Boo Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 I lost a cousin to ALS in December 2013. I knew very little about the disease up until that point. It's beyond awful. I know the money raised during the ALS Challenge actually helped scientists to find a way to slow the disease, but it's not nearly enough. Strides need to be made. I wish strength for Dwight, his family and friends during this trying time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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