Buoniconti' Struggles

[Stu Gotts]

Sad to see this kinda stuff... but we need to realize how damn common it has become.

For the past four years, famed Dolphins linebacker Nick Buoniconti has suffered falls, memory loss, confusion and often has trouble putting on his own shirt, according a preview of a report set to come out Tuesday.

http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/nfl/miami-dolphins/article149374959.html

[euphemism]

I think that even those of us who have not been "human battering rams"
are at risk of this fate. The TV spots about Alzheimer's scare the shit
out of me. None us want to go down that road. At 76 I think that many
non-NFL players are suffering with serious mental issues. No cure in sight.

[Dan the Man]

My paternal grandmother had Alzheimer's from her 70's until she died at 90. I'm hard put to think of anything worse - it slowly robs you of your memories, your identity, your ability to even take care of yourself.

[euph...@mindspring.com]

I agree... there is nothing worse. These various forms of "senility" rob you of your dignity and turn you into a burden and an embarrassment for your spouse and/or kids.

Today there's a "companion piece" out there about Jim Kiick. He's evidently in even worse shape than Buoniconti. In his case it's apparently as clear as can be that CTE is involved. The quote below is from a doctor that treated Kiick.

This is more than Alzheimer’s. This is more than frontal-lobe dementia, Parkinson’s dementia. This is more than infection. He had brain trauma, and that’s unequivocal.”

Since no one knows where the line is between "normal" and CTE, I would think that we will see more and more players retiring early in hopes of avoiding this sort of end-of-life story. It's gruesome in every way.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/nfl/miami-dolphins/article149685489.html#storylink=cpy

[Dan the Man]

Shortly after noticing the article about NickB in my local paper, I started looking for something to watch on TV; I came across an Ultimate Fighting event on Fox Sports 1 and immediately thought, "These guys will be next."

[euph...@mindspring.com]

I don't even understand how that shit is legal.

[euph...@mindspring.com]

Since you mention boxing or the brutal kickboxing cage-match stuff that is popular…

Whatever became of the Muhammad Ali story and the prevalent belief that his Parkinson (or whatever neurodegenerative disorder he was thought to have) was related to the blows he took as a boxer? If football collisions cause these injuries it’s a given that getting popped in the head almost daily would certainly lead to the same disorders. I wonder how George Foreman has managed to stay (apparently) clear minded? He did two, ten-year stints as a professional boxer. His brains should have been dripping out like the grease running from one of his burger grills.

[Dan the Man]

I haven't heard anything more about Ali, either. And George Foreman is a freak of nature if he doesn't have any issues. Same for guys like Roberto Duran who had long careers.