The Voice of Lee Schwartz, father of two former NFL studs, Geoffrey and Mitchell Schwartz, author of Raising Giants and member of Concussion & CTE Foundation’s West Coast Advisory Board . . .
VIEWED THROUGH A DIFFERENT LENS
In what has become an annual tradition over the last handful of years, I ventured up to Eugene, Oregon to join Geoffrey and his family for the Oregon Ducks’ first home game of the season at Autzen Stadium. (Hard to fathom that it’s been 20 years, give or take, since we made that journey regularly to watch Geoffrey on the field.) What a blast! Time with the family. Geoffrey secures field passes for pre-game and then tickets in the Athletic Director’s suite. Is there a better way to experience a fall day? I think not.
But truth be told, it was a different experience for me. At the stadium . . . and then later watching games on TV. This was my first official football weekend since I became a member of the Concussion & CTE Foundation’s (www.concussionandcte.org) West Coast Advisory Board. Having learned so much about CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy), a neurodegenerative brain disease, in the intervening months, I am now sensitized to what I’m seeing on the field/ hearing from the broadcast booth.
- A receiver elevates to make a catch. He gets hit while airborne. Returns to the turf with his head slamming on the turf.
- A great play is made on the field. Congratulations by teammates are expressed by either head butting or helmet slapping.
- A player lies motionless on the field after a bone crushing block. Medical staff sprints from the sidelines to care for him. After a few tense minutes he gets to his feet, led to the blue tent for further evaluation . . . thankfully under his own power.
- After a jarring tackle, the broadcasters highlight the force of the hit, explaining almost gleefully how the result of the tackle forced the recipient’s head unnaturally backwards.
Before my involvement with the Foundation, I probably wouldn’t have given any of this a second thought. But now? I wonder, “How was the brain impacted?” The Foundation’s ongoing research is showing that these repetitive brain impacts may be at the root cause for the onset of CTE.
My new paradigm isn’t restricted to American football. Also applies to the sport that most of the world calls football, i.e. soccer. Admittedly I’m not a soccer fan but when the World Cup takes center stage and the competition narrows to the quarters, semis or finals, with the world’s best players on the pitch, I will watch . . . at least a bit. And the following is what I see routinely.
The goalkeeper will spot the ball within the goalie box. He’ll march backwards several yards and then rush to the ball, sending it airborne. There are times when the ball flies past the halfway line, a distance of 30 to 40 yards. Defenders position themselves to head the ball back in the direction of the goalie. Imagine the force on their noggin when ball meets skull. I observed several times a player blinking his eyes and shaking his head after the ball was redirected. Did I just view a trauma to the brain in real time?
Watching sports for me will forever be different.
I ran into a lamppost yesterday. Thankfully, I only sustained light injuries.