For 16 seasons, Bob Probert’s fists were two of hockey’s most notorious weapons, winning most of his 246 fights and feeding the N.H.L.’s fondness for bare-knuckle brawling.Blows to the head may be like radiation, in that the damage is cumulative and there may be no such thing as a safe limit.
But the legacy of Probert, who died last July of heart failure at 45, could soon be rooted as much in his head as his hands. After examining Probert’s brain tissue, researchers at Boston University said this week that they found the same degenerative disease, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, whose presence in more than 20 deceased professional football players has prompted the National Football League to change some rules and policies in an effort to limit dangerous head impacts.
I have a suspicion that if you were to tell young players just starting their pro careers in sports like boxing, hockey or football that what they do could result in long-term brain damage, 99% of them would shrug off the risk and continue on. That's fine, by that state, they are adults.
It's different for children. They cannot make something like an informed choice. And frankly, I've known parents who are living vicariously through their children's excellence in sports, without a single thought towards the risks to the health of the child involved.
I'm not sure what can be done about it, though.
2 comments:
Bob Probert also had a penchant for hard drugs which cost him much.
I read a story that Patton's emotional and mental instability was largely due to the many partial concussions he had sustained in playing polo in the 20 years between the wars. Apparently he suffered from severe headaches much of the time as well.
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