Possibly motivated by the changes spurred by an October 28 session before the House Judiciary Committee regarding head injuries in football, the committee will convene another hearing on the issue to start the New Year.
According to the New York Times, the meeting will occur on January 4 in Detroit.
Per the report, the session is expected to focus on improvements to concussion management at lower levels of the sport. But pro football will have a role in the hearing.
For example, Dr. Ira Casson will testify. He served as co-chairman of the league’s committee on concussion, and he resigned last month. Previously, he made statements denying the health risks of concussions. He did not respond to a committee request that he testify at the prior hearing.
NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith also is expected to testify, along with a representative from the league office.
Though the NFL has taken plenty of tangible steps to address the problem of concussions, the next hearing likely won’t be a festival of “attaboys.” The committee might want to know why it took the NFL so long to finally take the situation seriously — and the committee surely will have some tough questions for Dr. Casson for his “nicotine isn’t addictive” attitude toward brain injuries.
Glad they think this is important. Hey Congress, stop blowing and wasting our money and focus on getting people back to work.
Brain injuries should also include anyone that thinks the Rooney Rule should still be followed.
Based on this health care garbage (No tort reform and no across state lines) bill I think the congress itself should be checked for head injuries.
Former wrestler Christopher Nowinski contacted the father of Chris Benoit, suggesting that years of trauma to his son’s brain may have led to his actions.
Tests were conducted on Benoit’s brain by Julian Bailes, the head of neurosurgery at West Virginia University, and results showed that “Benoit’s brain was so severely damaged it resembled the brain of an 85-year-old Alzheimer’s patient.”
i cant wait till after the next cba gets hammered out so all this concussion garbage goes away!!! people this has nothing to do with protecting players!!! this has everything to do with union sticking it to ownership for opting out of cba early. you read it here every other day most of these players could give a crap less about concussion prevention!!!
They should start with Belicheat for what he did to Ted Johnson.
Tools like Casson make the NFL look bad when he denies the health risks of concussions. Although his “resignation” was a good move by the league, one has to wonder why as co-chair of the league’s committee on concussion, he would be allowed to make such an ignorant statement in the first place.
AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Congress wants to know if the NFL is doing the right thing ? Uh huh, like they are so well versed in getting things right.
That’s like Tiger Woods leading the charge for monogamy.
Congress should hold another hearing on the brain injuries in Congress.
Nice to know congress is looking after the welfare of multi-millionaires with excellent health care….
Why was nothing done sooner?
They are all making gobs of money, especially the players.
Players know the risks. When players start getting cut because of minor concussions this will all be swept under the rug.
It is easy for someone who has already cashed that big signing-bonus check to start complaining about headaches. What about those college kids, who may have had a bump or two in college. Will they get those big upfront checks? I doubt it.
And congress check yourself. Although most of them won’t be serving after 2010 anyway.
stop spending on war
and selling your country out
you silly congress