Comments on: Former Bear Shaun Gayle joins parade of concussion lawsuits

By: azblackbird

azblackbird — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 23:31:03 +0000

I hate to sound cold, but I am growing weary of the “poor me” stories coming from former NFL players.
Eighty percent of my friends and acquaintances suffer form chronic headaches, memory loss of some sort and none of them played in the NFL. Since all of these men also played Pop Warner, High School and college ball, doesn’t it seem reasonable to include those institutions in the suit? Not going to happen. Anyone who gets paid to perform physical work in a high risk field has to be aware of what may result. The fact that these men did so from an early age, over a long period of time, ample time in fact to measure the effects of their participation seems to me to obviate the suit. In short — you get what you (are) paid for.

By: londonbengal

londonbengal — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 22:11:33 +0000

Shaun Gayle regularly appears on ‘Sky’ TV over here in England as a well respected NFL ‘colour’ commentator.

Guy seems pretty switched on to me.

By: davidly

davidly — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 21:52:24 +0000

I feel bad for Gayle, as well as Duerson’s family. But he’d better put himself to use by just raising awareness, and he won’t do that by losing a law suit.

The players, especially the defensive backs, should know that they are racking their brains, literally. Quarterback What’s-his-name was right: You’d be a irresponsible parent not to discourage your child from playing this game.

By: pftfollower

pftfollower — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 21:39:40 +0000

So by your logic, if a snowboarder is paralyzed at the Winter X Games because he crashed trying a double back flip 40 feet of the ground, he would be well within his rights to sue the event for putting him in that dangerous position.

The league should do more for former players, that is true. But this lawsuit seems to be more about (not all cases but majority) guys who can’t find success after football, and are hurting for money.

They knew what they were doing then, modern players know even better now. Are guys retiring, or calling out for change? No. They are using their union to oppose every rule change designed to reduce these injuries. These same guys that are suing, if they were playing right now would be doing they same. Playing the game anyway and fighting the safety changes.

This lawsuit provides two things, an excuse for why they squandered their money or can’t earn more and a chance at some cash.

By: glen1904

glen1904 — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 21:29:52 +0000

for years the NFL has been keeping it a secret from these players that football is a violent contact sport, its like 5yrs ago when I broke my back, the airline never told me I had a back and it could break. they should pay me too for that!

By: fdugrad

fdugrad — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 20:30:41 +0000

‘ The suit has no merit.” I have to agree with Mr. McCarthy. Clearly world class, finely tuned, large, muscular people with the force of speeding bullets smashing into one another over many years couldn’t possibly cause damage to the human body, especially to the brain. Let’s recall the hard-shelled helmet that protects is also ” the tip of the spear ” when used as something to bring down another gladiator on the gridiron. Indeed, ” NO MERIT!!”

By: swingondeesenuts

swingondeesenuts — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 20:16:05 +0000

While I agree that the NFL should have done more to protect the players when possible, the more the case is brought to the light, the more it looks like a money grab by washed up and/or greedy ex-players looking for one more payday.

EVERYONE knows football is dangerous. NOBODY made these guys play. They CHOOSE to play. What’s next, boxers sueing because they didn’t know getting punched in the head was dangerous? Or how about firemen sue because the didn’t know fire could burn you?

The league needs to set up a better fund to take care of retired players who are now injured but this lawsuit is becoming a joke at this point.