Missing Ohio State student

[ossiblue]

What a tragic conclusion to a sad situation.

Kosta Karageorge of Ohio State Buckeyes found dead - ESPN

[widgeon13]

Concussions.

If you get a concussion in HS or college football you should be out for the season.

[ckelly78z]

Originally Posted by widgeon13

Concussions.

If you get a concussion in HS or college football you should be out for the season.

As a father of a 15 year old son who has played football since the third grade, the new rules for playing elegibility after a concussion have steeply gone more strict this last year. My son had a concussion in one game and didn't play the remainder of that game and was automatically eliminated from the next game. He needed to get a doctor's pass that allowed him to play before the next game based on cognative tests that he had to pass. At a small school like my son goes to, a blanket statement like above would wipe out the team mid way through the season.

[wdfifteen]

^^
It's only football. So the team is wiped out - is that really a tragedy? My son wouldn't be back in the game with anything short of an MRI and cognitive testing, and then I'd be plenty nervous about it. My grandson has had two concussions. He wants to play football and I would love for him to experience the confidence and sense of empowerment that the game builds, but it's not in the cards for him. I'm bummed, but we'll find other avenues to develop his sense of worth.

[onewhippedpuppy]

People that think concussions only happen in football really need to do a little research on their own. It is a risk in EVERY sport. One research article that I read found that the incidence rate is actually higher in girl's soccer, but the total number is higher in football due to more players playing. This case is tragic, but the OSU player was only on the team for one year, and I believe did not play much. He was, however, a long time wrestler, which is supposedly where the concussions occurred. Football is big and popular, the proverbial gorilla in the room. But it is not the only source of concussions, or serious injury, in sports.

Yes, I've done my research, because my 10 year old son has played tackle football for three years and is passionate about it (and pretty damn good). Not due to any influence on my part, I've always let me kids choose their sports. Injury is a concern in any sport, he could just as easily blow up his knee in basketball (like a sister in law did twice) or catch a line drive in the eye in baseball (as I did). In my opinion the goodness of sports greatly outweigh the risks.

[Baz]

Very sad....thoughts and prayers to family and the Buckeye nation.

He was a wrestler - and a recent walk on to the football team. His head injuries likely came from wrestling rather than football.

[widgeon13]

I realize concussions happen in many sports and with kids getting bigger they also happen more often and yes some probably even go undiagnosed. I stand by my recommendation that if you have a concussion, you don't play any sport for the balance of the season. Your brain needs time to recuperate. If the team doesn't have enough people to play perhaps the school shouldn't have a football team.

I don't know what schools spend on sports these days but it's a lot of money and my thought is that it could be spent more wisely on other things involving education rather than sports.

I don't know what the solution is but too many kids and young adults are suffering from sport related concussions these days and most of the incidents I hear about it's the second or third. In pro ball it's the second or third in a season. Right now it's a problem with no solution.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by widgeon13

I realize concussions happen in many sports and with kids getting bigger they also happen more often and yes some probably even go undiagnosed. I stand by my recommendation that if you have a concussion, you don't play any sport for the balance of the season. Your brain needs time to recuperate. If the team doesn't have enough people to play perhaps the school shouldn't have a football team.

I don't know what schools spend on sports these days but it's a lot of money and my thought is that it could be spent more wisely on other things involving education rather than sports.

I don't know what the solution is but too many kids and young adults are suffering from sport related concussions these days and most of the incidents I hear about it's the second or third. In pro ball it's the second or third in a season. Right now it's a problem with no solution.

Typically the football program financial intake finances the other non-revenue sports at a university, as well as many academic programs.

Your perspective sounds like someone that casually watched a cable news sensationalist piece. Concussions are probably less frequent today than they were 10 years ago. The equipment is better, the protocols to diagnose and remove a player from a game are better, the treatment is better. Yes it still happens. Injuries can happen in any sport. The value of sports greatly outweigh that risk in my book.

[widgeon13]

That's great. I appreciate the dialogue. No, I didn't watch some sensationalized program to get my info, just personal observations and my opinion. My kids are all grown so I don't have a dog in the hunt. You seem to have all the right answers but I bet the opinion of the family of this dead kid might see it differently. Thanks

Quote de widgeon13

I realize concussions happen in many sports and with kids getting bigger they also happen more often and yes some probably even go undiagnosed. I stand by my recommendation that if you have a concussion, you don't play any sport for the balance of the season. Your brain needs time to recuperate. If the team doesn't have enough people to play perhaps the school shouldn't have a football team.



I don't know what schools spend on sports these days but it's a lot of money and my thought is that it could be spent more wisely on other things involving education rather than sports.



I don't know what the solution is but too many kids and young adults are suffering from sport related concussions these days and most of the incidents I hear about it's the second or third. In pro ball it's the second or third in a season. Right now it's a problem with no solution.

Typically the football program financial intake finances the other non-revenue sports at a university, as well as many academic programs.



Your perspective sounds like someone that casually watched a cable news sensationalist piece. Concussions are probably less frequent today than they were 10 years ago. The equipment is better, the protocols to diagnose and remove a player from a game are better, the treatment is better. Yes it still happens. Injuries can happen in any sport. The value of sports greatly outweigh that risk in my book.

[widgeon13]

Good article from The Mayo Clinic.

Diagnosing and Treating Sports-Related Concussion - For Medical Professionals - Mayo Clinic

[onewhippedpuppy]

I'm sure the family has some serious regrets. We are all jumping to conclusions a bit here as well, directly connecting his past history of concussions with suicide. Suicide at college is frighteningly common, concussions or no. We will likely never know his motivation, only that it sounds as if he was suffering from depression leading up to his death.

[Chocaholic]

Onehippedpuppy is out if his league on this one. I know the Chief of Neurology at the Univ of Florida and worked with him and his staff on the implementation of two 3T MR's for sole purpose of tracking functional effects of concussion on football players. Long term clinical/functional damage is being assessed and it's not pretty. Truly amazes me how we place the long term health of kids behind the football insanity in this country.

My 190 lb 6'2" 15 year old is playing tennis 5 days a week and loves it. Sure, he could injure a tendon or damage a knee...but that is not brain damage. No comparison.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by Chocaholic

Onehippedpuppy is out if his league on this one. I know the Chief of Neurology at the Univ of Florida and worked with him and his staff on the implementation of two 3T MR's for sole purpose of tracking functional effects of concussion on football players. Long term clinical/functional damage is being assessed and it's not pretty. Truly amazes me how we place the long term health of kids behind the football insanity in this country.

My 190 lb 6'2" 15 year old is playing tennis 5 days a week and loves it. Sure, he could injure a tendon or damage a knee...but that is not brain damage. No comparison.

I'm always happy to learn, it's one of the reasons why I hang out here.

I don't deny that there is a risk. But there's risk involved in most things worthwhile. I should have been dead or in jail about 100 times over in high school, most of which I attribute to not belonging to or being involved in an activity(s) that occupied my time and gave me a sense of purpose and belonging. There are many activities that fit that bill, everything from drama to tennis to football. But I'm sure you'll agree that you can't choose what your child will be passionate about. I believe that the good of team sports drastically outweighs the bad, even for football.

I would also, btw, make the same argument if one of my children chose to join the military. I believe there is significant good to be found by serving your nation, even considering the risks of doing so.

[andyt11]

BBC News - 'Brain changes' seen in young American footballers

coincidentally, this was on bbc this morning. I have no side in this argument, but i thought it was an interesting read and applicable to the discussion.

[weseeeee]

No side in the argument, but I do feel for the parents, friends and teammates of the young man. That being said I still love college football!

[sammyg2]

I personally know dozens of guys who have had concussions from football but didn't kill themselves or go crazy. In fact decades later they had zero long-lasting effects. None.

I personally know dozens of guys who have recieved concussions from boxing.
Again, none of em went crazy or killed themselves.
Almost every guy who's ever been knocked down in boxing has had some sort of concussion, the only difference is degree.


This latest fad of blaming concussions for mental illness is pure BS and the only good that'll come from it is huge piles O'grant money for anyone ***** enough to see what the gubmint wants them to see.

People sometimes lose it. They sometimes go off the reservation and crack. Sometimes people have deep-seated mental illness that eventually boils to the surface and gets ugly. **it happens.

And others have trouble accepting that. They can't simply say OK, **it happens.
They have to BLAME it on someone or something so their world makes sense.

So it's football's fault now. Bah.

[pavulon]

right...it's all coincidental...

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by Chocaholic

Onehippedpuppy is out if his league on this one. I know the Chief of Neurology at the Univ of Florida and worked with him and his staff on the implementation of two 3T MR's for sole purpose of tracking functional effects of concussion on football players. Long term clinical/functional damage is being assessed and it's not pretty. Truly amazes me how we place the long term health of kids behind the football insanity in this country.

My 190 lb 6'2" 15 year old is playing tennis 5 days a week and loves it. Sure, he could injure a tendon or damage a knee...but that is not brain damage. No comparison.

Evidently kids were quite a bit tougher back in the 70's.

[pavulon]

Assuming that his death was indeed suicide, I think that he was found in a dumpster may say a fair bit about how long or at least to what extent he had been contemplating his actions. I've not heard of anyone else doing that in one of those. It could be interpreted to be a very considerate way to minimize collateral problems resulting from a self-inflicted gunshot.

[BlueSkyJaunte]

Thus spake sammy, PPOT's poster child for mental health.

I'm just funnin' ya, sammy.

Seriously, I think I will just pull my kid out of soccer at this point and start getting him involved in competition shooting. Sure seems a hell of a lot safer.