In a congressional meeting today Brett Favre told the hearing committee looking into the welfare fraud case that he thought he was helping to look into a way to help people with concussions and how it's to late for him as he now has been told he has Parkinsons.
The fate of so many players who take hits to the head. I had concussions myself playing sports. Also had one while I was in the Army. So, I'm susceptible myself. My Son is at risk too. He had two concussions in HS football, one in college football, and one in the Army, while in Afghanistan. He, above all, concerns me most.
In fact, I have a Grandson who is playing HS football. He's also a track star, even though he's only a sophomore in HS. A couple of major colleges are already following his progress in football, and his HS track coach told him if he could shave 2/10 of a second off his times in two different sprint distances, he'd have a real shot at a college scholarship at one of the major colleges with track teams that set the pace in DI. He too has had a concussion. He got it while playing JR high football.
I counsel him to work on the track, and ditch football. Problem is, the football coach tells him how he's going to make him all state his junior year, and one of the best in the nation his senior year. He's convinced him that all the major colleges will come calling, and he can pick exactly where he wants to go.
I'm not winning that argument. There's glory in football, not so much in track, unless you can make it to the level of an Olympian. I'm working on getting him up to Wisconsin around Christmas time, when I know Kenny Bednarek is home visiting family. Being friends of his Mom, and the rest of the family, I want the kid to meet Kenny, and he can tell him how he chose track over football, and is glad he did. It would mean more coming from someone who has two silver medals from the Olympics, and could garner three more in 2028. At least it's worth a shot.
I realize that the risk are there because it is what it is. I look back now, and think to myself, what would I do if I was a kid again. I'd make the same decision to play, just like my Son and Grandson have. When you're young, you're immortal. Anyway, we think we are.
