the big hit & the brain
DESCRIPTION
A narrative article on the ongoing concussion crisis in the NFL and how it relates to the football helmet. Part of my graphic design thesis.TRANSCRIPT
As startling as Jim McMahon’s personal testimony of his
struggles with memory loss is, we don’t need only to
rely on these kinds of personal admissions from current
or former players to judge the effects of football
and other contact sports on the brain. Scientists such
as Boston University’s Dr. Ann McKee have been
studying the harms of football on deceased players’
brains for the past few years, and the results
are quite tangible.
Of 16 brains that Dr. McKee was supplied, she has
completed testing on 14 of them. Of those, all but one
were diagnosed with chronic traumatic
encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative tissue condition
brought about by repeated blows to the head
and concussions. CTE has been linked to dementia, ALS,
depression and Alzheimer’s. When stained and
viewed under a microscope, CTE is quickly identifiable
in brain tissue for the ugly brown scars it leaves,
which are caused by a buildup of tau–an abnormal
protein that spills into the tissue from concussions and
other brain collisions.
Despite these convincing facts staring them in the face,
professional football players still remain steadfast
in playing the game they love at the highest level. Ray
Lewis, a linebacker and 15-year veteran, sums up
the player mindset well: “When you step on this gridiron,
there’s something coming with it. That’s why you
strap up the chinstrap. You sacrifice your body.
You sacrifice everything you’ve got. That’s what the game
has been.”
Colts receiver Austin Collie is involved in a vicious
collision with two Philadelphia Eagle defenders
in the middle of the field on Novemeber 7th. Collie
left the game with a concussion, and hasn’t been
able to return to the field since.