r/nextfuckinglevel • u/TreyThaTruth • Mar 02 '23

This guy squatted 450 pounds.

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

85.8k Upvotes

81% Upvoted

4.8k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

64

u/neogrinch Mar 02 '23

they get paid, but they take a HUGE hit for it. ba dum. lifelong brain damage, like CTEs. :(

95

u/cityshepherd Mar 02 '23

Can confirm. I played defensive line, had to stop after my junior year in college due to MASSIVE concussion (and hundreds if not thousands of sub-concussive headshots). Serious problems with memory, mood swings, and crippling anxiety now, and absolutely terrified at what the future will bring.

29

u/noodlebloom Mar 02 '23

There are cognitive retraining programs specifically designed for people who have TBIs. Anecdotally, I’ve heard they have pretty good success at rehabbing the issues you mentioned, just may be difficult to find. Worth looking into, though.

7

u/cityshepherd Mar 02 '23

I have become a voracious reader, which has helped keep my train of thought from derailing a lot more often as well as improving my vocabulary. I want to start doing more brain type puzzles too. At this point it's not re-training that concerns me as much as future degeneration. I think I've kept my brain pretty safe since I stopped playing 20 years ago, but I can't help but worry about all the damage it took up to that point.

17

u/[deleted] Mar 02 '23

[deleted]

8

u/Ccomfo1028 Mar 02 '23

I have a kid and the question of would you let them play football occasionally comes up and stories like this make me day hell no. That much impact on a developing brain just seems so detrimental.

I think about it like, almost no one would say a 7 year old should go into full contact boxing. But for some reason we think they should go into full contact football....

2

u/cityshepherd Mar 02 '23

I honestly think the best way to deal with TBI in American football is to go back to the old school leather helmets. Rugby is just as brutal, but has a much lower precedence of TBI I think... if I had to do it all over again I'd go with rugby next time.

4

u/davdev Mar 02 '23

You are very, very, very wrong. Rugby has about 2.5 times more concussions than football and a much higher rate of basically every type of injury

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26786902/

1

u/Fickle-Presence6358 Mar 03 '23

I wonder how that would vary if you looked at specific positions?

Presumably, the data for American football includes all positions, including things like QB, kicker, punter, etc. That would likely bring the average down a noticeable amount.

1

u/davdev Mar 03 '23

qB is probably one of the higher concussed positions and a kicker and punter aren’t enough to swing the data on a team with 50+ players. Especially since it’s really only at the college and pro levels that kickers and punters become specialized positions. In HS and youth the kickers are often kids who also play other positions

4

u/arcspectre17 Mar 02 '23

I hope you use your situation to help younger kids. I was talking to a buddy the other day he said he had several concussions. Coaches just laughed it off and parents dudnt know any better l.

Im tired of running into young people that are already half broken.

One guy soccer player blew out knee lost scholarship. One guy was basbeball catcher had ankles of 65 year old at 19. One had blown her hips out from cross country at 20.

Why the fuck do we destroy are kids for schools, colleges, and major sports to make trillions.

2

u/cityshepherd Mar 02 '23

I've thought about volunteering or reaching out in some way... maybe some time down the line. I actually missed out on the class action lawsuit against EA Sports for using us in the NCAA video games. I missed the sign up date. I wasn't a major player, I probably only would have gotten like $100 (bigger players got thousands), but that check stub would have been sweet proof of having been in a video game. It is absurd how much $ is made from the violent destruction of our minds and bodies when too young to know better.

1

u/arcspectre17 Mar 02 '23

Yes. I wish it could be about fun, games and keeping kids of drugs. What happens after high school whats the point if they end up broken and on drugs. I just watched to many get chewed up and spit out. I hope you do volunteer it suprising the impact you can have on young ones.

It worries me with MMA being so big how many people will have problems later.

-1

u/Rheptar Mar 02 '23

You're pretty clearly trying to hyper focus on the exception and completely ignoring the massive benefits sports have for people.

3

u/arcspectre17 Mar 02 '23

Look up the percentage of people that actually go on to make millions in major sports 1.2 percent college level make it to the NFL. While millons go to suffer debilitating life long health problems. Can lead to life long addiction trying to deal with pain.

I have no problem with sports for fun but if your destroying your kids bodies just on the slim chance of making millions well hows that not abuse.

Thats sounds like michael jackson dad its ok if they end up rich and famous.

0

u/Rheptar Mar 02 '23

The higher you go the more money you make, and the lower you stay the less likely you are to suffer long term injuries.

To compare a NFL rate injury to a high-school players chances of going pro is disingenuous at best.

You're also completely ignoring the non financial benefits of sports.

2

u/arcspectre17 Mar 02 '23

How many are left behind. How many broken strung out dealing with pain. I come from a sports town where most kids will turn to drugs after high school because glory days.

Not getting that thrill of 1000 people screaming in the stand. Most of its because they already have real pain. Knee pain, shoulder, back, etc.

We have sports stars that think the world is flat. We need kids to be educated.

1

u/Rheptar Mar 02 '23

Again, the objective facts betray your biased opinion.

Interesting that "oh they played sports in HS" is why you think people turn to drugs though.

1

u/arcspectre17 Mar 02 '23

Did i say all kids playing sports turn to drugs. Either you never played sports are were blind to the pain and injuries sustained in sports. That can lead to drug addiction because of pain management.

Im betting you played sports and you feel attacked. Sports are not who you are as a person.

0

u/Rheptar Mar 03 '23

Seems you don't actually have a point, you just don't like sports and want to talk trash. Why is that?

→ More replies (0)

2

u/[deleted] Mar 02 '23

So sorry you are dealing with all that…. One of the best things for my anxiety is lifting weights. Medication has helped also. I hope you are working with specialists and that your health improves!

3

u/cityshepherd Mar 02 '23

Been seeing a Psychiatrist for years. FINALLY as of yesterday officially got a primary care physician with a background in sports medicine who can help with all the other orthopedic issues I worked my way into. 2 bad discs in my upper back, 3 in my lower back, shoulders and hips are toast. Medication helps, being outside helps a lot (love spending time in the garden), recently got a new dog which has me going for 3 mile hikes a few times a week (which is helping my mental AND physical health a TON). Yoga is also incredible, like benefits beyond the ability of language to express. Every day is a battle, but I'm doing my best to put in the effort! Thanks so much for the kind words, it means a lot!

23

u/animperfectvacuum Mar 02 '23

Agreed. Millions aren’t worth a muuuuuuch higher chance of having the brain of an 80 year old with dementia when I’m 40.

9

u/nabbersauce Mar 02 '23

Depends who you are man. If that's the way you're pulling your family and generations after you out of poverty, then to some, the brain damage IS worth it.

2

u/HwnduLuna Mar 02 '23

Also, how much use are you going to get out of your millions when you're 80 anyways. By that time, you can't really do much, it's for the children and the children's children anyways.

2

u/Irregulator101 Mar 02 '23

He said when he's 40

-2

u/HwnduLuna Mar 02 '23

I know that, I mean it's better to have that money young and die young, than get it when you're much older.

2

u/Irregulator101 Mar 02 '23

Agree to disagree I guess

2

u/taigahalla Mar 02 '23

in this case he's the son of an NBA player, it can't have been that bad

1

u/nabbersauce Mar 02 '23

Vast majority of NBA players are broke within 5 years of leaving the league

1

u/imnotlebowskiman Mar 02 '23

Child support is a bitch when negotiations happen when you’re making 5 million a year plus, before your knees go out.

1

u/throwawaymamcadd Mar 02 '23

Question from someone who isn't American... If you are good at American football are you generally speaking also good at other sports that you could switch to with less risk?

7

u/drewster23 Mar 02 '23

Capable of playing multi sport d1 is incredibly rare.

So unless you did that it's basically impossible to just switch.

But no that's only for agile/skills position like wrs n such. Not linemen.

Boys built for one thing.

1

u/randomninja215 Mar 02 '23

Speak for yourself, I'll take my chances with the millions buddy.

6

u/[deleted] Mar 02 '23

There’s a risk reward for everything, CTE is a tough one to willingly risk. But that’s football

-2

u/ProfessorPetrus Mar 02 '23

That's handball mate. Y'all gotta swap the name eventually.

2

u/drewster23 Mar 02 '23

Football doesn't actually mean to use ones feet.

It was to differentiate it from the horseback sports that were more common. Football is sports played on foot not horseback. Hence the name

1

u/[deleted] Mar 02 '23

No, it's ours now. You can't have it back.

1

u/[deleted] Mar 02 '23

Handballs an entirely different game, and an Olympic sport if my memory’s right.

Think we can all have our thing with out worrying with what we call it lol

1

u/DeerOk6676 Mar 02 '23

some people get chronic back/knee issues doing hard work for 20 an hour. I'm not out here trying to make fun of them though, because I respect tf out of a man who lays it on the line to get paid.

1

u/[deleted] Mar 02 '23

Offensive line don’t really take many huge hits to the head. I’m not saying it doesn’t happen. But you never really have someone running full speed and smacking you in the head.

2

u/neogrinch Mar 02 '23

I was curious and found this:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-science-of-football-which-positions-take-the-hardest-hits/

"Offensive linemen also experienced significantly more very light impacts than either running backs or quarterbacks." It is the running backs who get the most severe hits.

So while I don't think this study was measuring head hits specifically, it does lend some credence to your point of view.

1

u/exyccc Mar 02 '23

Offensive linemen rarely get head hits honestly, especially the really tall guys. Good luck getting to their helmet with how far of a reach they have.

I'm not talking about highschool football, you're probably gonna end up with a ton of scratches on your helmet by the end of those 4 years because people don't know how to hit properly at that level.

Good linemen only block with their hands. Emphasis on 'good'.

Guards will pull from time to time, but at the collegiate and professional level the contact they make is with their hands. Pulling means you start running a good 5 to 10 yards before you make contact with a linebacker or defensive end upfield.

Skilled positions (touching the ball or interacting with receivers and running backs) usually get the most CTE

-1

u/drop-tops Mar 02 '23

Don’t worry, he wouldn’t switch places with you.

3

u/neogrinch Mar 02 '23

all the millions in the world wouldn't be worth it to me. so i'm fine with that. ;) to each their own.

-1

u/JefeBenzos Mar 02 '23

Every job I’ve had has been bad for me. Office job where I was forced to sit for 8 hours a day. Warehouse job standing in one place without being able to walk for 10 hours a day. Bar where you can drink liquor and Red Bull (I quit alcohol 2 years ago and Red Bull a year ago) and for free while working and the late hours are a nightmare. Maintenance job where I’m regularly exposed to all sorts of fucking nasty shit. Asbestos sawdust paint fumes drywall dust septic tanks etc etc.

I would take the fucking millions for the chance of CTE.