http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2013/01/11/sports-concussions-bells-are-rung-in-arkansas-too Comments On: Sports concussions: Bells are rung in Arkansas, too by Max Brantley en-us Copyright 2013 Arkansas Times. All rights reserved. This RSS file is offered to individuals, Arkansas Times readers, and non-commercial organizations only. Any commercial websites wishing to use this RSS file, please contact Arkansas Times. robert@arktimes.com (Arkansas Times Webmaster) Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:01 -0500 Thu, 23 May 2013 05:15:00 -0500 Foundation http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Posted by Anne Bonney, Pirate]]> Fri, 11 Jan 2013 17:26:21 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by Max Brantley]]> Fri, 11 Jan 2013 16:54:29 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by Perplexed]]> Fri, 11 Jan 2013 15:25:58 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by Stephen Anthony Lafferty]]> Fri, 11 Jan 2013 13:58:12 -0600 Arkansas Times
With IMPACT testing a student takes a pre-season computerized test of short term memory, spacial relationships etc.

If there is a concussion (lost of consciousness, disorientation) the student is IMMEDIATELY banned from further participation until repeated IMPACT tests show a return to baseline function.

Neither the coach, the trainer, the parent, the doctor, or the student can overrule the testing and rush the vulnerable student back into the sport because "it is the big game" (my last game) etc.

Perhaps a couple of dozen schools voluntarily use IMPACT, but it should be required. It removes the temptation to return too early from the hands of those who might be influenced something other that the welfare of the student.
Posted by olddoc]]> Fri, 11 Jan 2013 12:58:20 -0600 Arkansas Times
But here we are today ignoring the true costs of sports. I know a 16 year old who has had 2 back surgeries to repair damage he got playing sports at school.....he played baseball even....not football. No doubt he'll be plagued the rest of his life with back problems and of course his sports days are already behind him.

Nearly every month we hear another super sad story about an NFL player whose life has been ruined by too many blows to the head....and not at 90, but much much earlier. These suicides have been going on for years and only just now are people starting to pay attention. What good does it do a person to gain fame and a few million dollars when quickly that money will all be spent for medical care, nursing homes or funeral services? I guess all that banging brings the women, the booze and admiration from sports addicts for a little while. But it's sure not that much different from the life of the gladiators of old.

Any statistics on former Razorback football players?
Posted by DeathbyInches]]> Fri, 11 Jan 2013 12:51:22 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by Bulkington]]> Fri, 11 Jan 2013 12:13:51 -0600 Arkansas Times
And I will likely go to hell for encouraging my kids to put themselves at the mercy of similar idiots, at least early on, because they, too, were big and strong for their age. But the damage isn't physical, and I should've known better.

There's absolutely no excuse for letting kids play full-contact American football, and I salute every mom who said 'no way.' (Plenty of NFL stars were famously held out, until their more mature physical talent was too much to resist. Note to parents of dumpy white kids: get'em off the gridiron, period. Kid baseball coaches are the worst, but at least it's a sport where endless repetiton and dedication can maybe make the high school squad. There's always just a little regular exercise, a beneficial habit for life, so I'm told.)

There's hardly an excuse for US sports culture, except, like porn and weaponry, if there's money to be made it's a Constitutional matter of choice. Not sure how recreational chemicals and sexual preference don't fall under these guaranteed liberties, except the prophets didn't play much ball in the Old Testament. Maybe a clever biblical scholar can make a case against football -- a guaranteed national book tour.
Posted by Bulkington]]> Fri, 11 Jan 2013 12:09:54 -0600 Arkansas Times
The US is a free market nation and that means we value the life of a child based on the amount of profit that child represents. See: Profit-based Health Care.
Posted by I_AM_THE_NRA]]> Fri, 11 Jan 2013 11:49:59 -0600 Arkansas Times Indubitably, welcome to the world of working Americans.

“Finally I'm becoming stupider no more.”
Paul Erdos
Posted by Zatharus]]> Fri, 11 Jan 2013 11:32:41 -0600 Arkansas Times