The Highest Priced Game

 

       “When’s he coming back…he’s done for the season…I found so much scar tissue underneath that boy’s knee that he shouldn’t have even been playing.“ “Oh wow, he never said anything to me about his knee pain,” replied Bud Kilmer after visiting his star quarterback Lance Harbor in the hospital after suffering a serious injury in the most recent game. For those familiar with that film and having played the game of football at the division one level or higher, it’s likely they have either been in that scenario or witnessed it before. A Coach willing to jeopardize the long-term health of one of his players all to be able to hang his next championship banner. We’ve all heard about these players being doped up on painkillers, getting injections prior to and during games, and a plethora of other treatments.

       As is typically the case, the chickens have come home to roost, and the leader of the revolution is a man by the name of Dr. Bennet Omalu played by Will Smith (a far cry of both time and maturity from his time as the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air). A man of courage. Someone who was willing to hold a $10 billion industry accountable for withholding crucial information regarding player safety. After the tragic 2002 passing of Michael “Iron Mike” Webster, Omalu performed the autopsy and made shocking discoveries about Webster’s brain. His desire to examine his deceased patient’s brain more in depth is met with harsh criticism and resentment by the Pittsburgh faithful. Despite this obstacle and its hefty financial costs, he continues with his work.

       Continuation with this work leads Omalu to conclude that while cardiac arrest may have been listed as the cause of Webster’s death, playing football for so long is what ultimately killed him in the form of CTE. He suggests the same thing with deceased players Terry Long (suicide), Justin Strzelczyk (car accident), and Andre Waters (suicide). As these deaths happen consecutively (2004-2006), the NFL is finally forced to acknowledge his research and give it some consideration. However, newly crowned commissioner Roger Goodell does not take Omalu or his research seriously. They display such sentiments by disallowing Omalu to even be in the room and requesting former Steelers team doctor Julian Bailes to present instead. While thoroughly distraught and still under great pressure to back down, (despite the stalking of his pregnant wife and a politically driven prosecution on corruption charges aimed at forcing his testimony), Omalu continues.

         The final straw comes when Dave Duerson, an NFL Players Association executive commits suicide due to growing cognitive problems and requests Omalu to examine his brain in a suicide note. Many will view this film and ask what makes it so great? The answer is clear. Concussion puts a mirror to all of our faces and forces us to take long hard looks at the ugliest parts of our inner selves. It’s not as much about why the NFL withheld such vital information about the long-term damage football could do to the body as it is why we as the audience find such pleasure in watching this barbaric game. It’s about why these players voluntarily step onto the field with injuries galore. It’s about why team doctors sometimes abandon their oath in allowing players to go back onto the field. While this entire film is important, perhaps the most telling part is when Omalu gives the demonstration of what happens to the human brain after repeated blows by using a fish in a water-filled jar and shaking it horizontally.

           Seeing that image and then picturing that happening to someone’s brain multiple times on the football field is terrifying to say the least. It’s enough to make you never watch a football game the same way again. The film also humanizes the NFL. It exposes their biggest fear. A fear that some guys will begin to say to hell with this game. A fear that some will follow the trends of young retirees like Jake Locker and numerous 49er players. Should such realizations continue, then slowly but surely, those billions the NFL brings in will start to dwindle. Eventually, that means no more high life, no more excessive luxuries at the expense of guys literally killing each other, no more ownership of an entire day of the week. Indeed that power is difficult to give up. While I don’t promise to discontinue watching football altogether, I certainly can no longer ignore the outrageous price it costs to play this game at its highest level. For those who can, may the good Lord have mercy on your souls.