Payton Manning vs Russell Crowe

We've all seen the cinematic brilliance and horrific violence presented in the movie "Gladiator" starring Russell Crowe. As a society we gasp in visceral angst by the copious display of gore. We are comforted by the fact that we live in a more civilized and sympathetic time in relation to human life. According to wikipedia (yes, its a reliable source) "a gladiator as an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. Some gladiators were volunteers who risked their legal and social standing and their lives by appearing in the arena. Most were despised as slaves, schooled under harsh conditions, socially marginalized, and segregated even in death." That said, gladiators offered audiences an example of martial ethics and in fighting or dying well they could inspire admiration and popular acclaim. They were, in a sense entertainers.

Dying well was considered honorable. A gladiator who was obviously defeated would kneel before the victorious opponent, drop his head and wait for the quick, swift stab to the back of his neck. There was great honor in "dying well."

Death and/or physical harm was entertaining to a desensitized Roman Republic. Watching a violent death was as disconcerning to the Romans as watching one of Brett Favre's retirement press conferences is to society today. A human life did not carry the value we perceive life to carry today. Or so you would think...

A few weeks ago I watched with anticipation and excitement on the NFL's first Sunday of the 2010 season. Of considerable interest to me was the Philadelphia Eagles game as I was eager to see if Kevin Kolb could take over this team for the departed McNabb and also because there were several former Huskers in the game. Stewart Bradley was a standout middle linebacker for the Huskers during my college tenure. He has excelled with the Eagles over the past few years thus worked himself onto the starting unit. Midway through the second quarter, Stewart made a big tackle, popping the ball carrier hard. After the collision Bradley struggled to get up. Once vertical he took three wobbly steps and collapsed like a drunken sailor.

Many of you know the seemingly extreme measures the NFL has recently taken to prevent and treat concussions. Announcers Joe Buck and Troy Aikmen both mentioned that we'd seen the last of Bradley as he was clearly concussed. Just three minutes later Bradley reentered the game and played out the half. Call it tough, or call it stupid. It reminded me of the parady "Not Another Teen Movie," based after "Varsity blues" where Reggie Ray says "Coach says its okay to bleed from the ears" and re-enters the game.

Kyle Turley is a giant of a man standing over 6 feet 5 inches and weighing in at nearly 300 lbs. Turley retired as an offensive tackle for the New Orleans Saints in 2007. He is perhaps best known for his wild antics (youtube Turley chucking an opponents helmet) and big hits on opposing defenders. Over the course of Turley's career he suffered a dozen documented concussions and likely many more undocumented concussions.

In 2008, Turley went with his wife and a few friends to a bar in Nashville, Tennessee. As the warm up band played, Turley sipped his first beer. All of the sudden he felt light headed and extremely hot. Turley began to sweat profusely and fell to the ground. His buddies helped him regain consciousness and took him out to the street for fresh air. Turley vomited repeatedly before losing control of his extremities. He was having a panic attack. His wife rushed him to the hospital for treatment. Unfortunately, these attacks had become a frequent occurence since his retirement from the NFL.

In an article in the New York Times called "Offensive Play" by Malcomb Gladwell, Turley recalls his playing days. "I'd get hit so hard my eyes would go cross eyed for a few plays. Sometimes on longer drives I'd get blurry vision. There'd be three guys for me to block so I'd just hit the middle one." Turley said in the NFL you are either hurt or you're injured. If you're hurt, you can play, if you're injured, you can't.

Recently you may have noticed the influx of former NFL players in the news for what appears to be premature deaths. Mike Webster, the Steelers great great ended his life a recluse living in an Amtrak station. Terry Long, another Steeler great drank a bottle of antifreeze to end his life. Former Philadelphia Eagle Andre Waters pleaded with his girlfriend to get him help, but got none and shot himself. More recently Kenny McKinnely of the Denver Broncos shot himself in his Denver condo. Damien Nash, a 24 year old teammate of McKinnely collapsed during a charity pick up game of basketball and died. Owen Thomas, the University of Pennsylvania defensive end committed suicide in 2008. The list goes on...

What do these players have in common?

In 2003, a man thought to have died of Alzheimer's and dementia donated his brain to science. Doctors studied the cerebral tissue of the brain expecting to find two things: 1. Beta-amyloid and 2. Tau. Beta-amyloid is thought to lay the foundation for dementia inside the brain while Tau is present on the outer tissue signaling brain damage. To the doctors surprise there was absolutely no trace of Beta-amyloid inside the individuals brain. This was a huge find because it signed that the Tau, found on the outside of the brain was not caused by a disease, but caused by injury. This individual had C.T.L. (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy). What injury had this man sustained? The doctors later found out that this individuals occupation was a professional boxer. He had taken repeated blows to the head.

Certain institutions are now working to collect the brains of deceased athletes to study C.T.L. Recently a former NFL linebacker died of an accidental gunshot to the head. He was 40 years old. When examining his brain doctors again noticed Tau on his frontal and temporal lobes. Absent was Beta-amyloid. This linebacker had sustained 11 concussions (documented) over the course of his career. The same doctor that studied the linebackers brain also looked at a deceased lineman's brain. The bruising around the outside of the brain could be seen even without a magnifying glass!

Strange things happen to NFL players when their careers end. Slurred speech and depression are common. Men who were always concerned about health become alcoholics. Men who adored their wives become abusive. Men with great educations fail even the simplest remedial tasks. Of the former NFL players over 50 years of age, 6.1% have been diagnosed with dementia which is five times the national average. Do we have an epidemic on our hands?

Scientist Guskieicz wanted to measure the true impact of the hits football players take on a daily basis. He inserted six sensors into the helmet of a defensive end during summer double days. This defensive end first took an 80-g hit to the front of his head. Later that morning he took a 98-g hit to the exact same spot. A 100-g hit is identical to hitting a brick wall at 25 mph in your car and smashing your head against the windshield. This player essentially survived two crashes that morning. He again took a 60-g hit in the afternoon practice before calling it a day. This is just in practice!

Ok, you may say this is just a problem for aging adults. Wrong! It has been estimated that between 10%-50% of high school football players suffer at least one concussion during the season. Over 75% of those are unreported and undocumented.

So what do we do, ban football like we've banned gladiators? Turns out, it has been attempted. In 1905 President Theodore Roosevelt attempted to ban college football as it was thought to be dangerous to our young men. The 12 major universities at the time came forward to vote and came within one vote of banishing football at all universities across the country. Life without football is not a life worth living, but maybe that is what the Romans thought about gladiators.

Football players, like gladiators are entertainers. They subject themselevs to violent acts to excite the masses. Yes, gladiators were often enslaved and forced to participate while football players opt in knowing many of the risks. My point is the societal thirst for violence is now quenched at Lambue Field instead of the Colosseum. Just because we don't see the health effects in the short term doesn't mean they aren't there and it doesn't mean they aren't just as severe.

I can hear Adrian Peterson now: "My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, Commander of the Armies of Northern Minnesota, General of the Felix backfield, loyal servant to the true emperor, Brad Childress. Playmaker to an aging quarterback, leader to a prima donna reciever, and I will have my vengence, in this life or the next."

Maximus! Maximus! Maximus!