I recently saw the highly acclaimed “Concussion” and three key messages come out very clearly in this film.
The first, make sure our son knows how to play football probably. Will Smith portrays Dr. Bennet Omalu a Pittsburgh forensic pathologist with a keen drive to understanding why american football players were having psychotic episodes without any visible warning signs of distress. In real life, Dr. Omalu battled the NFL to educate them on the constant dangers that could lead to Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE).
The second, when you are telling the truth do not give up. Although science supported Dr. Omalu's claims, those in authority in the Pittsburgh area and the National Football Association were more worried about the image of the game than the lives being lost because of it. Continually Dr. Omalu faced increasing obstacles that forced him to leave his home, just for telling the truth.
The third, being a supportive wife can truly inspire a man to greatness. As Dr. Omalu faced self doubt and pity, his wife provided consistent inspirational support. Prema Mutiso, portrayed by Gugu Mbatha-Raw, would help her husband to continually push forward in spite of the ongoing opposition he faced.
Finally, my son is currently a middle school football player and after watching the movie, I'm not sure how I feel about that right now. The Concussion movie provided me a greater reality of the danger my son faces and has increased my own anxiety about the sport. Even recently the LA Times has reported that a 25 year old football player was diagnosed with CTE following his autopsy (http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-autopsy-concussion-athlete-20160104-story.html). I want to believe that if we educate ourselves about the fundamentals and proper technique, we can drastically reduce the number of cases seen.
According to Frontline, there were 166 NFL Concussions in 2015. We’re only days into 2016 and we’ve already witnessed some concerning injuries. The LA Times recently reported that a 25 year old football player was diagnosed with CTE following his autopsy (http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-autopsy-concussion-athlete-20160104-story.html).
Before Sony released “Concussion,” the conversation began at the youth level, with Esquire Network’s FRIDAY NIGHT TYKES.
After two explosive seasons, Esquire Network’s documentary series returns to San Antonio, TX for a third season on Tuesday, January 19 at 9/8c. With exclusive access to the 10 and 11-year-old division of the Texas Youth Football Association (TYFA), viewers get an authentic look at the making of future NFL superstars as the series digs deep into controversial hot topics that are prevalent in today’s media.
I will be tuning in will you?
I remember taking a survey about this movie about a year ago. It seemed interesting, but I haven’t watched it yet.