[Quality88]

WASHINGTON -- NFL commissioner Roger Goodell would not acknowledge a connection between head injuries on the football field and later brain diseases while defending the league's policies on concussions before Congress.
Under sometimes-contentious questioning from lawmakers -- and suggestions about reconsidering the league's billions-generating antitrust exemption -- Goodell sat at a witness table Wednesday alongside NFL Players Association head DeMaurice Smith.
Both men agreed to turn over players' medical records to the House Judiciary Committee.
Chairman John Conyers, D-Mich., asked Goodell whether he believes there's an injury-disease link. Goodell responded that the NFL isn't waiting for that debate to play out and is taking steps to make the game safer.
Conyers said he'll seek records on head injuries from the NFL players union, the NCAA, high schools and medical researchers to better understand football's health risks.

Roger Goodell grilled by Congress on head injuries - ESPN


The government needs to stay out of the sports. It's not their place. There more improtant things they should be focusing on.

[Bette]

Hmmm, still this is interesting.
Goodell wont admit the link, and members of Congress are threatening to remove the antitrust exemption the NFL enjoys.
In another reading, I saw where Goodell says the league will offer free follow-up medical work to 56 players who reported dementia, Alzheimers, or other memory related problems.

[Artisan219]

I don't see this as the government putting their nose in the NFL. But with college and high school level football teams across the country, that's a lot of football with a line to the individual state departments of education. And considering how devil-may-care the US has been regarding steroids in the MLB, I'm more or less okay with a simple head-injury study.

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by Artisan219

I don't see this as the government putting their nose in the NFL. But with college and high school level football teams across the country, that's a lot of football with a line to the individual state departments of education. And considering how devil-may-care the US has been regarding steroids in the MLB, I'm more or less okay with a simple head-injury study.

It's not the NFL, its football in general.

Sports are rough, the athletes that play them know this and except it, if they didn't except it, they wouldn't be playing sports. Congress can't do anything about it except ban sports, and that would cause a total riot in the U.S. They should focus on the economy.

[Quack Attack]

Originally Posted by Quality88

It's not the NFL, its football in general.

Sports are rough, the athletes that play them know this and except it, if they didn't except it, they wouldn't be playing sports. Congress can't do anything about it except ban sports, and that would cause a total riot in the U.S. They should focus on the economy.

Well said Quality88! Here we have one of the worst economies since the great depression with millions of out work, troops still fighting and cannot bring back home in the Middle East, healthcare problems, etc yet the congress is worried about the BCS and Head Injuries in football. Unbelievable! I don't think this is what tax payers pay congress to do. Let the NCAA handle the BCS problems and the NFL handle their own problems. Just my 2 cents.

P.S. Not trying to start a political debate, just making a point.

[tngrl]

The government seems to want to stick their noses in everywhere. They should pay more attention to themselves and let the sports officials and rules committee do their jobs.