I read the headline and currently cannot read the entire story that I found on MSN today about Coach Belichick and the cost he exacts upon his team. The story of Ted Johnson, a middle LB for the Patriots of the very late 90s and early in this first decade, is an indication that things have not changed.
Johnson was a promising LB for the Patriots early on and proved to be a valuable starter; playing in Super Bowl XXXI. He played for the Patriots until he retired in 2005 after sustaining multiple concussions and being encouraged to play even if he was hurt. This is truly a tragic story to go along with probably hundreds of other stories of sports figures who live hurt the rest of their lives. Anyone seen Jerome Bettis walking around lately? He will need canes in his near future because of what he did in the NFL.
Anyone who complains about rookie contracts should check into the risk versus reward. This is why football players make millions of dollars a year. I wish that the NFL would do more for their product, which is what these players are. Give them the big contract but keep some of the money and pay it out annually as needed. This would prevent some stories of weathered monsters of the gridiron rusting in homeless shelters, living in poverty and pain, and suffering a retirement that one could liken to a pre-death.
Ok, back on topic. Apparently Coach Belichick doesn't mind playing his people hurt. Come on Coach! Use those brains for something other than football for a minute. Take your injured, your weary, and your hardened warriors out for a game and let them recouperate! I coach for a club team in Europe and if I see a guy limping or looking funny I pull him aside and make certain he is ok. There is no need for people, even those making their living playing football, to damage themselves more than they already do. Have a heart before more of your players relive the nightmare Ted Johnson, who John Madden described during Super Bowl XXXI as one of the most promising young LBs in the league. Today he is one of the stories about football that makes those who know about it hate the sport.
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4 months ago
UGh where are my paragraphs at?
4 months ago
What evidence do you have to support your accusation of "Belichick doesn't mind playing his people hurt."? I'm sorry, but unless you can back this up with an extremely reliable source, like having it caught on tape, then I fail to believe that a coach of any pro team is going to play his/her players while their hurt, fully knowing that they'll just get hurt more and could end up costing the game.
While I couldn't agree more with you on your stance for the NFL taking better care of it's employees (specially after they retire), I have a hard time believing what you said about Belichick.
4 months ago
You know, maybe you are right Steve but read this article below please. Tell me you don't think this guy was encouraged to play hurt. I am not sure if it is Belichick, who I admire for his skill and success as a coach, or someone under him who encourages these guys to play hurt and may fudge medical reports. I said may. I am not saying that they do this.
I have yet to read the article on MSN but the story of Ted Johnson is something I read and was very sad about.
Think back to the days of football players like Earl Campbell, Joe Namath, Terry Bradshaw, Jim Brown, or any of the old players whe built the game into what it is today. These people are walking wounded. Do you think that they played hurt? Absolutely. I am not saying anyone holds a gun to their heads to do this but sometimes you must save people from themselves!
As far as costing them the game, no they do not play hurt players for that reason. They do play them hurt for short-term gains, such as a win.
http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2007/02/02/i_dont_want_anyone_to_end_up_like_me/
from 4 months ago
I agree, that is a sad story-unofortunately, there are going to be more like that. The players need to step up and speak up when they're hurt. All to often, you see them limping off a field only to return a few plays later. Damn, if you're hurt-be hurt, it's ok to miss a few minutes of play-better to miss a few minutes now than a few games later. Look at Pennington (Jets) who got hurt (knee or ankle?) playing the second time against the Pats-he hobbled off the field and came back on later in the game. Why would the coach let him back out? Probably because he said he was fine and possibly lied to the doctor/on field medics so that he could continue to play (of course, I'm just assuming there-no factual reason as to why he went back out to continue playing). Same thing with Brady in the last super bowl-he played with a sore ankle.
I think that the responsibility for injured players should be spread out over the players, coaching staff and NFL-like a system of checks and balances. This would hopefully prevent more stories like that of Ted Johnson.
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