Brian Westbrook suffering from memory loss

[Iggloo]

And he is only 33. Sad story...

While his symptoms aren't as severe as other former NFL players, Westbrook now says he returned too soon from a concussion that knocked him out cold against Washington in 2009. He returned only three weeks later and was quickly hurt again.
"I thought I took enough time off to rest and recuperate. I thought I was healed completely," Westbrook said. "But I got hit, I got my bell rung. I was out for another few weeks with another concussion."
Like Primeau, Westbrook wants to change the culture in a sports world where wins come at any cost, even at the expense of brain injuries. Westbrook started the process in a familiar spot - Philadelphia. Eagles running back LeSean McCoy missed four games last season because of a severe concussion. He refused to sit out the final two games of the season for further rest because he called himself a "competitor."
McCoy told Westbrook how he wanted to play only a couple of weeks after he was hurt. Westbrook asked him, "Can you run? Can you practice? Can you think without having a headache." McCoy answered no to all.
"He said, 'But we're losing and I've got to get back out there,' " Westbrook said.

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/s...d81d2ef59.html

[old duke]

I can sympathize with Westy. It happended to me, after I was an All American RB at Penn State. the big difference is that I'm going to be 70 next month - not 33.





















Just kidding about me being an All American. :)

I am losing my memory though. Maybe that's why I submit different plyers each day, Wings!

[Wings]

Explains a lot Old Duke lol

[Eagles Psycho]

I'm sure I'm in the minority, but if these things keep happening to NFL players, past and present, I'm going to start hating the game and possibly even stop watching.

Especially if it's affects some of my favorite Eagles ever, like Westbrook.

I grew up watching Andre Waters' Eagles, but it wasn't until Andy Reid's teams that we had a winning Eagles team that I was fully invested in, so if these things happen to guys like Westbrook or Dawk or some others, I'm going to pull away, much moreso than hearing about Water's passing.

It's sad.

[old duke]

Football is a brutal sport. Gladiators! Hoqwever, it is by far the most popular sport in america. Soccer is the worldwide leader of course. As far as me - all other sports just fill in time for me between football seasons. I think february, after the SB, is the most boring time for me until free agency starts, and then the draft. May and June, I watch baseball, then I can't wait til training camp.

Speaking of TC, I like the change to Philly from Lehigh. Sorry wings, but now when the practices are open to the public, at the Linc, it will be more convenient for most everybody, and a lot more comfortable. Plus all the great restaurants, etc. in S.Philly.

[WIZ]

This is probably more Westbrook's lawyer than Westbrook.

[TheGuru]

I'm not surprised from what I'm hearing. Football is a brutal sport and you're going to get concussions. I think going forward, we might see mandatory time off for concussions, like 4 games minimum. And with the millions the players make, they should probably increase the pension payout.

As concussions get more play in the media, I think some players will retire because of it and that's a good thing. No money is worth the damage to the brain.

[FFL_Recruiter]

I'm all for paying more into the pension payout... HOWEVER... I think regular contracts need to have more 'concussion' clauses in them. If you are being paid 8 mil over a year (500k a game) and then you miss 4 games - that's a 2 mil hit a team is taking. Since playesr do not want to recognize the money they are being paid for NOT PLAYING due to injury, and they want more money thru pensions -- then I say give it to them, at their own personal expense, by lowering pay during the time they are out with the actual concussion. I usually fall on the side of the players, but i'm not for pure greed on either side of the ball/issue. If players knew they were going to get a financial hit for concussions - they would be more proactive in trying to avoid a few more as well. I raelize some cannot be avoided - but maybe a player looks to get out of bounds.. or sacrifice a couple of yards to go to the ground.. etc. 2 yards is not worth 4 weeks out. Players don't get that when it comes to the team's overall investments in them -- but they will get it, when it hits them immediately in the pocket book.

There needs to be a lot more investment into anit-concusion equipment and rules as well. I realize it stunts the game and the brutality - but you can't have both. You can't have the 'big' hits of brutality, and no one gets hurt. If the concussions are creating more long term financial issues, and health issues - then we need better equipment or you have to curb it through rules. I really have a hard time believing we can't do more on the equipment side of things. Cars hit each other at 100+ miles an hour and have cruple zones, maybe different materials, designs, etc can help with the helmet/helmet hits as well.

[TheGuru]

Helmet improvements will help, but not as much as people expect. There isn't much to stop the the brain from slamming into the skull. And you can get this without the vicious head shots.