All language subtitles for Head.Games.2012.1080p.VUDU.WEB-DL.DDP5.1.H.264.-Yoyo.[eng]

Peewee coach: HARD WORK!
Peewee players: HARD WORK!

Peewee coach: DEDICATION!
Peewee players: DEDICATION!

Peewee coach: HARD WORK!
Peewee players: HARD WORK!

Peewee coach: DEDICATION!
Peewee players: DEDICATION!

I DIDN'T EVER TELL Y'ALL
THIS LITTLE STORY, GUYS,

ABOUT DAVID AND GOLIATH,

THE BIG OL' GIANT
AND THE LITTLE OL' DAVID.

THAT BIG OL' GIANT,
IT WAS THE HURRICANES,

THE ONES THAT WAS ALWAYS
BEATIN' UP ON EVERYBODY

'CAUSE THEY WERE GOOD AND BIG,
RIGHT?

BUT IT WAS THIS LITTLE OL' GUY
NAMED DAVID-- THAT'S Y'ALL--

LITTLE OL' BITTY GUY,
HAD PLENTY OF COURAGE.

HE BELIEVED IN HIMSELF.

AND WHAT DAVID DID,
HE GOT A LITTLE OL' ROCK,

A SMOOTH ROCK--
THIS YOUR ROCK, THAT HELMET--

AND HE RAN INTO THAT
BIG OL' GIANT AND BOOM!

( crowd cheering )

( groans )

Announcer:
THE FANS ARE LOVING IT!

♪

( crowd cheering )

All: OH!

Alan Schwarz:
IT'S BEEN KNOWN FOR A LONG TIME

THAT BANGING YOUR HEAD
OVER AND OVER

AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN
CAN BE A BAD THING.

Stephen Colbert:
WHY ARE YOU BASHING YOUR HEAD
INTO A 300-POUND LINEMAN?

YOUR BRAIN IS SPONGE CAKE
FLOATING IN A BONE BUCKET.

STOP NOW WHILE YOU
DON'T HAVE TO WEAR A DIAPER.

( audience laughs )

( crowd cheering )

( groans )

Chris Nowinski:
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE,

THIS FRIDAY NIGHT,
OVER A MILLION KIDS

WILL TAKE
TO THE FOOTBALL FIELD...

ONE IN EIGHT
BOYS IN AMERICA.

I'M CERTAIN THAT
RADICAL MEASURES ARE NEEDED

FOR FOOTBALL
TO CONTINUE SAFELY.

SO WITH A LIST
OF CRIPPLED RETIRED PLAYERS,

A SHORTENED LIFE EXPECTANCY,

CHRIS,
HOW REAL IS THIS PROBLEM?

Chris Nowinski: WHEN WE GOT THIS
FORMER NFL PLAYER'S BRAIN,

WE SAW SOMETHING VERY STRIKING.

THERE'S AN ALARMING REPORT
LINKING FOOTBALL AND DEMENTIA.

NOW I'M STARTING TO SEE PLAYERS
WHO ARE YOUNGER THAN ME

WHO ARE HAVING
NEUROLOGICAL ISSUES,

AND THESE PLAYERS
ARE CALLING ME.

IN FACT,
MANY EX-PLAYERS HAVE PROBLEMS...

GIRLS HAVING HIGHER RATES
OF CONCUSSIONS THAN BOYS.

Man: PEEWEE HOCKEY TODAY
IS NOT

THE PEEWEE HOCKEY
WE PLAYED WHEN WE WERE KIDS.

THE LEVEL OF VIOLENCE WOULD GIVE
A REASONABLE PERSON PAUSE.

YOU'RE TALKING TO THE ATHLETES
ABOUT DONATING THEIR BRAIN.

FIVE YEARS OF HEADACHES
AND DEPRESSION

AND SHORT-TERM MEMORY PROBLEMS,
COULDN'T GO BACK TO WORK...

ARE YOU ADVOCATING,
MR. NOWINSKI,

THAT-- THAT PEOPLE
NOT PLAY FOOTBALL?

Alan Schwarz:
THIS IS A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE.

YES, THERE ARE SOME THINGS

HAPPENING AT
THE PROFESSIONAL LEVEL,

BUT WHAT IF SIMILAR THINGS
ARE HAPPENING FOR KIDS?

Chris Nowinski: PERSONALLY,
IF I HAD A SIX-YEAR-OLD

OUT THERE PLAYING FOOTBALL,

I WOULD BE FREAKED OUT,

AND I THINK RIGHTLY SO...

BECAUSE YOU'RE PLAYING

RUSSIAN ROULETTE
WITH THEIR FUTURE.

( whistle blows )

♪

I DIDN'T EVER WANT
TO GO TO HARVARD

AND JUST PLAY FOOTBALL.

YOU KNOW, I HAD A REAL PASSION
FOR FOOTBALL

AND I KNEW I HAD
A COMMITMENT TO THE TEAM,

BUT, YOU KNOW,
I KNEW I HAD OPPORTUNITY

TO GET THE BEST EDUCATION
IN THE WORLD.

SO I NEVER WANTED
TO LET MY ACADEMICS SUFFER.

I WAS A DEFENSIVE TACKLE.

YOU KNOW,
I LINED UP OVER THE GUARDS...

AND EVERY PLAY,

A 280-POUND GUY
TRYING TO KNOCK ME ON MY BUTT.

Announcer: THERE'S A SACK
ON THE QUARTERBACK,

AND THAT IS CHRIS NOWINSKI.

I WAS JUST COLLIDING
ON EVERY PLAY,

TRYING TO CONTROL
THE GUY IN FRONT OF ME

AND CONTROL THE GAP.

I LOVED THE VIOLENCE OF IT.

I THOUGHT IT WAS
THE GREATEST THING IN THE WORLD

WHEN YOU COULD PASS RUSH
AND CATCH THEM UNDER THE CHIN.

THAT'S THE CLOSEST THING
YOU CAN GET TO BEING A WARRIOR

WITHOUT ACTUALLY
HAVING TO GO TO WAR.

YOU HAVE YOUR OWN TRIBE.

I NEVER THOUGHT
ABOUT AN NFL CAREER.

SO I GRADUATED
AND I WAS LIKE,

DO I GO SIT IN A CUBICLE

AND RENT MY BRAIN
TO BIG COMPANIES?

OR DO I GO TRY
TO HAVE A LITTLE FUN?

( crowd cheering )

♪

WWE ANNOUNCED THEY WERE STARTING
TOUGH ENOUGH--

A REALITY SHOW.

THIRTEEN KIDS LIVE IN A HOUSE,
TWO OF THEM WIN CONTRACTS.

ONE PERSON'S
KICKED OFF EVERY WEEK.

SO I DECIDED TO SEND IN A TAPE.

I'M 6'5",
265 WITH 10% BODY FAT.

I TRAIN AT
KILLER KOWALKSI'S SCHOOL

AND ACTUALLY HAD
MY FIRST MATCH THE OTHER NIGHT.

CHECK IT OUT.

I WANTED TO MAKE IT
TO THE WWE,

AND THIS WAS GOING
TO BE THE FAST TRACK.

AND I GOT SELECTED.

♪

I AM WILLING
TO TO DO WHAT IT TAKES

TO BE ONE OF THE ELITE
WRESTLERS DOWN THE LINE.

HOLD STILL PLEASE.

REALITY SHOWS HAVE TO HAVE
GOOD GUYS AND BAD GUYS.

WE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE MAKE EVERYBODY

UNDERSTAND THAT
HE WENT TO HARVARD.

SEE THE LITTLE HARVARD
BOXER SHORTS THERE?

SO THE PRODUCER
STARTED ASKING THE CAST

TO REFER TO ME
AS "CHRIS HARVARD."

THERE WE GO.

AND AS SOON
AS THAT HAPPENED,

I KNEW THAT
I WOULD NEVER HAVE A CHANCE

TO BE A SYMPATHETIC CHARACTER
WITH PEOPLE. ( laughs )

HARVARD WHAT?
HARVARD SUCKS.

AND YOU ARE YALE'S WHAT?
I'M YALE'S BITCH.

LET'S GO! LOUDER!

YALE'S NUMBER ONE!
COME ON!

♪

THE CHARACTER
WAS BASED ON

THE SILVER SPOON,
RICH, SNOBBY KIDS.

AND IT WORKED FOR ME.

Announcer:
WEIGHING IN AT 250 POUNDS,

HE IS THE ONLY
HARVARD GRADUATE

IN WORLD WRESTLING
ENTERTAINMENT HISTORY...

CHRISTOPHER NOWINSKI!

AND SO I WAS ON
MONDAY NIGHT RAW

18 MONTHS AFTER
MY FIRST DAY IN THE RING.

AND WHAT MOST AMUSING
WAS THE SHOW WAS DONE SO WELL,

THAT EVEN THE WRESTLERS IN WWE
THOUGHT I WAS THAT GUY.

AND SO EVERYONE HATED ME
IN THE LOCKER ROOM. ( laughs )

YOU PEOPLE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL
TO HAVE SOMEONE

OF MY INTELLIGENCE
IN YOUR PRESENCE.

( crowd boos )

BUT I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU PEOPLE
CAN'T RELATE TO A GUY LIKE ME.

BECAUSE AFTER ALL,
I AM A HARVARD GRADUATE.

PHYSICALLY, IT WAS
THE HARDEST THING I EVER DID.

FAR HARDER THAN FOOTBALL.

Announcer 1:
NOW WHERE'S NOWINSKI GOING?

THIS IS SOMETHING
WE DON'T NORMALLY SEE.

Announcer 2:
AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY.

I DON'T THINK ANYBODY
WATCHING ON TELEVISION

CAN QUITE APPRECIATE
HOW DANGEROUS IT REALLY IS.

THE MARGIN OF ERROR
IS INCREDIBLY SMALL.

SO IF ANY TIMING OR ANYONE'S
POSITIONING IS OFF BY INCHES...

SOMEONE'S GONNA GET HURT.

Announcer: THAT'S SOMETHING
YOU CAN'T STUDY FOR AT HARVARD.

AND I REMEMBER
THE TAG TEAM MATCH

IN JUNE OF 2003.

I HIT THE GROUND
AND I FORGOT WHERE WE WERE.

I FORGOT
WHAT WE WERE DOING IN THE RING.

I FORGOT THE STORY LINE.

I FORGOT
WHAT WAS COMING NEXT.

I JUST REMEMBER
THEY KEPT PINNING ME.

AND I COULDN'T REMEMBER
IF THIS WAS THE ONE

I WAS SUPPOSED TO STAY DOWN ON
FOR THE THREE-COUNT

OR THE ONE
THAT I KICK OUT OF.

MY HEAD WAS KILLING ME.

AND YOU KNOW, I KIND OF WENT
INTO A COLD, DARK PLACE

INSIDE THE CIVIC CENTER.

I REMEMBER BEING IN
JUST MY SHORTS AND MY BOOTS

LAYING ON
A COLD CONCRETE GROUND,

TRYING TO MAKE
THE THROBBING GO AWAY.

SO THEN I WENT HOME
AND THEN I WAS LIKE,

WELL, I GOTTA GO
TO THE GYM EVERY DAY,

BECAUSE I GOT
TO STAY IN SHAPE.

SO I'D GO TO THE GYM,

AND I'D GET NAUSEOUS
AFTER 10 MINUTES.

IN MY MIND, WHEN I WOULD
ONLY LAST 10 MINUTES

AND WOULD GET SICK,
I THOUGHT THAT'S NOT A SIGN

I SHOULD NOT GO TO THE GYM,

THAT'S A SIGN THAT
MY GOAL TOMORROW

SHOULD BE TO LAST
15 MINUTES. ( laughs )

AND IT WAS JUST,
KNOWING WHAT I KNOW NOW,

THAT WAS REALLY STUPID.

I KEPT THINKING,
I'M GONNA GET BETTER TOMORROW.

AND AFTER 12 MONTHS
OF CONSTANT HEADACHES

AND SLEEPWALKING
AND MEMORY PROBLEMS,

I JUST NEVER GOT BETTER.

AND SO THAT WAS THE LAST TIME
I EVER GOT NEAR A RING.

A FRIEND SAID,
"THERE'S A GUY

"WHO'S CONSIDERED
A CONCUSSION GURU

"THAT'S NOT TOO FAR
FROM YOUR PLACE.

MAYBE YOU SHOULD GO SEE HIM."

Dr. Robert Cantu: WELL,
MY HISTORY GOES BACK A BIT.

IN 1986, I WROTE THE FIRST
RETURN TO PLAY GUIDELINES

FOR PEOPLE
AFTER A CONCUSSION.

Chris:
I WALKED INTO DR. CANTU'S OFFICE

THINKING I HAD NEVER
HAD A CONCUSSION IN MY LIFE.

HE SAID, "OKAY,
WELL, HOW MANY TIMES

"HAVE YOU BEEN HIT IN THE HEAD
AND YOU'VE SEEN STARS

OR YOU GOT DIZZY?"

Dr. Cantu:
THE SKY CHANGES COLOR

OR NOT BEING ABLE
TO REMEMBER THE PLAY

OR BEING STUNNED.

Announcer:
THAT'S CHRIS NOWINSKI.

Announcer 2:
YEP, THIS IS A TOUGH SITUATION.

Chris:
"OR YOU GOT DOUBLE VISION?
OR YOU WERE NAUSEOUS?

OR YOU BLACKED OUT?"

AND I WAS LIKE,
"ALL THE TIME." ( laughs )

"IT'S ALL THE TIME. WHY?"

AND HE GOES, "WELL, THOSE ARE
ACTUALLY CONCUSSIONS AS WELL."

I JUST COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT

I HAD BEEN
GLADLY EXPOSING MYSELF

TO REPETITIVE CONCUSSIONS
FOR 19 YEARS

AND HAD NEVER HAD
THIS CONVERSATION BEFORE

ABOUT WHAT A CONCUSSION WAS.

Dr. Douglas Smith:
IT'S CALLED CONCUSSION

OR MILD TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY,

BUT THERE'S
NOTHING MILD ABOUT IT.

IT'S ONLY MILD
COMPARED TO SEVERE BRAIN INJURY

IF SOMEBODY'S IN A HOSPITAL BED
WITH TUBES AND EVERYTHING

FOR DAYS OR MONTHS.

♪

THE BRAIN IS ELASTIC,
IT'S LIKE A JELLO MOLD.

AND IT WIGGLES AROUND.

IN A CONCUSSION, YOUR BRAIN
CHANGES SHAPE VERY QUICKLY.

THE REALLY SENSITIVE AREA
OF THE BRAIN IS THE WHITE MATTER

WHERE ALL THESE NERVE FIBERS

TRAVEL FROM ONE PART
OF YOUR BRAIN TO ANOTHER,

ALLOWING YOUR BRAIN
TO COMMUNICATE.

IN A CONCUSSION, THESE AXONS
GET QUICKLY STRETCHED.

AND THAT CAUSES INJURY
IN A VERY UNIQUE WAY.

IF I KIND OF MAKE A CYLINDER
AND I PULL IT APART,

IT JUST GETS
THINNER AND THINNER.

THE SAME MATERIAL, IF I APPLY
THIS VERY DYNAMIC STRETCH...

IT'S HOW FAST I STRETCHED IT.

AND IT BROKE.

AND THAT RAPID STRETCH

DOESN'T BREAK
THESE NERVE FIBERS,

BUT IT CAN DAMAGE
PARTS OF THOSE NERVE FIBERS.

SO THEY'RE LIKE A GARDEN HOSE
AND INSIDE ARE RAILROAD TRACKS

CALLED MICRO-TUBULES
THAT TRANSPORT MATERIAL

BACK AND FORTH
THROUGHOUT THE AXON.

AND IF YOU BREAK
THE RAILROAD TRACKS,

ALL TRANSPORT STOPS.

IT'S LIKE THE TRAIN CAR
JUST FELL OFF THE TRACKS THERE

AND EVERYTHING CAN PILE UP.

FOR EXAMPLE, THESE VERY STICKY,
GLOMMY TAO PROTEINS.

AND OVER EVEN MORE TIME,

THE REST BREAK BECAUSE
OF A CHEMICAL DESTRUCTION

OF THOSE MICRO-TUBULES.

IF YOU DISCONNECT THESE AXONS,

THEY'RE GONE FOREVER.

YOU CAN FUNCTION
WITHOUT QUITE A FEW AXONS

AT A CERTAIN POINT,
BUT YOU'RE AT A DISADVANTAGE.

♪

Chris: I BELIEVE
COACH MURPHY'S ON RECORD

SAYING I WAS
THE BEST ATHLETE OF OUR CLASS.

SOME DEBATED THAT.

YOU DON'T DENY THAT.
HE HAD SAID THAT.

THERE'S SOME DEBATE OF THAT.

I'M JUST SAYING.

ISAIAH KACYVENSKI

WAS MY TEAMMATE IN COLLEGE.

WE WERE ROOMMATES
AND SHARED A BUNK BED.

YEAH,
BASICALLY MY BEST FRIEND.

AND HE WENT ON
TO PLAY EIGHT YEARS IN THE NFL.

CLOSING IN ON ME!

( both laugh )

AND HE WAS A GUY
WHO HAD A LOT OF CONCUSSIONS.

( grunting )

Isaiah: ARE YOU GONNA BE OKAY?

I THOUGHT THE WWE
TOUGHENED YOU UP A LITTLE.

THAT WAS EIGHT YEARS AGO.

AND WHEN I STARTED
HAVING THESE PROBLEMS,

I STARTED TALKING TO HIM
ABOUT IT.

HE WAS LIKE,
"I DON'T WANNA HEAR ABOUT IT.

"YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO GO
DOWN THERE ON SPECIAL TEAMS

"AND BLOW UP WEDGES EVERY WEEK.
THAT'S MY JOB.

"I'M GETTING
DINGED ALL THE TIME.

I CAN'T BE THINKING ABOUT
THE LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES."

( grunts )

GOOD JOB.
THANKS.

LET'S GO.

( grunts )

Isaiah: YEAH,
SO THE FIRST CONCUSSION WAS...

I THINK IT WAS MY SECOND
OR THIRD GAME WITH THE RAMS.

WE'RE RUNNING DOWN ON A KICK-OFF
JUST ABSOLUTELY AMPED UP,

JUST TRYING TO BE A KAMIKAZE.

IT WAS THE ONE HIT
IN MY ENTIRE LIFE

I HAVE NEVER SEEN COMING.

( groans )

AND I REMEMBER
LOOKING UP AT THE SCOREBOARD

AND SEEING HALF OF IT
JUST DISAPPEAR.

I REMEMBER GETTING UP
AND TRYING TO WALK

AND REALIZING I WAS WALKING
TO THE WRONG SIDELINE

AND FEELING
AN ABSOLUTE EMBARRASSMENT.

I REMEMBER
THE ONE THING THAT SCARED ME

WAS THEM HOLDING UP
A SMELLING SALT

AND PUTTING IT
RIGHT UNDER MY NOSE.

TOOK A HUGE WHIFF,
NOTHING.

PUT TWO OF THEM
UNDER THERE.

TOOK ANOTHER
TWO MORE HUGE WHIFFS, NOTHING.

TWENTY MINUTES GO BY, UM...

SOME OF THE VISION'S BACK.
IT WASN'T PERFECT.

AND I REMEMBER THE DOCTORS
COMING BACK TO ME AND SAYING,

"ARE YOU READY
TO GO BACK IN THE GAME?"

AND, UH...

I SAID YES.

I WENT BACK IN

AND FELT LIKE CRAP
THE WHOLE WEEK AFTER THAT.

I REMEMBER
WANTING THE TEAM DOCTOR

TO STEP IN TO SAY,
"NO, HE CAN'T PLAY.

THERE'S NO WAY HE'S PLAYING."
AND IT NEVER HAPPENED.

KICK-OFF,
I PLAYED SPECIAL TEAMS.

I ALREADY HAD A 40-YARD
HEAD START, FULL SPEED.

EVERYTHING OPENED UP. IT WAS
JUST ME AND THE BALL CARRIER.

AND YOU HAVE
THIS SPLIT-SECOND DECISION.

WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO?

I REMEMBER COMING TO.

THE WHOLE SIDE OF MY BODY,
MY FACE,

ALL THE WAY DOWN
TO MY ARMS AND MY LEGS

WERE LIKE JUST ABSOLUTELY NUMB.

A LINEBACKER IN THE NFL

IS LIKE A SODA CAN
YOU DRINK UP AND JUST CHUCK.

♪

Chris: WHEN YOU WOULD
READ THE BIG STUDIES

ON HOW MANY CONCUSSIONS
WERE HAPPENING

IN A SPORT LIKE FOOTBALL,

THEY WOULD SAMPLE
20,000 ATHLETES

AND THEY WOULD SAY,
"WELL, 5% HAD CONCUSSIONS,"

AND THAT WAS
ASSUMED TO BE FACTUAL.

BUT FOOTBALL PLAYERS

DON'T SPEAK UP
WHEN THEY HAVE THESE SYMPTOMS.

SO I KNEW
THAT NUMBER WAS WRONG,

BUT I DIDN'T KNOW
HOW WRONG IT WAS.

SO I DUG AROUND
AND FOUND SIX OTHER STUDIES

WHO'D ACTUALLY SURVEYED
THE PLAYERS DIRECTLY

AND TAKEN THE WORD "CONCUSSION"
OUT OF THE QUESTION

AND FOUND THAT IT WASN'T 5%
OF PEOPLE GETTING CONCUSSIONS,

IT WAS 50%.

AND SO YOU DID
THE QUICK MATH ON THAT,

YOU KNOW,
50% OF FOOTBALL PLAYERS

HAVE SYMPTOMS
AFTER A HIT TO THE HEAD,

AND EACH ONE
IS SUPPOSED TO SIT OUT
A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME,

YOU REALIZE THAT FOOTBALL
IS VIRTUALLY UNSUSTAINABLE.

BECAUSE IF YOU DIAGNOSE
EVERY CONCUSSION,

YOU HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE
ON THE SIDELINE,

YOU CAN BARELY PLAY THE GAME.

AND THAT'S WHAT HELPED ME
REALIZE THAT,

WELL, EITHER WE HAVE TO CHANGE
THE TERMS OF THE ARGUMENT

OR WE HAVE TO STOP
PLAYING THE GAME,

OR WE HAVE TO FIND A SOLUTION.

IN 2004,
I STARTED WRITING FURIOUSLY,

COMPILING THE DATA
WITH MY STORY AND OTHER STORIES

INTO HEAD GAMES,

THE GOAL BEING
IF YOU READ THIS BOOK,

YOU WON'T THROW AWAY
YOUR CAREER LIKE I DID.

THEN I REALIZED I HAD NO IDEA
HOW YOU GET A BOOK PUBLISHED.

I SAW THE MANUSCRIPT,
I STILL REMEMBER MY REACTION.

IT WASN'T THE MAIN NARRATIVE,

IT WAS THE FOOTNOTES
THAT BLEW ME AWAY.

I MEAN, THIS GUY
HAD REALLY DONE HIS WORK.

Chris: SO THE BOOK CAME OUT
IN NOVEMBER OF 2006.

IN IT, I WROTE A CHAPTER

ABOUT THE BRAINS
OF TWO FORMER NFL PLAYERS,

TERRY LONG AND MIKE WEBSTER,
WHO DIED YOUNG,

AND THEY WERE
DIAGNOSED WITH

CHRONIC TRAUMATIC
ENCEPHALOPATHY.

Mike Webster:
THE GAME OF FOOTBALL
IN THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE

IS NOT AT ALL LIKE
A LOT OF PEOPLE PERCEIVE IT.

IT'S NOT A GAME.

I THINK IT'S A WAR, MYSELF.
( laughs )

Alan Schwarz:
WHEN MIKE WEBSTER DIED IN 2002,

HIS BODY ENDED UP
ON THE TABLE OF A CORONER

WHOSE NAME WAS BENNET OMALU,
A NEURO-PATHOLOGIST.

AND HE SAID, "I WONDER
IF THIS FOOTBALL PLAYER--

"BECAUSE THESE GUYS GET THEIR
HEADS BANGED AROUND A LOT--

"I WONDER IF HE HAS
ANY OF THE BRAIN DAMAGE

ASSOCIATED WITH BOXERS."

SO JUST ON A HUNCH, HE DID
THE STAINS OF THE BRAIN TISSUE

THAT TO THAT POINT HAD NOT BEEN
DONE ON ANY FOOTBALL PLAYER.

AND LOW AND BEHOLD,
IT CAME OUT POSITIVE.

WOW. IT'S NOT JUST BOXERS
WHO GET THIS.

( crowd cheering )

Dr. Ann McKee: IN THE 1920s,
LAY PEOPLE AND SPORTS WRITERS

CALLED BOXERS
WHO HAD BEEN IN THE RING

"SLUG NUTTY" AND "PUNCH DRUNK,"
"GOOFY."

AND THEY ALSO CALLED IT
"DEMENTIA PUGILISTICA."

THAT GAVE IT
A MORE MEDICAL TERM.

SOMEHOW ALONG THE LINES,
PEOPLE STARTED TALKING ABOUT

CHRONIC TRAUMATIC
ENCEPHALOPATHY

AND THAT WAS THE NAME
THAT SORT OF STUCK.

WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING
AT THIS DISEASE,

I THINK ONE
OF THE MOST AMAZING THINGS

IS HOW EXTRAORDINARILY DENSE
THE PATHOLOGY IS.

IT'S LIKE PATHOLOGY
ON STEROIDS.

IN A NORMAL BRAIN,
THERE WOULD BE

ABSOLUTELY NO BROWN
VISIBLE WHATSOEVER,

EVERYTHING WOULD LOOK
THIS LIGHT, LIGHT CREAM COLOR.

BUT YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE'S
TREMENDOUS ABNORMALITIES

THROUGHOUT THE GREY MATTER.

SOME PLACES,
IT'S EXTREMELY DENSE.

AND THEN LOOK AT IT
UNDER THE MICROSCOPE,

AND I HAVE IT HERE,

YOU CAN SEE A TREMENDOUS LOSS
OF NERVE CELLS.

THE REMAINING CELLS
ARE SCARRED

AND FILLED WITH
THIS ABNORMAL TAO PROTEIN,

WHICH DISTURBS THE CELL
AND CAUSES IT TO MALFUNCTION.

AND EVENTUALLY IT DIES.

SO WE'LL CUT INTO THE BRAIN.

REALLY SMALL HIPPOCAMPUS NOW.

THAT'S THE MEMORY COMPONENT.

HE'S GOT SHRINKAGE
OF THAT PART OF THE BRAIN.

THIS DISEASE HAS THESE
VERY DIFFICULT SYMPTOMS.

IT DESTROYS
SORT OF YOUR PERSONALITY

IN A WAY
THAT OBSERVERS THINK,

"ARE THEY JUST HAVING
A MID-LIFE CRISIS?

ARE THEY HAVING
SOME SORT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL
OR ADJUSTMENT REACTION?"

BUT ACTUALLY
IT'S STRUCTURAL BRAIN DISEASE.

Alan Schwarz: BY THIS TIME,

IT'S CAUSING
SOME RIPPLES IN THE NFL,

BUT NOTHING
IN THE POPULAR PRESS,

AND NOTHING CERTAINLY
IN THE POPULAR CONSCIOUSNESS.

Chris:
YOU LOOK FOR A DISEASE

THAT PEOPLE THOUGHT
WAS A ONE-IN-A-MILLION SHOT

AND THE FIRST TWO
FOOTBALL PLAYERS TESTED HAVE IT,

YOU'D THINK PEOPLE
WOULD TALK ABOUT IT.

BUT IT WASN'T NEWS ANYWHERE.

Alan Schwarz: TOWARD CHRISTMAS
OF 2006, THE PHONE RINGS.

IT'S CHRIS NOWINSKI SAYING,

"I HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA
PROBABLY BE PRETTY BIG.

"AND I'M NOT SURE
WHAT TO DO WITH IT.

AND YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE
WHO EVER TOOK ME SERIOUSLY."

AND IT WAS
THE ANDRE WATERS SUICIDE.

Chris: ANDRE WATERS
COMMITTED SUICIDE

NOVEMBER 20th, 2006.

AND HE WAS A COACH
AND HE WAS WORKING

AND IT WASN'T MONEY PROBLEMS,
AND IT SEEMED KIND OF BIZARRE.

ANDRE WATERS WAS KNOWN
AS ONE OF THE HARDEST HITTING

DEFENSIVE BACKS
OF HIS GENERATION,

PLAYING IN THE MID-TO-LATE-80s
THROUGH THE EARLY-90s.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT CHRIS NOWINSKI DID

WHEN HE LEARNED
OF THE SUICIDE

WAS TO SAY,
"GEE, I WONDER IF HE HAD

A SIGNIFICANT HISTORY
OF HEAD TRAUMA."

YOU KNOW WHEN YOU MADE
A PERFECT HIT,

WHEN YOU HEAR THE GUY GRUNT,

ESPECIALLY RUNNING BACK,

AND THEN HE COME RUNNIN'
THROUGH THE HOLE AGAIN

AND HE SEES YOU.

I LIKE TO HIT THINGS.

I CAN GET ALL MY
FRUSTRATION OUT ON THE FIELD.

Chris:
AND I WAS SHOCKED TO FIND

THAT HE WAS QUOTED
IN THE NEWSPAPER

SAYING HE STOPPED COUNTING
HIS CONCUSSIONS AT 15

AND HE WOULD JUST GRAB
SMELLING SALTS AND KEEP PLAYING.

Alan Schwarz:
WHEN CHRIS HAD THE HUNCH

THAT ANDRE WATERS
MIGHT HAVE HAD CTE,

HE CALLED UP BENNETT OMALU
AND SAID,

"IF I CAN GET SOME
BRAIN TISSUE FOR YOU TO EXAMINE,

WOULD YOU DO IT?"

THE WAY I ORIGINALLY
CRAFTED THAT STORY,

I THOUGHT
IT WAS JUST GOING TO BE CHRIS

HAVING TO CONVINCE THE FAMILY
TO DONATE THE BRAIN.

AND THE TIMES EDITORS,
TO THEIR CREDIT, SAID,

"HEY, WAIT A MINUTE,
WAIT A MINUTE,
THERE'S NEWS HERE."

Jason Stallman: A FORMER
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE PLAYER

KILLS HIMSELF
WITH A GUNSHOT WOUND

AND A RESEARCHER LINKS

THE DAMAGE IN HIS BRAIN
TO FOOTBALL.

THAT'S ALL THAT
NEEDED TO BE SAID.

AND I FEEL LIKE THAT WAS WHAT
ELEVATED IT TO THE FRONT PAGE.

Alan Schwarz:
THE ANDRE WATERS STORY

RAN DURING THE PLAYOFFS.

I DON'T REMEMBER IT...
MATTERING THAT MUCH,

'CAUSE THERE WERE GAMES
TO BE PLAYED.

♪

Chris: THE REACTION
TO ALAN'S ARTICLE WAS DENIAL.

I MEAN,
IT WAS SHOCKINGLY NEGATIVE.

I WASN'T TOO SURPRISED
BECAUSE IN HEAD GAMES,

I HAD DISSECTED
HOW THE NFL

HAD KEPT THIS ISSUE
HIDDEN FROM THE PUBLIC VIEW.

THEY SPENT A LOT OF MONEY
AND A LOT OF TIME

TRYING TO CONVINCE THE WORLD
THAT CONCUSSIONS

DON'T HAVE
ANY NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES.

Alan Schwarz: WHAT FOOTBALL
BEGAN TO APPRECIATE

IN THE LATE-70s AND 80s

WAS HOW GUYS LIKE
ROGER STAUHBACH, STEVE YOUNG,

TROY AIKMAN
APPEARED TO BE HAVING

MORE AND MORE PROBLEMS
WITH CONCUSSIONS.

THEY WERE MISSING TIME.

THESE VERY VALUABLE COMMODITIES
WERE NOT PLAYING.

"GEE, I WONDER
IF WE CAN FIGURE OUT

HOW TO KEEP THEM
ON THE FIELD."

SO IN 1994, PAUL TAGLIABUE
FORMED A COMMITTEE

CALLED THE MILD TRAUMATIC
BRAIN INJURY COMMITTEE.

AND IT ALLOWED
THE LEAGUE TO SAY,

"LOOK, WE HAVE THIS
COMMITTEE OF DOCTORS,

THEY ARE INDEPENDENT,"
THEY CLAIMED,

ALTHOUGH MANY OF THEM WERE ON
THE PAYROLL OF NFL TEAMS.

NONETHELESS,
IT'S BEING CHAIRED

BY THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR
OF THE LEAGUE.

NONETHELESS,
THEY'RE INDEPENDENT.

THEY BEGAN TO ASSESS
WHAT THE EFFECTS

OF CONCUSSION WERE
IN NFL PLAYERS.

AND SO BY THE FIFTH,
SIXTH, SEVENTH

OF WHAT BECAME
A 13-PAPER SERIES,

THEY BEGAN
MAKING STATEMENTS

ABOUT HOW EVERYTHING
WAS HUNKY DORY IN THE NFL,

HOW THESE PLAYERS WERE NOT
SUFFERING FROM ANY PROBLEMS.

THEIR DATA SHOWED THAT
THERE ARE NO COGNITIVE EFFECTS

IN THESE PLAYERS.

THE PROBLEM WAS
IF YOU LOOKED VERY CAREFULLY

AT THE LANGUAGE
THAT THEY WERE USING,

THEY WERE MAKING STATEMENTS
THAT YOU CAN'T MAKE.

IF THE OLDEST GUY
THAT YOU STUDY IS 35,

YOU CAN'T POSSIBLY CONCLUDE

THAT CONCUSSIONS DON'T HAVE
LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES.

IF SOMEBODY ACTUALLY
DID HAVE CONCUSSION PROBLEMS

AND HAD TO RETIRE,

THEY WOULD DROP OUT
OF THE STUDY.

SO THEY WOULDN'T BE
FOLLOWED UP ON.

THEY ALSO HAD SOME
MATHEMATICAL ERRORS

THAT WERE PRETTY EASY--
I LIKE TO THINK.

I MEAN, A SPORTS WRITER
FOUND THEM, OKAY?

WELL, I THINK
THERE WAS MORE THAN BAD SCIENCE.

I HONESTLY THINK
THERE WAS A POINT OF VIEW

OF TRYING TO BE PROTECTIVE
OF THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE.

IN MOST OTHER SPORTS, THE CHANCE
OF INJURY IS INCIDENTAL.

IN FOOTBALL,
THE CHANCE OF INJURY

AND LONG-TERM SERIOUS EFFECTS
IS FUNDAMENTAL.

AND NO HONEST PERSON
CAN WATCH THIS SPORT

AND NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THAT.

Gene Atkins:
IT'S JUST LIKE A BOXER.

IF YOU BOX SO MANY YEARS

AND KEEP GETTING
HIT IN THE HEAD,

SOONER OR LATER SOMETHING'S
GONNA HAPPEN TO THE BRAIN.

♪

Chris: GENE ATKINS
IS A FORMER NFL PLAYER

WHO PLAYED STRONG SAFETY

FOR THE NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
AND MIAMI DOLPHINS.

GENE WAS KNOWN
AS A BIG HITTER.

HE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH
AT LEAST A COUPLE CONCUSSIONS,

ALTHOUGH
HE REMEMBERS MANY MORE.

HE TALKED ABOUT TIMES
WHERE HE WOULD SEE DOUBLE

AND GRAB A GUYS JERSEY
TO FIND HIS WAY TO THE HUDDLE

AND WAIT FOR IT
TO CLEAR UP.

I MEAN, HE WAS TOUGH,
HE DIDN'T WANNA EVER COME OUT.

WHEN THE ANDRE WATERS STORY
WENT PUBLIC,

THE EX-WIFE OF GENE ATKINS
SENT ME AN EMAIL SAYING,

"GENE IS EVERYTHING THAT
I READ ABOUT ANDRE WATERS--

THE MEMORY PROBLEMS,
THE IMPULSE CONTROL ISSUES."

HE WAS IN A VERY DARK PLACE.

THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS

HE SURVIVED
MULTIPLE SUICIDE ATTEMPTS.

I'VE BEEN THERE.
I UNDERSTAND HOW IT FEELS
TO WANNA TAKE YOUR LIFE.

AND IT'S A SCARY FEELING
BECAUSE

EVERY DAY I WAKE UP
IS A CHALLENGE FOR ME.

I'M JUST A MESS RIGHT NOW.

Chris: WHEN I SAW
AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTERVENE,

I WAS ABLE TO RAISE SOME MONEY
TO FLY GENE OUT,

ALONG WITH HIS CURRENT WIFE,
TO SEE DR. CANTU,

WHO SPENT HOURS
EVALUATING HIM.

Dr. Cantu: 9, 7, 8, 4, 3, 2...

THOSE DIGITS,
TELL ME WHAT THEY ARE.

REPEAT THEM.
9, 7, 8, 4, 3, 2.

9, 7, 8...

4, 3, 2.
4, 3, 2.

GENE, REPEAT THE MONTHS
OF THE YEAR BETWEEN JANUARY--

LET'S FIND SOMETHING ELSE.
AND JUNE.

PARDON ME?

JUST PICK SOMETHING ELSE TO DO
'CAUSE I CAN'T DO THAT.

TRY.

JANUARY... MAY...
APRIL...

Chris: I WOULD SAY GENE ATKINS
IS CERTAINLY NOT ALONE.

CAN YOU DO IT
SEQUENTIALLY?

LIKE JANUARY, FEBRUARY,
MARCH, APRIL...

Chris:
THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE

THAT ARE IN
THE PRIME OF THEIR LIVES,

BUT THEIR BRAIN
HAS NOT STAYED WITH THEM.

JUNE...

WHAT'S BEFORE JUNE?

JULY?

♪

HERE'S ANOTHER DATA POINT.

LINEMEN SUSTAIN 60%
OF THEIR IMPACTS IN PRACTICE,

54% IN TIGHT ENDS,
52 RECEIVERS,

31% IN QUARTERBACKS.

IMPACT ACCELERATIONS
TO HEAD ALSO VARY BY...

Chris: IN RESPONSE
TO THE HUGE ACTIVITY

ON THIS ISSUE
IN 2007,

THE SPORTS LEGACY INSTITUTE
WAS FOUNDED.

DR. CANTU AND I REALIZED
THAT THERE NEEDED TO BE WORK

ON EDUCATION AND POLICY
DRIVEN OFF OF THE RESEARCH

TO KEEP
THESE ATHLETES SAFER.

I MEAN, SO MAYBE
THAT'S PART OF THE IDEA,
TOO, IS THAT MAYBE

DRIVE TO PUT THE STAKE
IN THE GROUND TO GET
PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT IT

AND THEN SEE
WHAT COMES OF IT, YEAH.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW,
I WANT TO PUT TOGETHER

A COMMITTEE OF COACHES FOR...

Chris:
WHEN SPORTS LEGACY INSTITUTE

AND BOSTON UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE PARTNERED,

WE CREATED THE CENTER
FOR THE STUDY

OF TRAUMATIC ENCEPHALOPATHY.

AND NOW DR. STERN
HEADS THE CLINICAL RESEARCH,

DR. McKEE HEADS THE PATHOLOGICAL
RESEARCH AND BASIC SCIENCES,

DR. CANTU
IS OUR CONCUSSION EXPERT,

AND THEN MY ROLE
IS FACILITATE THE RESEARCH.

Woman on phone:
I'M SORRY, WHO IS THIS?

THIS IS CHRIS NOWINSKI
FROM BOSTON UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE.

Chris: AND WHEN
AN ATHLETE PASSES AWAY...

I READ ABOUT HIS PASSING TODAY.
AND I'M REALLY SORRY
TO BE CALLING.

I KNOW I'M THE LAST PERSON
IN THE WORLD YOU WANT
TO HEAR FROM...

Chris:
IT'S MY JOB TO CALL THE FAMILY
TO SEE IF THE BRAIN'S AVAILABLE.

Dr. Robert Stern: WHAT WE'D LIKE
TO DO DURING THIS CALL

IS TO GO OVER THE RESULTS
OF DR. McKEE'S EXAMINATION

OF YOUR HUSBAND'S BRAIN,
BUT WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO

IS START OFF BY GIVING
A SUMMARY BECAUSE

WE KEEP
OUR INFORMATION SEPARATE.

SO THIS WILL BE
THE FIRST TIME

THAT DR. McKEE REALLY
HEARS THE WHOLE STORY.

CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY?

Woman on phone:
YEAH, I HEAR YOU GREAT.

OKAY, YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND
WERE HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEARTS,

SO YOU'VE REALLY
GROWN UP WITH HIM.

Dr. Stern:
AFTER DR. McKEE HAS COMPLETED

HER EXAMINATION
OF THE BRAIN,

WE'LL ALL GET TOGETHER
ON THE PHONE

WITH THE FAMILY MEMBERS.

HE WAS A BOXER,
STARTING AT AGE 9,

AND WAS A CHAMP.

HE WAS IN AROUND 98 BOUTS,

AND IN THE RING,
ONLY ONE KNOCKOUT.

FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS,
HE HAD BEEN SHOWING SOME

PROBLEMS WITH MEMORY,
ATTENTION, PLANNING,
AND ORGANIZATION.

IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS,
HE COULDN'T EVEN HOLD A THOUGHT.

HIS BEHAVIOR
BECAME QUITE OUT OF CONTROL.

FOR EXAMPLE,
THE WEEK BEFORE HE DIED,

HE WAS RESPONDING
TO YOUR 14-YEAR-OLD SON'S WISH

FOR GETTING SOME HELP
GETTING READY FOR A TRIP,

UH, AND, UH...

HE THEN WOUND UP
TRYING TO SUFFOCATE

YOUR SON
TO TEACH HIM A LESSON.

HE WAS SEEN PSYCHIATRICALLY
AND THEN HE DECIDED

TO TAKE HIS LIFE
IN FRONT OF YOU

BY THE GUNSHOT WOUND

WITH THE KIDS, UM,
RIGHT NEXT DOOR.

THIS IS A GUY WHO WAS
A GREAT FATHER AND HUSBAND,

AND THEN BECAME
A DIFFERENT PERSON.

Dr. McKee:
THEN IT GOES TO ME

AND I SAY WHAT I SAW
IN THE BRAIN.

IT'S INCREDIBLY HARD

BECAUSE YOU FEEL SO MUCH
FOR SOME OF THESE FAMILIES.

WELL, AS YOU KNOW,
WE RECEIVED THE TISSUE

FROM THE OFFICE
OF THE CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER.

AND WE DID FIND

IN MOST OF THE PIECES
OF CEREBRAL CORTEX

DENSE ACCUMULATIONS
OF THAT PROTEIN TAO

THAT WE DO SEE BUILD UP
IN THE BRAINS OF INDIVIDUALS

THAT HAVE CHRONIC
TRAUMATIC ENCEPHALOPATHY.

AND I WOULD SAY
IT WAS VERY SUBSTANTIAL

FOR AN INDIVIDUAL
WHO DIED AT THE AGE OF 40.

Woman on phone: WAS THERE
ANYTHING THAT WE COULD
HAVE DONE, HAD WE KNOWN?

Dr. Stern: NO, WE'RE SO EARLY IN
THE STUDY OF THIS DISEASE

THAT WE JUST DON'T HAVE ANSWERS,

YOU KNOW, WHAT KIND OF TREATMENT
CAN BE DONE.

HOPEFULLY IT GIVES YOU
SOME AMOUNT OF COMFORT

KNOWING THAT YOUR HUSBAND
WAS REALLY STRUGGLING

WITH A STRUCTURAL DISEASE
AND THAT HE WASN'T,

YOU KNOW, JUST IN THE THROES
OF SOME PSYCHIATRIC DISORDER.

Woman on phone: IT DOES
BRING ME GREAT COMFORT,

BUT IT ALSO
BRINGS ME THIS GUILT

BECAUSE I WAS
SO ANGRY WITH HIM.

IT HURTS ME TO THINK
HE WAS IN SO MUCH PAIN.

YEAH.

Woman on phone:
I'M SO THANKFUL.

IT GIVES CURTIS A LITTLE BIT
OF SELF-RESPECT BACK.

IT'S A REAL GIFT.

Dr. Stern:
ANYTHING WE CAN DO FOR YOU,

WE'RE HERE FOR YOU.

Woman on phone:
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ALL RIGHT, TAKE CARE.

Woman on phone:
THANK YOU. BYE-BYE.

( sighs )

Alan Schwarz:
IN JUNE OF 2007, THE LEAGUE,

IN LARGE MEASURE
BECAUSE OF THE STORIES
THAT WE HAD BEEN RUNNING,

HELD A SUMMIT OF ALL
THE MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS
FROM EVERY TEAM,

AS WELL AS SOME LEAGUE OFFICIALS
TO DISCUSS THE STATE
OF THE RESEARCH.

JUST BEFORE THIS,
A FOURTH PLAYER

HAD BEEN DIAGNOSED
WITH CHRONIC TRAUMATIC
ENCEPHALOPATHY.

A LOT OF PEOPLE THOUGHT,
WELL, THAT'S ONLY FOUR GUYS.

YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T MAKE
STATEMENTS BASED ON FOUR GUYS.

AND I KNEW THAT YOU COULD,
BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING

THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN
IN THE GENERAL POPULATION.

I GOT AN INTERVIEW

WITH THE COMMISSIONER
DURING A BREAK,

AND I RECORDED THE CONVERSATION
WITH HIS PERMISSION.

ROGER GOODELL: THERE'S NO RECORD
OF A CONCUSSION.

HE MAY HAVE HAD
THE CONCUSSION SWIMMING.

HE PLAYED IN
THE LEAST RISKIEST POSITION.

Alan Schwarz: HE COULD HAVE HAD
A CONCUSSION SWIMMING?

Roger Goodell: MY BROTHER
HAD A CONCUSSION SWIMMING.

HE HIT HIS HEAD
ON THE SIDE OF THE POOL.

COME ON, ALAN,
IT DOES HAPPEN.

A CONCUSSION CAN HAPPEN

IN A VARIETY
OF DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES.

Alan Schwarz:
FOUR OUT OF FOUR.

ARE YOU SUGGESTING
THAT ALL FOUR MEN

SUSTAINED THEIR DAMAGE
IN FIELDS OTHER THAN FOOTBALL?

Steve James: STOP IT
RIGHT THERE FOR A SECOND.

TAKE US BACK A LITTLE BIT,
WHAT ARE YOU THINKING

IN THE MIDDLE
OF THIS CONVERSATION?

I'M SCARED OUT OF MY MIND.

DO YOU REALLY WANNA KNOW?
I'M SCARED OUT OF MY MIND.

I'M STANDING THERE
TALKING TO THE COMMISSIONER
OF THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE,

BASICALLY DUMPING AT HIS FEET
A PROBLEM

THAT I KNEW IN MY BONES
WAS GOING TO BE IMMENSE FOR HIM.

AND IN A WAY, I WAS BECOMING
THE MATH TEACHER THAT I HAD
ALWAYS PLANNED ON BEING.

ALL I WANTED TO DO WAS GET HIM
TO UNDERSTAND THE PROBABILITIES
AT WORK HERE,

THAT IT WASN'T JUST ME
BEING IN A PAIN IN THE ASS,

IT WAS THE FACT THAT
WHEN YOU'RE FOUR OUT OF FOUR

FOR A MILLION-TO-ONE SHOT,
SOMETHING'S UP.

Alan Schwarz:
SO AT THE END OF 2009,

I GET A CALL
FROM A SOURCE OF MINE

WHO HAS A DOCUMENT
THAT HE NEEDS ME TO SEE.

"WHAT IS IT?"

"I CAN'T TELL YOU.
TRUST ME."

SO WE MEET AT
A RESTAURANT IN NEW YORK,

AND HE PASSES IT OVER,

AND IT'S A STUDY THAT
THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

HAS DONE
OF RETIRED NFL PLAYERS,

ASKING THEM ALL SORTS
OF HEALTH RELATED QUESTIONS:

DO YOU HAVE HEART DISEASE?
ARTHRITIS? DEPRESSION?

KIDNEY FUNCTION?
THERE'S LIKE 50 PAGES.

AND THEIR FINDING WAS THAT
THE NFL PLAYERS LOOK LIKE

THEY'RE A PRETTY HAPPY
AND HEALTHY GROUP.

BUT IF YOU LOOKED AT THE BOTTOM
OF PAGE 37 OR SOMETHING,

THERE'S THIS
ONE LITTLE SECTION.

AND IT TALKED ABOUT
HOW THEY HAD ASKED,

HAVE YOU BEEN DIAGNOSED
BY A PHYSICIAN AS HAVING

ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE
OR OTHER MEMORY-RELATED DISEASE?

AND THERE WERE THE RATES.

FROM AGE 30 TO 49,

1.9% HAD SAID YES.

SO IT WAS 19 TIMES
THAT OF THE NATIONAL POPULATION.

WELL, IT HADN'T
BECOME PUBLIC YET.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT EVER
WOULD HAVE BECOME PUBLIC

HAD IT NOT BEEN LEAKED TO ME.

AND THAT WAS THE GAME CHANGER.

Lou Dobbs: THERE IS A NEW REPORT
FROM THE NFL.

IT'S AN ALARMING REPORT
LINKING FOOTBALL AND DEMENTIA.

IN OTHER MEMORY-RELATED
DISEASES, HOW MUCH HIGHER?

NINETEEN TIMES.
NINETEEN TIMES.

NINETEEN TIMES MORE LIKELY
TO HAVE ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

OR MEMORY-RELATED DISEASES

THAN MEN WHO NEVER
PLAYED PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL.

Alan Schwarz:
AND CONGRESS,

WHICH HAD SHOWN SOME INTEREST
IN THIS SUBJECT BEFORE,

WAS JUST WAITING
FOR SOMETHING TO ACT UPON.

THIS WAS WHAT
THEY WERE WAITING FOR.

COMMISSIONER GOODELL,

IS THERE A LINK BETWEEN
PLAYING PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL

AND CONTRACTING
A BRAIN-RELATED INJURY

SUCH AS DEMENTIA, ALZHEIMER'S,
DEPRESSION, OR CTE?

CHAIRMAN, THE MEDICAL EXPERTS
SHOULD BE THE ONE

TO BE ABLE
TO CONTINUE THAT DEBATE.

BUT OUR BOTTOM LINE IS,

WE'RE NOT WAITING
FOR THAT DEBATE TO CONTINUE.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE
OUR GAME IS SAFE.

AND WE'RE DOING
EVERYTHING WE POSSIBLY CAN

TO CREATE INFORMATION THAT
WE CAN SHARE WITH OUR PLAYERS.

IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT
RESPONSIBILITY TO SET--

WELL YOU'VE TESTIFIED TO THAT.
YES.

BUT I JUST ASKED YOU
A SIMPLE QUESTION.
WHAT'S THE ANSWER?

THE ANSWER IS
THE MEDICAL EXPERTS
WOULD KNOW BETTER THAN I WOULD.

Alan Schwarz: HE'S THE
COMMISSIONER OF THE LEAGUE,
HE'S NOT A SCIENTIST.

AND ONE COULD ARGUE THAT
HE SHOULDN'T NECESSARILY KNOW
THE ANSWERS TO THESE THINGS.

...OUR COMMITMENT
TO MAKE SURE WE MAKE
THE SAFEST POSSIBLE--

ALL RIGHT, OKAY, I'VE HEARD IT.

IT SORT OF REMINDS ME
OF THE TOBACCO COMPANIES...

Alan Schwarz: LINDA SANCHEZ
WAS NOT MINCING WORDS.

...THERE'S NO LINK
BETWEEN SMOKING AND, UM...

Alan Schwarz:
SHE BASICALLY SAID,

"YOU HAVE A HEALTH PROBLEM
WITH YOUR PRODUCT

AND YOU'RE COVERING IT UP."
THIS IS WHAT SHE SAID.

"YOU ARE LIKE
THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY."

AND THOSE WORDS DID NOT SIT WELL
WITH ROGER GOODELL.

Rep. Maxine Waters: NO MATTER
WHAT KIND OF HELMET YOU BUILD,

NO MATTER WHAT KIND
OF EQUIPMENT THAT YOU HAVE,

IT IS A DANGEROUS SPORT.

THE ONLY QUESTION IS,
ARE YOU GOING TO PAY

FOR THE INJURIES
THAT THEY HAVE RECEIVED

IN HELPING YOU TO BE A
MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR OPERATION?

Alan Schwarz:
AND HE LEFT THOSE HEARINGS

KNOWING THAT
HE HAD A REAL PROBLEM.

THERE WAS A PROBLEM,
AT LEAST IN PERCEPTION

AND PROBABLY IN REALITY,

AND IT WAS TIME FOR CHANGE.

AND EVERY WEEK,

THERE WAS A NEW CHANGE
IN THE NFL.

PLAYERS WERE NO LONGER
ALLOWED TO GO BACK INTO GAMES

AFTER HAVING
SUSTAINED A CONCUSSION.

Dr. H. Hunt Batjer:
THE DEFINITION OF CONCUSSION

HAS BECOME
MUCH MORE CONSERVATIVE

TO INCLUDE THINGS LIKE
FEELING DINGED

OR A BIT OF CONFUSION,
SEEING STARS,

DIZZY OR VERTIGINOUS
OR POOR BALANCE.

ALL THOSE THINGS
ARE SIGNS OF CONCUSSION.

Dr. Cantu: CRACK BACK BLOCK
CAN'T BE TO THE HEAD.

YOU CANNOT HIT
A DEFENSELESS PERSON

IN THE ACT OF CATCHING A BALL
BEFORE THEY'VE SECURED IT

OR THROWING THE BALL.

THE WEDGE HAS BEEN REDUCED
FROM FOUR MEN TO TWO MEN,

BECAUSE THE PERSON
BREAKING THE WEDGE

WAS LARGELY USING HIS HEAD
TO DO IT.

Alan Schwarz: MAYBE WE CAN GET
AWAY WITH LOSING THESE THINGS

BECAUSE THE REST OF THE GAME
IS STILL GOOD ENOUGH

THAT PEOPLE
WON'T REALLY MISS IT THAT MUCH.

I DON'T KNOW ANYBODY WHO DOESN'T
WATCH FOOTBALL ANYMORE

BECAUSE THERE'S NO HEAD SLAPS.

"OH, MAN, YOU KNOW
I LOVE THOSE HEAD SLAPS.

"THERE'S NO HEAD SLAPS ANYMORE.
THAT AIN'T FOOTBALL.

WHY DON'T WE JUST
PUT A SKIRT ON THEM."

AND THEN YOU HAD
THE RESIGNATIONS OF THE TWO GUYS

WHO WERE THE HEADS
OF THE COMMITTEE WHO HAD
BEEN SAYING FOR SO LONG,

"THERE'S NOTHING TO SEE, FOLKS,

MOVE ALONG, MOVE ALONG,
NOTHING TO SEE HERE."

Dr. Cantu: COMMISSIONER GOODELL
HAS SPEAR-HEADED RULES CHANGES.

THEY COMPLETELY
CLEANED HOUSE

WITH THE PREVIOUS MILD TRAUMATIC
BRAIN INJURY COMMITTEE.

THEY HAVE PUT IN PLACE

A BRAND-NEW HEAD,
NECK, AND SPINE COMMITTEE

THAT HAS UNIVERSITY NEUROSURGERY
CHAIRS AS CO-DIRECTORS.

THEY EVEN PUT
PROBABLY THEIR BIGGEST CRITIC

AS THE SENIOR ADVISOR
TO THE GROUP.

Steve James:
THAT WOULD BE YOU?

THAT WOULD BE ME, YES.

THEN I GOT A CALL FROM
A REPORTER ON A SUNDAY MORNING.

I PICK UP THE PHONE
AT MY HOUSE ON A SUNDAY

AND IT'S SOME CBS REPORTER
WHO'S ASKING...

"HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT
THE MILLION DOLLARS

THE NFL'S GONNA GIVE
BOSTON UNIVERSITY?"

AND I SAID, "I DON'T KNOW
WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT."

THE OFFER WAS MADE
THROUGH THE MEDIA.

IT WOULD BE HARD TO SAY THAT

IT WASN'T PARTIALLY DESIGNED
AS A PR STUNT.

I'M STILL CONCERNED THAT THEIR
CONCERN IS MOSTLY DEFENSIVE,

TO DEFEND THEMSELVES
AGAINST THIS

RATHER THAN
TO PROTECT THE PLAYERS.

Chris:
THE MEDICAL SCHOOL RECOMMENDED

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES
WE ACCEPT ANY MONEY FROM THE NFL

UNLESS IT WAS
AN UNRESTRICTED GIFT.

THEY WEREN'T TELLING US WHAT
TO STUDY OR HOW TO STUDY IT,

THEY JUST SAID,
"HERE'S A MILLION DOLLARS,

DO WITH IT WHAT YOU WILL
TO ADVANCE RESEARCH ON CTE."

Alan Schwarz:
AND THEN AT THE END OF DECEMBER,

THE LEAGUE UTTERED
FOR THE FIRST TIME

THAT CONCUSSIONS
HAVE LONG-TERM EFFECTS

IN NFL ATHLETES.

THERE'S ADEQUATE INFORMATION NOW

ON A NUMBER OF AUTOPSIES
THAT ANN McKEE HAS DONE.

THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT
REPETITIVE HEAD TRAUMA

CAN CAUSE PERMANENT DAMAGE.

Peewee coach:
SAFETY FIRST, SAFETY FIRST.

CLEAR!

YEAH!

( whistle blows )

Peewee coach:
PRIOR TO LAST YEAR,

I HAD VERY LITTLE KNOWLEDGE
OF CONCUSSIONS.

WHAT, Y'ALL GONNA QUIT ON ME?

YOU KNOW, THERE WAS SOME
STATISTICS THAT SAID

THAT 85% OF THE CONCUSSIONS
GO UN-DIAGNOSED

BECAUSE PEOPLE LOOK AT THEM

AS JUST BUMPS OR BRUISES
TO THE HEAD.

COME ON, GUYS, I NEED FOR Y'ALL
TO SPREAD KNUCKLE DOWN.

IT'S ALL OR NEVER, BABY.

AND IF ONE OF OUR CHILDREN
GETS HURT OUT ON THE FIELD,

A CONCUSSION,
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES

IS HE GOING BACK OUT TO PLAY.

WE LET HIM KNOW, "HEY, GOOD JOB,
TAKE IT OFF FOR THE DAY.

EDDIE, WATCH MY LEFT.

HEY, HEY, HEY, HEY, CHRIS.
HEY, WATCH 14, JAM HIM.

GET HIM! GET HIM!

GET HIM! GET HIM! GET THE BALL!

THAT'S A BLOCK IN THE BACK.

GET HIM. GET THE BALL.

( whistle blows )

THAT'S ALL RIGHT. COME ON.
THAT'S ALL RIGHT, GUYS.

THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

DON'T Y'ALL GIVE UP ON ME.
YOU HEAR ME?

MAKE THE STORY ABOUT DAVID
AND GOLIATH COME TRUE.

DAVID CAME BACK.

WE NEED TO PLAY BETTER
THAN WE'RE PLAYING, GUYS.

( crowd cheering )

Announcer: OH, PACIORETTY
IS DOWN FACE FIRST!

News anchor:
WELL, IT HAS BECOME

ONE OF THE MOST PERPLEXING
ISSUES IN HOCKEY.

CONCUSSIONS HAVE ALTERED THE
LIVES OF FAR TOO MANY ATHLETES.

Announcer:
THIS IS A MASTICATING HIT!

Announcer:
SERIOUS HEADACHES FOR THE NHL.

I KNOW THAT YOU'VE WORKED
IN THE WRESTLING

AND THE FOOTBALL FIELDS
THE MOST.

WITH TODAY'S NEWS,
HOCKEY IS OBVIOUSLY
A HIGHER PROFILE.

UNFORTUNATELY I THINK
MORE PEOPLE ARE RETIRING
FROM HOCKEY, FROM THE NHL,

THAN ARE FROM THE NFL
FROM CONCUSSIONS.

SO THAT'S CERTAINLY A SIGN

THAT THE CONCUSSION ISSUE
IS VERY SEVERE.

Keith Primeau: I STARTED
PLAYING PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY
WHEN I WAS 18 YEARS OLD.

PHYSICAL, HARD,
SKATING, POWER FORWARD.

CREATE HAVOC IN THE CORNERS,

CREATE HAVOC
IN THE FRONT OF THE NET,

AND TRY AND SCORE
A DIRTY GOAL.

Announcer: SHOOTS AND SCORES!
WHAT A GOAL BY KEITH PRIMEAU!

OVER THE COURSE OF MY CAREER,
I HAD A COUPLE 30-GOAL SEASONS,

A HANDFUL OF 20-GOAL SEASONS.

SO I WAS CAPABLE
OF PUTTING THE PUCK IN THE NET.

Announcer: PRIMEAU SCORES!
THERE IT IS!

KEITH PRIMEAU WINS THIS GAME
IN THE FIFTH OVERTIME!

THE SERIES EVEN
AT TWO GAMES A PIECE.

FOR ME,
THE BEGINNING OF MY DEMISE

WAS MY SECOND
DOCUMENTED CONCUSSION

IN THE PLAYOFFS
IN MAY OF 2000,

WHERE I WAS OUT AT CENTER ICE.

Announcer:
WHOA! PRIMEAU GOT LEVELED!

AND HE DID NOT SEE THAT COMING.

HE CAUGHT EVERY PART OF ME
AND I WAS DOWN.

I WAS PROBABLY OUT
FOR A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME,

WHETHER IT WAS 10, 15 SECONDS.

TAKEN OFF THE ICE
ON A STRETCHER,

ONLY TO RETURN TO PLAY
TWO NIGHTS LATER.

I WAS OF THE SAME MINDSET
AS EVERYBODY ELSE,

THAT I DIDN'T TAKE
THE INJURY SERIOUSLY.

I THOUGHT IT WAS
A PHANTOM INJURY,

THAT THERE WERE PLAYERS
THAT WEREN'T NECESSARILY

SUFFERING THROUGH
POST-CONCUSSION

SO MUCH AS THEY WERE
LOOKING FOR A BREAK.

EVERYBODY PLAYED
WITH BUMPS AND BRUISES.

THERE WASN'T A GUY
WHO WASN'T PLAYING THROUGH
SOME TYPE OF INJURY OR PAIN.

AND SO YOU NEEDED TO FIND A WAY
TO TOUGH IT OUT.

AND THERE WAS NOTHING
YOU COULD SAY OR DO

THAT WAS GOING TO CHANGE MY MIND
OR THAT MENTALITY.

DOCUMENTED CONCUSSION
NUMBER THREE,

I TOOK AN ELBOW
TO THE SIDE OF THE HEAD.

AND I THOUGHT I WAS FINE.

I CAME HOME
AND MY WIFE LOOKED AT ME

AND SAID THAT
I DIDN'T LOOK WELL

AND THAT I SHOULD PROBABLY
NOT PLAY IN TWO DAYS' TIME.

SHE KNEW THAT I WASN'T RIGHT.

THAT HAPPENED
ON A THURSDAY NIGHT,

AND SATURDAY I WAS DRIVING
TO THE RINK BY MYSELF,

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN
I GOT EXTREMELY MOTION SICK.

I COULDN'T FOCUS
AND HAD TO CALL THE TRAINER

AND SAY, "I DON'T FEEL RIGHT."

AND I TURNED AROUND
AND WENT HOME.

IT WAS SIX FULL WEEKS
OF CONCUSSION SYMPTOMS

THAT I HADN'T
EXPERIENCED BEFORE.

AFTER THAT CONCUSSION,
IT WAS A CHALLENGE FOR ME

TO FOCUS
IN PREPARATION FOR GAMES.

I KNEW HOW FAST
THE GAME MOVED,

AND NOW I FELT
AS THOUGH I WAS MAKING

A CONSCIOUS EFFORT
TO MOVE AT THAT SPEED.

Gary Dorshimer:
PROBABLY THE ONE PLAYER

THAT I'VE WORKED WITH
THE LONGEST ABOUT CONCUSSION

WAS KEITH PRIMEAU.

MOTION JUST WAS A BIG PROBLEM.

AND HE WAS VERY SLOW
TO RECOVER.

AND HE WAS VERY FRUSTRATED
BECAUSE HE WANTED TO PLAY,

BUT REALIZED HE COULDN'T.

Keith Primeau: FOLLOWING MY
FOURTH DOCUMENTED CONCUSSION,

I STEPPED INTO THE HEAD ATHLETIC
TRAINER'S OFFICE AND I SAID,

"I THINK I'LL BE READY.
ANOTHER WEEK I'LL BE SET TO GO."

BUT YOU KNOW, I NEED THAT.
I NEED ANOTHER WEEK."

HE KINDA SAT THERE
AND LISTENED TO ME.

AND WHEN I WAS DONE,
HE SAID,

"KEITH, WE APPLAUD
YOUR COURAGE

"AND WE THANK YOU
FOR YOUR EFFORTS,

BUT I'LL NEVER GIVE YOU
PERMISSION TO PLAY AGAIN."

AND AT THAT POINT,
MY CAREER WAS OVER.

MY SENSE WAS THAT OF RELIEF.

I WAS RELIEVED.

Brendan Shanahan:
YOU KNOW, IN HOCKEY,

THEY HAVE TO TAKE
THE STICK OUT OF YOUR HANDS.

AND I ALWAYS FELT THAT
ABOUT MYSELF AS A PLAYER.

♪

I WON'T JUST LAY IT DOWN.

Announcer: SCORES!
SHANAHAN! WHAT A SHOT!

I WAS A PHYSICAL PLAYER,

SIMILAR TO KEITH PRIMEAU.

WE PLAYED SIMILAR STYLES.

I WAS LUCKY IN THAT I HAD
ONE DIAGNOSED CONCUSSION.

I'M SURE I PROBABLY HAD
A FEW EARLIER IN MY CAREER.

SO WHEN THEY APPROACHED ME
AND ASKED ME TO TAKE OVER

THIS NEW DEPARTMENT
OF PLAYER SAFETY,

I FELT THAT I COULD HAVE
A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE GAME.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT IN CHICAGO,

AN INCIDENT OCCURRED
DURING THE GAME BETWEEN

THE CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS
AND THE DETROIT RED WINGS.

AT 5:26 OF THE THIRD PERIOD,
DETROIT DEFENSEMAN BRENDAN SMITH

DELIVERED AN ILLEGAL HIT
TO THE HEAD

OF CHICAGO FORWARD
BEN SMITH,

CAUSING HIM
TO LOSE CONSCIOUSNESS.

AS THE VIDEO SHOWS...

Chris:
THE NHL THIS YEAR,

THERE IS A STRONG PUSH
NOT ONLY TO PENALIZE PLAYERS

BUT TO EDUCATE THEM
IN WHY THEY'RE BEING PENALIZED

AND SAY, "THIS IS THE FUTURE
OF THE WAY WE'RE GONNA PLAY,

AND YOU BETTER COME ALONG."

I'LL START WITH THE PREMISE
THAT AS LONG

AS WE CONTINUE
TO PLAY HOCKEY,

THERE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE
TO BE HEAD INJURIES.

THERE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE
TO BE BRAIN INJURIES.

BUT IT DOESN'T MAKE PLAYERS
WANNA STOP PLAYING

AND CERTAINLY DOESN'T WANNA MAKE
FANS STOP WATCHING THE GAME.

IT'S A BIG ISSUE RIGHT NOW,
BUT AS AS A PLAYER,

USUALLY IT'S NOT SOMETHING
WE LIKE TO TALK ABOUT.

I GUESS WE'RE SUPERSTITIOUS

ABOUT INJURIES
AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

Brendan Shanahan:
IT'S OUR GOAL TO ELIMINATE

AS MANY NEEDLESS INJURIES
AS WE CAN

AND TO BE VERY CLEAR
AND EDUCATIONAL

WHEN WE MAKE
THOSE DECISIONS.

IT'S WHY WE DO THE VIDEOS.

I HAVE SUSPENDED HIM FOR
THE REMAINDER OF THE PRESEASON

PLUS 5 REGULAR SEASON GAMES.

HERE AT THE NHL,
I'M THE NEW ENFORCER.

News anchor:
NHL ENFORCER DEREK BOOGAARD,

HE DIED EARLIER THIS YEAR
FROM A DRUG OVERDOSE.

News Anchor: FORMER NHL
HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION BOB ROBERT

WHO DIED RECENTLY
AT THE AGE OF 45,
HE SUFFERED FROM THIS.

News anchor:
IT SHOWED THE 28-YEAR-OLD
SUFFERED FROM A BRAIN DISEASE

AND THE DAMAGE WAS MORE
EXTENSIVE THAN EXPECTED.

THE RESULTS HAVE SOME CALLING
FOR CHANGES TO THE GAME.

Ruben Echemendia:
THERE ARE LEAPS TO CONCLUSIONS.

FOR EXAMPLE,
IF YOU SAY THAT JUST BECAUSE

THIS INDIVIDUAL WAS AN ENFORCER
AND WE FOUND TAO PROTEINS

BUILDING UP IN HIS BRAIN
IN AN UNUSUAL WAY,

WHICH IS CTE,

THAT BEING AN ENFORCER
LEADS TO HAVING CTE,

AND THAT MAY HAVE LED
TO DEPRESSION AND SUICIDE.

AND AGAIN, THAT'S CONNECTING
THE DOTS IN A WAY

THAT ISN'T SUPPORTED
BY THE SCIENCE RIGHT NOW.

THERE'S ALWAYS
GOING TO BE GAPS IN SCIENCE

AND WE CANNOT TAKE
VIRTUALLY ANY DISEASE

FROM A TO B TO C TO Z,

BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY
LOOK AT THE BODY OF EVIDENCE

OVER THE LAST 80 YEARS.

YOU KNOW, IF YOU SEE
THAT EVERYBODY

WHO'S EVER DEVELOPED
THIS DISEASE

TOOK EXTRAORDINARY
BRAIN TRAUMA,

YOU COME TO THE CONCLUSION
THAT TRAUMA IS CAUSING THIS.

WE'RE OUT OF OTHER OPTIONS.

AND THERE IS ENOUGH EVIDENCE
TO START CHANGING WHAT WE DO.

WELL, AS THE LEAGUE
HAS SAID THAT, YOU KNOW,

FIGHTING DOES CONTRIBUTE
TO CAUSING CONCUSSIONS.

Steve James: SO DO YOU GUYS
MAKE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS
OR DO YOU JUST REPORT?

NO, OUR ROLE IS NOT
TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS
BUT RATHER TO REPORT THE FACTS.

Bill Daly:
THE LEAGUE IS COMING UP
ON ITS 100th ANNIVERSARY.

FIGHTING HAS ALWAYS
BEEN PART OF THE GAME.

YOU CAN'T JUST SNAP YOUR FINGERS
AND SAY, "MAKE IT GO AWAY."

Dr. Cantu: THERE'S NO QUESTION
THAT EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITY

IS A BIT OF AN ENHANCEMENT
FOR A SEGMENT OF THE CROWD.

BUT I'D LOVE TO SEE IT OUT,

'CAUSE I DON'T THINK
IT'S PART OF HOCKEY.

Announcer: WHOA! KEITH PRIMEAU
JUMPED McKEVIN FROM BEHIND!

AND RHETT WARNER
DIDN'T LIKE IT!

Keith Primeau:
I WASN'T A FIGHTER.

UM, I FOUGHT PLENTY.

I AVERAGED,
OVER THE COURSE OF MY CAREER,

A HALF-DOZEN FIGHTS A YEAR.

THERE WAS ALWAYS
A PURPOSE FOR MY FIGHTING.

I WAS STICKING UP FOR TEAMMATES,
STICKING UP FOR MYSELF,

TRYING TO CHANGE
THE TEMPO OF A GAME.

Chayse Primeau: SOMETIMES I GO
ON YOUTUBE, WATCH HIS FIGHTS.

( laughs )

Steve James:
IS IT NICE HAVING A DAD
THAT WAS THAT TOUGH?

YEAH, PROTECTIVE

( laughs )

HE'S PROBABLY
SAW A FEW FIGHTS.

YEAH, THEY DON'T PUT THE GOALS
ON YOUTUBE.

THEY'RE YOUTUBING
THE ALTERCATIONS.

Chayse Primeau: NEXT YEAR,
THE GAME WILL GET MORE PHYSICAL

AND FASTER,
CAUSE WE'RE GETTING OLDER.

I'LL BE 15 NEXT YEAR.

I MEAN, EVEN NOW, TODAY,

OUR TEAM'S BEATING THAT TEAM
FIVE-NOTHING.

THEY THINK THEY HAVE
NOTHING ELSE TO DO,

SO THEY START
GETTING PHYSICAL.

WHEN WE WENT
IN FRONT OF THE NET,

THEY STARTED
PUSHING AND SHOVING.

PART OF THE GAME.

IF I HAVE TO GET IN A FIGHT,
I'M GONNA.

BUILDS CHARACTER, I GUESS.

Steve: HAVE YOU BEEN IN FIGHTS?

NOT LIKE DROP THE GLOVES,
BUT YEAH, I'VE BEEN IN A FIGHT.

Steve: AND WHAT WAS THAT LIKE?

IT WASN'T THAT HARD.

I THOUGHT IT WAS PRETTY FUN.
( laughs )

Keith Primeau: TO SEE CHAYSE
GET IN A FIGHT IN A GAME

WOULD DISAPPOINT ME.

BECAUSE YOU CAN BE THERE
FOR YOUR TEAMMATE,

YOU CAN SHOW YOUR COMMITMENT,
YOU CAN SHOW THAT COURAGE,

ALL AT THE SAME TIME,
NOT HAVING TO DROP YOUR GLOVES.

( crowd cheering )

AS A HOCKEY TRADITIONALIST,

I'VE HELD STEADFAST
OF THE BELIEF

THAT THERE'S A PLACE IN THE GAME
FOR FIGHTING.

I ACCEPTED THE INHERENT RISK.
I WAS A WILLING COMBATANT.

WITH MORE THOUGHT,
I REALLY WONDER

IF THERE IS A PLACE
FOR FIGHTING IN THE GAME,

ULTIMATELY, IF WE'RE
GOING TO PROTECT OUR PLAYERS

THE BEST WE POSSIBLY CAN.

WHAT HAPPENS IF,
IN A GAME, WE HAVE

HALF THE GUYS COMPETING
AND HALF THE GUYS AREN'T?
WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN?

WE'RE GONNA LOSE.
WE'RE GONNA LOSE.

SO YOU GOT HALF THE GUYS
DOING THE DRILL RIGHT

AND HALF THE GUYS
CHEATING AND CUTTING IT OFF.

DO IT RIGHT.

THROW ME THE PUCK.

I STILL SUFFER
THROUGH SYMPTOMS.

HEADS UP.

OVER THE COURSE
OF THE LAST TWO YEARS,

I'VE BEEN ABLE TO SAY
THAT I'M IN A GOOD PLACE,

ONLY TO REGRESS--
HEADACHES AND HEAD PRESSURE,

EXTREMELY FATIGUED,
DIFFICULTY WITH VISION,

LIGHT-HEADED, IRRITABLE.

IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT I TALK
TO PLAYERS WHO HAD GONE THROUGH
THE SAME PROBLEMS I HAD.

AND I, AT FIRST,
I WAS HESITANT,

BUT THEN I FOUND
SOME REAL COMFORT AND SOLACE

IN HEARING THEIR STORY

AND KNOWING THAT
I WASN'T LOSING MY MIND,

THAT WHAT I WAS FEELING,

WHAT I WAS SUFFERING THROUGH
WAS GENUINE.

I KNOW THAT
I'VE DAMAGED MY BRAIN.

I DON'T KNOW WHERE I AM
20 YEARS FROM NOW.

I NEED TO CONTINUE
TO BE BRAVE

AND WORK TOWARDS
THE END GOAL,

WHICH IS 100% RECOVERY.

COME ON, DON'T QUIT.
DON'T QUIT. DON'T QUIT.

THERE YOU GO.
( laughs )

( crowd cheering )

Announcer:
USA WILL BEND IT ACROSS.

GOAL PARLOW!

Cindy Parlow Cone: I WAS 17,
YOUNGEST PLAYER EVER

TO WIN AN OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL
AND A WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP.

I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH
TO PLAY IN THREE OLYMPICS,

WINNING TWO GOLD MEDALS
AND A SILVER.

ANNOUNCER: DRIVES IT ACROSS,
CHASTAY, PARLOW, DOUBLE HEADER!

GOAL PARLOW!

I'M ALMOST SIX FEET TALL.

AND YOU CAN'T BE THIS TALL
AND NOT COMPETE IN THE AIR.

I SCORED 50% OF MY GOALS
WITH MY HEAD.

YOU HEAR A LOT ABOUT FOOTBALL
AND HEAD INJURIES,

BUT A NEW STUDY
SHOWS THAT SOCCER

MAY COME WITH SOME RISKS, TOO.

Alan Schwarz:
GIRL SOCCER PLAYERS

REPORT CONCUSSIONS MORE OFTEN
THAN BOY SOCCER PLAYERS.

SAME AS BASKETBALL.

AND THEY ALSO SEEM TO RECOVER
MORE SLOWLY THAN BOYS.

SO THIS WAS NOT JUST
A BOYS' FOOTBALL INJURY.

Announcer:
WE TOLD YOU HOW ROUGH IT IS.

WATCH THE TUGGING, THE PUSHING,
THE GRABBING, THE KICKING.

ALL THE FOULS...

Cindy: FROM HEAD TO TOE,
IT'S A CONTACT SPORT.

Announcer: ROUGH STUFF.

IN 2001, I WAS PLAYING

FOR THE WOMEN'S UNITED
SOCCER ASSOCIATION.

MY POOR PARENTS
WERE WATCHING THE GAME

ON TV AT HOME IN MEMPHIS

AND THEY SEE ME,
I GO UP FOR A HEADER

AND ACTUALLY ONE OF MY OWN
TEAMMATES HITS ME IN THE TEMPLE.

Announcer 1: HOOPER!
AND TWO PLAYERS ARE DOWN.

IS THAT PARLOW?
PARLOW AND HOOPER.

Announcer 2:
I THINK THEY HIT HEADS.

I DON'T REMEMBER GETTING HIT.

I REMEMBER WATCHING THE BALL
COME TO MY HEAD

AND I WAS TRYING
TO TIME IT CORRECTLY

AND THEN THE NEXT THING,
EVERYONE STANDING OVER ME,

SEEING IF I'M OKAY.

Announcer: BALLS IN THE AIR,
THEY'RE BOTH TRYING TO HEAD IT.

NO QUESTION ABOUT IT, THEY
ABSOLUTELY CLOCKED EACH OTHER.

NOW BOTH PLAYERS
HAVE GOT TO BE SHOOK UP...

AND SO I ACTUALLY CONTINUED
TO PLAY UNTIL HALF TIME.

Announcer: SHE'S WOOZY, THOUGH,
YOU CAN SEE IT.

SHE'S ABLE TO SMILE,
BUT I TELL YA...

I DIDN'T SEE WHAT
THE BIG DEAL WAS.

A COUPLE DAYS AFTER,
THE HEADACHE WAS GONE,

I DIDN'T HAVE
TOO MANY SYMPTOMS,

AND I WANTED
TO GET BACK AT IT.

KNOWING WHAT I KNOW NOW,

I AM SO THANKFUL
THAT THEY SAT ME OUT

AND WOULDN'T LET ME PLAY.

AFTER MY FIRST CONCUSSION
WHERE I WAS KNOCKED OUT,

EVERY TIME I WOULD DO
HEADING IN PRACTICE

OR IA REALLY HARD HEADER
IN THE GAME, I WOULD SEE STARS.

SO, SOME PEOPLE
CONSIDER THAT CONCUSSION.

I'M NOT REALLY SURE,
BUT IF YOU COUNT ALL THOSE,

WE'RE TALKING TRIPLE DIGITS.

Steve: WAIT, SO YOU FEEL LIKE
YOU HAD OVER 100 CONCUSSIONS

WHERE YOU SAW STARS
OF SOME SORT?

Cindy: OH, YEAH, AT LEAST.

I'VE SEEN A LOT OF STARS.
( laughs )

I REMEMBER
WHEN I TOLD MY PARENTS

THAT I WAS RETIRING
IN 2004

BECAUSE OF MY
POST-CONCUSSION SYNDROME.

THEY WERE ACTUALLY ANGRY
AND DISAPPOINTED A LITTLE BIT,

IN ME,
AND THAT I WANTED TO RETIRE.

I THINK THEY FELT LIKE
I WAS JUST QUITTING.

I WOULD RATHER THEM THINK THAT
THAN TO REALLY KNOW THE TRUTH

AND WHAT'S BEHIND IT.

THEY KNOW ABOUT MY HEADACHES,

THEY KNOW OBVIOUSLY
ABOUT ALL THE MEDICATIONS

THAT I'VE BEEN ON
TO PREVENT THEM,

BUT I DON'T THINK
THEY REALLY KNOW

HOW MUCH IT INTERRUPTS
WITH MY DAILY LIFE.

I ALWAYS KEEP MY GPS ON.

I'LL BE DRIVING AROUND
ROADS I KNOW BY HEART

AND FORGET WHERE I AM.

HAD A STUTTER
FOR A LITTLE BIT.

I'M GONNA WORRY MY FAMILY NOW
TELLING YOU ALL THIS. ( laughs )

MY PARENTS DON'T NEED
TO KNOW ALL THIS, RIGHT?

♪

WHEN YOU'RE YOUNG,
PARENTS TRY TO PROTECT THE KIDS.

( whistle blows )

OUCH!

AND AT SOME POINT,
IT'S ROLE-REVERSAL.

Laura Rounce: SOCCER'S BEEN
IN HER LIFE AND IN OUR LIFE

SINCE SHE WAS ABOUT
6 MONTHS OLD.

Mary Rounce: I WANT TO PLAY
DIVISION 1 COLLEGE SOCCER.

I MEAN, IF I GOT DRAFTED,
THAT'D BE PRETTY COOL.

( laughs )

Laura Rounce:
UNFORTUNATELY,

BECAUSE SHE'S SUCH
AN AGGRESSIVE PLAYER,

SHE HAS NOT ONLY
GOTTEN ONE CONCUSSION,

BUT PROBABLY FOUR.

Mary Rounce:
I REMEMBER AFTER THE FIRST ONE,

I WAS JUST LIKE, "OH, MY GOD,
MY HEAD HURTS SO BAD."

AND I WENT TO TAKE A GOAL KICK,
'CAUSE I DIDN'T GO OUT,

I DIDN'T WANT
TO STOP PLAYING,

SO I WENT TO TAKE THE KICK
AND I WAS LIKE,

I WAS LIKE SEEING DOUBLE
AND STUFF, SO...

Laura Rounce: YOU JUST HEARD HER
SAY IT HURT REALLY BAD,

SHE HAD DOUBLE VISION,

SHE DIDN'T PULL HERSELF
OUT OF THE GAME,

SHE DIDN'T TELL THE COACH,
AND SHE DIDN'T TELL US.

Mary Rounce: I DON'T WANNA QUIT
BECAUSE OF INJURIES.

IT'S JUST WHAT I LOVE TO DO.

I CAN'T JUST, LIKE, DROP IT.

SHE'S PRETTY GOOD
AT BEING TOUGH.

SO IF IT'S "I CAN'T TELL MY MOM
'CAUSE THEN I'M DONE,"

SHE MIGHT NOT TELL ME.
RIGHT?

( choir singing )

THERE IS A CONCEPT
OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE.

SOME OF US DEAL
WITH DISEASE,

ILLNESS, HARDSHIP,
OR HEARTACHE.

WE GRIEVE THE LOSS
OF THOSE WHOM WE HAVE LOVED.

WHEN HE WAS BORN,
HE CAME OUT JUST SCREAMING...

AND SO MUCH SO THAT
HE HAD TWO VEINS HERE

THAT WERE JUST OUT...

RED HAIR, AND THE DOCTOR SAID,
"HE'S A VIKING."

AND THAT'S OWEN:

A VIKING FULL OF PASSION.

News anchor: OFFICIALS AT
THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SAY A FOOTBALL PLAYER
FROM LEHIGH COUNTY

WAS FOUND DEAD
IN HIS OFF-CAMPUS APARTMENT.

JUNIOR OWEN THOMAS,

WHO GRADUATED FROM
PARKLAND HIGH SCHOOL,

WAS FOUND YESTERDAY...

Eric Laudano: THERE WAS NOTHING
LEADING UP TO HIS SUICIDE,

AS FAR AS I CAN SEE.

HE WAS AN INCREDIBLE STUDENT
AT AN INCREDIBLE UNIVERSITY,

ONE OF THE BEST IN THE WORLD,

AND HE WAS CONSTANTLY
SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS.

HE PLAYED DEFENSE
AND HE WAS AN AGGRESSIVE PLAYER

AND HE WAS VOTED
CAPTAIN OF OUR TEAM.

AND OWEN
WAS A PERSON ON OUR TEAM

THAT EVERYONE LOOKED UP TO,

AND IT HIT EVERYONE
IN OUR COMMUNITY HARD.

AND IT STILL DOES TODAY.

Chris: YOU KNOW,
WHEN I HEAR ABOUT THESE THINGS,

MY JOB IS TO FIND A WAY
TO GET THEIR BRAIN.

FOR ME,
IT WAS A SPECIAL CASE.

THIS WAS AN IVY LEAGUE
DEFENSIVE LINEMAN,

AND I WAS AN IVY LEAGUE
DEFENSIVE LINEMAN.

IT WAS LIKE LOSING
ONE OF YOUR OWN.

SO I TALKED TO HIM QUITE
EXTENSIVELY ON THE PHONE

AND I SAID, "YOU'RE NOT
GOING TO FIND ANYTHING

BECAUSE HE NEVER HAD
ANY DOCUMENTED CONCUSSION."

THAT'S FINE. I SAID,
"I HOPE WE DON'T FIND IT."

FRANKLY, I'D LOVE TO NOT FIND IT
IN MORE BRAINS

BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE ALMOST
EVERY BRAIN WE GET, WE FIND IT.

♪

Jeffrey Geisel:
OWEN WAS AN OUTSTANDING PERSON,

AN OUTSTANDING ATHLETE.

OWEN GRADUATED
THE YEAR BEFORE WE WENT

TO OUR SECOND
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.

I'M NOT SURPRISED THAT OWEN

WASN'T DIAGNOSED
WITH A CONCUSSION.

HE MAY OR MAY NOT
HAVE TAKEN BLOWS TO THE HEAD.

( whistle blows )

WE'RE NOT PLAYING
HARD ENOUGH YET.

WE ARE NOT PLAYING HARD ENOUGH.

Dr. Cantu: THE REALITY IS THAT
ANYBODY THAT'S PLAYED FOOTBALL

HAS HAD CONCUSSIONS, WHETHER
THEY'VE RECOGNIZED IT OR NOT.

Morgan Thomas: BOTH OF US
DEFINITELY GOT OUR BELL RUNG.

YOU GET UP AND EVERYTHING'S
LIKE A DIFFERENT COLOR AT FIRST,

AND THEN IT TAKES YOU
A COUPLE MINUTES

TO KIND OF GET BACK IN FOCUS.

BUT I DON'T KNOW
IF THAT'S A CONCUSSION.

I'VE NEVER HAD A CONCUSSION
WHERE I WAS PULLED OUT
OF FOOTBALL.

( siren wails )

I MEAN, OWEN AND I
WERE SIMILAR IN THIS ASPECT:

IF WE DID HAVE
A HEAD RINGER,

WE WOULD NOT GO
REPORT THAT TO THE TRAINER.

YOU KNOW, WE'D GET UP
AND SHAKE IT OFF,

AND JUST GET BACK OUT THERE
AND PLAY.

Jeffrey Geisel: LAST YEAR
AT PARKLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT,

ACROSS ALL SPORTS,
WE HAD 1,600 KIDS.

WE HAD 14 RECORDED INCIDENTS
OF CONCUSSION.

Steve: 1,600 KIDS,
14 DIAGNOSED CONCUSSIONS
DURING THE ENTIRE SCHOOL YEAR.

WELL, THAT'S OBVIOUSLY A VERY
UNDER-DIAGNOSED CONDITION.

Chris: IF YOU ONLY HAVE ONE
OUT OF EVERY HUNDRED KIDS

THAT ARE GETTING DIAGNOSED
WITH CONCUSSION,

YOU'RE MISSING THEM

AND YOUR KIDS
ARE AT TERRIBLE RISK.

WE DO THIS RIGHT AND WE START
EDUCATING THE ATHLETES,

IT'S GOING TO SKY-ROCKET.

Dr. McKee:
THIS IS OWEN THOMAS' BRAIN.

THIS IS A PART
OF THE FRONTAL LOBE.

THERE'S THESE VERY DARK AREAS
OF DISCOLORATION IN HIS BRAIN,

AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THESE SPOTS
UNDER THE MICROSCOPE,

THERE'S JUST TREMENDOUS RINGING
AROUND THOSE AREAS

OF NERVE CELLS
CONTAINING THIS TAO PROTEIN.

THIS IS VERY DRAMATIC DISEASE,

AND WHAT WE KNOW
FROM OTHER BRAINS

IS THAT IF HE HAD LIVED LONGER,
THE DISEASE GRADUALLY WOULD HAVE

SPREAD OUT INTO
THE NEIGHBORING CORTEX.

ONCE THE FIRE HAS STARTED,

IT JUST GOES ON ITS OWN
WITHOUT ANY ADDITIONAL INSULT.

SO WHEN THE RESULTS
CAME THROUGH,

I CAN'T SAY IT WAS A RELIEF,

BUT IT WAS LIKE, OH, MY GOSH,
THERE IS THE REASON,

RIGHT THERE,
THAT OWEN WOULD COMMIT SUICIDE.

THE FACT THAT THEY FOUND IT IN
THE FRONTAL LOBE OF HIS BRAIN

THAT CONTROLS IMPULSE-CONTROL,

I THINK, IT WAS A VERY
SIGNIFICANT FACTOR.

I DON'T THINK THAT WE KNOW
WHETHER THE CHANGES

THAT WERE IN HIS BRAIN,
WHICH WERE QUITE, UM...

THEY WERE DEFINITELY ABNORMAL,
NO QUESTION,

BUT WHETHER THEY EXPLAIN

THE ULTIMATE BEHAVIOR
THAT HAPPENED,

IT'S AN OPEN QUESTION.

THE OWEN THOMAS FINDING
WAS NOT SIGNIFICANT...

AS IT RELATED
TO THE CAUSE OF DEATH.

HE COULD HAVE DIED
IN A CAR ACCIDENT

AND THE SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE FINDING

WOULD HAVE BEEN
EXACTLY THE SAME.

OKAY? IT WAS IMPORTANT
TO RECOGNIZE,

HOLY COW,
CTE CAN ACTUALLY BEGIN

BEFORE SOMEBODY REACHES
THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE.

AND THAT'S
THE MORE IMPORTANT POINT HERE,

IS THAT 21-YEAR-OLDS SHOULDN'T
HAVE THIS FROM PLAYING A GAME.

ALL RIGHT, MOM,
LOVE YOU, BYE.

Phone: END OF MESSAGE.

( beeps )

THAT MESSAGE IS FROM THE DAY
BEFORE HE, UM, KILLED HIMSELF.

I USED TO LISTEN TO IT
LIKE EVERY DAY, ALL THE TIME.

AND I DON'T LISTEN TO IT
EVERY DAY,

BUT IT'S--IT'S SORT OF...

IT'S JUST LIKE CARRYING HIM
AROUND WITH ME.

IT'S NICE TO HEAR THAT VOICE.

YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU
JUST HANG ON TO LITTLE THINGS.

AND YOU KNOW,
HANG ON, HANG ON.

♪

MY FATHER PLAYED AT MILLERSVILLE
IN THE '30s.

I PLAYED AT VIRGINIA,

UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
IN THE '60s.

SO IT WAS KIND OF
OUR FAMILY GAME.

AND OVER HERE
IS OWEN'S GRAVE.

I DON'T COME OFTEN, ALTHOUGH
I WORK JUST A STEP AWAY.

I DON'T COME OFTEN BECAUSE
IT'S STILL VERY DIFFICULT.

THE ASSOCIATE PASTOR THAT DID
THE WHOLE SERVICE AND I...

I COULD JUST BARELY MAKE IT
THROUGH THE SERVICE.

SO I JUST SAT IN THE FAMILY PEW.

IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL SERVICE.

ALL OF THE FOOTBALL TEAM
WENT UP TO THE BALCONY,

AND THEY LINED
THE BALCONY STANDING,

AND IT WAS A SENSE
OF CAMARADERIE,

A TEAMMATE, I GUESS,
STANDING FOR THEIR CAPTAIN.

IT WAS VERY, VERY MOVING
TO HAVE THAT SUPPORT.

( bell ringing )

ALL RIGHT, SO FIRST THING
IS I'M GONNA HAVE YOU

TAKE EVERYTHING METAL
THAT YOU HAVE ON YOUR BODY--

YOUR BELT, ANYTHING YOU HAVE ON
YOUR WATCH, ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

HAVE YOU HAD AN MRI BEFORE?

OH, MANY.
OKAY, SO YOU KNOW THE DRILL.

I'M ONE OF OUR GUINEA PIGS
FOR ALL OF OUR PILOT STUDIES.

AND SO I'LL GET AN MRI,
A DTI...

EXCELLENT.

YOU KNOW,
ME ALONG WITH SOME NFL GUYS

AND SOME BOXERS AND WHATEVER,
WE'LL TRY TO FIGURE OUT

WHAT CTE LOOKS LIKE
IN A LIVING PERSON.

ALL RIGHT, GOING IN.

Dr. Stern: YOU CAN ONLY DIAGNOSE
THESE TYPES OF DISEASES

AFTER SOMEONE DIES
BY LOOKING AT THE BRAIN TISSUE,

BUT THE GOAL IS TO BE ABLE
TO DIAGNOSE THE DISEASE

WHILE SOMEONE'S ALIVE,

BECAUSE ONLY THEN
CAN WE DO THINGS LIKE

FIGURE OUT
THE TRUE RISK FACTORS,

CREATE TREATMENT PROTOCOLS,

CONDUCT CLINICAL TRIALS
OF NEW DRUGS.

Dr. Cantu: UNFORTUNATELY,
BECAUSE CTE IS SO HORRIFIC,

AND RIGHT NOW,
THERE'S NO CURE FOR IT,

THE MEDIA HYPE
ABOUT ALL OF THIS IS HERE

AND THE CONCERN IS HERE.

TRAGICALLY,
THE SCIENCE ABOUT IT

IS WAY DOWN
LOWER ON A TRAJECTORY.

THERE'S A HUGE GAP.

TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES
AND CONCUSSIONS

ARE A FAR MORE SERIOUS ISSUE
THAN ANY OF US REALIZED...

I WAS INVITED TO SPEAK AT

A HIGH SCHOOL
TO PARENTS AND COACHES

TO RAISE CONCUSSION AWARENESS.

IT WAS PROBABLY THE FIRST TIME
IN THREE OR FOUR YEARS

THAT I HAD SOMEBODY ACTUALLY
CONFRONT ME IN PUBLIC.

Man: YOU SURE SCARED
A LOT OF PEOPLE TONIGHT, OKAY?

IT WASN'T A PARENT, IT WAS
THE HEAD ATHLETIC TRAINER.

Man: YOU CAME HERE AND YOU
TALKED ABOUT ALL THESE PEOPLE
WHOSE BRAINS ARE DECAYING.

AND WHAT YOU DIDN'T SHOW IS,
THERE'S A HECK OF A LOT
OF PEOPLE

THAT PLAYED BALL
THAT DON'T HAVE PROBLEMS. OKAY?

THAT DON'T HAVE
THIS POST-CONCUSSION SYNDROME.

YOU DIDN'T TALK ABOUT
THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE...

NO, THAT'S RIGHT, I DIDN'T TALK
ABOUT ALL THE PEOPLE

WHO SMOKE
AND DON'T GET LUNG CANCER.

I MEAN,
WITH ALL DUE RESPECT,

THAT'S A TERRIBLE,
TERRIBLE ARGUMENT

WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO PEOPLE'S
HEALTH AND THEIR BRAIN

AND THE RISKS THAT WE
SHOULD BE EXPOSING KIDS TO.

BUT THEN IT WENT FURTHER
AND HE SAID,

"WELL, YOU TALK ABOUT
ALL THESE SYMPTOMS.

"MY 10-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER
PLAYS SOCCER

"AND SHE COMES OFF THE FIELD
AND COMPLAINS OF DIZZINESS

"AND HEADACHES
AFTER HEADING THE BALL.

"BUT THAT'S NOT A CONCUSSION.

THAT'S JUST PART
OF PLAYING THE GAME."

IF YOUR CHILD
HAS CONCUSSION SYMPTOMS

FROM HEADING A SOCCER BALL,
THAT'S A CONCUSSION.

I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU
ASKED ME THAT QUESTION.

I MEAN, ARE YOU SERIOUS?!

I WOULDN'T PUSH TOO FAR.

I'M WORRIED ABOUT
YOUR JOB RIGHT NOW.

IT WASN'T JUST THE HEAD ATHLETIC
TRAINER THAT HAD THIS PROBLEM.

I WAS INFORMED THAT
THE FOOTBALL COACH

HAD SCHEDULED A MANDATORY
WEIGHT-LIFTING SESSION

TO MAKES SURE HIS PLAYERS
COULDN'T GO TO THE SYMPOSIUM.

AND WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?

Man: I DON'T KNOW.

I'M GONNA GO BACK TO BOSTON.

YOU COULD HEAR
A PIN DROP IN THAT ROOM.

Alan Schwarz:
WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT

HAPPENS PRIVATELY ALL OVER
THE COUNTRY ALL THE TIME.

A LOT OF PEOPLE
DON'T WANT TO BELIEVE

THIS IS AS SERIOUS AS IT IS,

EVEN PEOPLE WHOSE JOBS IT IS
TO SAFEGUARD CHILDREN'S HEALTH.

THEY DON'T WANNA
BELIEVE IT EITHER.

Chris: A GROUP OF PARENTS
FOLLOWED ME OUT

AND SOME OF THEM ASKED,
"MY CHILD PLAYS FOOTBALL HERE,

HE HAD A CONCUSSION LAST YEAR.
WOULD YOU LET HIM GO BACK?"

HOPEFULLY, IF YOU ONLY PLAY
THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL,

YOUR RISK IS LESS,
BUT IT'S THERE.

Alan Schwarz:
THERE ARE PEOPLE

WHO HAVE SAID THAT

BECAUSE 14
OUT OF 15 NFL PLAYERS

WHO HAVE BEEN TESTED FOR CTE
HAVE HAD CTE, MY GOD,

THAT MUST MEAN THAT ALMOST
EVERY RETIRED FOOTBALL PLAYER

HAS CTE OR WILL GET IT!

WELL, NO,
THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS.

IT'S A VERY SELECTIVE SAMPLE.

AS PART OF A BRAIN BANK,
WE STORE HALF OF THE BRAIN

AT MINUS 80 IN EACH FREEZER,

AND WE HAVE 7 FREEZERS.

Dr. Cantu: WE'VE GOTTEN NOW
OVER 70 BRAINS IN THE BRAIN BANK

AND THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY

HAVE HAD CHRONIC
TRAUMATIC ENCEPHALOPATHY.

WE NEED 30 BRAINS OF PEOPLE

THAT PLAYED THE SAME SPORT
THAT DIDN'T HAVE THE SYMPTOMS.

THEIR BRAIN WOULD BE
VERY VALUABLE TO STUDY.

AND UNTIL WE DO,
WE DON'T REALLY HAVE

ANY GOOD IDEA OF THE INCIDENCE
OR PREVALENCE OF THIS CTE.

WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT
14 OF THE FIRST 15 NFL PLAYERS

THAT WE STUDIED HAD CTE.

IN SOME PEOPLE,
IT WASN'T SO FAR PROGRESSED

THAT THEY HAD MEMORY PROBLEMS
OR IMPULSE CONTROL,

BUT HAD THEY LIVED LONGER,

THEY ALMOST CERTAINLY
WOULD HAVE.

THAT'S OVERSTATING THE DATA,

AND IT'S LEADING
TO A CONCLUSION

FOR WHICH WE DON'T HAVE
SCIENTIFIC SUPPORT RIGHT NOW.

TO SAY THAT BECAUSE THIS ATHLETE
EXHIBITED CTE,

THAT THAT DETERMINES
THAT HE'S GOING TO HAVE DEMENTIA

AND HAVE DEPRESSION
AND COMMIT SUICIDE,

IT'S JUST NOT THERE.

YOU HAVE TO WALK
A VERY FINE LINE HERE

BECAUSE PEOPLE
NEED TO APPRECIATE THE FACT

THAT CTE
COULD MAKE YOU GO CRAZY

AND COULD MAKE YOU
DO TERRIBLE THINGS.

THE NFL CALLED US WHEN FAMILIES
ARE LOOKING FOR US TO HELP...

BUT THEN AGAIN WHEN YOU'RE
TALKING ABOUT THIS WITH PEOPLE
WHO MIGHT HAVE IT,

YOU HAVE TO CLEAR TO THEM
THAT PEOPLE WITH CTE
CAN ALSO LIVE NORMAL LIVES

AND BE FINE,
THEY JUST MIGHT BE DIFFERENT.

ONE OF THE REASONS I'M HERE
IS TO ASK YOU TO GIVE ME
YOUR BRAIN SOMEDAY.

ALZHEIMER'S STRIKES YOU
AT THE END OF YOUR LIFE.

WHEN YOU'RE 78 IS THE AVERAGE
ONSET OF ALZHEIMER'S,

AND CTE IS 43.

SO IT'S PRETTY DESTRUCTIVE.

WE HAD TWO A DAYS,
BOTH MORNING AND AFTERNOON,

BEATING THE LIVING CRAP
OUT OF EACH OTHER.

THERE'S MANY TIMES IN PRACTICE
I CAME LOOKING THROUGH
THE EAR HOLE OF MY HELMET,

TRYING TO MAKE THE TEAM
EVERY YEAR, YOU KNOW?

BUT WE WERE AT THIS THING
THAT WE WENT TO

A COUPLE WEEKS AGO,
SOMEBODY ASKED...

( inaudible )

YEAH, WHAT THE HECK
WAS I GOING TO JUST TELL YOU?

I'M GOING TO HAVE TO COME BACK.

Man: STAGE THREE RIGHT THERE.

( all laugh )

WHAT THE HELL
WAS I JUST TALKING ABOUT?

I DID FORGET.

I PLAYED FOR A LOT
OF REALLY DUMB COACHES.

THERE'S A LOT MORE
DUMB COACHES OUT THERE

THAN THERE ARE REALLY SMART,
INNOVATIVE COACHES.

WHEN I WAS A SENIOR
IN HIGH SCHOOL,

THEY DIDN'T GIVE US WATER.

YOU KNOW, YOU WERE A WUSS
IF YOU ASKED FOR WATER.

AND THEN TWO KIDS
DIED IN TEXAS,

AND THEN WE GOT WATER
EVERY FIVE MINUTES.

RIGHT,
IF FIVE KIDS THIS YEAR

DIED IN A WEEK
FROM HEAD INJURIES,

FOOTBALL WOULD CHANGE
IMMEDIATELY.

BUT YOU COULD CREATE 500,000
CASES OF CTE THIS YEAR,

AND EVERYONE'S OKAY WITH IT.

ALL I NEED FOR Y'ALL TO DO
IS TO DIG DOWN INSIDE RIGHT NOW

AND GIVE ME
ALL YOU HAVE SAVED UP.

YOU HEAR ME?

WE GOT 16 MINUTES.
IT AIN'T OVER.

♪

YEAH, THERE YOU GO!
HIT IT! HIT IT, BABY!

RUN, RUN! YEAH, YEAH! RUN, RUN!

THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!
RUN, RUN!

THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!
TAKE THAT!

THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!

LET'S GO, DAVID! LET'S GO!

IF YOU GUYS
CONTINUE TO PLAY ON THIS LEVEL,

AND MOVE ON UP
TO THE NEXT LEVEL,

WHEN YOU GET READY
TO GO TO HIGH SCHOOL,

IT'S GONNA BE SOME SCOUTS
WATCHING Y'ALL,

GONNA WANT Y'ALL.

SO YOUR DREAMS
COULD BE LIVED OUT RIGHT HERE.

Bob Costas:
WATCH KIDS IN ANY SPORT.

THEY ARE MIMICKING
WHAT THEY SEE.

SOME OF THE VIOLENCE
IN THE NFL...

THE CELEBRATION OF THOSE SHOTS
BY THE PLAYERS THEMSELVES,

BY THE MEDIA TO SOME EXTENT,
BY MANY FANS...

IS DANGEROUS ENOUGH
FOR ELITE ADULT ATHLETES.

Alan Schwarz: WHATEVER HAPPENS
ON AN NFL FIELD

IS IMITATED BY HUNDREDS
OF THOUSANDS OF KIDS.

WHAT HAPPENS ON SUNDAY
IS GOING TO HAPPEN ON FRIDAY.

AND WHEN YOU SEE MICHAEL VICK
RECEIVE A CONCUSSION

AND YOU SEE HIM JUST GO BACK
INTO THE GAME AND BE FINE,

YOU'RE GOING TO ASSUME THAT
IT'S PERFECTLY SAFE TO DO THIS.

Chris: IN 2011,
THE NFL CHANGED THE POLICY

SO THAT THEY ACTUALLY HAVE
PEOPLE NOW IN THE BOOTH

AND ON THE SIDELINE WHOSE JOB'S
ONLY TO LOOK FOR A CONCUSSION.

AND THAT HAPPENED BECAUSE

THERE WERE SOME
VERY OBVIOUS CASES

OF PLAYERS BEING
CONCUSSED ON THE FIELD

AND YET THEY WEREN'T TREATED
OR ASSESSED PROPERLY.

Dr. Batjer: AND THE PROBLEM WAS
THE TRAINER AND THE PHYSICIAN

WERE OCCUPIED WITH
ANOTHER INJURED PLAYER

AND NOT FACING THE FIELD.

SO 35 MILLION AMERICANS SAW IT,

BUT NOBODY WHO COULD ACTION
THE PROBLEM SAW IT.

Chris: AND THE STORY AFTERWARDS
WAS THAT NOBODY SAW THEM

GET KNOCKED OUT FOR 30 SECONDS
ON THE FIELD.

NO ONE SAW THEM
WOBBLE OFF THE FIELD

AFTER THEY GOT
HIT IN THE HEAD.

THE NFL'S ACKNOWLEDGING
THAT EVEN WITH A TEAM

OF MEDICAL PEOPLE
ON THE SIDELINE,

THEY CAN'T SEE THE OBVIOUS
CONCUSSIONS ON THE FIELD.

SO HOW ARE WE LETTING KIDS PLAY
WITH NONE OF THE RESOURCES

THAT WE FEEL OBLIGATED
TO PROVIDE GROWN MEN?

Dr. Cantu:
IT WOULD BE IDEAL

THAT THERE'S
A CERTIFIED ATHLETIC TRAINER

FOR EVERY HIGH SCHOOL,

BUT IT'S NOT A FINANCIAL REALITY
RIGHT NOW.

AND IT IS TRUE
THAT INNER-CITY SCHOOLS

MORE OFTEN THAN NOT LACK
A CERTIFIED ATHLETIC TRAINER.

BUT I THINK THAT CERTAIN SPORTS
AT HIGHEST RISK,

IT CAN BE ARGUED
THAT IF YOU CAN'T PUT

PROPER MINIMUM MEDICAL
FACILITIES ON THE SIDELINE,

THAT YOU PROBABLY
SHOULDN'T PLAY THE SPORT.

LET'S GO, WILDCATS!

I LOVE THE PROGRAM. IT KEEPS
THE KIDS OFF THE STREET.

( crowd cheering )

( whistle blows )

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
THEY GET OUT OF SCHOOL 2:30,
THEY AT PRACTICE TILL 8:00.

YOU CAN'T DO NOTHING
BUT COME HOME AND DO HOMEWORK,

AND THAT'S HOW I LIKE IT.

FOOTBALL IS AN ALTERNATIVE
TO THE STREETS.

IF OUR ORGANIZATION
DIDN'T GET 'EM,

THEN THOSE ORGANIZATIONS THAT
WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE 'EM WILL.

Players: ONE, TWO, THREE!

Latanya Thomas: I BELIEVE
YOU JUST HAVE TO PROTECT THEM

AS MUCH AS YOU CAN
AND PRAY.

Dr. Cantu: ONE WAY
YOU CAN MAKE FOOTBALL SAFER

IS TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT
OF BRAIN TRAUMA

OCCURRING IN PRACTICE

BY LIMITING THE AMOUNT
OF FULL-CONTACT PRACTICE.

Chris:
THERE IS A FOOTBALL LEAGUE

THAT ONLY ALLOWS IN PRACTICE
ONE DAY OF HITTING PER WEEK.

IT'S THE NFL.

AND YET YOU GO DOWN
TO ANY REGULAR CITY IN AMERICA

AND HEAR MOTHERS TELL YOU
THEIR PLAYERS DO FOUR DAYS

OF FULL-PADDED PRACTICES A WEEK,
AND A GAME.

THERE'S NO WAY
THAT SHOULD BE HAPPENING.

THERE'S A BALANCE THERE.

CAN YOU EVER MAKE
ANY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
COMPLETELY SAFE?

OF COURSE NOT, BUT WHAT'S
THE LEVEL OF ACCEPTABLE RISK

AND WHAT'S THE LEVEL
OF REASONABLE REFORM?

( crowd cheering )

Dr. Cantu: COLLISION SPORTS

SHOULD NOT BE PLAYED
UNDER THE AGE OF 14.

NOW I'M NOT SAYING
DO AWAY WITH THE SPORT,

I'M SAYING CHANGE
THE WAY IT'S PLAYED.

IN PARTICULAR,
TAKE HITS TO THE HEAD OUT OF IT.

( crowd cheering )

I THINK IT'S ABSOLUTELY INSANE
THAT LITTLE KIDS

ARE BASHING HEADS
WITH FOOTBALL HELMETS ON.

THEIR BRAINS
ARE NOT MYLENATED,

THEIR HEADS
ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY BIG,

THEIR NECKS ARE OVERWHELMINGLY
WEAKER THAN THEY WILL BE LATER,

AND TRAUMA
THAT THEY SUSTAIN

OFTEN SEEMS TO LAST LONGER
BEFORE IT CLEARS.

Alan Schwarz: I'M NOT TELLING
ANYBODY WHETHER THEY SHOULD LET
A KID PLAY FOOTBALL OR NOT.

I MAKE DECISIONS
WITH MY KID,

YOU MAKE DECISIONS
WITH YOUR KID.

AS LONG AS THEY'RE WITHIN
THE LAW, KNOCK YOURSELF OUT.

Players: ONE, TWO THREE!

Keith Primeau: MY DAUGHTER
PLAYS FIELD LACROSSE,

AND MY BOYS
PLAY ORGANIZED HOCKEY.

THEY'VE BEEN AROUND
THE GAME A LOT.

WE ARE A HOCKEY FAMILY.

YOUR MULLIGAN WAS YESTERDAY.
WE'RE TAKING SOME TIME OFF.

WE FOUND OUR LEGS, AND NOW WE
GOTTA GET BACK THERE WORKING.

( whistle blows )

THREE WEEKS AGO,
I WAS SKATING OVER THERE

TO HIT THIS KID
AND HE STUCK HIS LEG OUT,

AND I TRIPPED OVER HIS LEG AND
WENT HEAD FIRST INTO THE BOARDS.

I GOT WHIPLASH AND CONCUSSION.

Peter Laviolette: YOU KNOW,
THIS IS THE SECOND TIME

THAT HE'S HAD A CONCUSSION.

SO WE'RE REALLY TAKING IT SLOW.

YOU KNOW,
IT'S BEEN A LONG PROCESS.

PROBABLY THIRTY DAYS
INTO IT NOW.

HE WANTS TO GET BACK,
HE'S FEELING BETTER,

BUT YOU KNOW, PATIENCE
IS PROBABLY A GOOD THING

WHEN YOU'RE DEALING
WITH CONCUSSIONS,

WHETHER THEY'RE YOUR PLAYERS
IN THE NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE

OR IT'S YOUR OWN SON.

I'VE BEEN PLAYING HOCKEY
SINCE I'VE BEEN TWO.

WHEN I WAS FIVE, I STARTED
PLAYING IN THE LEAGUE.

I LIKE THE CONTACT,
JUST SEEING A GUY GO ON THE ICE,

FALL ON THE ICE,
I JUST LOVE IT.

I DON'T KNOW WHY.
I DO IT TO MY BROTHER.

Chayse Primeau:
I WENT BACK DOWN TO GET THE PUCK

AND I GOT HIT FROM BEHIND.

AND I DON'T REMEMBER ANYTHING.

PEOPLE SAID I WAS ON THE ICE
FOR LIKE FOUR OR FIVE MINUTES.

I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER
20 SECONDS OF IT.

I DON'T REMEMBER ANY OF IT.

I WAS ONE OF THE GUYS OUT THERE
GETTING YOU UP.

I DON'T REMEMBER THAT.

CHAYSE!

Steve: DO YOU THINK IT'S GOOD
TO KNOW MORE ABOUT CONCUSSIONS?

OR WOULD YOU
JUST RATHER NOT KNOW?

NOT KNOW TOO MUCH ABOUT 'EM.

'CAUSE IF I GET ONE,
IT KINDA SCARES ME.

LIKE WHAT HAPPENS
IF I HAVE THIS?

BUT SINCE I DON'T KNOW,
I JUST...

I LIKE IT BETTER THAT WAY.

SO WHEN YOUR DAD TALKS TO YOU
ABOUT CONCUSSIONS,

YOU PREFER HE DOESN'T
REALLY TELL YOU TOO MUCH?

YEAH. ( laughs )

DOES HE KNOW THAT?

NO. ( laughs )

BEING A PEDIATRICIAN
FOR MANY YEARS,

I WANTED TO HELP
MY OLDEST SON NATHAN

PROTECT THAT BRAIN 'CAUSE THAT'S
HOW HE'S GONNA EARN HIS LIVING.

HE WASN'T GONNA BE GOING OFF
AND PLAYING HOCKEY FOR A LIVING.

AND SO ONE OF HIS EARLY COACHES
WAS KEITH PRIMEAU,

WHO HAD JUST RETIRED FROM
THE NHL BECAUSE OF CONCUSSIONS.

GO!

HAVING KEITH AS ONE
OF NATHAN'S EARLY COACHES

REALLY MADE A BIG IMPACT
ON OUR WHOLE FAMILY.

HE CHANGED OUR LIVES,
BUT ALSO CHANGED MY CAREER.

I WANT YOU TO LOOK AT MY PEN.

DOES THAT PEN LOOK FAIRLY CLEAR?
IT'S NOT DOUBLE OR BLURRY?

IT'S DOUBLING.

IT IS DOUBLE AND BLURRY?

CLOSE YOUR EYES.

THERE IS RESEARCH
THAT DOES SHOW

THAT CHILDREN RESPOND
DIFFERENTLY TO CONCUSSIONS.

THEY'RE NOT JUST
LITTLE ADULTS.

ALL RIGHT, IT MAKES YOU
FEEL WOBBLY?
YEAH.

Dr. Cantu: LET'S SEE, STILL
HAVING ISSUES WITH HEADACHES,

STILL HAVING ISSUES
WITH TROUBLE FALLING ASLEEP,

NOT BEING ABLE
TO CONCENTRATE...

Nate Gyory:
IT WASN'T A BIG HIT AT ALL.

I'VE BEEN HIT
MUCH HARDER BEFORE.

IT WAS JUST LIKE 3 CONSECUTIVE
FACEMASK-TO-FACEMASK HEAD BUTTS.

AND THAT WAS MY FIRST ROUND
OF THE PLAYOFFS
FOR THE HOCKEY SEASON.

I PLAYED THE REST OF THE GAME.
I DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING OF IT.

Lisa Gyory: IT WASN'T ONE
OF THESE HITS WHERE I SAID,

"OH, MY GOD, IS HE HURT?"

I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HE WAS HURT.

I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HE WAS HIT.

THEN I WENT TO BED AND I WOKE UP
WITH A REALLY BAD HEADACHE.

AND I TOOK TWO WEEKS OFF.
IT GOT BETTER AFTER TWO WEEKS.

I GOT RIGHT BACK
INTO THE LACROSSE SEASON,

WHICH WAS STARTING
A MONTH LATER.

ABOUT HALFWAY
THROUGH THE SEASON,

I GOT ANOTHER CONCUSSION.

Dr. Cantu:
LEAN FORWARD A LITTLE BIT

TO CENTER YOUR WEIGHT
AND THEN CLOSE YOUR EYES.

IF SOMEBODY HAS NOT FULLY
RECOVERED FROM A CONCUSSION

AND THEN IS SUBJECTED
TO A SECOND CONCUSSION,

MORE PROBABLY THAN NOT,
IT'S GOING TO TAKE

A MUCH LONGER TIME
TO GET OVER THE SYMPTOMS

THAN IF THEY'D SUFFERED
THOSE TWO CONCUSSIONS

SAY A YEAR APART.

HE BECAME SYMPTOMATIC
WHEN SCHOOLWORK GOT PILED ON.

PUT YOUR TONGUE OUT STRAIGHT.

AND SO IT WAS ACTUALLY THAT
ADDITIONAL COGNITIVE LOAD

OF SCHOOLWORK THAT BROUGHT BACK
POST-CONCUSSION SYMPTOMS.

THE ASPECT OF ALL OF THIS
FOR DOWN THE ROAD

IS WHETHER YOU GO BACK
TO CONTACT COLLISION SPORTS.

AND THIS IS BASED PARTLY
ON THE FACT THAT YOUR INJURY

DID NOT SEEM TO BE
A MONUMENTAL HIT,

AND YET THE SYMPTOMS HAVE LASTED
AN APPRECIABLE PERIOD OF TIME.

Nate Gyory: IT WAS REALLY
FRUSTRATING BECAUSE I HAVE
MY HOCKEY SEASON COMING UP,

AND IT LOOKS REALLY BAD FOR ME
BECAUSE I DON'T THINK
I'LL BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE.

I'M THE CAPTAIN
OF THE TEAM.

SO I STILL HAVE
TO BE THERE FOR EVERYONE.

THE TEAMMATES, I WOULD SAY,
WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE.

IT WAS THE PARENTS
WHO DIDN'T UNDERSTAND,

BECAUSE I COULDN'T COME
TO THE GAMES SOMETIMES
'CAUSE I NEEDED TO RECOVER.

SO THEY'D SAY, "OH, THAT KID
DOESN'T CARE ABOUT THE TEAM.

"HE DOESN'T CARE
ABOUT HOW THEY'RE DOING.

HE'S JUST GOING HOME BECAUSE
HE'S TIRED OF LACROSSE SEASON."

BUT THAT WASN'T THE CASE AT ALL.

I DIDN'T KNOW, ACTUALLY.

I DIDN'T HEAR
THE CRITICISM BY PARENTS.

I DON'T LIKE TO GOSSIP, SO...
( laughs )

NO, HE DOESN'T.

I DIDN'T EXPECT
GETTING EMOTIONAL,

AHH, LISTENING
TO THE WHOLE THING.

IF I COULD GO BACK IN TIME
AND CHANGE ONE THING,

I WOULD HAVE TAKEN
TWO WEEKS OFF OF SCHOOL,

NOT STRESS MYSELF AT ALL,
JUST TAKING THE TIME OFF,

BECAUSE IN THE END,
IT WAS THE SCHOOLWORK
THAT SET ME BACK.

Dr. Master: IF THEIR BRAIN HAS
RECOVERED ENOUGH

THAT THEY CAN DO COGNITIVE WORK
AND HANDLE A FULL DAY OF SCHOOL,

THEN WE CAN PROGRESS THEM

THROUGH
A RETURN-TO-PLAY PROTOCOL,

AND IT GOES FAIRLY SMOOTHLY.

CHRIS: THE FOCUS
OF THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW,

AND THE FOCUS
OF A LOT OF THE LEGISLATION,

HAS BEEN
RETURN-TO-PLAY.

AND THAT'S THE STORY
THAT'S REALLY A LOT OF PLACES

BEING SOLD AS THE SOLUTION.

I MEAN, I HEAR IT
FROM PARENTS ALL THE TIME,

EVEN IF THEY GET
A CONCUSSION,

AS LONG AS THEY
RETURN TO PLAY

AT THE RIGHT TIME,
THEY'LL BE FINE.

WHAT NO ONE'S TALKING ABOUT,
AT ANY LEVEL,

IS THE FACT THAT WE ARE CLEARLY
NOT DIAGNOSING CONCUSSIONS

AND WE ARE NOT GETTING
ATHLETES OFF THE FIELD

WHEN THEY DO HAVE THEM.

ATHLETES DON'T REALIZE HOW IT'S
IN THEIR OWN BEST INTEREST

TO PULL THEMSELVES OUT
OR TO REPORT THAT THERE
MIGHT BE SOMETHING WRONG.

Eric Laudano:
THE ATHLETIC TRAINERS HERE

ARE ON THE FIELD
FROM THE START

OR BEGINNING
OF THE PRACTICE OR GAME.

SO IF WE SEE AN INCIDENT
THAT IS EXTREMELY VIOLENT

OR IF THE ATHLETE
DOES NOT SEEM LIKE THEMSELVES,

WE'LL IMMEDIATELY BRING
THE ATHLETE OFF THE FIELD

AND EVALUATE THEM
ON THE SIDELINES

TO ENSURE THAT
THEY DON'T RETURN TO PLAY

IF IT'S SOMETHING
THAT CAN MAKE THEM WORSE.

( players yelling )

Chris: WE'LL NEVER BE ABLE
TO SAY SCIENTIFICALLY

WHAT'S SAFE AND WHAT'S UNSAFE.

THE IDEA THAT
A 100-G BLOW TO YOUR HEAD

CAUSES A CONCUSSION,
AND THAT'S BAD FOR YOU,

BUT THAT 99-G BLOW THAT YOU SAY,
"OH, I'M FINE." THAT'S FINE?

IT'S IMPOSSIBLE
THAT THAT'S THE REALITY.

Douglas Smith: WE HAVE
TO DEFINE WHETHER THERE'S

A CUMULATIVE EFFECT OF INJURIES
THAT YOU CAN'T SEE.

NOW PEOPLE ARE USING THE TERM
"SUB-CONCUSSIVE BLOWS."

Dr. Steven Galetta:
SUB-CONCUSSIVE BLOWS

WOULD REFER TO HEAD HITS
THAT DON'T BECOME APPARENT

TO THE ATHLETE
IN ANY CLINICAL SYMPTOMOLOGY.

THAT IS, THEY MAY HAVE
CRASHED HELMETS AND FELT FINE.

Dr. Master: ONE OF THE CONCERNS
ABOUT SUB-CONCUSSIVE HITS

IS THAT YOU DON'T
JUST GET A PASS ON THEM.

THEY'RE NOT FREE.

Dr. Galetta: WE NEED
TO UNDERSTAND WHETHER OR NOT

THE NUMBER OF THESE HITS
PUT THAT INDIVIDUAL

AT INCREASED RISK FOR CTE.

Jason Stallman:
WHAT IF THE REAL DAMAGE IS DONE

BY THE DOZENS
IF NOT HUNDREDS

OF SEEMINGLY
INNOCUOUS COLLISIONS

THAT A LINEMAN,
FOR EXAMPLE,

MIGHT ENDURE THROUGHOUT
THE COURSE OF A GAME.

THERE'S SO
LITTLE UNDERSTANDING,

I THINK, SO FAR,
ON WHAT

THE LONG-TERM IMPLICATIONS
OF THAT ARE,

AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT

A YOUNG PLAYER STARTING OUT
AT FIVE OR TEN YEARS OLD,

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF TIMES
HIS BRAIN

HAS BEEN IN A COLLISION
IS QUITE A LOT.

WHAT IF SUDDENLY PARENTS
DON'T WANT THEIR KIDS

TO PUT A FOOTBALL HELMET ON

AND RUN ONTO
A FOOTBALL FIELD ANYMORE?

WHERE DOES THE SPORT GO?

THAT'S MY BABY!

( crowd cheering )

WHOO! THERE YOU GO!
THEY'RE COMING BACK!

WE CAN DO THIS HERE, BABY!

MAN, I WANT TO DO
THE DAVID AND GOLIATH THING!

♪

Cindy Parlow Cone: WHEN MY KIDS
GET HIT IN THE HEAD,

I IMMEDIATELY SUB THEM OUT.

AND I CHECK THEM OVER.
IT DRIVES THEM NUTS.

THEY GET SO--
"I'M FINE, CINDY, I'M FINE!"

Laura Rounce: GET IT, MAR!
DON'T BREAK YOUR LEG!

Cindy: I'VE BEEN SCREAMED
AND YELLED AT BY PARENTS

FOR NOT PLAYING THEM WHEN
THEY'VE GOTTEN A CONCUSSION.

WHICH IS FINE BY ME,

BECAUSE I KNOW THAT
I'M DOING THE RIGHT THING.

AND I'VE ACTUALLY
HAD THOSE SAME PARENTS

COME BACK TO ME AND APOLOGIZE
AND THANK ME

BECAUSE I WOULD
SEND THEM PUBLICATIONS

ON THE EFFECTS
OF CONCUSSIONS.

Mary Rounce: IT'S SCARY,
KNOWING IF I GET ONE MORE,

WHAT COULD HAPPEN.

DO YOU THINK YOU COULD GET
DEMENTIA FROM CONCUSSIONS?

YEAH, I THINK I'M GONNA
GET IT EARLY ON. ( laughs )

SO WHAT KIND OF MOTHER AM I?

SHE HEARD,
OR WE HEARD FROM SOMEBODY,

THAT YOU CAN'T HAVE MORE--
ONCE YOU HAVE FIVE, YOU'RE DONE.

IS THERE A SCIENTIFIC STUDY
ABOUT HOW MANY ARE ACCEPTABLE?

ZERO IS PROBABLY ACCEPTABLE.

OKAY.

AS A GENERAL PEDIATRICIAN,

AND ALSO A SPECIALIST
IN SPORTS MEDICINE,

THAT'S A TOUGH QUESTION
EVEN FOR ME TO ANSWER

FOR MY OWN FAMILY,
AS YOU CAN SEE.

Dr. Laura Balcer:
THE FACT OF NEUROLOGY

IS THAT REALLY
AFTER THREE CONCUSSIONS

AN ATHLETE SHOULD THINK ABOUT
RETIRING FROM THAT SPORT.

Steve: AND THE SEVERITY
OF THOSE CONCUSSIONS?
I DON'T THINK IT MATTERS.

I THINK JUST THAT YOU'VE HAD
A MEANINGFUL NEUROLOGIC EVENT
EACH TIME IS IMPORTANT.

Dr. Master: RIGHT NOW,
NATHAN HAS SUSTAINED

PROBABLY THREE
OFFICIAL CONCUSSIONS.

Dr. Smith: PEOPLE SAY,
"WELL, IF YOU HAD A CONCUSSION,

HOW LONG WOULD YOU WAIT OUT
UNTIL YOU WENT BACK IN?"

AND I SAY 50 YEARS.
SERIOUSLY.

I MEAN 50 YEARS.
THAT'S MY BRAIN.

IF YOU GET HIT AGAIN,
YOU'RE GOING DOWN ANOTHER NOTCH.

IF YOU LIKE
HOW QUICKLY YOU CAN THINK NOW,

AND YOU LIKE WHO YOU ARE,
THAT YOU CAN GET JOKES QUICKLY,

YOU KNOW,
WHAT IF THAT WENT AWAY?

FOR ME, THAT'S ENOUGH OF A RISK
TO JUST SAY NO.

FIFTEEN OR SO PERCENT OF PEOPLE
WITH A SINGLE CONCUSSION

HAVE PERSISTING
COGNITIVE DYSFUNCTION.

MEANING, THEY DON'T GO
BACK TO SCHOOL OR TO WORK

OR JUST CARRY ON LIFE
THE WAY THEY HAD IT.

THEY HAVE LONG-TERM PERSISTING
PROBLEMS AFTER ONE CONCUSSION.

DOUG SMITH,
HE SAID ONE IS TOO MANY.

AND YOU KNOW,
I KIND OF CRINGED

BECAUSE I DO FEEL LIKE
HE'S PROBABLY RIGHT, YOU KNOW,

BUT IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT.

I MIGHT LOOK BACK AND SAY
I WISHED I HAD STOPPED HIM
AFTER THIS LAST ONE.

Steve: SO WHY DON'T YOU
JUST SAY NO HOCKEY?

Dr. Master:
BECAUSE HE LOVES TO PLAY HOCKEY,

WE LOVE THAT HE LOVES
PLAYING HOCKEY,

AND WE LOVE
WATCHING HIM PLAY HOCKEY.

Laura Rounce:
WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LITTLE BIT

ABOUT WHAT IF YOU
COULDN'T PLAY SOCCER.

AND WE DON'T HAVE
AN ANSWER TO THAT

BECAUSE SHE LOVES IT.

( crowd cheering )

Morgan Thomas:
I LOVE FOOTBALL.

YOU'RE BLEEDING, YOU'RE CRYING,
YOU'RE SWEATING WITH THESE GUYS,

IN THE LOCKER ROOM,
ON AWAY TRIPS.

IT'S ALMOST LIKE
GOING THROUGH BATTLE.

IT'S ALMOST LIKE
THEY'RE YOUR WAR BUDDIES.

YOU'LL NEVER BE ABLE
TO TAKE THAT AWAY FROM ANYBODY.

Peewee coach: WHEN WE STARTED
OUR PROGRAM, IT WAS HARD.

YOU HAD DIVISION AMONG CHILDREN
FROM COMMUNITIES NEARBY.

THIS KID DOESN'T LIKE THAT KID
AND IF YOU ASK HIM WHY,

HE CAN'T REALLY TELL YOU,

OTHER THAN HE LIVE OVER THERE
IN THE ROW HOUSES.

AND THROUGH FOOTBALL, WE'VE BEEN
ABLE TO GET THEM TOGETHER,

FIND A COMMON GROUND.

( crowd cheering )

Dr. McKee:
WHEN YOU GROW UP WITH FOOTBALL,

YOU LOVE
THE CHANGE OF THE SEASON,

THE SENSE OF EXCITEMENT
WHEN YOU HEAR THE CROWD,

I ADMIT IT,
I'M A HUGE FOOTBALL FAN,

AND IT'S LIKE I CAN'T HELP IT,
IT'S JUST PART OF ME.

Chris: THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT
WE ROMANTICIZE THESE SPORTS.

WHEN I GREW UP,

I HAD THIS EMOTIONAL CONNECTION
TO FOOTBALL.

THE VALUES THAT PEOPLE HOLD DEAR
CAN BE ACHIEVED OTHER WAYS.

I DID PLAY BASKETBALL,
I DID PLAY BASEBALL,
I DID DO THEATRE.

I LEARNED LESSONS
IN ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

Isaiah Kacyvenski: I WOULD LOVE
FOR ISAIAH JR. TO PLAY FOOTBALL.

FOOTBALL HAS ABSOLUTELY GIVEN ME
SO MUCH IN MY LIFE.

I JUST WANT IT TO BE
UNDER THE RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES.

RIGHT NOW,
I'M HAVING A HARD TIME

PUTTING MY SON ON A FIELD
WITH A GOOD CONSCIENCE.

MY SON'S FOUR YEARS OLD,

AND I HAVE A DAUGHTER
WHO'S TWO AND A HALF.

Steve: DO YOU WANT YOUR SON
TO PLAY FOOTBALL?

( sighs )

LET'S GO! LET'S GO!

RUN THE SAME THING.
GO, GO, GO. TO THE LEFT.

( whistle blows )

LET'S GO, Y'ALL.
NOW OR NEVER, BABY!

DAVID, LET'S MAKE HISTORY!
NOW OR NEVER!

OVER HERE! EVERYTHING!

EVERYTHING! TAKE 'EM OUT!
TAKE 'EM STRAIGHT OUT!

GO! YEAH! GO, BABY, GO!
GO, GO, GO!

( whistle blows )

DAMN!

( whistle blows )

HEY, THAT'S GAME.

WOW.

THEY JUST GOT TIRED ON ME,
THAT'S ALL.

AIN'T GOT NOTHIN'
TO HOLD THEIR HEADS DOWN FOR.

ELEVEN GUYS, YES, SIR.

HEY, BOY, DON'T DO THAT.

DON'T DO THAT. COME HERE.
COME HERE, RIGHT HERE.

COME HERE, COME HERE.
LOOK. LOOK.

Y'ALL DIDN'T GET THIS FAR
NOT KNOWING HOW TO PLAY.

COME ON, CHRIS,
HOLD YOUR HEAD UP

AND LOOK AT WHAT YOU
ACCOMPLISHED THIS SEASON,

AND GOD WILLING,
I'LL SEE ALL Y'ALL

BACK HERE NEXT YEAR.

IS THAT WHAT Y'ALL WANT?
Players: YEAH!

LET ME HEAR YOU THEN.

HOW DO Y'ALL FEEL?
GOOD!

HOW YOU FEEL?
GOOD!

HOW GOOD?!
REAL GOOD!

HOW GOOD?!
REAL GOOD!

♪

Keith Primeau: FOCUS,
DETERMINATION,

A WILLINGNESS TO COMMIT
AND COMPETE FOR THE ENTIRE GAME.

IT'S THE REASON
FOR PLAYING SPORTS.

THREE OF MY FOUR CHILDREN

HAVE ALL SUFFERED
ONE CONCUSSION.

MY DAUGHTER ASKED ME
THE QUESTION,

"DADDY, SHOULD WE NOT PLAY
IF WE COULD GET HURT?"

AND I SAID,
"WELL, THAT'S YOUR DECISION.

"YOU DON'T HAVE TO PLAY
IF YOU DON'T WANT,

BUT THERE'S NO GUARANTEE
IN LIFE."

I THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT ANSWER.
I'M NOT 100% SURE.

SOME PEOPLE MIGHT THINK
THAT I'M NOT CONCERNED

ABOUT THEIR HEALTH
OR WELL-BEING, BUT I AM.

BUT I DON'T LIVE IN FEAR OF THEM
GETTING HURT PLAYING SPORT.

YOU READY TO GO?

Players: LET'S GO, BOYS!

IT'S THE ENJOYMENT
I SEE IN THEIR FACE

WHEN THEY'RE DOING IT...

AND THAT'S ENOUGH FOR ME.

♪

♪

♪ SLOW POSE

♪ AND CROSS-EYED

♪ VISIONS OWED
TO THE RAILROAD TIES ♪

♪ HUMPBACKS

♪ AND SUGAR SHACKS

♪ SHOTGUN WED
TO THE POISON OF OUR PAST ♪

♪ A LITTLE LONGER

♪ A LITTLE LONGER TO GO

♪ WE'VE A LITTLE LONGER ♪

♪ A LITTLE LONGER TO GO

♪ I JUST CAN'T HELP SAY SO ♪

♪ CAN'T YOU SEE ME? ♪

♪ CAN'T YOU SEE ME AT ALL? ♪

♪ INTERSPACED, OH

♪ AND PIE-FACED, OH

♪ YOU CATCH THE MOON

♪ I'LL JUST STAND HERE
AND RUN IN PLACE ♪

♪ SHELL SHOCKED, OH

♪ AND HALF-COCKED, OH

♪ THE UNIVERSE
IS FULL OF BLACK HOLES ♪

♪ AND ANNIVERSARY NIGHTS

♪ A LITTLE LONGER TO GO

♪ WE'VE A LITTLE LONGER ♪

♪ A LITTLE LONGER TO GO

♪ WE'VE A LITTLE LONGER TO GO ♪

♪ CAN'T YOU SEE ME AT ALL? ♪

♪ CAN'T YOU SEE ME? ♪

♪ CAN'T YOU SEE ME AT ALL? ♪

♪ CAN'T YOU SEE ME? ♪

♪ CAN'T YOU SEE ME? ♪

♪ CAN'T YOU SEE ME AT ALL? ♪