Concussions

WHEN IS THE NHL GOING TO WAKE UP???
TODAY IAN LAPERRIERE OF THE PHILADELPHIA FLYERS BECAME THE LATEST PLAYER TO BE DIAGNOSED WITH POST CONCUSSION SYNDROME…
THIS SHOULD NOT COME TO A SURPRISE TO ANYONE…
ON APRIL THE 22ND OF THIS YEAR…LAPERRIERE WAS HIT IN THE FACE IN THE PLAYOFF GAME AND SUFFERED A CONCUSSION…
IT SHOULD HAVE ENDED HIS SEASON…
NEVERTHELESS…A FEW DAYS LATER HE WAS CLEARED TO PLAY AND WAS IN THE LINE UP FOR GAME 4 OF THE EASTERN CONFERENCE FINAL…
NOW HIS SEASON AND HIS CAREER ARE IN DOUBT…
IT’S SAME STORY WITH MARC SAVARD OF THE BOSTON BRUINS…
ON MARCH 7TH…SAVARD WAS BLINDSIDED BY A VICIOUS HIT TO THE HEAD BY MATT COOKE…
HE SUFFERED A GRADE 2 CONCUSSION…
AGAIN…HIS SEASON SHOULD HAVE BEEN OVER…
NEVERTHELESS…BY MAY 1ST…SAVARD WAS BACK IN THE LINE UP FOR THE SECOND ROUND OF THE PLAYOFFS…
AND NOW HIS FUTURE IS IN DOUBT…
SAVARD ADMITTS WHEN HE RETURNED FOR THE PLAYOFFS “HE WAS NOT READY”…
THAT DECISION MAY COST HIM HIS CAREER…AND A LOT MORE…
IT IS EASY FOR THE TEAMS AND THE LEAGUE TO AVOID ANY RESPONSIBILITY WITH THIS ISSUE…
AFTER ALL…ONCE A PLAYER GETS MEDICAL CLEARANCE…AND DOES NOT COMPLAIN…
THEN THE NEED TO WIN IS ALL THAT MATTERS…
THAT HAS TO CHANGE…
LAST YEAR A SURVEY OF THE “NFL” SHOWED THAT 20 PERCENT OF PLAYERS HAVE HIDDEN OR PLAYED DOWN THE EFFECTS OF A CONCUSSION…
IT WOULD BE FOOLISH TO THINK THE NHL IS ANY DIFFERENT…
THE LONG TERM EFFECTS OF CONCUSSIONS INCLUDE…DEMENTIA…DEPRESSION…AND ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE…
LAST SEASON WILLIE MITCHELL MISSED 48 GAMES AND THE PLAYOFFS WITH A CONCUSSION…
BUT UNLIKE LAPERRIERE AND SAVARD…MITCHELL REFUSED TO RETURN TO THE LINE UP UNTIL HE FULLY RECOVERED…
SO FAR THIS SEASON…HE HAS HAD NO PROBLEMS…
BUT THESE DECISIONS SHOULD NOT COME DOWN TO THE PLAYERS…OR THE TEAMS…
THE NHL NEEDS NEW…STRICKER GUIDELINES…THAT ARE DESIGNED TO PROTECT THE PLAYERS…EVEN IF IT MEANS…
PROTECTING THEM…FROM THEMSELVES…