Great point and I would also pose a question.
Who pays the football medical staff (at any university, not just the U) and when does morality to the patient who will no longer be a patient in anywhere from 5 years to the end of that season supersede the pay checks to feed themselves and their families? It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out where their loyalties lie.
The players in college sport have no representation what so ever. Most will say "so what, they get a free education and if they don't like it don't play."
I agree that there is some truth in that statement, I would also agree that the same folks who say that would have a different tune if the same sentiment manifested itself in their day to day lives.
Me? I say there is room for improvement without throwing the baby out with the bath water.
Most players are conditioned that playing with pain is a sign of toughness, in addition their window of opportunities (new batch of players coming in every summer and eligibility clock counting down) are so small they will do, and willingly believe anything to be on the field.
It's also not easy on even the ethical coaches, how do they determine between the wimp who can't play through a little pain and a player facing legitimate injuries....especially if the person or persons (talking specificly about AJ, Kill and the U's medical staff) responsible for making the diagnoses, misdiagnoses the severity of an injury (if indeed this happened). Put that with a tough coach who will put himself at whatever risk do to his job in the face of his own difficult medical history and to me that’s a recipe for at best the AJ situation or worse.
Note: For the weak minded; this is not a dig at coach Kill but actually a compliment. However; you can’t have it both ways; it’s fair to wonder if a tough as nuts person who is okay with making a decision on his health that most wouldn’t, might unfairly expect someone else to do the same thing (if it indeed happened as AJ described)?
I would also put an equal amount of blame/responsibility on the parents (in general). They loose judgment and what should be their first priority….their child in the face of stardom and a free education. Folks will get a 2nd opinion for diaper rash but will allow a complete stranger whose loyalties don’t rest with their child to tell them what they want to hear; that little James is alright to play and don’t get/bother with a 2nd opinion from someone whose primary concern is for the LONGTERM health of their patient.
What’s the answer? I don’t know, I just know that it needs to be discussed. Under the current system they (colleges and coaches), have added games, no limits in the amount of contact the players are subjected too all in the name of generating more money. Why would anyone doubt that they (not talking about Kill and the U) wouldn’t encourage/mandate their work force to play injured (not hurt, there is a big difference).
Oh, I forgot….I’m a biased parent who can’t have an opinion because……I’m biased and to emotional and have never been told no; little James is not good enough.
