The last movie of the year that I saw was the extremely powerful “Concussion” starring Will Smith, who portrays Dr. Bennet Omalu, a pathologist who uncovers the truth about chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in NFL football players who suffer repeated concussions. It was also one of the best movies I’ve seen in 2015. ‘Concussion’ is a must-see that brings awareness to other sports too, and is an Oscar-worthy contender for Smith.
The based-on-a-true-story follows the heartbreaking lives of several NFL players, including the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Mike Webster, who played in 245 games in his career. According to Omalu, it was estimated that Webster received more than 70,000 blows to the head during that time. He lived out of his pickup truck and, at times, begged the Steelers’ trainer Dr. Julian Bailes (played by Alec Baldwin) for help combating his symptoms. The only problem was that Bailes didn’t know what Webster’s problem was. “What am I missing?” he said to Webster’s family and to his staff. Webster’s scans were all coming back normal. After Webster’s tragic suicide, Omalu diagnosed him with CTE. He went on to diagnose multiple NFL players – including Terry Long, Justin Strzelczyk and Andre Waters — with the same condition. (Check out this list of players who have/had CTE.)
“I’m ready to go,” was what Waters muttered before he ultimately committed suicide, too.
The film also follows the heartbreaking repercussions of Omalu’s findings. He is a respectable Nigerian man who just wanted to be in America doing what he loved. Instead, after revealing his study, Omalu received death threats and ultimately lost his job. After his wife, Parma, was apparently stalked, she miscarried their first child. Finally, after believing that the NFL would meet with him, Omalu found out it was all a set up to give the NFL the upper hand in the press, following Omalu’s damaging findings.
There’s so much discussion on the Internet about what parts of the movie actually happened in real life versus what was Hollywood’s adaptation of the events. I don’t care to discuss any of that. What Omalu did was create awareness of the dangers of playing football. The movie then created additional awareness about the dangers of playing football. Even New York Jets offensive lineman D’Brickashaw Ferguson wrote a personal essay after seeing the film that said he felt uneducated about how his brain worked and the impact that football had on him. He also felt betrayed that the league didn’t, as he said, ‘have his best interest at heart.’
The lawsuits against the NFL from former players who are suffering from CTE are now common knowledge. In 2013, they initiated the ‘no helmet to helmet hit’ rule, which says there will be a ban on a ball carrier initiating contact with the crown of his helmet in the open field or by a defender while making a tackle.
Interestingly, just a few months ago, Frank Gifford’s family, upon his death, released a statement about his health. “While Frank passed away from natural causes this past August at the age of 84, our suspicions that he was suffering from the debilitating effects of head trauma were confirmed when a team of pathologists recently diagnosed his condition.”
They donated his brain to have it studied, “in hopes of contributing to the advancement of medical research concerning the link between football and traumatic brain injury,” his family stated.
See the movie.
After watching the movie and as a longtime professional wrestling fan, I can say that there should also be a tremendous amount of concern about CTE for these performers as well. Arm bars and body slams as well as the extreme moves of jumping from, and on, such things as ladders and tables, can be just as detrimental to the performers as a full contact football hit.
Just recently, Sin Cara, a WWE superstar, was grabbed by his ankles while on the outer part of the ring and slammed down on the mat outside the ring. The move separated his shoulder, but it was evident that he hit his head with a great deal of force as well. Last year, two former wrestlers sued the WWE because of issues with concussion trauma. Also last year, WWE phenom Daniel Bryan was not cleared to return to the ring because of head and neck injuries, including concussions. While fans miss him, his health should remain his number one concern. The WWE does have a concussion management program in place, but it is still too early to tell about the impact that these hits will have on the wrestlers on a long-term basis.
If Will Smith garners an Oscar nom for this performance, it will be his third, and the Hollywood Reporter says that, in a year where there isn’t a clear frontrunner, the former Fresh Prince might be able to take home the prize.
See the movie.
