#complex concussion

[concussionspot]

Recognizing and Managing Different Types of Concussion

Types of concussion infographic provides a clear breakdown of each type, their symptoms, recovery timelines, and recommended treatment options. A valuable resource for athletes, parents, and healthcare professionals to recognize and manage head injuries effectively.

[nerdy-hyperfixations]

I can't help feeling like Kim has a martyr complex every time I think about

"ESPRIT DE CORPS: If an assault were launched on this building right now — if the windows came crashing down and the whole world descended upon you — this man would hurl himself in death's way to save you. You are sure of this —but why?

You: Hold on, who is he to me?

ESPRIT DE CORPS: He is your half-brother."

Because Its plainly obvious that not every cop would do this for Harry, despite the half-brother thing. This isn't a cop thing, its a Kim thing, and Kim *just* met him when you get this check, but he's already willing to die for you no matter what? You could be horrendous to him, and he's still willing to die for you.

Thats Not Mentally Well Behavior, right? Am I wrong for this? Am I doing that thing where I hyperfixate on a character so hard they morph into something else?

[angelaslavendergirls]

It’s lowkey kinda crazy that trixie and Katya love each other on a level we can barely comprehend and it’s real

[battleangel]

A History of Violence

I wonder if Kris Jenkins who was recently drafted in the second round by the Bengals, same name & same position as his father who was a Pro Bowler who played 10 seasons for the Panthers, Patriots & Jets, ever bothered to read what his father told the New York Times in 2011 about what it was like playing in the trenches in the NFL?

Kris Jenkins - View of Life in the NFL Trenches

Article Excerpt

"N.F.L. fans, people outside, they have no clue what goes on. This isn’t like playing Madden. This isn’t like being the popular kid in high school. When you do those things in the real world, and it don’t work out, you still have your health. The thing about football is you’re directly playing with your life, the quality of it and the longevity of it. The stakes are up there.

You ever been in a car crash? Done bumper cars? You know when that hit catches you off guard and jolts you, and you’re like, what the hell? Football is like that. But 10 times worse. It’s hell."

Nothing is questioned, nothing is learned.

Cycle and history of violence from father to son continues.

The son will just repeat everything his father went through.

Life in the trenches, on the line.

His fathers New York Times article was only written 13 years ago — did his son even bother to read it?

Article:

"The debate about concussions wasn’t there yet. I’ve had more than 10, including college and the pros. Nobody cared. And that’s the thing. We play football."

Are we as an audience, as fans, as a nation of football loving fanatics so blasé about the same violence that was visited upon the father being visited upon his son?

Does that not even get us to collectively pause before checking pre-season match ups in preparation for Week 1 next month?

America's collective Christmas in September — footballs back!!!!!!!

Do actual thoughts ever creep in amongst the unbridled ebullience, enthusiasm and unchecked joy of, "Football!!!!!!!!!!!!".

Or is the unthinking emotion inherent in football fanaticism across all levels, players and non-players alike, the point?

The pure emotion and the short circuiting of logic.

Its probably not a great idea for me to go bash my head against that dudes head 70 to 80 times a game, every game, every season.

But, its football!!!!!!!!!

So, nothing else matters?

Unlike rules now protecting quarterbacks and other positions from helmet to helmet hits, absolutely nothing has changed for offensive & defensive linemen and running backs — you're still smashing yourself head first into a concrete wall — as a running back, 20 to 30 times a game and as a lineman, 70 to 80 times a game.

No matter how much the NFL lies about this and tries to pretend the issue is concussions, its not — the existential issue threatening the sport of football itself is the repetitive SUBconcussive head impacts involved in every blocking and tackling play in football.

They are absolutely unavoidable and occur literally over a thousand times every single season.

It is these repetitive subconcussive head impacts — average 1500 hits to the head per season in high school, football & the pros — that 10 to 15 years after their playing careers are over, can cause neurological disorders and conditions like CTE, Parkinsons disease, Alzheimers disease, ALS and dementia in former players.

We have seen the movie before.

Im pretty sure Will Smith was in it.

And even that movie was nothing but masterful subterfuge from the NFL as they named it as their eternal smokescreen — Concussion — instead of what actually turned Mike Websters brain into CTE mush — Repetitive Subconcussive Head Impacts.

Doesn't have the same Hollywood ring to it, does it?

But it doesn't make it any less true or the NFL any less deceptive.

The NFL's own disability paperwork for former players says players can be compensated as early as 36 for early-onset dementia.

Is a game really worth someone losing their literal mind at 36?

When do we question the every day violence inherent in every tackling and blocking play in football?

Article:

"I remember one game, at Carolina, my second year. We played Arizona, and the double team weighed 780 pounds combined. They just kept double-teaming me, hoping I would fold and cave in. I didn’t. But that was probably the most painful day I had.

From the double teams, over the years, I wore the left side of my body down. I was past hurt.

I was at the point of numb. Like my body was shutting down nervous systems, so I didn’t have to deal with pain.

The numbness started at the very beginning. I couldn’t feel part of both arms. I couldn’t feel part of both legs. It was worse on the left.

I’m just starting to get feeling back in my left side. Look, football is no joke.

But I’m going to say this much: somebody has to be the grunt. That’s why there’s no better position on the field than interior defensive line. Forget quarterbacks or specialists. They’ve got it easy. If we don’t come to play, nobody else on defense can do their job. We’ve got the toughest job on the field. We don’t care about our facial hair. We play a grimy position.

Piles, oh, my God, they’re brutal. I’ve had my ankles twisted. I’ve been bit. I’ve done stuff. I’ve tried to break guys’ elbows, pinching people, twisting ankles, trying to bend up their arms, pop an elbow out. Why? I had to fight back."

Tackle football is cognitive dissonance & constant dissociation.

The inherent violence of football is never seriously questioned nor is it held up under a critical lens.

The most violent, punishing plays are casually dismissed post-game by players waving their hands and saying, "It was just a football play."

Yeah — thats actually the exact problem.

Ah, pile ups. Just a good old fashioned rugby scrum.

Nothing dehumanizing, nothing to worry about.

As long as its not my dick being grabbed at the bottom of a pile as I dig my way through my second bag of Fritos Scoops, safe and secure on my couch, while those dumb fucks kill themselves for an oblong shaped ball for my entertainment.

Exploitative, much?

The spectacle of the pile up.

The brainwashing so clearly evident when grown adult men who would be ashamed to act this way publicly over anything else suddenly leap in unison into the air like feral animals as Troy Aikman shouts with unfettered glee, "The ball is loose!!!!!!".

So is our collective humanity in watching a several ton mass of flesh undulate, eye gouge, scrotum twist, bite, spit and hurt each other for...what?

Us? Them? Football?

Article:

"Mentally, we’re conditioned to be tough. We’re conditioned to feel no pain. The only injury I ever felt while playing was when one of my knees tore. That’s the only time I felt pain and was like, O.K., that hurt.

But Mondays, you wake up, and it’s hard to get out of bed. It hurts wherever you got hit. I remember one time getting hit by Edgerrin James. He put his head in my chest. I woke up, and I couldn’t even move, because it felt like my chest was going to collapse. It was sore for days. All you want to do is get the blood circulating.

Hot tub. Cold tub. Hot tub. Cold tub."

Hot tub. Cold tub. Hot tub. Cold tub.

That's brainwashing.

A dissociative brainwashing ritual to dissociate the self from the pain & violence of the game.

It's like Junior Seau when he referred to himself in third person when he was mic'd up for NFL Films before every single hit for the duration of an entire game.

Very creepy if you can find it on youtube.

It literally sounded like he was programming himself to hit, then he would hit the hole, collect himself on the ground and do it.

Hard. Goddamned hard.

Again. And again. And again. And again.

If thats not brainwashing, what is?

Article:

"The brain fog? It still hasn’t stopped. It feels like you’re punch-drunk, like someone hit you over the head. It’s like you knock yourself stupid. When you have to concentrate on things, then it becomes an issue. My head gets foggy to the point where I really can’t function."

And yet you put a helmet on your son's head and you sent him out to play the same position.

Like father, like son.

Just like fathers in the military who have sons who "follow in their footsteps".

Often, articles will speak of a newly drafted player's heritage and lineage in the sport and if his father had a storied career, the hyperbole of the newly drafted son "being born to play" is routinely trotted out.

Smacks of eugenicism, genetic determinism, militarism, rigid heirarchies, dynasties.

Capitalist masculine toxicity.

Article:

"We know it’s going to hurt. We know because pain in football is consistent over time. You’re still hurting in the off-season. You’re hurting when the next season starts.

I mean, guys play hurt, but it’s a choice. They do a pretty good job now, with all the scrutiny around concussions.

On the line, it’s still painful. By the end of the year, half an offensive line might be getting shots, draining fluid from their knees. Most stay away from cortisone now, because it’s degenerative.

Everything gets off center. Bulging disk. Herniated disk. For linemen, it starts in the lower back. Throws everything off."

What did Jason Kelce recently say on his podcast with his wife?

His back is so fucked up from playing football that he cant bend down to pick up his 1 year old daughter nor can he hold her while standing.

Kelce also played on the line as the center for the Eagles.

Is it worth it?

Should children be playing this game?

Should anyone in its current incarnation?

Has science shown that the risk of repetitive subconcussive head impacts causing neurological conditions & disorders is too high for any child to assume?

What about teenagers in high school who are legally minors and not adults?

Should they be able to assume risks as teenagers that can mentally incapacitate them later in life as soon as their 30s?

Potential suicide due to CTE in their 20s?

1500 hits per season every season starting in high school.

So, that's 6k hits to the head in four years of high school football.

Another 6k more hits to the head in four years of college football.

12k hits to the head before the pros not counting youth football prior to high school which is ages 5 to 14 aka Pop Warner.

Even 5 year olds endure on average 336 hits to the head every season in Pop Warner.

5 year olds!

Kindergartners!

Ask yourself where else you could hit a 5 year old child 336 times in the head over the course of a few months without being arrested and jailed?

Is it really okay just because it's football?

Does that truly justify that amount of head impacts to a 5 year old child?

Wouldn't we call that abuse if it was happening in the Boy Scouts or any organization other than Pop Warner?

Should it be happening at all?

In service of whom and for what?

Football? Glory? Masculinity? Manhood? America? Pride? Militarism?

All of the above?

Article:

"I can’t blame anybody for my death. I made the choice to play football. I made the choice to walk through the concussions. I could have stopped. I could have said, my head hurts. It was my choice, as a man."

But who told you that playing through permanent brain injuries is what makes you a man?

Can't we blame that person?

Your father and your coaches from youth, high school, college all the way to the pros?

Militaristic views of masculinity kills boys and young men for the game of football.

It's a militaristic war game that simulates combat yet kills people in slow motion for real.

The violence suffered by players in football is as celebrated as militaristic ideals of what soldiers suffer through in war: valor, courage under fire, physical courage, endurance, stoically fighting through unimaginable injuries & pain, the quarterback heroically leading his squad as their captain marching his troops down the field to victory just like any military commander complete with a chevron like system that awards stars for each year or season of service very similar to how stripes function in the military.

This militaristic ideal of masculinity is endlessly promoted, encouraged, rewarded and valorized in football just as it is in the military.

Football is Americas killing fields.

High school players — teenaged boys, not adult men — die every year playing football.

Over a million boys play high school football each year and only a handful die or suffer permanent, disabling and/or catastrophic injury.

Would you be so glib about the numbers though if it was your son or your brother or your boyfriend or your best friend who died playing high school football?

What if they were permanently paralyzed from the neck down playing college football?

It's easy to treat the above numbers as a statistic or rounding error when you can close out of the Facebook support page for the now dead or disabled high school or college player and get ready for Chiefs/Ravens next month.

What if you couldn't just X out of the Facebook page because you had to quit your job to take care of your disabled son for the rest of your life?

Or what if your brother killed himself from having CTE from playing college football?

The reality is, we can drop a "sad crying" emoji on a Facebook status and move on — the families of the young boys and men sacrificed to this sport definitely can't.

Go ask Tyler Sash's mom if she's "moved on".

Hasn't science proven at this point that tackle football just doesnt work the way it is currently played?

Why are we okay risking future Junior Seaus, Mike Websters, Justin Strelczyks, Phillip Adams, Tyler Hillinskis with every boy and young man that straps on the pads and helmet and charges on to the field?

Is it 10% of players that get CTE? Is it 20%?

Is it more? Is it half?

More than half?

The truth is we wont know until a CTE test is developed for living players.

Pop Warners Chief Medical Director is working with the FDA to develop the test as I type this.

Why do you think that is?

The NFL's own study funded through a university admits that NFL players are 19 times more likely than non-NFL players to develop neurological conditions and disorders.

19 times!!!!!

As long as its not your brain getting scrambled right?

And you can just sit there and watch the leagues reigning back to back MVP and reigning Super Bowl Champ slowly deteriorate their minds while accumulating permanent brain damage for your entertainment.

Pass the chips.

Article:

"We consider football a gladiator sport because we understand you’re going to get hurt. You’re putting your life on the line.

You might not die now, like in an old Roman arena, but 5, 10 years down the road, you could. You know that.

I wouldn’t change anything.

During my career, I kept my mouth shut. This now, speaking out, it’s about telling you my life. There’s no agenda, no vendetta. This is what football’s really like.

The first warning is the first meeting you have with an agent, when you realize this is real. My choices count at this point. I’m going to be prostituting myself for the next 18 years of my life.

That’s the first warning.

The next one is that good old combine.

That’s when you realize, when you march in that room half naked, I’m a number now."

No, thats when you realize that the NFL is MODERN DAY SLAVERY.

It's a modern day meat market.

6% of the US population is Black male. 75% of the NFL is Black.

0% of the owners are Black. Only 2 out of 32 coaches are Black.

Almost all of the NFL owners are white with very few exceptions and exactly none of them are Black.

The NFL is a modern day plantation.

Article:

"I loved New York. I loved playing there. I loved the spotlight. I was fine in New York, but I also played for Eric Mangini. We started 8-3, Brett Favre, all of that. Everybody told Mangini, stop with the long practices, you’re killing us. You practice too hard. We’re on turf."

36% of all injuries that occur in the NFL are due to turf & 1/4 of all concussions are a result of players heads slamming against turf.

So...

Why won't the NFL replace turf with grass in their stadiums as the NFLPA has been asking for for years?

Because they're cheap as hell and would rather injure their own investments then pay for grass.

The owners & the league have the same exact disregard and disdain for their own players.

The NFL has agreed to switch out turf for grass for the World Cup because the soccer players refused to do what NFL players are forced to — fuck their bodies up on turf.

It proves the NFL and owners could do it and, in fact, they did do it so they could host the World Cup in their football stadium — unless it's actually for the players in their own league.

In that case, you're shit out of luck.

Should have played soccer.

Article:

"What you hear from guys like Ray Lewis, James Harrison, what they’re saying is we’re well aware what we’re signing up for. The violence, we love it. The madness, we love it. We love measuring ourselves in it.

Those guys express themselves with their pads. You soften the game, you’re taking away their freedom of expression. Nobody wants to see flag football, and now, you might as well give guys flags, tell them to hug afterward, all that."

Did he even read the beginning of his own article???

Constant cognitive dissonance is the distillation & essence of tackle football — by the players, the audience, coaches, trainers, medical personnel, announce team, play by play, color, pre-game & post-game hosts, team & network journalists.

I see no repetitive head impacts causing CTE.

I hear no repetitive head impacts causing CTE.

I speak no repetitive head impacts causing CTE.

Article:

"The violence is what I remember. Like against Buffalo in 2009, when I had the game of my career. Or the time I slapped a lineman out of the way in Houston with one arm. Winning, the physical part, the mayhem, finding the line between insanity and sanity, that’s the exact reason why you play. That’s the reason fans like football in the first place.

A guy like James Harrison, he’s possessed, and that’s the guy you love to play with, love to watch. He doesn’t need to be babied."

Protection from permanent brain damage & trauma, fans bloodlust, coaches unreasonable demands, neurological disorders & conditions, neurological symptoms including suicidality, depression, memory loss, confusion, irritability, volatility, aggression, amnesia, mental incapicitation, deteroriation & decline is being "babied"??????????

Article:

"The N.F.L. is too big to fail. If that happened, it would be a slow death. It’s still the ultimate game. For us, it’s like legal prison rules. You have to protect your manhood, your well-being. You’re going to be challenged. You’re going to be tested."

"You have to protect your manhood."

Protect The Shield.

Brainwashed into the cult of American masculinity.

Just like all the other 2.6 million young boys & adolescents playing youth football.

Another million playing in high school.

100k playing in NCAA college football.

1600 play in the NFL.

All brainwashed into the cult of masculinity.

Millions of young boys and teenagers sacrificed on the altar of tackle football, Americas true religion.

Article:

"There aren’t too many places a 400-pound guy with an attitude can go and beat the crap out of somebody and not get locked up for it. I have a violent streak. I have to fight it out of my system. We signed up for it. All of it. We’re not trying to be sane or rational."

What does an 8 year old playing tackle football for Pop Warner sign up for?

Tradition, rigid authoritarianism, toxic masculinity, ideals of manhood worth sacrificing your body, mind, memories, personality, self and literal life for.

A 13 year old football player committed suicide after an egregious hit and post concussion symptoms that lasted for over a year in 2018.

He played through the hit and practiced in pads the very next day — think that might have made his concussion worse?

Prior to the hit, he was a straight A student, a voracious reader, erudite, sociable & well-liked.

After the hit, he became withdrawn.

He lost vision in one eye. He lost his balance frequently.

He was unable to read for more than a few minutes at a time.

He started tackle football at 9.

He played two ways as a linebacker and running back and was known as a ferocious hitter who never complained of pain.

He attempted suicide, was hospitalized, seemed to be improving, then the second suicide attempt was tragically successful.

Dead at 13 for the sport of football.

When is enough enough?

Football is a game, it's a magical talisman, it's a sport, it's a crucible, it's a maker of men, it's the distillation of manhood and masculinity, it's what being a man is.

It's worth bashing and battering your brains repeatedly.

It's worth your mind.

It's worth not knowing who you are at 50.

It's worth you committing suicide.

Just remember to shoot yourself in the chest so your brain can be donated and studied.

[starlight-lesbians]

idk i think greaseball is dumb not because she misspelled one word, but just because of like Every Single Choice she makes up until she apologizes to Dinah

like taking her girlfriend for granted? dumb. trying to sabotage rusty instead of relying on her own ability? stupidddd! generally acting like an bully? dumb dumb

and like i’ve written about her numerous complexes multiple times, i get it, however she’s still dumb for that (/mostly affectionate)

i love her and can make fun of her a little bit i think. greaseball was kind of always written as kind of a meathead jock but i think in later versions they’ve done a good job giving him/her some more depth.

they made gb more sympathetic over time too which is nice, if you wanna redeem a character you kinda have to make them likable to an extent

idk yall she’s my favorite girlfailure at the end of the day.

[dazednstoned]

The theory that Dutch went “crazy” bc of his head injury on the trolley doesn't really hold up. I say this as someone who has endured multiple life-altering head injuries. To change someone's personality like people claim it did Dutch's, it would have to be an incredibly severe injury, not just a minor concussion.

I can think of one medical case where this occurred to such an extent. It was Phineas Gage where his personality changed completely. And guess what caused it? An iron rod went all the way through his head. So, the likelihood of Dutch's minor head injury being the cause of his behavior in ch4-6 is very low.

Personally, I think it's as simple as Dutch was a manipulator, knowingly or not. And when John and Arthur were slipping away his tactics of manipulation fell through, hence his change in behavior.

[sag-dab-sar]

Does anyone else have cycling interests?

Like super focused on a specific show for a month, then classic music for a month, then aviation for a month, then true crime for a month. (Or one week or a few months etc). Sometime my brain is super invested in for a very long time, many years, like 9/11 or WWII or Sims, but my brain doesn't (or I guess can't) focus on them when one of the random one shows up.

And my brain goes back to some of them later for another cycle of it being main focus; then brain eventually moves onto another thing. And importantly to this— I'm rarely focused on more than 2. Sometimes its like 2 and a half at most. But I'm intensely interested in The Thing while in that "cycle." And the half being minor interest in another thing especially like a transition from one cycle to the next, or a random sprinkle of some other interest like one documentary. And sometimes my brain is frazzled and can't focus on any topic (which is stressful).

I feel like I'm just a weirdo and talking about the random thing I'm interested in for a month and it is annoying even though I wanna blab and blab and blab about it for hours.

edit: ​Also my day dreaming/writing almost ALWAYS relates to the interest of that cycle and I decide if its canon when the cycle ends. The amount of non-canon because of it lol.

[extravagantliar]

I’m organising now too and I swear I had a document on his fucking clothes in DAI. Where are you please don’t be buried on this blog

[dawnrider]

The number of fictional characters out there who would be walking around with CTE is ridiculous. All in the name of drama...

Being knocked out for more than 5 minutes means very serious brain damage but humans not having a turn-off button would do immense damage to our collective storytelling. So many films and books and videogames just wouldn't happen if writers stopped bonking their characters on the head. Insane.

[ghosts-and-glory]

Is Shamura training martial arts after being taken into Lamb's cult? If they enjoyed complexity and bloodshed of war than it'd be probably dissapointing for them if they had to... drop it all

Full under the cut because this turned out really long

Upon joining the cult Shamura was a shell of their former self. They join the cult dissenting, the long term effects of the crown still clawing at the edges of their mind, but after a few days they’re mortal, just themself. Without the crown to hold them together they suffer like their injury was yesterday.

The Lamb has the doctor, Puar, perform their usual tests on them. Shamura is hardly there. They don’t know their own name, can hardly speak, can’t stand or track movement.

There was no wisdom in their slurred words. No power in the way their hands shook.

The outlook is bad.

The Lamb doesn’t really want to help them, after everything, why should they. Shamura who had The Lamb’s entire race and family killed, who killed them aswell and countless of their followers. It would cost them so much, to try and help someone who spent so long just trying to destroy them and everything they had. The time, energy, resources it would cost and they didn’t even know if they could get better.

Deciding it wasn’t worth it was one thing, but getting the other ex bishops to understand was a whole other, even the doctor disagreed with them.

Dr Puar took on being their primary caregiver. They’d been a doctor for the past hundred years and seen concussions and dementia but nothing nearly as severe as this. They wanted to help Shamura but didn’t know how.

It wasn’t until Narinder joined the cult that The Lamb saw any reason to help Shamura. But there was something wrong with him and Shamura knew something, they just had to get to it.

Kallamar was the ex bishop Puar wanted the help from the most. He was scared of the lamb and red crown but he loved Shamura more.

The Lamb took Puar and Kallamar to the ruins of the temples in Anchordeep and Silk Cradle. They spent days digging through the decimated remains of the libraries for something, anything on this type of injury.

It seemed that they where looking down possible years of intense recovery. Needed herbs and medicines that may no longer exist, techniques Puar had never heard of. But they would try.

Puar took careful and detailed notes. Timed Shamura’s responses, wrote down everything they said, tracked eating, drinking, sleeping and every symptom they displayed. Improvements where slow and sometimes nonexistent at first. They took full minutes to respond and only in single words, barley moved, couldn’t feed themselves and suffered constant migraines.

The one thing that seemed to help them the most was their siblings. They didn’t remember them most days but every time one of they came to check in it raised their spirits. One of their faces was the only thing they could focus on sometimes.

Kallamar insisted he wasn’t a doctor but still worked around the infirmary, helping Shamura was the only thing he’d do without complaining. Heket spent hours sitting in silence with them, brought them food and flowers and changed their bandages. Leshy was the only thing that could get them to smile and they where the only person he would ever lower his voice for, he told them stories even though they hardly listened.

Improvements brought new challenges. They got better at speaking full sentences and following conversations but it revealed how fractured their memory was. Forgetting names, places and important events, how often they forgot where they where, they asked the same questions over and over again.

They complained of seeing and hearing things, phantom pains with seemingly no rhyme or reason. The sun hurt their eyes, rain gave them headaches, always sleeping but always tired. They would suddenly backslide constantly. One day could walk with minimal help and the next, couldn’t even hold a pen in their hand. Have a full conversation one day and hardly spit out their name tomorrow.

Until the day Puar looked Shamura in the eye and for once they saw him. Didn’t look past them with their blank stare but looked at them. They would ask to sit outside at night in the fresh air. They seemed to know now who they are, what they where, what they lost. A tinge of grief in their words.

Improvements brought frustration. On days they remembered who they where they were overcome with a mix of anger, guilt and despair. They where a god. They had bore down on armies, killed men with a twitch of a finger, brought other gods to their knees, and now they could hardly bring a cup to their mouth.

Emotionally, their siblings said they’d never seen them like this before. Before Shamura could be frustrated but their temper was cold and quiet. Now they wore a short fuse and suffered constant mood swings. It angered them that they couldn’t read, that their hands were numb, that they couldn’t walk without a cane, couldn’t go out in the sun, couldn’t string a full sentence together, couldn’t recognize their siblings faces, couldn’t feed themselves, couldn’t sleep without drugs, everything they lacked and lost wore them down.

Regardless, they where unusually steadfast. They would always pick back up. If they got frustrated they would try again in a few days. They tried anything Puar asked of them, anything for the smallest iota of improvement.

The outlook was better.

—————

This got out of control and took me like three days between the art and write up. I got really excited when I saw this ask cause the answer is so devastating. If I was taking Narinder’s trauma seriously I’m not gonna just ignore Shamura’s traumatic brain injury.

As a side note, I’m very unsure how to write the medical stuff, my guess is that cotl is based around 1300’s-1700’s but that’s a wide net to cast. My excuse for the stronger understanding of medicine and trauma is magic.

[hhoneylemon]

𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩

dick grayson x hero!reader

summary: dick temporarily loses his hearing after a patrol

genre: fluff/slight comfort

word count: 1.2k

it was all a blur.

one moment, you’re fighting beside him. the next, he’s alone and blinking himself awake. he faintly remembers getting hit in the back of the head so hard that he could taste the color yellow.

dick doesn’t hear them. he can sense them, however, thanks to all those years in the gig. he turns as the thugs approach, sending a kick to the stomach of the closest thug, waiting to see who else would charge at him.

he doesn’t have to wait long. he wastes no time in beating a few of them with his escrima sticks, breathing hard when he sends another to the ground with a kick. his lungs and throat hurts. he can’t hear his breaths.

after punching the final thug a few times, he finally remembers he wasn’t here alone. a feeling of dread settles in his gut. he opens his mouth, roughly demanding where you are. he doesn’t hear himself, nor the reply as the thugs mouth moves. he curses himself internally; hearing loss. a possible sign of a concussion.

he drags himself out of the general area of the warehouse, searching separate rooms. he deals with the few thugs he comes across, but there are no signs of you. he’s beginning to panic. swiftly incapacitating people turns into bashing peoples heads into walls and floors. he’s more rough than he should be, less careful than he knows you’d wish he was.

upon finally emerging from the warehouse, he’s shown signs of your existence. there are a few thugs scattered about, already dealt with. he darts around in the shadows, being careful while also looking for you.

he almost screams for joy when he sees you in a small battle with someone. he’s immediately by your side, helping defeat a few other thugs who looked like they were about to gang up on you. you give him a quick ‘hey!’ as you punch the next thug, though you’re confused when dick didn’t reply to your greeting like he usually would.

the moment everyone else is dealt with, his arms are around you and the side of his face is pressed against yours. he lets out a shuddery breath and you make a noise of confusion.

“d? babe, you okay?”

he can feel your jaw move, but he can’t hear you. he lets out a noise of frustration, pulling away. there’s a look of despair on his face. you frown, cupping his chin with a hand.

“what’s wrong?”

his eyebrows furrow. what did you say? he shakes his head and points to his ear.

“i can’t hear.”

you tilt your head, giving a ‘huh?’ he breathes deeply, tilting his head to kiss your thumb.

“my hearing’s gone. i got hit in the head.”

you make a sound of understanding, then nod when you register the situation. you give him another hug, squeezing him. he quickly hugs back, gulping nervously. if he never hears your voice again, he’ll be gravely upset.

taking his hand, you begin leading him to the street. you can walk home, for all you care. or find a building with a fire escape you can climb to hop from rooftop to rooftop, either is fine. a kiss is pressed to dick’s cheek as you walk.

the usual chatter that’s shared after a patrol or mission is gone, bringing a sense of melancholy. all you have to comfort you is dick’s spandex-covered hand, which squeezes yours and makes sure you don’t have more than a few inches between each other. there are people in the streets of blüdhaven that pause and take photos of the cities defenders, though you’re left alone.

you find a building with a fire escape, pulling your boyfriend to the alleyway. he lets you climb first, following swiftly after you. together, the two of you run and leap from roof to roof until you make it to your apartment complex. he drops to the fire escape stairs and you follow him until reaching your window. breaking into your own apartment, you both climb into the bedroom.

you both strip and change into sleepwear; he grabs his tank top and sweatpants, stretching his arms. turning, he’s surprised to see you already on the bed. he didn’t hear the creak of the bed springs. oh yeah.

dick climbs onto the bed with you, settling onto his knees and cupping your cheek before kissing you softly. you place a hand on his thigh, sighing softly. he flutters his eyes at you and you frown.

“you’re so pretty.”

he gives you a look of confusion. you smile.

the two of you climb under the sheets together. he drapes himself atop of you, pressing his face against your chest. his arms wrap around your midsection, your own loosely wrapping around his waist. you peck the crown of his head.

“love you, dick. goodnight.”

he says nothing, though you didn’t necessarily expect him to. you stay awake a bit longer than normal, a sense of worry nestled in your mind, though exhaustion knocks you out regardless. dick takes much longer than usual; he’s used to sleeping to your heartbeat or your breathing, maybe the sounds of cars and such interrupting. absolute silence is frightening to him.

when dick awakes in the morning, he’s on his back with his arms flung at his sides. the room is illuminated by sunlight, the bed cold from the lack of his partners body. he groans, rolling over to hide his face in his pillow.

he heard the creaking of the bed springs.

he’s up within seconds, running down the small hallway to the kitchen. he finds you pouring a mug of coffee. he can hear the small hums that escape you, the sound of the coffee splashing into the mug.

as you put the coffee pot back into the machine, dick’s on you. he turns you, picks you up and spins you, places you back on the ground and attacks your face with kisses.

“good morning to you too.”

you smile, your arms wrapping around his neck. a sound that could be mistaken for a sob escapes your boyfriend.

“your voice is the sweetest sound on earth, babe. i, oh gosh, i love you.”

you laugh as he kisses your forehead, your cheeks, then captures your lips. his lips move desperately, as if he’d also regained his sense of touch. you smile, reaching a hand up into his hair and getting tangled in a few curls.

“well, i love you too. could i have my coffee now?”

he reluctantly releases you, watching you move with a small smile on his face. the moment you turn back towards him with your mug, he’s back to you. he gives you space to move your arm so that you can take a sip, though his hands find your hips and give them gentle squeezes.

you’d be annoyed that you weren’t able to sit if his face weren’t so pretty. a light smile carved with his lips, pretty blue eyes framed by long eyelashes, tan skin highlighted by the rays of sun that managed to leak through the kitchen curtains. with a sigh, you lean in to kiss his lips. he happily kisses back. you lean back and give him a teasing smile.

“have you even said good morning to haley yet?”

dick’s face drops. he immediately spins and skids to the living room a few feet away.

“my baby!”

you chuckle to yourself, watching as he drops to the floor in front of her. he’s such a dork.

masterlist

[gyrovagi]

it's literally all about this for eloy. his opinion of alistair was truly just 'this guy -_-' until he thought he was dead and then realized alistair was, in fact, the only other person in that tower left alive, followed by the more horrific realization that he was absolutely going to die, and eloy couldn't do anything except stare out the window and lie to him about it. it was the most crushing sense of helplessness eloy had ever felt in her life and she would do anything to avoid feeling that way again. which also means she is fucking trapped there reliving that moment for eternity.

their relationship is sooooo. it's so. like alistair is definitely having the worst timed deeply embarrassing bisexual awakening during the fifth blight, which is made worse and more confusing by the fact eloy simultaneously has Something Going On with both morrigan and zevran that he has no fucking idea how to feel about. and eloy inarguably loves alistair the most but would be absolutely incapable of viewing him romantically/sexually. and eloy loving alistair the most also means she has an overwhelming need to make sure alistair is Safe and being a grey warden isn't safe. being trusting and content to go with the flow isn't safe, he needs to learn to guard himself and his expectations so he doesn't get burned.

maybe it's even a good thing that he trusts eloy less after he conscripts loghain! because as much as his resentment hurts and eloy spends the following decades trying desperately to mend that rift with complicated results, she can survive it. what she couldn't survive is having to watch him die again 👍

ohkoing myself thinking about eloy being the last one standing against the ogre in the tower of ishal, fully convinced alistair is dead as she drags herself over to light the signal fire and collapses by the window to try and see what's going on. until alistair coughs wetly from the floor and asks is that thing really dead? did we do it? and eloy, watching loghain quit the field, tells alistair, yes, we did it. they're coming. you're going to be fine

[battleangel]

NFL Machine: 2023 to 2024 False Narratives

While the young players in tonight's draft will be full of excitement and hope, the promise of a boyhood dream on the cusp of being fulfilled, a literal lifetime of sacrifice, blood, sweat and tears finally culminating in the dream of playing in the NFL, walking across that stage, shaking Roger Goodell's hand, putting on that team jersey with their name on the back and putting on their team hat, smiling for the cameras, their childhood dream coming true...

The fact of the matter is, a lot of these same men once they have exited the league, the majority of whom will do so within 3 years, and even the Pro Bowlers who play an average of 12 seasons, may not be smiling in 10 to 15 years after their playing career is over as that is typically where neurological symptoms of diseases like CTE, early-onset dementia, Parkinson's, ALS and Alzheimer's begin to surface from repetitive head trauma caused by subconcussive hits.

Not concussions -- the hundreds of thousands of subconcussive hits these men endure during spring training, training camps, practices, drills, scrimmages and games from Pop Warner in their youth, to high school and college as young men all the way to the professional level in the NFL.

While positions vary, and linemen, linebackers and running backs obviously take more hits than a quarterback or wide receiver, the fact is that every single person that plays the sport of tackle football is required to block and tackle and plays are only blown dead by a whistle if you take the ball carrier to the ground and physically stop their forward progress. You could also force a fumble, intercept a pass, the QB could slide or run out of bounds or throw the ball away -- but the inherent nature of football, unlike its predecessor rugby, is that every single square inch must be fought for and defended. Naturally, that results in some type of contact on nearly every play.

The majority of concussions at the NON-professional level -- UNpaid WITHOUT health insurance -- in high school and college occur during practice which means they are entirely preventable but still to this day only the Ivy League conference and one other university has removed hitting from their practices.

That is a lot of hits and they do add up and they do take their toll later on.

While not every football player develops a neurological disorder from playing football, and while there is an obvious selection bias in the brains autopsied for CTE by Dr. McKee as those players were already exhibiting symptoms or else they would not have had their brains donated to be tested in the first place, there has been a link proven at this point by Dr. Bennet Omalu and Dr. McKee that repetitive subconcussive head trauma absolutely can cause CTE and that every year of playing tackle football adds to the risk.

That is irrefutable at this point.

What we don't know is why some players develop neurological disorders and others don't -- but it isn't a question anymore that the more subconcussive hits a player endures, the more likely it is that they will be diagnosed later with a degenerative neurological disorder.

There is no test currently that can diagnose CTE in a living person as it can only be confirmed via autopsy posthumously.

So, we don't have a definitive way of knowing who does and doesn't have CTE until that individual dies and an autopsy is performed specifically looking for the tau proteins that form in individuals with CTE.

So, the link has been proven and the risk is there -- what we don't yet know is how many tackle football players have CTE?

All linemen? Most linebackers? Most runningbacks? Quarterbacks who take a lot of sacks? Other position players who play for more than a decade? NFL and college players who start tackle football between 5 and 8 years old versus waiting until high school?

While we won't know the prevalence of CTE until a test for living players is developed, we certainly know the risks, and instead of the NFL doing something to mitigate that risk, they have their team doctors lying to Tua and telling him that quarterbacks don't develop CTE, it is more a thing that happens to linemen and runningbacks when Miami's own former quarterback, Morrell, the back up to Griese during Miami's famed undefeated 1972 season literally died with the most advanced form of CTE, Stage IV.

And while Morrell played during an era where quarterbacks were unprotected by the rules, there have been college quarterbacks diagnosed with CTE, so for the team doctor to tell Tua when he was contemplating retirement that he has nothing to worry about because he is a quarterback and CTE isn't seen amongst players in the position he plays is an audacious lie.

With the NFL draft being tonight, I wanted to share a document that I put together of last year's season (2023 to 2024) where I documented in NFL games I watched any hits that seemed to lead to a concussion where the player either wasn't evaluated or passed the protocol too quickly or where the player was temporarily removed from play only to re-enter the game later or where the player finished the game only to report concussion symptoms after the game or in the following days to the team's facility.

I also notated where the announcers explicitly took place in creating false narratives for the viewer and I will include clips and/or images of the hits I am referencing when I have them.

Specifically, the announcers would either gloss over egregious, sometimes helmet to helmet hits, or there were times I saw a player collapse (Amazon Prime Black Friday game) and even having seizures (Cowboys game late season) and we were never provided with an update by the announcers and, in the latter case, the announcers never even mentioned that the Cowboys player was visibly seizing on the field (I tried to find footage of the hit on Youtube, Twitter & Reddit and was unable to).

In this post, what you will see is that the NFL is a machine that is constantly propagandizing both its viewers and players through the announce team, play by play and color commentating, as well as pre-game shows like Game Day Morning (NFL Network) and Sunday Morning Countdown (ESPN) by either minimizing, justifying, glossing over and/or glamorizing the violence on the field.

You will also see teams continuously lying about player injuries, especially concussions, dishonestly claiming after the game that a player had a knee injury when he clearly lowered his helmet to deliver the hit then promptly proceeded to collapse on the field (Amazon Prime Black Friday game) yet Miami stated the player had a "knee injury" after the game.

There are many, many other examples like this which should remind you of Miami lying two seasons ago that Tua had a "back injury" when he clearly had suffered a concussion as he was wobbly (classic ataxia symptoms) and struggled to get up and had to have multiple players assist him just to stand yet he still finished that game against the Buffalo Bills.

2023 to 2024 False NFL Narratives 11/24/2023 - Dolphins vs Jets On October 23rd, 2023, Jevon Holland fell to turf after colliding with fellow Dolphins defender vs Eagles.

He was on the turf for several minutes then evaluated in the lockerroom for a concussion by the UNC (unafilliated neurological consultant) and he cleared the test and was put back in the game.

The next morning (Monday), Coach Josh McDaniels confirmed that Holland had reported concussion symptoms and had been entered into the concussion protocol. He cleared the protocol a week later on November 1st and rejoined the secondary.

Tonight, approximately one month after Holland sustained a concussion against the Eagles, during the inaugural Black Friday game on Amazon Prime on November 24th, late in the 4th quarter, Holland lowered his helmet to deliver a tackle and immediately collapsed to the turf.

Earlier in the game, Holland had had a 99 yard pick 6 touchdown.

The broadcast stepped away to a commercial break directly after the above hit occurred and, when they returned, there was no update on Holland as they displayed a graphic on screen displaying the current AFC playoff picture and returned to the in-game action without providing commentary on Jevon Holland, who we had just seen collapse to the turf after lowering his helmet and delivering a hit just prior to the break.

The game concluded, and while Al Michaels & Kirk Hebstreit commented on Hollands incredible 99 yard pick 6, they never provided an update on how Holland was doing, if he had been evaluated for a concussion or if he had been ruled out of the game with a concussion.

In other words, the announce team acted like Holland had never collapsed to the field after lowering his helmet to deliver a hit.

As the game concluded, Al mentioned that the sideline reporter would be interviewing Jevon Holland about his 99 yard pick 6.

Holland was lucid, clear eyed and seemed 100% in control of his faculties.

There was no mention of him lowering his helmet earlier to deliver the tackle that left him collapsed and lying motionless on the turf.

Miami Dolphins claimed after the game that Jevon Holland had injured his knee, but during the broadcast of the game, a slow motion replay clearly showed that Holland lowered his helmet to deliver a tackle then he collapsed to the turf afterwards.

This is eerily similar to when Tua Tugavoila, Miami Dolphins QB, fell to the turf after a hard hit vs Buffalo Bills on a Sunday afternoon game two seasons ago, and had difficulty getting up, was visibly wobbly, stumbled, and had to be assisted up by several Dolphins players.

It was reported by Miami during the game at halftime that Tua had suffered a "back injury" and that he had experienced "back spasms" that made it difficult for him to walk when very clearly Tua had displayed concussion symptoms after being hit which included ataxia, a loss of motor control/instability.

Despite how obvious this was during the broadcast, Tua was never evaluated for a concussion and Miami Coach McDaniels defended the lack of even evaluating Tua for a concussion in the press conference after the game.

Four days later, Tua and the Dolphins faced the Bengals on Thursday Night Football at Paycor Stadium.

Tua sustained another very hard hit and slammed his helmet against the turf and immediately went into a fencing response.

He was put on a board and immediately ruled out of the game and taken to a local hospital where he was diagnosed with a concussion.

The Amazon Prime broadcast did mention that the head impact Tua clearly appeared to sustain on four days prior on Sundays game against the Bills which he then went unevaluated for and played through and there was additional speculation whether both head impacts occuring in four days could have led to Tuas fencing response with the hit he sustained during that current nights game against the Bengals.

After sustaining his second concussion in four days against the Bengals on Thursday Night Football and exhibiting a fencing response, a few weeks later, Tua received another very hard hit and he appeared to be concussed but he was unbelievably never evaluated.

Tuas QBR prior to the hit was over 100, his QBR after the hit was under 60.

Tua admitted after the game that he couldnt remember any of the plays he had just called during the game.

Despite all this, Tua was never evaluated for a concussion or ruled out of the game despite suffering a serious concussion a few weeks earlier vs the Bengals that led to a fencing response and him being evaluated at a hospital only four days after sustaining a hard hit Sunday vs the Bills which resulting in Tua stumbling and having to be helped to his feet by several fellow Dolphins for which he was never evaulated for nor removed from the game.

Still no concussion evaluation during the game although Tua admitted after the game he couldnt remember any of the plays he had just called during the game and his QBR in the game was over 100 prior to the hit and under 60 after the hit. And he had already suffered two concussions in four days just a few weeks prior to this game.

Still no concussion evaluation.

The next day, on Good Morning Football on the NFL Network, the hosts announced that Tua had reported concussion symptoms that morning when he reported into the team facility.

Tua was diagnosed with a concussion, placed on Injured Reserve, and ruled out for the rest of the season.

Even with all of this occurring to Miamis quarterback just last season, even with Jevon Holland falling to the turf after colliding with a fellow Dolphin on October 23rd vs the Eagles and lying on the turf for several minutes motionless and even after Holland was evaluated for a concussion in the lockerroom then allowed to return to play in that same game, even after Holland reported concussion symptoms the very next morning to Miamis training staff (just like Tua did last season) and they ruled him out with a concussion for a week, even after they cleared Holland on November 1st and Holland returned to play, even when Holland lowered his head approximately a month after sustaining the concussion against the Eagles on Amazon Prime's Black Friday game to deliver a tackle which once again left him motionless on the turf, Holland was still not evaluated for a concussion and he was instead incorrectly diagnosed after the game with a "knee" injury.

This is a systemic problem with the Miami Dolphins, their head coach Josh McDaniels, their training staff, the unaffiliated neurotrauma consultants (UNC) and independent spotters -- they have all failed.

Did the NFLPA, the players union, step in on Holland's behalf and intercede as they did with Tua the season prior which led to the "Tua rule" and ataxia being added to the list of "no-go" symptoms in the NFL's concussion protocol that if exhibited automatically removes a player from the game? You know the answer to that because unless you are a Dolphins fan, you have no idea who Holland is.

Miami is reckless with their players health and we have seen this play out multiple times now in back to back seasons.

Will the NFL do anything?

Will the NFLs top medical director say anything? Last season, the NFLs top medical director did admit that Tua "did not look like" he sustained a back injury.

Okay -- thats it?

No fines, suspensions, warnings or loss of draft picks for Miami's head coach and their trainers?

The UNC that cleared Tua last season and cleared Holland in October -- why havent they been fired?

The independent spotters that missed Tuas concussion last season and Hollands concussion last month should be fired.

Who protects these men from themselves AND their coaches, trainers, independent spotters, unaffiliated neurotrauma consultants, Roger Goodell, the NFL machine and the purposely oblivious fans and often neutered and ineffective NFL Players Association?

11/30/23 - Dallas vs Seattle On November 30, 2023, Dallas played Seattle on Amazon Prime Thursday Night Football.

During the third quarter, Tony Ferguson (#87, Tight End) caught a pass from Dak Prescott on the 5 yard line and Quandre Diggs (#6, Safety) hit him helmet to helmet.

It was an egregrious hit that Al Michaels commented on the broadcast.

However, there was no flag.

This is extraordinary given that Seattle & Dallas were the two most penalized teams as of that current season in the NFL.

Carissa Thompson even said during halftime that the laundry was flying like crazy.

Additionally, Bobby Wagner (#54, Linebacker) was called for pass interference for defending a pass to Tony Pollard that was nowhere even close to DPI.

Literally, even the Amazon Prime broadcast stated there was nothing there and it wasnt pass interference.

So, an egregious gratuitious helmet to helmet hit -- let 'em play!

But for the crime of playing defense, Wagner gets hit with DPI.

One of those plays -- helmet to helmet hits -- causes concussions and permanent brain damage and was supposed to be legislated out of the sport.

Pass interference doesnt cause the players' jelly and egg yolk-like unprotected brains to move around violently and rupture against the inside of their sharp and bony skulls.

Yet pass interference is what gets the yellow flag and what gets penalized.

Permanent irreversible and preventable brain damage is nbd.

11/9/23 - Panthers vs Bears Hayden Hurst (TE, Carolina Panthers) suffered an extremely hard yet legal hit from Jaquan Brisker vs the Bears on 11/9/23 that caused Post Traumatic Amnesia.

Hayden Hurst's father tweeted the following on 12/6/23: "@haydenrhurst has been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Amnesia by an independent neurologist as a result of the hit he took in Chicago November 9. Slow recovery, don’t know when he’ll be back. Prayers appreciated!"

Per the above linked video, the hit was hard but perfectly legal. There is no way to legislate hits like this out of the game without removing tackling.

Post Traumatic Amnesia has happened in an NFL game before, even if it wasn't diagnosed as such at the time.

Troy Aikman still to this day does not remember winning an NFC Championship Game for the Cowboys in the mid 90s.

He was concussed so hard that when he arrived at the hospital after the game, he asked if the Cowboys had won the game.

Aikman says to this day, he watches the game back, but he doesnt remember himself playing in it while literally watching himself play.

Joe Burrow told Colin Cowherd on The Volume podcast during the 2022 to 2023 season that there are entire quarters and halves in college games he played that he doesnt remember due to extremely hard hits that happened during the course of those games.

Burrow claimed that he was strictly talking about his LSU days and that this hadn't happened to him in the NFL.

Cowherd replied that he wasnt surprised and that Drew Bledsoe and Trent Dilfer had personally told him in the past there were entire games they couldnt remember due to how hard they had been hit.

Cowherd said it may be a part of the game fans dont typically know about but he agreed with Burrow that it was extremely common.

Is this level of violence acceptable?

Hurst now has anterograde (post traumatic) amnesia not from a car accident or an explosion in a war or a physical assault but from the sport of football itself.

Unbelievably, the Panthers have confirmed that Hurst is already back at practice as of 12/6/23 and Hurst advised that, far from the hit being career ending as many observers and journalists rightfully wondered, that he would be "back in a week or two" but not before confirming he still has 4 hours of memory from the game when he was hit (11/9/23) that he doesnt recall at all -- aka he is still suffering from the effects of anterograde (post traumatic) amnesia.

I realize some people never regain their memories of the lost time -- but should he already be jumping back in with the live bullets less than a month later in padded practice?

It hasnt even been a month and hes already back at practice and Hurst says he may play next week!

That is totally reckless.

It unbelievably gets worse -- Hurst was not removed from the game after receiving the hit from Brisker that later caused the anterograde (post-traumatic) amnesia and returned to play the rest of the game on 11/9/23.

Per the Panthers, Hurst didnt enter the concussion protocol until the next day after the game (11/10/23).

So, how many more hits did an already concussed Hurst suffer when he returned to play after the Brisker hit?

Could there have been a second concussion?

Once you are concussed, it takes much less head impact to sustain a second concussion.

When Hurst reported concussion symptoms the next day at the team's training facility and the Panthers entered him into the concussion protocol, is it possible that unbeknownst to himself and the training staff, that he could have been reporting symptoms for two concussions?

Since Hurst was irresponsibly allowed to return to the game and continue playing after the Brisker hit, we will never know.

From ESPN.com on 12/7/23: Hurst entered the protocol during the Thursday night game after taking a hit that caused his head to hit the ground. He re-entered the game and wasn't placed into the protocol until the next day.

He later was told by the independent neurologist that he was suffering from post-traumatic amnesia.

"That's what I was told by the neurologist but sounds way worse," Hayden said.

Post-traumatic amnesia, according to the Cleveland Clinic, is amnesia that develops after an injury. It can involve multiple forms of amnesia. It can invoke confusion and frustration in those impacted because they have difficulty remembering where they are, how they got there or any new information since the injury.

"I'm doing better each day," Hurst wrote ESPN on Thursday in a text message. "It's not going to end my career, just being cautious as I come back. Should be another week or two."

"I appreciate everyone reaching out & checking on me. I suffered a pretty nasty concussion against the Bears a few weeks ago & don't remember up to 4 hours after the game. Scary situation but the Panthers have been incredible walking me through this process," he wrote on X.

He added in a follow-up post: "While it was scary, it is NOT career ending. I'm starting my return to play this week, so fingers crossed I make it back for the last few weeks! God Bless & Keep Pounding !!!!"

Keep pounding???

12/11/23 - Texans vs Jets On 12/11/23, CJ Stroud (QB - Texans - Offensive Rookie of the Year) slammed the back of his head against the turf at MetLife Stadium and was entered into the concussion protocol and was removed from the game.

It is well documented at this point that 1/4 of all concussions occur from the players heads slamming against the turf - 1/4!

25% of all concussions in football, permanent brain damage, are caused by the players heads slamming against the turf!

Replace all turf in all NFL stadiums with grass!

Soccer players have refused to play on turf in the World Cup so they are switching the turf out for grass then literally switching it right back to turf for NFL players -- how wrong is that?!

The owners have the money and, as has been proven, for the World Cup they can and will remove the turf and replace it with real grass.

They just dont give a damn about players in their own league!

The NFL Players Association has tried to get turf replaced with grass in their CBAs to no avail.

On top of the unnecessary permanent brain damage, it has also been proven that 36% more injuries happen on turf vs grass.

Cleats get caught. Players get caught.

They slip and slide.

Tendons and ligaments tear.

And the NFL owners dont give a damn.

So, the injuries and permanent brain damage continue.

Additionally, the Texans coach was asked post-game if CJ Stroud would be playing next Sunday.

He had just been concussed that same night, removed from the game & entered into the concussion protocol and the coach was already being asked if Stroud would be playing in exactly one week.

Its disgusting, infuriating & fucking terrifying that this decision is left to individual team trainers, coaches & UNC (independent neurotrauma consultants).

NFL has NO mandatory time off after a concussion -- the only professional American sport that doesnt have a mandatory sit out time period for a concussion like the NBA, MLB, MLS, NHL, UFC & boxing all do -- all you have to do is "clear the protocol" and you can be back at a padded practice a few days later Wednesday then playing in a game Sunday.

For that to be happening with everything we know about CTE is terrifying, infuriating, disgusting, inhumane, fucking reckless, disingenuous and a fucking slap in the face to every player who has died from CTE, who has committed suicide, who has harmed themselves, their families, their friends, their neighbors & strangers.

Week 11 - 12/4/23 On 12/4/23, a week  prior to the hit that caused the concussion on 12/11/23, CJ Stroud suffered a hard hit against the Denver Broncos.

Two concussions in one week but this one was undiagnosed yet clear as day from watching the broadcast.

He needed help from teammates to get back to his feet and he appeared wobbly afterwards.

Stroud wasnt checked for a concussion and played out the duration of the game.

During another play against the Broncos in the same game on 12/4/23, Stroud briefly rolled his eyes to the back of his head, closed them for a few seconds then appeared unsteady once he stood back up.

Although none of the Texans trainers or independent spotters reacted to this, one of the refs motioned a Texans trainer over to check on Stroud.

The trainer checked Stroud on the sideline then he was immediately put back in the game.

The following Sunday (12/11/23) vs the Jets, Stroud suffered an extremely hard late hit from Quinnen Williams. The back of his head slammed against the MetLife turf and he laid on the field for several seconds before being ruled out with a concussion.

Week 13 is coming up this weekend and Houston has a chance to make the playoffs.

Although Stroud was entered into the NFLs concussion protocol Sunday (12/11/23), it appeared given Stroud seemingly briefly losing consciousness, appearing wobbly and needing two teammates to help him to his feet the previous week against the Broncos on 12/4/23, that Stroud suffered concussions back to back two weeks in a row -- the one against the Jets on 12/11/23 was diagnosed and the one against the Broncos on 12/4/23 wasnt.

Stroud was also in MVP discussions leading up to Sundays (12/11/23) game vs the Jets and is on pace to potentially break some rookie records.

So, there was pressure for the Texans coach to start Stroud and not Mills or Keenum that Sunday against the Titans.

Thankfully, when asked if the Texans will play Stroud Sunday, the head coach said he is going to put Strouds health and career longevity above any "win now" demands.

However, many Texans fans disagreed with this and have stated online if Stroud clears the protocol, since the Texans havent ruled him out of Sundays game, if hes medically cleared then he should be out there as he obviously gives the Texans the best chance to win on Sunday and keeps their playoff hopes alive.

Here lies one of the existential dilemmas facing the NFL: why is this decision left up to the coaches?

Because the NFL is the only professional sport in America -- out of the NBA, MLB, MLS, NHL, UFC & professional boxing -- that doesnt mandate a specific time off period once an athlete sustains a concussion.

Literally, Stroud could have done a full padded practice three days later that Wednesday if his coach wasnt looking out for his well-being and cared more about keeping Houstons playoff chances alive then whether Stroud will be able to remember his own name in 25 years.

Stroud has been concussed two weeks in a row -- against Denver last Sunday (12/4/23) and this past Sunday against the Jets (12/11/23).

What would have happened if the Texans HC felt differently and Stroud played Sunday?

What if he lost consciousness again and sustained a third concussion in three weeks?

What if he died on the field from Second Impact Syndrome vs the Titans on Sunday and, unlike Damar Hamlin, what if he didnt come back?

Thats where tackle football is headed.

Flag football has been added to the 2028 Olympics.

NCAA has added flag football as a collegiate sport eligible for scholarships.

The Pro Bowl this season and last were flag with no tackling.

There is a sea change coming as the CTE test in living players will be available in 3 years max per Dr. Ann McKee, the famed CTE researcher at Boston University.

That CTE test, once available, is going to confirm CTE in almost all current NFL and many college and high school linemen, most linebackers and running backs, many tight ends and some quarterbacks, wide receivers and defensive backs.

This is all coming.

Its why the Pro Bowl game is now flag football.

If I know this, the NFL knows this.

Its why you keep seeing flag football commercials with female players with the NFL's biggest stars like George Kittle and Tua Tugavailoa.

The NFL knows its where the sport is going in 10 to 15 years so theyre gearing up for it now.

CTE test in living athletes will eliminate the NFL's feeder systems (high school & Pop Warner) because the lower level leagues will not be able to be insured once its revealed that the vast majority of linemen, linebackers as well as a sizable amount of running backs as well as some tight ends, quarterbacks, wide receivers and defensive backs who are currently playing have CTE.

CTE has been found in non-professional tackle football players at the high school level as young as 17.

The NFL knows tackle football is going away and will be replaced by flag.

So then why not implement some changes now before we get served a live death on Monday Night Football along with our Buffalo Wild Wings?

Eliminate kickoff and place the ball at the 35 yard line.

66% of all injuries occur during kickoff.

Eliminate QB sneaks and onside kicks.

Institute weight limits to get rid of lopsided matchups of 100+ pounds (tight ends vs linemen, etc.).

Replace artificial turf with grass as turf causes 25% of all concussions and 36% more injuries.

But the NFL wont do any of the above.

Just like CJ Stroud potentially getting concussed again had the Texans HC played him and possibly dying against the Titans, the NFL just doesnt care.

12/17/23 - Browns vs Bears During Week 15, on 12/17/23, the Browns played the Bears. Towards the end of the fourth quarter, Za'darius Smith (Browns, DE) accidentally collided helmet to helmet with fellow Browns defender Myles Garrett (Browns, DE).

It was an extremely hard hit and Smith laid on the turf motionless for several seconds afterwards then the broadcast cut away for an injury timeout.

When the broadcast resumed, we were informed by the announce team that Smith was in the blue medical tent.

This was towards the end of the game so no additional updates on Smith were provided.

I googled Smith the following day (Monday - 12/18/23) and here is the first link I saw: "Cleveland Browns defensive end Za’Darius Smith exited the win in the final moments against the Chicago Bears. Smith was injured when he collided with Myles Garrett on a stunt in the game’s closing seconds. Smith was blindsided and stayed on the field for quite a while before being moved to the medical tent. His injury wasn’t disclosed in the immediate aftermath of the game. The Browns cannot afford to lose Za’Darius Smith for multiple games. The team has lost over 15 players to injured reserve."

The Cleveland Browns wont tell you but I will -- the incredibly hard accidental hit to the head that Smith suffered when he collided with Garrett and collapsed motionlessly to the turf for several sustained moments before being taken to the blue medical tent was 100% a concussion.

The reason the Browns "didnt disclose" Smiths injury in the "immediate aftermath of the game" is because they know he was concussed but they have already lost 15 players to injured reserve, its December football and a very tight race in the AFC North heading into the end of the season so they dont want to enter Smith, their best rusher behind Garrett, into the concussion protocol.

Even though he should have been. Even though he was concussed.

12/17/23 - Cowboys vs Bills During Week 15 (12/17/23), the Cowboys played the Bills on Sunday Night Football.

Donovan Wilson (#6, Cowboys) is a safety for the Dallas Cowboys.

Wilson was injured during a play and the broadcast briefly showed him convulsing on the field right before a commercial break but commentary didnt say anything.

Wilson was removed from play and evaluated for a concussion then he returned to the game late in the second quarter.

I tried to find footage of Wilsons injury and subsequent convulsions on the turf but I could not find footage of Wilson going down and momentarily convulsing on the field on twitter, youtube or reddit.

At the end of the day, convulsing on the turf after a hard hit and then being evaluated for a concussion should be enough to get you ruled out of the game.

Instead, Wilson was evaluated for a concussion -- after convulsing on the turf for several sustained moments -- then returned to the game.

12/21/2023 - Rams vs Saints On Amazon Prime Thursday Night Football, the Rams faced the Saints on December 21, 2023.

After a hard tackle, the running back for the Rams, Kyren Williams' (#23), helmet popped off and a player landed very hard on him with his full weight.

Williams was slow to get up.

Williams was then shown entering the blue medical tent and the broadcast mentioned he was being checked out.

Kyren then almost immediately exited the tent and reentered the game.

There was no additional commentary regarding Williams' helmet popping off after the hard tackle, the player landing on him after, him being slow to get up, him being checked out in the blue medical tent then him immediately exiting the tent and then reentering the game.

Was Williams checked for a concussion in the blue medical tent?

Did Williams clear the concussion protocol that quickly?

It was a huge career defining game for Williams, after he had made several mistakes in the previous weeks game, as he scored a touchdown and had several big runs.

Williams was interviewed on the sidelines after the game as one of the key reasons for the Rams victory.

What hit? What blue medical tent? What concussion?

12/17/23 - Jaguars vs Ravens "Pederson said Lawrence suffered the concussion on a scramble up the middle with five minutes remaining in the Jaguars' 23-7 loss to Baltimore last Sunday (12/17/23).

Lawrence did not leave the game but completed only one of his seven pass attempts after that play."

This is proof that Lawrence was concussed!

Just like with Tua the season prior when he suffered his third concussion that season and, during the game, his QBR went from 100 to 60 yet he was never even evaluated for a concussion.

Lawrence didnt complete 6 out of 7 passes after the hit.

He was never checked for a concussion.

He never was checked for a concussion in the blue medical tent or on the sidelines.

Per Pederson, Lawrence self-reported symptoms after the game and it was immediately apparent that the concussion was sustained on the scramble up the middle.

Pederson said Lawrence self-reported symptoms after the game and was placed in the concussion protocol.

Lawrence did not practice that Wednesday or Thursday.

Lawrence cleared concussion protocol the following week exactly seven days after suffering his concussion and was cleared to play against the Buccaneers on 12/24/23.

12/31/23 - Bengals vs Chiefs "Pacheco was forced out of the game on Christmas Day due to the accidental blow he took to the head from a teammate as his helmet was knocked off and fell backward. The impact from the defender caused a nasty collision as the independent doctor ushered Pacheco off the field for further examination and was later ruled out for the rest of the day."

Pacheco cleared concussion protocol and played on New Years Eve against the Bengals on 12/31/23 than six days after the concussion he suffered on Christmas Day -- less than a week!

Pacheco cleared concussion protocol in six days!

That is ridiculous and absurd.

Unfortunately, the NFL's concussion protocol is five stages and each stage can be cleared in just one day.

So, technically, a player can actually clear concussion protocol in just five days.

That is a totally reckless, dangerous and insane concussion protocol!

There is no literal way that anyone can clear concussion protocol in less than a week and be recovered enough to play a violent and collision-filled sport like football with guaranteed head impacts, hits to the head, hard tackles and required blocking and tackling on every play that result in subconcussive head impacts.

1/7/24 - Saints vs Falcons During Week 18, on Sunday afternoon (1/7/24), the Saints were playing the Falcons in the last week of the regular season -- win or go home for both teams so there was a lot on the line.

Algiers (Falcons, Tight End) collided with Avante Taylor (Saints, Safety, #1) helmet to helmet.

Taylor dropped to the turf without body control and lay still for several moments.

Noone called timeout to check on him and the next play was about to start.

The independent spotter signalled for a timeout and pulled Taylor to check him in the blue medical tent.

Despite the high stakes in the game for both teams and the high adrenaline inherent in the "win and youre in" nature of football, the system worked as designed for once when the Saints' coach and trainers did not call for an injury timeout but the independent spotter did the right thing and called for a timeout. Thats why the spotters are there and why they are independent and unaffiliated from the team.

Later on in the same game (Week 18 - Saints vs Falcons, 1/7/24), Tyrann Matthieu (Saints, Safety) lowered his shoulder for a very hard hit against Drake London (Falcons, #5, WR).

This was a legal hit as Matthieu delivered it textbook style with a lowered shoulder but it was an extremely hard hit.

London was very shaken up after the hit.

London was never checked on the sidelines or in the blue medical tent but he most definitely should have been evaluated for a concussion.

The independent spotter who earlier in the same exact game did such an exemplary job signalling to the ref and calling timeout to check on Taylor even though his own teams coach and trainer neglected to do so was nowhere to be found to do the same for London who also needed to be evaluated for a head injury.

The hit by Matthieu to London occurred on 4th down so perhaps the thinking was, they're coming off the field anyway, he'll be okay once he can catch his breath on the sidelines.

You cant "catch your breath" from a concussion.

2023 NFC Wildcard Playoff Game - Rams vs Lions Matthew Stafford (QB, Rams) was tackled by Aidan Hutchinson (Lions) and then a second defender came in and hit Stafford very hard in the ribs then Stafford hit his head hard after falling to the turf during the 2023 NFC Wildcard Playoff game.

This is the picture that started this post.

Stafford immediately grimaced and was in obvious pain & discomfort.

Stafford was then shown on the sidelines being walked into the blue medical tent.

The broadcast mentioned Stafford looked hurt and Collinsworth added that Stafford had hit his head hard on the turf.

When the broadcast resumed, they replayed Stafford slamming his head against the turf.

It was clear that Stafford was concussed and seemed to exhibit a brief fencing response.

The broadcast showed Stafford walking into the blue medical tent holding his side.

The broadcast then announced that Stafford exited the blue medical tent as Nucua (WR, Rams) entered the tent to be evaluated.

After Nucua exited the medical tent, Tirico announced the UNC (unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant) called a medical timeout to ensure that Nucua (RB, Rams) had been evaluated -- this was the right action by the UNC as Nucua had been shown on the broadcast as slow to get up.

However, Stafford had been shown in a slow motion replay slamming his head very hard against the turf, after which he seemed to briefly exhibit a fencing response and Collinsworth commented during the replay how hard Stafford had hit his head against the turf -- if Collinsworth saw it and we in the audience saw it why didnt any of the UNC or independent spotters see it?

Why didnt the UNC or independent spotters call a medical timeout to ensure that Stafford had been evaluated for a concussion?

Because this was the Sunday Night game of Wildcard Playoff weekend and it was the most Hollywood-esque anticipated storyline -- each QB used to play for the opposing team in the matchup for the first time ever in playoff history -- Stafford played 12 seasons for the Lions, then they traded him to the Rams and the very next season, he won the Super Bowl with the Rams and this was his first time back playing against Detroit -- Goff had played multiple seasons with the Rams, the Rams traded him to the Lions, Goff then took the Lions to the playoffs -- so, stakes were high on both sides and the Lions had not won a playoff game since 1991 and the game was in Detroit. Eminem was there and did the intro for SNF. And exactly none of that meant that Stafford wasnt concussed, didnt briefly exhibit a fencing response and shouldnt have been evaluated for a concussion -- but he wasnt.

1/20/24 - Divisional Round - Niners vs Packers Deebo Samuel (WR, 49ers) suffered an extremely hard hit to the side of his helmet and he was very slow getting up.

There was an injury TO & commercial break.

Once the broadcast returned, Deebo Samuel got checked in the blue medical tent.

Deebo reentered and then left the game several times.

With 9:40 left in the 2nd quarter, Deebo was shown running into the lockerroom.

With 4:09 remaining in the second quarter, Erin Andrews reported that Deebo was questionable to return with a shoulder injury.

Erin also advised that Deebo had previously missed two games earlier in the season due to a shoulder injury.

However, the replay of the hit Deebo suffered clearly showed a helmet to helmet hit against him.

We then saw Deebos shoulder being examined on the sidelines and Erin Andrews advised that he had previously injured his shoulder earlier this season and missed some time.

Deebo was then shown in the lockeroom at halftime without his pads.

When the game resumed after halftime, we were advised that Deebo had undergone some xrays of his shoulder.

We then saw Deebo on the sidelines in a hoodie and Erin Andrews reported that Deebo was still questionable to return to the game.

Deebo did not return to the game.

Chris Rose advised during NFL Gameday Final that Deebo had been checked for a concussion during the game and was cleared before being removed from the game due to a shoulder injury.

Per replay of the hit, however, the head impact Deebo suffered was due to a hard hit to the side of his helmet where he was slow to get up.

This is is the same hit they also claim he hurt his shoulder on and the shoulder injury is why he was officially ruled out of the game.

I think Deebo also had a concussion from the hit by Greenlaw and they covered it up by saying he reinjured his shoulder.

In the same game, Tucker Craft (TE, Packers) was hit extremely hard by Dre Greenlaw (49ers) on the side of his helmet as he blocked for Jordan Love (QB, Packers).

Craft was shown on his knees holding his head and was very slow to get up.

There was an injury TO and the broadcast went to commercials.

Upon returning to the broadcast, Greg Olsen (color commentator) advised that Craft had been slow getting up prior to the commercial break and that he was on the sideline, getting his eye checked out and that he appeared to "just need to take a breath".

Kevin Burkhardt (play by play announcer) then quickly advised that Craft had actually just entered the blue medical tent and he was getting checked out.

1/20/24 - Divisional Round - Bills vs Chiefs Shakir (WR, #10, Bills) suffered an extremely hard hit where he was sandwiched between two defenders then hit very hard.

Tony Romo stated on the broadcast that he could "hear the hit all the way up in the broadcast booth".

Shakir was shown on the turf holding his head.

Romo then advised the broadcast would be stepping away and there was an injury timeout and the broadcast went to commercials. When the broadcast returned, Shakir was shown jogging on the sidelines and Nantz announced that Shakir was jogging into the lockerroom.

Tracy Wolfson then announced that Shakir was being evaluated for a shoulder injury.

It was an extremely hard hit and he was holding his head when he fell to the turf -- not his shoulder.

Shakir most likely had a concussion and, just like Deebo Samuel during the playoffs and Tyler Brate (Bucs, TE) the previous season, they lied and claimed it was a shoulder injury.

Just like Tua's "back injury"  the previous season vs the Bills on Sunday -- before he was concussed a second time four days later against the Bengals on Thursday Night Football -- undiagnosed concussion Thursday vs the Bills where he finished the game --  then a diagnosed concussion four days later against the Bengals where he exhibited a fencing response &  was stretchered off the field, right?

Shakir returned to the game in the 4th quarter with under 5 minutes to go.

In the same game, in the first quarter of Chiefs vs Bills, Mike Edwards (S, #21, Chiefs) took a hard hit and was very slow getting up.

It was then announced on the broadcast that he was evaluated for a concussion and that he was entered into the concussion protocol.

Edwards was then ruled out of the game with a concussion in the 2nd quarter with 8 minutes left. The concussion protocol worked correctly in this instance as Edwards never returned to play and was subsequently ruled out of the game.

However, later in the same game, the concussion protocol failed spectacularly again -- remember, it had already failed earlier in the game when Shakir (WR, Bills) was allowed back into the game with a clear concussion in the 4th quarter with less than 5 minutes to go.

Knox (#88, Bills) taken out of game to be checked. Hard hit, slow getting up.

L'Jarius Sneed (Chiefs) also was "a bit shaken up" on the same play as Knox (#88, Bills) per the broadcast but Sneed stayed in for the next play and he wasnt evaluated.

Tracy Wolfson then advised that Knox was checked in the blue tent for a head impact and she said it "remained to be seen"whether or not he would come back in to the game.

Nantz then interrupted  Wolfson and advised that Knox was already back in the game.

AFC Championship Game - 1/28/24 - Chiefs vs Ravens Mike Edwards (Chiefs, S, #21) slow to get up and walked to the sidelines.

The broadcast stated he had been knocked out of last week's game vs the Bills with a concussion as I notated within this document two pages up -- two concussions in 8 days!

NFC Championship Game - 1/28/24 - 49ers vs Lions Dre Greenlaw (49ers, 2nd Quarter) delivered an extremely hard hit and appeared to injure his shoulder.

Greenlaw struggled to get up from the field.

He limped off and then slumped down on the sidelines and was in significant pain.

He was surrounded by trainers who removed his helmet.

The broadcast mentioned that his shoulder appeared to take the brunt of the hit and that Greenlaw was receiving a lot of attention on the sidelines.

The broadcast then cut away to commercials.

Upon returning from commercials, the broadcast announced that they were concerned about Greenlaw and that Erin Andrews had an update on how he was doing.

Erin advised that Greenlaw suffered a stinger after the tackle on #87.

Andrews further advised that despite suffering a stinger, Greenlaw essentially ran out of the blue medical tent and the broadcast showed a slow mo of Greenlaw running to his teammates on the sidelines.

Andrews further commented that people say that when Greenlaw hits you, he runs right through you, and the broadcast replayed Greenlaws hit on the Lions player (#87). 

The broadcast then showed Greenlaw on the sidelines receiving a shoulder massage from a trainer while another trainer removed his jewelery. 

Greenlaw returned to the game in the same quarter (2nd quarter) with 7:45 remaining. 

After suffering a stinger that caused him to collapse and drop to one knee on the sidelines in agonizing pain, Greenlaw returned to the game within five minutes and was shown delivering hard hits. 

Greenlaw was in the blue medical tent for less than a minute. 

The broadcast then advised that Greenlaw was the 49ers enforcer.

What stinger?

Later on in the same game, Brock Purdy (QB, 49ers) was tackled by 3 Lions defenders. 

Purdy was shown crushed underneath the defender flat on his back on the turf, his helmet partially off as it was an incredibly hard hit. 

The announcer conceded that the Lions "probably got away" with not getting a RTP call and that the crowd had noticed it and reacted to the missed penalty. 

As the broadcast went to commercials, Brock Purdy was shown walking to the sidelines in slow motion with a bloody lip. 

The broadcast stated again that the Lions had gotten away with a missed penalty and Purdy had a "bloody lip and all".

After commercials, the announce booth asked Dean Blandino (rules analyst) if the refs missed a RTP penalty on the last drive.

They replayed the hit against Purdy and Blandino advised that Houston (#41, Lions), lowered his head after Purdy had been tackled to the ground with force. 

Blandino advised he believed that the refs missed the penalty and Houston (#41, Lions) should have been flagged for RTP.

Later on in the same game, McCaffrey (RB, 49ers) had a very physical run where he got within a few yards of the end zone. 

When he was tackled to the ground, he landed hard on his head. 

The broadcast showed him a bit slow to get up. 

The broadcast then mentioned that McCaffrey landed on his head on the last play and that that was probably why he headed to the sidelines because he "needed a break".

Did he need a break or did he have a concussion?

After the 49ers scored a touchdown, their sideline was shown celebrating while the stadium erupted. 

While McCaffreys teammates cheered, he was shown on the sideline with trainers working on his neck as he grimaced in pain. 

The broadcast did not mention this as the stadium and 49ers were still celebrating the touchdown and, instead, advised that the Lions would need to score soon as there were 3 minutes left in the game.

What neck injury? What concussion?

The NFL Draft: Exploited Dreams As is probably clear from the above, I won't be watching the draft tonight. I have previously written articles on my tumblr questioning why I continued to watch the NFL despite all of the violence, dehumanization, head trauma, permanent brain damage, unguaranteed contracts, exploitative players union and commodification of players as products to be consumed.

For the past 13 years, I have watched football every Sunday from 9 am (Gameday Morning) or 10 am (Sunday Morning Countdown), the 1 pm, 4 pm and 8 pm games and Gameday Final -- from 9 am or 10 am to 12:30 am every Sunday; Mondays, pre-game on ESPN, Monday Night Football then ESPN post-game -- 7 pm to 12:30 am and Thursdays pre-game on Amazon, Thursday Night Football then Amazon post game -- 6:30 pm to 12:30 am.

28 hours of football a week, every single week, and me and my husband -- the only reason I ever got into football as I hated it prior to meeting him -- would make a different dip every week which we would then watch all day while we watched all the games. It was definitely our couples routine.

That was 2011 when I started watching football with my husband and slowly became a fan of the physical courage, larger than life personalities, confidence, swag, charisma, courage, physicality, calm under pressure and the general hypnotic and quixotic thrilling allure of the game, the spectacle of it all, the violent chess game that required aggression and strategy all appealed to me.

But I could never get over the helmets crashing, violence, injuries and concussions.

I bought Nate Jackson's book, Slow Getting Up, in 2016 -- he is a former TE for the Denver Broncos -- and that started nearly a decade's worth of research which has involved reading thousands of academic, scholarly and scientific journal articles, books, blogs and studies and conversing with attorneys via email who have been involved in litigation against the NFL.

Despite being a huge Joe Burrow, Bengals and Eagles fan, the amount of research, and the limitless depths and levels to the NFL's deception and depravity have finally served to mostly turn me off from the NFL.

I have previously attended Eagles and Ravens games in person. I have a Joe Burrow t-shirt, orange and black beaded necklace, sunglasses and cat ears as well as Eagles t-shirts and Super Bowl shirts and I attended the Eagles parade live when they won the Super Bowl in 2018.

From all of the above, I have decided to minimize my interactions with the NFL.

Over 85% of players who have applied for payouts under the NFL's $765 million concussion settlement have been denied. That's not okay.

The race norming bias where the NFL assumed that Black players were less intelligent so if they didn't fail their neurological assessments spectularly, they were denied disability benefits. That's not okay.

It's a long list that as you can see from this post kept getting longer and I could no longer put up with the racism, exploitation, lies, denials, gaslighting, subterfuge, underhandedness of the NFL.

The NFL is too similar to Israel - who they staunchly support while they murder 35,000 Palestinian civilians in a genocide yet the NFL would only give a moment of silence to the Israeli civilians who lost their lives -- 4,000 to 35,000.

Do the math that the NFL refuses to do.

The NFL's treatment of Colin Kaepernick.

Goodell's disgusting statements on George Floyd.

The NFL's treatment of players who chose to kneel during the anthem as is their right per the first amendment.

The NFL's racist dog whistles to its mostly aging and white audience regarding Trump, Israel, zionism & Black Lives Matter.

Its a long list that only gets longer.

Their exploitation of Damar Hamlin.

I have decided to go from watching nearly 30 hours of NFL programming a week every week for 4 months to only watching Eagles vs Cowboys, Bengals vs Chiefs, Eagles MNF & SNF games, Bengals SNF & MNF games, the AFC & NCF Championships and the Super Bowl.

I prefer this to zealotry and trying to just cut it all off -- I would rather cut off 90% of my NFL watching then try to go for 100%, fail and then things stay the way they were for the past 13 years.

I have unfollowed the Bengals, Eagles & NFL accounts on all social media and also unsubscribed from their newsletters.

I will not attend any more games at Lincoln Financial Field nor will I attend another parade if the Eagles win another Super Bowl.

I also won't be watching the draft tonight nor tracking who the Bengals or Eagles select.

I can't unsee these young men tonight, full of hope promise dreams and ambitions, twenty to thirty years from now unable to work, talk, remember their playing careers, their wives & childrens names.

I can no longer embrace these young determined men lured by the bright lights and big money of the NFL being exploited for their courage, physicality, talents, intelligence, strength & heroic feats on the field.

[caledine]

Types of whumpees in a team

( This is just a few, lmk if you can think of more c:<)

Youngest teammate Whumpee

You get your reckless and brash whumpees who’d who’d do anything to prove themselves

Unknowledgeable new to the field

“ I can do it, on my own.”

Angry and defiant till their hurt

Trying to act tough but just people pleasers

Being left behind for ‘safety’ and probably the easiest to break

“ it’s for your own good Whumpee. It’s not safe out there.” queue them getting captured from said place that’s deemed safe

Stupid plans?? Youngest learns just how bad not thinking things through results in

Doing things due to pure peer pressure

A go to hostage since team would fight tooth and nail to get them back (?)

Always doing busywork and never on the field

“ I have done everything from making coffee to doing your laundry— How is this hero work? “

Being deemed not strong enough

Medic/ Doctor whumpees

Either stoic or overly doting

Exhausted from caring to much

Just exhaustion whump in general !!

Always the caretaker and never taken care of

Full ER / too many patients

Natural disaster or a horrible fight leaving them swamped with injured teammates ( maybe they’re hurt too)

“ I know everyone’s hurt— hold on i need a second…”

Getting hurt and knowing just how doomed they are

Using all the good supplies on the team and leaving themselves with ‘alternatives’

Trying to talk other members through healing themself, knowing if they faint they are as good as dead

Does your Medic snap?

“ How many times have i told you to be more careful?! every single time your in my office you’ve brushed death again—“ ( Angry or worried?)

Stitching themself up because they think they have the knowledge to keep themselves healthy too ( knowledge ≠ strength to save themselves )

Second in command/ Right hand ( Could be a sidekick?) Whumpee

A glorified PA juggling all the ‘less important’ tasks or running errands

Never getting the authority / leadership they want over the team

Always picking up everyone else’s slack

Paperwork and all the busywork and never getting the full credit

Sometimes people are too tired to be nice

Snappy, defiant and never backing down

Always trying to one up other team members or get recognition or affirmation because they never seem to get credit

Stuck in Leader’s shadow

The moment Leader is out everyone expects them to know what to do

“ I don’t know— Leader never let me have any say-?”

Loyal beyond fault ( too much so) maybe they let people be dicks just because they’re teammates

Too forgiving

Maybe Leader sticks the blame on them for failed missions

the perfect stoic whumpee 🌟

Leader Whumpee

Exhaustion, overworking, passing out , thugging through sickness — Leaders normally the one who checks in on people, but who checks in on them?

Putting themselves last

Guilt of failed missions, maybe blame from other teammates

Trying to guide the team while injured ( concussions 😌)

Never really being part of the team just there to keep themselves healthy too in check

Breaking under pressure

Survivors guilt

Being replaced

Leader being held hostage because the team would be in shambles without them

Humiliation— make the team stop believing in them

Self sacrifice

“ I’m sorry i know it’s my responsibility…”

Struggling to ask for help because they’re scared the team won’t come to them

Their life revolves around keeping their team safe, too selfless

The team just expecting them to know what to do

Trying to juggle looking after the team with Hero work

Doing all the chores, being expected to do the most and be selfless

Their higher ups see their overworking as a good thing and feed into it

Everyone just always assumes they’re fine because pfftt they’re Leader of course they’re fine!!

Stoic but pathetic ejenkeosos

Sighhh i just adore team whump. I could always go on about this because the amount of possibilities are near endless. Give me complex relationships between characters!! Make your whumpees suffer while no one around them bats an eye, toxic team dynamics suck but the whump around them… Found family but make it hurt comfort!!

[bwat5-blog]

The Cost Of Humanity: The Price Caitlyn pays

**Spoilers For All Of Arcane**

The discourse around Caitlyn's fall from grace and eventual redemption continues to be all over the place. I honestly struggle to think of examples from recent media that can compare when talking about the complexity and humanity of her arc, yet people continue to paint her with their broad-stroke, virtue signaling generalizations. Things like this, are why I started doing this in the first place.

Because as much as I have come to love doing these deep dives, and these character analyses, and how I learn along the way and learn new insights from all of you, peoples determination in disrespecting such a masterfully crafted story that is so full of heart, and depth, offends me to my core. As I have said repeatedly throughout my posts like a grouchy nerdy broken record, GOOD STORIES MATTER.

This is not about ships, it is not about favorite characters, and it is not about your right to like, or dislike her character. If you feel questioned by this post, I am not questioning your opinion of a character, I am questioning your ability empathize and see the humanity in a twenty-four year old girl, who has had every pillar upon which she bases her perception of the world VIOLENTLY changed.

To that end, what I am discussing this evening is the cost of Caitlyn's mistakes regarding her assuming the role of Commander and what follows. This is not about how she redeems herself, although I have spoken on that and do feel they did a masterful job in achieving it. This is not a deep dive into her fall from grace, the causes, or rather or not I believe it was justified. This is solely to address the following tidbit of lunacy and all of its variations that are still floating around.

"So Caitlyn's arc is that she becomes a war criminal and gasses kids and goes full KKK and she gets to ride off into the sunset with Vi with the only consequence being an eye patch?"

Physical:

As the easiest of consequences to measure, let's take a look at the effects Caitlyn suffers to her body as a result of her mistakes. For this I will focus on the battle at the end of the show, although she is certainly wounded in various ways in the commune.

Maddie's Betrayal- We will speak more on this when I move to mental, but Maddie literally hits her in the head twice with a rifle stock. Concussions anyone? Skull Fractures?

Stabbed - Stabbed in the stomach with Ambessa's blade up to the hilt. Now I am not a doctor and freely admit that I know nothing about the severity in the wound in terms of placement. And in a world with shimmer healing and such things obviously we can't strictly hold to real world rules. But a simple google search suggested the following as possible long term complications of such a wound: " intestinal obstruction due to scar tissue adhesions, intra-abdominal abscesses, bowel perforation, delayed bleeding from damaged blood vessels, abdominal hernias, chronic pain"

Kicked- Kicked square in the midsection with a knife in her gut. Seems healthy

Head slammed into concrete- Ambessa using her skull-crusher legs sweeps Caitlyn off of her feet slamming her head into the ground (Please Note: Caitlyn is shown clearly struggling at this point tremendously to rise)

Kicked Again- Once again kicked in the midsection with a knife in her gut

Ankle- Ambessa pins Caitlyn's ankle to the ground by force and kicks her leg out from under her before backhanding her

Headbutt- After dazing her with the backhand, Ambessa full on headbutts her with her mask on

Kicked yet again- This time completely off of her feet

Loses her left eye- Her sacrifice to stop Ambessa.

Returning to the stab wound- She did all of this with the knife in her. Tearing and exacerbating that wound.

This was one fight. Don't mistake me, Caitlyn has become an absolute warrior as the show has gone on and is an amazing fighter. But she twenty four, and only a short time ago was still very much in her sheltered life. Ambessa Medarda is a LITERAL WARLORD.

Mental/Emotional:

**I'm sure there are things I'm going to leave off of this. But this is just what I am thinking of in the moment. This is NOT a bashing on her list. This is what I feel the kind and courageous woman we know she always been is going to have to work through in the aftermath.**

Violet- Thankfully she and Vi have found their way back to one another. And while I love their reuniting, I don't think its unfair to suggest there is still quite a bit of healing ahead of them. Vi was not without blame in what happened between them (not justifying what Cait did to her at all, just that neither of them are perfect and were going through a terrible time). But ultimately Caitlyn has to make peace with the fact that she left the woman she loves crying alone in that chamber, and that that heartbreak sent Vi into a spiral that very easily could have killed her. When you add to that the loss of Vander, Isha and Jinx in Vi's life these are all things a woman like Cait is going to struggle not to blame herself completely for.

Zaun- The early show does an excellent job establishing that Caitlyn does not share the classist and oppressive attitudes of others in her social circle. But at her most lost, she bears responsibility for the full military occupation of Zaun, imprisoning its citizens, and likely the death of more than a few at the hands of the Noxians who Caitlyn allowed to be there . And that is to say nothing of the actions of the strike team, or that it is Vi's home.

Maddie- The woman she invited into her bed to distract herself from the loss of Vi, came as close as someone could have to executing her right then and there. Someone she never realized was a spy, prepared to shoot her the back of the neck. I think the trauma here is obvious.

Death Toll- The deathtoll and destruction of the war are going to weigh on her. They just are. It is clearly not actually all her fault, But as I have stated, and as anyone who pays attention will have seen, Caitlyn IS A GOOD PERSON. Yes, I'm sorry, I know some of you want to pretend otherwise because you have the emotional depth of a teaspoon. But she is. And there is simply no way she does not feel the weight of the loss brought on in part by a woman she allowed to seize control.

Mental trauma from injuries- On top of the base physical component of her wounds, Caitlyn was quite nearly beaten to death. Speaking as someone who has been in a bad fight (nowhere near this obviously) it's not something you just forget. Not to mention the impact to her shooting which has been such a major part of her since she was younger.

I could go farther with all of this but you get the idea. Caitlyn is so.... so young. I and so many others have gone on at length detailing her arc, her grief, her trauma and all of the other components that make up this part of her story. I encourage you to read them if you are interested. This list of her suffering and of the suffering she will feel guilt for is not about what she does or does not deserve. As stated, that's not why I wrote this. I wrote this because as I stated in a much shorter look at this topic, you literally have to try to miss the consequences of Caitlyn's actions. You have to blind yourself in the name of being able to place whatever hashtag makes you feel righteous in condemning her character. If you want to say the reparations to Zaun were not fully addressed in the course of the show, okay I can give you that. But I would remind of you two things:

Caitlyn surrenders her family seat on the council to Sevika. For the first time as we understand it, the undercity now has a voice.

This show is not the end of the story. From the beginning Arcane has been our door into this universe, not out of it.

Listen folks, I'm not actually crazy. I understand it's a tv show. But as I have and will always continue to say, good stories matter. There is a reason fables and epics stretch back throughout our history as a species. Yes, of course for entertainment, yes of course to impart lessons or wisdom. But that belief that we can conquer our own darkness, that we can stand in the breach against those who would bring death to the innocent, and that can find redemption, these beliefs and many more have guided the best and worst parts of us for all time.

As always, thank you so much to any of you who take the time to read the rantings of a lunatic. I cannot express to you all the joy I have felt engaging in this community and celebrating this epic tale. I can't wait to see what they have for us next. Until next time, keep standing up for the stories that stay with us.

[mrsdarkandyandere7]

❤ Yandere Firefighter ❤

Credit for the amazing pictures goes to: @d-lioncourt (thank you so much for doing them)

▶ This is a yandere/dark work and it may contain triggering content so please READ THE WARNINGS before. Do not read if minor.

More at Masterlist

Female reader

WARNINGS: Manipulation; Memory Loss.

Special credit to @deceitfuldevout cause she's the one that came up with the idea, thank you!

--

◾ Yandere!Firefighter who jumps right into rescue when your building has a major fire on a Saturday night.

He doesn’t even hesitate before jumping into action, running inside the apartment complex, ready to save everyone. Control the damage. Be a hero. Save lives.

It’s his job, after all, right?

◾ Yandere!Firefighter who ends up saving what might be the most gorgeous girl he’s ever seen in his life - yes, you.

Your hair is ruffled and your face is tinged with tears and black smoke, but his heart stops positively for a moment when his eyes land on you.

You’re passed out on the floor and for a moment, all of his world stopped and everything made sense. 

◾ Yandere!Firefighter who doesn’t understand what’s happening. Never had he been one to believe in love at first sight, not him.

He was the one that steered far away from cheesy foolish things such as commitment and marriage - casual hookups were more his style. 

But meeting you changed things. He experienced what he never thought would happen to him. 

◾ Yandere!Firefighter that fights tooth and nail to be by your side when the paramedics step in to take care of you. You’re passed out, having inhaled too much smoke but they assure him that you’ll be fine. 

But still he doesn’t relax, unable to take his eyes off you. You look peaceful while sleeping, a comforting aura around you as you travel in the realm of dreams. 

◾ Yandere!Firefighter who comes to visit you at the hospital, claiming the plastic chair next to your bed as he waits for you to regain consciousness.

When the nurses ask him who he is, he shrugs off his shoulder, muttering something unsure and shaky that sounds a lot like ‘boy friend’.

Doctors say that might take a day or two, that you probably gained a concussion from when you passed out and hit your head on the floor. In the meanwhile he does some research, he’s got some connections in the local PD and uses it to do some much-needed research on you.

You’re originally from another country, recently having emigrated for work. You’ve got no family alive. Not much of a record in the police files. You’re low-profile, having a small job as a waitress in a restaurant near your apartment. 

◾ Yandere!Firefighter whose mind drifts to the worst scenarios as he impatiently waits for you to finally wake up. How will you react to seeing him?

Will you feel the same ardent and powerful emotion that has him completely enamored to you? Will you accept him or his feelings?

His insides are dancing with anxiety and apprehension at what will happen next and he crosses his fingers in a silent prayer for you to love him back. 

◾ Yandere!Firefighter who is borderline starstruck when you groggily start opening your eyes, feeling himself falling in love with you all over again. 

He calls the doctors and then panic is installed in the room.

You can’t seem to remember who you are, what your name is. Nothing at all. Doctors try to comfort you, explaining it’s normal.

You just suffered a concussion. It happens. Your memory will come back one day - tomorrow or in two decades, the doctors aren’t sure of that. 

And then, you look at him for the first time, acknowledging his presence. Butterflies erupt wildly in his belly as you give him your attention, confusedly looking at him. 

He shouldn’t. He knows he shouldn’t.

But he still does. The answer is unconsciously on the tip of his tongue, just ready to be spilled as you question who he is. 

◾ Yandere!Firefighter who shamelessly lies about being your boyfriend, the answer coming firm and steady.

He feels guilty for doing this, but isn’t this a great chance? It’s destiny, telling him that maybe he doesn’t need to spend months - or even years - courting you. 

So he takes the chance, creating a beautiful love story where you’re dating him. That you’re practically engaged.  

◾ Yandere!Firefighter who tells himself that this isn’t lying. It’s just…forcing the circumstances a bit. All the indecision and fear is resolved when you accept his answer, not throwing a thousand questions his way - questions he doesn’t have answers to.

No, you’re calm, almost passive about it. You don’t cry in frustration of losing all your memories, accepting the short answers he gives to appease you, making up some of them.

He sighs in relief at how docile and sweet you are. 

◾ Yandere!Firefighter who kisses your knuckles, promising that you and him - together - will make new memories. The ones that will last for the rest of your life.

Promises to keep you safe and sound. To marry you. To love you. To cherish you. To treat you like the precious diamond you are. 

◾ Yandere!Firefighter who finally takes you to his apartment - your new home.

He doesn’t lie about what happened, saying that you were almost at the point of moving in together when your apartment burned.

Hence why your clothes aren’t in the wardrobe, but promises you can use his until he takes you shopping. 

Immediately falls in love with how cute you look with his oversized hoodie on, despite the slight uncomfortable expression on your face. Almost makes him want to keep you forever in his clothes. 

◾ Yandere!Firefighter who induces you into taking upon the domestic chores. Keeping your mind and body busy - hopefully that’ll help keeping old memories away. Memories where he doesn’t exist.

He never thought he’d be one to enjoy coming home to a freshly cleaned apartment, a meal ready to be served and a pretty girl waiting for his arrival but he loves it. 

He kisses you softly every time he arrives from work, making sure he doesn’t smell like smoke - doesn’t want the smell to trigger something in you - hugging you tightly before you pull away. 

You’re always reluctant when it comes to PDA, as if your subconscious knows there’s something wrong even if you don’t voice those thoughts.

But with time, he hopes to convince you to do more than just a few rushed shallow kisses and awkward cuddles where you pull away after five seconds. He says it’s okay, being understanding of your reactions but the fact is that he’s aching for you.

He wants you so bad that he has to rub one off every night, hidden in the bathroom cause sleeping in the same bed as you is so fucking tempting. 

Maybe once you’re finally married, he can convince you to accept him - all of him. Soon enough, he’s on one knee, presenting you a ring that he immediately slides on even if you didn’t answer. 

You’re his and that’s all that matters.