10/3 Analytical

In the last section of the book Concussion, by Jeanne Marie Laskas, Dr. Bennett Omalu finally breaks through to the NFL on the problem of concussions and CTE, but the NFL will not let him have the credit he deserves. After the conference that was held with Dr. Omalu, several NFL players, and the commissioner Roger Goodell, the NFL realized they could put up a fight no longer, and agreed with Omalu. After this happened, I thought that Omalu would finally get the recognition he deserved and would be respected, but it was the exact opposite. The NFL continued to trash his work and call him a phony.




One example of the NFL doing this is when renowned linebacker Junior Seau committed suicide. Seau was a staple of the NFL, making huge hits and dazzling crowd for all ten seasons he played. When he retired, he began to go crazy and gambled his family, his dignity, and his money away. After he committed suicide, there was a note found saying that he wanted his brain to be studied, explaining why he shot himself in the chest. When Omalu found this out, he immediately called the family, and got permission to take the brain and test it. When he flew out to California to receive the brain, he was told that the family did not want him to inspect the brain anymore, and they were giving it to the NFL to study. Omalu later found out that the NFL called the family as well, and when the family told the NFL that Omalu was already getting the brain, the NFL trashed him saying he was a fraud and his work was terrible. This is ridiculous to me that after all that the NFL put Omalu through, they still will not give up. It shows the true character of the people in the NFL, and how much they hate to lose.