I’m inspired by the personalities I see from day to day. When I see those personalities shift or fall deeper into a tinge of crazy then I know that there is something afoot with them. Aaron Hernandez, the former NFL TE convicted of murder who later died by suicide, was found to have Atrophy of the Fornix, a condition which was likely triggered by repeated blows to the head. The condition was caused by CTE, a condition which impacted 87 out of 91 former NFL of players tested. The disease causes a protein called tau to form around blood vessels in the brain which tends to lead to changes in behavior including increased violence.
Given this information one would argue that football is stupid and I shouldn’t let my kids play. I argue that I need to be smarter about teaching them how to play and protecting them with better helmets that help them move better and avoid hits. I don’t think I suffer from CTE personally, whatever degenerative brain issues I am presently feeling is likely unrelated. However, I am fairly certain that Antonio Brown is suffering from CTE. He’s grown crazier since a terrifying blow to the head by Vontaze Burfict. Pictured Below:
That did it. I cannot protect my kids from nonsense like that, but I can recognize the lasting impact on the victim. He’s appeared in the news more and more since then for just flat out crazy stuff. He’s been in the news for going after his wife (excuse me, baby momma) on social media and most recently threatening to punch his GM. On a side note, he is now on the same team as the dude who laid him out. Maybe it is the flashbacks. Maybe he is feeling the effects of brain damage. One thing is certain, the man has had an explosion of personality. He is deeply emotional and volatile now whereas he had a sense of self control in the past.
I take all these moments and situations and store them away because they are learning moments that I will bring into stories and define characters through these situations and perhaps through that bring light to some of these problems we would rather ignore.
Some Thoughts:
- On the advice of my partner it is time to stop talking about why I don’t and actually do.