Concussions seem to be the most discussed topic in all of pro sports lately. Hockey is no exception. Every other day, it seems there is some sort of new controversy over a hit or some fluke play that results in a player being concussed.

DISCLAIMER

First off, let me say that I am not a doctor. I am not a medical or sports trainer. I am not a lawyer, nor I am especially well-read on this particular subject. I’m just a guy speaking from my experiences playing hockey.

I’m sure there are lots of people who know more about all this than I do. There are also certainly a whole lot of people who know a lot less but try to present themselves as experts on the topic.

LAWSUIT

Since the concussion lawsuit against the NHL was filed several days ago, many people have asked me what about my thoughts on it.

I’ve got to admit, my first reactions were, “Are you’re kidding me?” and “Who are these players?”

I called up the details online and read through it and still my thought was the same: “You’re kidding me!” What a bunch of legal mumbo jumbo. Leave it to the legal world to put a spin like this.

The accusations and insinuations in the claim are, in my opinion, uncalled for. I sat in the same dressing rooms, had the same injuries, the same bumps and bruises and I had the same team doctors look at me. I was always treated with the utmost respect and concern. I have no knowledge if any owner ever interfered with any medical decision about me but I really find that hard to believe.

So for discussion sake, lets say the lawsuit is justified, why is the only one being sued the NHL? Why isn’t the NHLPA being named in the suit? Not only does the Players Association work hand in hand with the league on player safety, but they are in constant contact with the players on such matters. Why aren’t the player’s individual agents named in the suit? The player agent knows everything. Both of these parties would be aware of any issues concerning concussions and they could have stepped in at any time.

Back to my first reaction, “Who are these Players?” I played against some of them. Some of them were my teammates, and some of them I really have no recollection of. Some of the players were very good, some of them had a cup of coffee in the league, some of them were club house lawyers when they played, some of them played “scared” and you wonder how they would ever sustain a concussion. Nevertheless, they all played in NHL, and it is their right to file if they choose to do so.

They say they have 200 hundred players involved, but they will not name them just yet, why? Rick Vaive the biggest name in the suit has already with drawn from the suit. I’m sure there are good legal reasons for all of this, but to me, if you’re going to going to go as far as filing the lawsuit, and you honestly think that you’ve been done wrong by the league, you should stand by your decision and let your name out.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCES

I had two concussions that I can remember. There’s a joke in there somewhere I’m sure, but I’ll leave it up to you.

My first concussion was against Edmonton. I was playing for Calgary and Oilers forward Pat Hughes nailed me with a great shoulder check (yes, a shoulder check, something that the hockey fans never see today because everyone leads with their gloves and arms) at centre ice.

I was down for the count.

I made it to my feet and skated to the bench like a drunk walking home after last call. Long-time Calgary trainer Jim “Bearcat” Murray was waiting for me. The procedure back then was smelling salts and questions.

The smelling salts came in an ammonia capsule that the trainer would break open under your nose, the odour was strong and it would “bring you back around”. It cleared your head. I am not sure if they still use the smelling salts – if so I may venture down to a dressing room and crack one open just for old time sake.

Now with a clearer head, the questions would start: “What’s your phone number? What’s your address? What’s your wife’s name? (Oddly the toughest question for some of my teammates!) Until you answered the questions clearly and correctly you weren’t allowed to play again.

I believe the shoulder check happened in the first period, I finished the game – no problem.

Prior to my first shift back on the ice, the trainer, my coach and my teammates told me to keep my head up when skating through centre ice or I will get hit again.

I bolded and italicized this simply for emphasis. It speaks volumes about how things where back when I played. It was my responsibility not to put myself in a vulnerable position to get hit. In other words, keep your head up, you idiot!

My second concussion was a complete accident but is something that many older fans still remember. However, there was an other event later in the same game that was much more famous to this very day!

On the play I got hurt, Ray Bourque and Cam Neely sandwich-checked me into the stantion by the Bruins bench. I hit my head on the metal partition (no padding in those days and I didn't wear a helmelt), and then knocked my head on the ice once I fell.

I don’t have much memory of this one. I still have people that were at the game come up to me and say that they thought I was dead! I was out cold on the ice and lying in a pool of blood.

I was quickly put on a stretcher. The Spectrum on any other occasion was one of the loudest buildings in the league but at this time it was the opposite: dead silence as I was wheeled off the ice.

The trainer, Dave "Sudsy" Settlemyre, was working me over with the smelling salts and I remember coming to just as I was leaving the ice. I lifted my arm, to let the fans know I was OK and the place went crazy!

Sudsy then proceeded to ask me the usual questions, phone number, address, wife’s name – I knew them all. I remember him saying that I was going to be all right.

I spent the night in the hospital, where I ordered a pizza. I was hungry. After all, I did just finish playing a game. The nurses and doctors had a chuckle and took it as a good sign.

Just as I was beginning to think I would get through unscathed, I thought I was experiencing a major setback. Someone came in and told me that Ron Hextall had scored a goal. At that point I really thought I must be out of it.

I don’t know if I believed it until I saw the replay, but that game was the game Hexy became the first NHL goalie to shoot and score a goal. I wish I’d have been there to help celebrate.

My wife Patty tells the story better then I do, she was at home watching the game on TV. Back then, there were no cell phones to call and let her know I was okay. Patty was home pregnant with our second son, Patrick. She was pacing, and worried. The doorbell rang and it was our neighbour, Jimmy. He said his father told him to come over as soon as he saw the hit. He stayed with our young son, Erik, so Patty could come down to the hospital. She arrived just in time for pizza.

I only missed 4 games, I remember pushing the doctor for me to get back in the line up. I had a sit down meeting with Dr. Hartzell, the Flyers team doctor. He explained to me what happened. Basically my brain was injured, it was bruised and that I had to protect it from further damage. It was him that said in no uncertain terms, the only way I was going to play again under his watch was to put a helmet on. I wore a helmet for the remainder of the 1987/88 season.

I usually tell that story pretty light-heartedly, but in reality it was a pretty serious injury. Looking back, I should have taken a little more time off and I was definitely affected when I got back in the line up. I didn't play well, although I am not one to make excuses.

The fact of the matter is, as I said, it was an accident. I don’t think that Bourque and Neely were lining me up to hit that stantion. I was trying to make a play, and things happened that the collision took place where it did. Things like that happen. There doesn’t always have to be a controversy. I never held any hard feeling toward Ray and Cam.

WHY ARE THERE SO MANY CONCUSSIONS TODAY?

I don’t think that there’s any one single answer to that question.

The equipment is different, both in good and bad ways. I still play with all the equipment I retired with and some of it I’ve had since I played with the Flames. There was a time when equipment looked more like a suit of armour but the trend seems to be heading a little more towards equipment being mobile and not so bulky, which is probably a good thing.

Equipment is a double-edged sword. You want it to be protective to make players safe, but the danger is that players think that they are invincible. They don’t learn to avoid putting themselves into bad situations.

Tied into the equipment issue is the issue of respect. People might laugh when I say that I think that there was more respect in an era that had bench clearing brawls, players going into the stands, and more stitches sewed on one team that today’s entire league sews in a year, but its true.

Respect is something that media people love to talk about when teams shake hands after a playoff game, but I other than that I really don’t think there’s a lot of it left in the game. All those dirty hits and cheap shots are a result of a lack of respect on the ice.

The game is certainly faster and this, I think, is a problem. I’m not just saying so because of my skating reputation, as I mentioned in a previous blog, I think its contributing to some of the uglier hits that happen now. The red line being taken out is a big contributor to the increase in concussions.

The list can go on and on with all of things that can cause concussions. I think the real question that we should be asking is why these concussions are so much more severe. Headaches, nausea, can’t function, can’t focus, can’t even tie up their shoes. There has to be something else at the root of all these concussions, it just can’t be bodychecks.

There has to be a common denominator, something that has changed over the years that is causing these severe concussions. After all, concussions are not just a professional sports problem, they unfortunately are happening at all levels of sport regardless of age. Active kids are getting concussed younger and younger and younger. Why?

Before I answer that, I’ll reiterate that I’m not a doctor or specialist but in my opinion it has to come down to drugs, processed foods and computers.

I can almost hear many of you laughing now, but think about it. What is new to society in the last 20 to 30 years? I ask this to the older readers: How many times did you fall off your bike? How many times did you fall out of a tree? How many times did you have your “bell rung” while playing sports? How many times did you bump your head and not think anything of it?

You shook it off and got on with whatever it was that you were doing. Kids now a days are getting concussed by simple contact in gym! So what’s changed? Drugs.

I’m not referring to PEDs or street drugs here. What I mean is that far too many doctors are far too quick to prescribe medication to alleviate a problem.

I know that medicine has certainly come a long way and, by all means, that’s a great thing. I do, however, think that turning to drugs to fix a problem in a situation where the body could heal itself just weakens your system.

Processed foods

I think everyone will agree that the fruit, vegetables and meat are not the same as they were 20, 30, and 40 years ago. The nutrition is not there and most modern food is full of steroids and chemicals to make it bigger and better.

I’m sure there is some fancy science that may back this up, but it’s pretty straightforward. Have a look at all those ingredients you can’t pronounce on the most “basic” foods you buy. That can’t be good for your body.

Computers

To me this is the big one. This idea came from my best buddy from Junior and former NHLer Dean Hopkins and I couldn’t agree more. Everyone can agree that when you’re tired or a muscle is overworked, it is more susceptible to injury. Look at modern day society. So many people spend almost every waking moment on a computer, phone of some sort, video games etc.

Pair that with a society that routinely doesn’t get enough sleep and you’ve got a whole bunch of people working through a sort of “brain fog” that must leave the brain more susceptible to injury.

So when we read about an athlete that has a concussion, a concussion so severe that he or she cannot ever play again or even function, don’t blame the sport.

Peel back the onion and understand the whole story. I want to know, did this athlete take prescribed medicine or did they use performance-enhancing drugs?

We don’t know how any drug and body contact react together. I want to know about their diet, were they junk food junkies? While the fast food can taste good we all know that it is not good for you. Once again, the artificial crap in these foods cannot be good for the body or the brain! No one will ever change my mind on the impact that technology has had on concussions. Far too many of us are spending far too much time squinting at some sort of electronic device.

As I said in the beginning, I’m no doctor, but as we used to say, I’ve gotten my bell rung. I’ve had a few concussions, and I’ve seen what I think the major differences are from now to then. I don’t think the recent lawsuit is much more than a money grab by a group of lawyers trying to make a name for themselves. It has nothing to do with actually addressing the problem in a better way.

So there’s my two cents.

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