Sad article on Stanley Morgan by Mr West

[EZE]

The issue for retired players is health care. Most need multiple knee replacements and other surgeries even without head trauma. Many cant afford the cost, even with ins these days with high deductibles and medications being so expensive. You’d be surprised how many former NFL players are financially broke these days.

I get it, and that is the reason for my reference to the NFLPA. At the end of the day, the contract with the league is collectively bargained, and it is on the union to address these issues....as well as the pension.

The problem is that they (as well as current players) are mostly interested in the present.

 

[WoodsmanVol]

Since they are only studying people WITH the disease, the study is skewed. I believe that the problem is becoming more prevalent through the whole population and it's possible concussions or just getting rattled repeatedly contributes to it's speed. The sis in law that I mentioned above was about 60 when she passed.

Not to belittle Stanley Morgan and other FB players' CTE. 82, I'm going to throw in a factor that will probably get me verbally castrated here. I think a contributing factor is the diet of young folks today. I've seen high school and college students hauling sodas to class and saying it was their breakfast. Many also having snacks along with it like chips or some other salted or sugared vending machine junk. Kids munching on sugared fake food all day, refusing to ingest real foods and parents not reinforcing proper eating habits. Indeed, parents who are as bad or worse when it comes to a proper diet. My belief is that this contributes heavily to thinner bone structures including the cranial as well as weaker ligaments. Thus we see increasing incidents of various kinds of bone and ligament involved injuries. We periodically see events where "health nuts" and extreme sports people fall, get hit by a vehicle, and whatnot suffering minor or even no serious injury. Or recover quickly from major injuries. These people are concerned with feeding their bodies properly and exercising them. Was a time farm/rural diet and hard work outdoors got the same results. Playgrounds used to have equipment that required kids to do serious climbing, swinging, balancing, running (merry-go-round) etc. Gone now and replaced with junky "safe" stuff installed. And we wonder why the USA has kids and adults that are little more than walking helium balloons and human whales? Or easily damaged bodies? Examples: Slides and monkey bars in my day required you to do some real exercise. Today, not so much.

 

[barryjim]

I remember Stanley Morgan's first game as a Vol in 1973 against TCU (I was there as a 12 year old youth). He ran wild that day and he would go on to have a great career worthy of the greats to ever play at Tennessee.

I watched Stanley play at Easely high ...he was great. Didn't he betray Clemson and go to UT?

 

[VolNExile]

I don't necessarily agree on the analogy but I do believe that long term care should be dialed into contracts and the union should do something about it. The same could be said for Vets, but they have a much higher mountain to climb in terms of quality care.

One of my daughters had post-concussion syndrome for several years from soccer. Hard for parents to know what’s the right thing to do.

 

[1982Alum]

Should be must reading for everyone coming into the UT program. So many of these guys don't get their degree before they leave for a shot at the pros. That is real dumb.

A degree doesn't prevent head injuries but it leaves you with an option down the road if you want out of the pros for a happy and healthy life outside football. Too many think football is all they need. It is not.

 

[kbear01]

Quite frankly, Stanley Morgan was the most dangerous man, in the open field, I've ever seen play the game. I was sad, when the Patriots made him a full-time wideout. That meant no more kickoff and punt returns. He electrified fans, every time he touched the ball, as a Vol. VFL Stanley Morgan! I will keep you in my prayers, daily.