/Climbs up on soapbox
Erik Kramer earned the nickname “Brass” because when Rodney Peete was injured Kramer had the “brass balls” to call an audible on his very first play with the Detroit Lions. He would later take the Lions to their only NFC Championship game in 1991. He owns the Bears single-season passing record for touchdowns (29) and passing yards (3,838) before the league became as pass happy as it is today. He has had his battles with depression. He lost his wife to divorce in 2010 and his oldest son to a heroin overdose in 2011. Erik Kramer is 50 years old today. “Is” is a key word because he is still alive after a failed suicide attempt Tuesday night.
I grew up in Austin where there was a place called Mike’s Pub it was the greasiest spoon in town. You open the door and the stairs were stained yellow. They had the best damn greasiest burgers in all of downtown, and you could almost always see Earl Campbell eating at the bar for lunch. Then you’d see him less and less because the stairs were giving him difficulties. I long for the days where I could see an old NFL player happy but struggling to walk because their knees weren’t the same. I long for the days of admiring the youthfulness of Hershel Walker. I wish that in 20 years we can all sit along and joke that Aaron Rodgers still “really really likes girls”, or that Brandon Marshall is still talking to himself. That all these in jest jokes made with respect and hint of jealousy are still around. However, we are now at a point in time where our favorite NFL stars may end up the running joke that is a former WWE wrestler. Where they may go on to interviews and say they know deep down they won’t make 65 years.
This is happening too often now for the NFL to sit back and do nothing. Even the WWE now pays for ex-wrestlers to go to rehab or counseling. The NFL made a bogus pledge of a billion dollars to help its former players with dementia from concussions and nothing for other symptoms of CTE like depression or changes in behavior. If there is any silver lining to this is that maybe this can be the NFL’s Chris Benoit moment where they wake up and realize they have a serious problem they cannot ignore. I look forward to everyone’s gallow humor on this subject.
//Climbs off soapbox
EDIT. I mentioned CTE with connections to the $1 billion settlement. The settlement does not mention CTE
Rodger in his early years.
http://41.media.tumblr.com/8eb3c51354f7432ddc87de9a58ac74af/tumblr_mktmaoqOBQ1qa28vgo1_1280.jpg
After a lifetime playing football before reaching the NFL, it’s hard to pinpoint that only being in league practices or games causes brain injur–
/hit by hard bound copy of the settlement agreement
But yeah; as prime denier of the effects on the brain the NFL is and should be held accountable. Hell, going beyond the settlement is in the league’s interest. Who could blame parents from keeping kids from football now more than ever, thanks to principled scientists and ex-49ers. The sport is inherently dangerous, and less players at all levels could cut off the pipeline of obscene TV and the FF money that has made the NFL bigger than U.S. Steel and the mob in Cuba in the ’50s combined. Actual money into care of players and retirees would entice young athletes to make more informed decisions. It should be a business plan for the NFL.
Damn son, strong work right there.
Great piece, Duchess. I think this goes to the heart (not a Dave Duerson joke) of why so many of us hate Goodell. It’s obvious that these players need help beyond money. The NFL knows, doesn’t care, and continues to profit without putting any productive tools into place.
Thank You… funny thing is I almost ended it with “Don’t forget to buy your pink jersey, or salute to the troops, and tune in this weekend”
My sentiments exactly.
But it was a Junior Seau joke, right?
To be fair there are many reasons to hate Goodell; let’s not limit ourselves.
I remember when the Bears got Kramer, being pissed off that they didn’t get a “real” QB, just a shitty Detroit re-tread who got lucky.
Then Kramer came in and was the best QB the Bears have had in a long time.
Unfortunately, he got his bell rung quite a bit. Back when I had cable, I’d see him on one of the fantasy football shows ESPN had. Between him and Merril Hodge, I thought it was like a requirement for ex-Bears with concussion history to be on ESPN. That explains Ditka, at least.
And it’s just hitting me now that Kramer is only 5 years older than me. Yikes. Hope he recovers and finds some normalcy.
“Nudity and gore will be deleted”
Say it ain’t so!
From my NC State blog (he’s a wolven hero to all of us, too), a reader posts that his ex-wife is definitely citing concussions as having a major impact in radically changing EK’s personality, and pretty much the sole reason they are divorced. Kudos to her for speaking out, hope she keeps doing so.
This could be the the wake-up call, because the Kramers are both still alive to tell the tale. And, sadly to have to say in this shallow day and age, extremely photogenic people for the cameras (I remember her from the turkey leg ceremony).
I greatly appreciate all the gallows humor, I just can’t add to it. Too close to home (this is a guy my little brother pretended to be as a 6-year old tossing footballs in the backyard). But I shall keep “this is great”ing, fo sho.
I was going to say that Jovan Belcher should have been the Benoit moment. But it got swept under the rug. Chris Benoit had CTE it wasn’t just the drugs. Even the WWE while saying hey we will help with drugs but they also quietly banned head shots and moves that risked head injuries too.
Fuck Goodell he’s making me root for Brady and Vince McMahon
I remember the analysis done on Benoit’s brain said something to the effect that he had the brain of someone double his age. It was, pun partially intended, mindblowing.
Of course, for years his finishing move was a diving headbutt…
He had the brain of an 80-year-old man
In his fridge or just sitting out in the open?
If Seau wasn’t the wake-up call, I don’t think this will be either, sadly.
There are no wake up calls when you are worth as much as the NFL (and the issue is as big as CTE liability).
There’s also the players who keep ignoring the wake up call. These guys get wrapped up in life as a football player and don’t have anything else.
I was thinking about ex-player analysts in other sports, and there is no analogue* to the meathead ex-football player in basketball or baseball. There is no NBA version of Bruschi/Schlereth/Herm Edwards/Keyshawn/Cris Carter I PLAYED FOOTBALL!!!! LOOK AT MY SURGERIES!!! GOTTA PLAY HURT FOR THE TEAM!!!! guy. I can’t every remember a former basketball or baseball player ever saying a guy needs to “sacrifice” i.e. take less money to help the team.
It’s starting to change with guys like Arian Foster and Richard Sherman and the 9000 49ers who retired, but the overwhelming majority are like J.J. Watt. Doesn’t he know that Bob McNair is laughing at him (while getting high on Jim Irsay’s good shit)?
*but secks joke
Yeah I am working on a piece about the “play hurt” mentality
Let me know if you want help. I remember our high school coaches repeatedly stressing “there’s a difference between being injured and being hurt, now GET OUT THERE” bullshit.
“If yur hurt ya can play, if yur injured ya can’t, now son do you think ya can play? Then yur hurt rub some dirt on it man up and get back out der and give them Hell.”
or
“well the trainer right there he thinks yur fine and do ya think he knows what he’s doing?”
Yup I’m still formalizing the structure of the post and could always use some help.
“Greasy burgers and dead heroin sons? MY ELEPHANT EARS ARE BURNING!!!”–Andy Reid
“Did somebody say Gallow…oh. Never mind.” [returns to obscurity]
Joey Galloway
I would not have expected this from Kramer. Lloyd Braun, sure, but never Kramer.
“65 years? I’ve got no interest in anyone over 6.5 years!”
– http://ww2.hdnux.com/photos/30/16/77/6352853/9/628×471.jpg
All that’s missing from that photo is drool coating his chin and we’d have the dictionary pic for “pederast” locked down.
In a rundown Wisconsin hospital, in the depressingly-near future, Aaron Rodgers lies near death. His sleeping is fitful, and the nurses stop by occasionally to check his vitals. The room is quiet, save for the one phrase Rodgers has repeated for weeks, almost unconsciously:
“Bros pud”
Christ. We need to bring back KOTW.
Typical Bears quarterback, missing the intended target.
(Unfortunately, the concussion settlement doesn’t cover CTE at all: http://www.esquire.com/sports/news/a34566/nfl-concussion-settlement/)
I’ll fix it thanks
I think you are right, because they can only confirm CTE after death, which makes any claim moot, which means it doesn’t cover CTE. I think we are saying the same thing in two different ways.
Kramer vs Kramer
🙁