Brain at right shows the effects of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which presents itself in people who have suffered repeated blows to the head, as is common in football.
From Robert Whitcomb's "Digital Diary,'' in GoLocal24.com:
“I'm always a flop at a top-notch affair,
But I've still got my health, so what do I care?
My best ring, alas, is a glass solitaire,
But I still got my health, so what do I care?
….The hip that I shake doesn't make people stare,
But I got such health, what do I care?
The sight of my props never stops a thoroughfare,
But I still got my health, so what do I care’’
-- From “I’ve Still Got My Health,’’ by Cole Porter
Everyone wants to leave as a winner. And so it’s easy to understand why the New England Patriots’ mega-star quarterback Tom Brady would indicate that he wants to play again in the next season, when he’ll be 41, after the underdog Eagles defeated the Pats in the Super Bowl. But the effects of being hit repeatedly in the head can be insidious, with visible symptoms all of a sudden appearing catastrophically. It would be very sad to see the very smart Brady gaga in five years. He should retire now.
