before diving into historical background on the evolution of football since the early 1900's to today. After developing this context, I will look into some of the changes responsible for the shifting perception, such as improved research/technology as well as more prevalent cases of suicide amongst former players with CTE. Using this information, I will look to demonstrate the cultural nature of the shift in believes and values as well as what it indicates about our own culture, primarily the shift in manliness from being a rough-and-tumble suck it up philosophy to one that values making mature decisions as equally tough and manly. Through particular individuals such as Junior Seau and Chris Borland, I will frame the shift in cultural terms before concluding with the modern impact in pop culture and the overall lesson to be learned from the shift.
My working thesis statement right now is:
- Increased awareness to the effects of traumatic brain injuries on former professional athletes stemming from improved research and poignant anecdotal examples has vastly altered the game from one of machismo and pushing through pain to one of caution and logic, demonstrating a significant shift in the perception of concussions in sports.
Right now, my sources come from a variety of places. Below is a working works cited page:
Beschloss, Michael. "T.R.'s Son Inspired Him to Help Rescue
Football." The New York Times.
New York Times Company, 1 Aug. 2014. Web. 22 Oct. 2015. <http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/02/upshot/trs-son-inspired-him-to-help-rescue-
football.html?_r=0>.
Cole, Carrol. "Uncovering Concussions." Chicago Health. Northwest, 2012. Web. 22
Oct. 2015. <http://chicagohealthonline.com/uncovering-concussions/>.
Conway, Tyler. "Concussion Movie: Trailer, 2015 Release Date
for New Will Smith Movie." Bleacher
Report. Turner Broadcasting, 31 Aug. 2015. Web. 22 Oct. 2015.
<http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2558444-concussion-movie-trailer-2015-release-date-for-
new-will-smith-movie>.
Fantz, Ashley. "Chris Borland, 24, to Retire from NFL, Cites
Fear of Concussions." CNN.
Turner Broadcasting, 18 Mar. 2015. Web. 22 Oct. 2015.
<http://edition.cnn.com/2015/03/17/football/chris-borland-retirement-nfl-concussions/>.
Karaim, Reed. "NFL Controversies." CQ Researcher 4 Sept. 2015: 721-44. Web. 22 Oct. 2015.
Locker, Melissa. "Football Head Impacts Can Cause Brain
Changes Even Without Concussion." Time.
N.p., 1 Dec. 2014. Web. 22 Oct. 2015.
<http://time.com/3611146/football-head-impacts-can-cause-brain-changes-even-without-
concussion/>.
Mayo Clinic Staff. "Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy." Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical
Education and Research, 11 Nov. 2014. Web. 22 Oct. 2015.
<http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/chronic-traumatic-encephalopathy/basics/symptoms/con-20113581>.
"New NFL Rules Designed to Limit Head Injuries." NFL.com. NFL, 6 Aug. 2010. Web. 22 Oct.
2015.
<http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d81990bdf/article/new-nfl-rules-designed-to-limit-
head-injuries>.
Sherman, Richard. "We Chose This Profession." The MMQB. Sports Illustrated, 23 Oct.
2013. Web. 22 Oct. 2015.
<http://mmqb.si.com/2013/10/23/richard-sherman-seahawks-concussions-in-the-nfl>.
Velasco, Schuyler. "Junior Seau tragedy shakes NFL,
intensifies concern about head injuries." Christian Science Monitor 03 May 2012: N.PAG. Academic Search Complete. Web. 22 Oct. 2015.
Vrentas, Jenny. "Where the Game Is Headed." The MMQB. Sports Illustrated, 25 Oct.
2013. Web. 22 Oct. 2015. <http://mmqb.si.com/2013/10/25/concussions-future-of-football>.
I love your topic! It's unique as well as relevant, since we're around the middle of football season. I like how you gave a brief overview of the sequence of your essay, great job
ReplyDeleteWhen I first read your topic, I going to ask if you had heard of the new movie coming out about concussions. But then I looked at your sources, and it was mentioned in the third one down. This topic is solid and the paradigm shift is definitely noticeable.
ReplyDeleteNice choice of shift, man! Given that you told me yesterday that you know someone who has had 10+ concussions, I'd say this shift was / is very needed. The amount of sources you have as well as the completeness of your outline is impressive. Looks like you're shaping-up to a super-duper research paper! Good luck!!
ReplyDeleteYou're entirely on the right track, John. The topic is precise, the time frame is manageable enough, the thesis effectively identifies both the shift and its significance, and your preliminary list of resources is strong.
ReplyDeleteGreen light -- keep going!