adrian hoppel

Football Needs to Change. And So Do You.

The recent death of Junior Seau is perhaps one more blow to the myth that football is a safe and sane sport. From the NFL to pee-wee leagues, it is time for change.

It is too early to tell, but I suspect that Junior Seau’s death, much like that of Andre Waters and Dave Duerson, was a suicide resulting from depression resulting from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). I also believe widespread CTE among football players is a result of football leagues being negligent in the past, and continuing to be negligent, in reporting, treating and preventing concussions. 

Seau’s autopsy will be conducted later on today. Perhaps’s we’ll find some answers, perhaps not.

Either way, the questions will remain; what exactly are we cheering for, anyway?

Hopefully, as the investigation continues, Seau’s tragic death can be used as yet another chance to keep this important discussion in the forefront of our minds as we get excited for another season of football in a few months.

How long will it take…how many will suffer from CTE…how many will suffer from depression…how many will end up committing suicide…before meaningful change is made in the most violent professional sport?

I have played organized football (as well as organized soccer and rugby at the collegiate level), and believe me when I tell you that I love football with an irrational passion; I am not interested in seeing the game change drastically. But I believe many of these injuries can be prevented with rule and uniform changes. I believe the game can maintain its traditions while also maintaining the health and future health of its players. I believe the welfare of the human beings playing the game outweighs the risk of lower television ratings because the game is not blood-thirsty enough.

You can tell me that Seau was a grown man, and he made his choices, and he knew the risks. And I will tell you that is one, big fat rationalization. At the youngest of ages, children are taught to tackle leading with their heads, to “put a helmet on the ball.” They are mentally trained by their parents and coaches that this is the “right” way to play football, to be tough, and suck it up. God forbid you get labeled in high school as concussion-prone, you can kiss your chance at a scholarship goodbye. Oh, and don’t mention a concussion in college, or you’ll never see your name on NFL Draft Day.

Putting our desire for entertainment ahead of the painful truth is, at best, selfish and arrogant of us, the fans. At worst, we fans are all as culpable and responsible for these tragic events as the leagues and television networks.

Either way, it needs to stop.

Meaningful changes, even the ones the NFL already put in place, need to go into effect all the way down to the pee-wee level.

We march our children out to the play fields, and watch them with pride as they put their mental health at risk.

For what?

We sit back on fall weekends, wear the jersey of our favorite (latest) gridiron hero, tailgate, high-five and cheer them on as they drive their helmeted skulls into each other.

For what?

We tell ourselves, “Well, football is a tough game, so…”. And then when another grown man who is past his prime chooses to end his life rather than continue at a diminished capacity, what?

We skip ahead to the next story and tell ourselves we played no part in it?

Again?

I am speaking to you, NFL, NCAA, high schools and pee-wee leagues; I am speaking to you, rabid fans; and I am speaking to myself:

Football needs to change. And so do I. And so do you.

First Quarter Report

Well, two-thousand-and-twelve has not exactly bolted out of the gates like I planned. There was some unexpectedly serious family illness in January. That really pushed us back about four weeks, and then we had to rally to help Angie cram in what she could to take her bar exam in February and March.

A lot of projects got stacked up on the back burner, and now we need to get them sorted out and cooking again.

I finished the web redesign for our soap company, and that is really smooth. We are really starting to pick up some traction there, and I am excited for the rest of the year. This was a huge project, basically moving the entire site onto a new platform and rebuilding everything. We hit all of our milestones and deadlines, and sales have really picked up. Now I need to shift gears now from the code writing to the blog writing, though.

Unfortunately, but I did not get the work done I wanted to for our college literary journal app. Now the spring semester is wrapping up and I need to sit down with the team and decide how we want to approach the rest of 2012. This is such a cool product, but such a rapidly changing market. I think it is still going to be a long runway to get this project fully off the ground.

I started taking on some additional freelance clients for writing and web design projects. I intend to focus a bit of time in the area over the next few months, I would love to have a few more “right-fit” clients in place as we roll into summer.

And, finally, there is The Book. I promised myself that it would be done (and by done I mean in passable shape to show someone) by June, but that is just not going to happen now. I think mid fall is more reasonable at this point.

So, we have some catching up to do. Time to get on it.

New Stuff From Van Halen, and the World is Better

The latest version of iconic rock band Van Halen is releasing a new album in a few weeks called A Different Kind of Truth (scheduled release is February 7, available now for pre-order on iTunes). The band welcomes back frontman David Lee Roth, but has replaced bassist Michael Anthony with Eddie Van Halen’s son, Wolfgang.

Both changes are immediately apparent when you watch the official video for the album’s first single, “Tattoo”; it is great to hear Diamond Dave, although he looks a little more like Steve Martin and a little less like the poster child for 80s hard rock, but you really miss the layered and rich backing vocals that Anthony provided and we all took for granted.

As for the song, well, at first listen, my sense was a very solid “meh”. Soft subject matter, thin lyrics, nice hook, core VH song elements, and a pedestrian (for Eddie) guitar solo. But the song was on replay, and when I went to switch it off, I decided at the last second to let it play through again. And again, and again, and again. Now, I am hooked.

In my opinion, the essence of the song is poking fun at the commonality of tattoos today, and to me nothing says it better than the line right at the crescendo of the bridge “Mousewife to bombshell in the time it takes to get that new tattoo!”. How many people do you know that have recently decided “it’s time” to get that tattoo “they’ve always wanted”, as if getting inked suddenly gives them cred. (ProTip: It doesn’t. Although anyone can get a tattoo, not everyone “gets” tattoos).

Anyway, that’s how I hear it.

The song lacks the syrupy sweet bridges of the Sammy Hagar era, and thank god. Eddie still delivers an amazing performance on the guitar, and his solo (again, not his most aggressive work) is a subtle reminder of what he brings with a pick, and it is most impressive.

But the best part about the whole deal is the return of DLR. I wasn’t expecting spandex and mid-air splits on the video (well, I was hoping, but not expecting), But he does what he does best -  he makes you believe he is having the time of his life, and you want to join him. 

I’m in.

A New Year, Finally

I have a plan for this year, this 2012. The plan did not include launching the year battling the flu and a debilitating fever, but the best laid plans of mice and men often require extended rest and chicken soup. So, in this rare moment of lucidness (hope!), allow me to put into print the highlights of what I hope to accomplish over the next twelve months, if for not other reason than putting it down on my blog was the first step of the plan. 

• exercise daily, bike more, walk more, (stop trying to run because my ankle is shot).
• become an expert in all the amazing local beer brewed in the Philadelphia area.
• eat raw, primal, whole, unprocessed foods as often as possible.
• write, a lot, everyday. finish the book I am working on (by June), and get it published. blog about it here. write for other people. write. everyday. write.
• take The College Journal to the next level, which includes profitability.
• take Nordic Soap to the next level, which includes a wholesale/retail channel.

Last year was a good year, it was a year of transitions, of establishing foundations, and getting our family compass set to our own True North. Now we know where to go, how to get there, and who can help us, and who can’t. 

The game board is set, time to put the pieces in play. As soon as I get this fever under control…