Amari Spievey: Concussions, Depression and Walking Away from the NFL
- Thread starter RobHowe
- Start date
Adam
Well-Known Member
It seems like as a fan base we have let this guy down. I personally had no idea about his struggles. I hope that Amari plugs himself back into the Iowa fan base because there are hundreds of thousands of people who would encourage and support him. I don't know a single Iowa fan that has anything other than love for Amari. He is always a hawk and it sucks to think that he went through all of that silently and without the love of a fan base that will love and remember him fondly for life.
I sure hope Kirk gets Amari back to campus ASAP. Being an honorary captain for a game might help Amari see that Iowa fans are with him forever.
Adam
Well-Known Member
The word cursed definitely comes to mind.
Great piece, nice work.
WinOneThisCentury
Well-Known Member
Great article Rob. Nice shout out to Kevin Twait at Iowa Central. Sounds like the apple didn't fall too far from the tree...Kevin's dad did the same for hundreds of high school kids. Maybe the best high school football coach in the country during his career...and I don't say that lightly.
iloveyoularrystation
Well-Known Member
Hey Rob. Wanted to say I found this piece to be probably one of the best written, and most important articles I've read on the site. It was incredibly well written. Felt like you were able to put words to, at some magnitude, what he was going through. The fact he had to hear about his friends death and relive it literally twice, is one of the most chilling things I think I've ever read. Wow. Can't imagine. Thank you for writing this. I hope it goes a long way to help us, help those around us who may be experiencing at different levels, with different issues (be it dementia, alzheimers, cte, etc.) these kinds of symptoms. Amari was one of my favorite hawks. Definitely got to be a guy and a family were rooting for as he goes through this.
RobHowe
Administrator
Thank you. I really appreciate the kind words.
I also appreciate Amari for opening up to me. I obviously knew him when he was here and am proud that he's been able to get back on his feet for he and his daughter. It's not easy.
okeefe4prez
Well-Known Member
Well written article, Rob. Nice work. My desire to watch football has certainly waned over the years and I didn't watch a single NFL game other than the Super Bowl this past year. I watched over half the games featuring my Hawks and my Crimson Tide and a few NU games, but not much else. Every time I read an article like that, it seriously makes me reconsider even watching football at all. I love the sport, but the older I get the more I wince when I see a kid shred his knee like Clayton Thorson did in that bowl game, when guys come up wobbly and are back in the game two plays later or when guys take a straight shot to the head and are held out for the rest of the game.
The human toll on those young men is amazing and when you see guys you grew up idolizing, like Seau or Dave Duerson killing themselves it puts the game in perspective. And then articles like this where I was an adult watching Amari play when he was just a 21 or 22 year old kid and seeing what has become of him really adds focus.
The human toll on those young men is amazing and when you see guys you grew up idolizing, like Seau or Dave Duerson killing themselves it puts the game in perspective. And then articles like this where I was an adult watching Amari play when he was just a 21 or 22 year old kid and seeing what has become of him really adds focus.
Adam
Well-Known Member
I certainly understand the perspective here. Football is a violent sport of collisions. The faster and bigger it gets the more dangerous it is. I am often conflicted on whether or not this should be football's downfall though. I am convinced that 80% of current players through all high school, collegiate, and pro levels would continue to take the risk even if it was a proven fact that 1 concussion could and would cause some degree of brain damage.
On the other hand I consider, should risk outweigh the freedom of choice? At what point do we take away freedoms for something being too dangerous. Sky diving could result in immediate death. Lots of people still make the choice to take the risk. They mitigate the risk as much as they can, but it never goes away. All around football, people are innovating risk mitigation for football injuries with the highest focus on brain saftey, but no matter what, the risk will never disappear.
The biggest debate here is at the younger levels. While concussions from 10 year olds is not near as likely it is of course still a risk. Many parents may reconsider their children's participation at the younger levels. The main thing is that the truth is out now and the evidence is growing. Almost noone I talk to anymore is naive enough to believe that it isn't an issue. Even if the sport is killed at the junior levels and noone started playing until High School I still think the sport would survive. People would still choose to put themselves in harm's way for fame and money. Let's be honest that's all Boxing and MMA have ever been about.
okeefe4prez
Well-Known Member
I don't care if guys want to scramble their brains, that's their business. But watching games and buying cable packages pumps money into the endeavor and I don't know that I want to support it economically - the amount of a cable package that goes to finance sports programming is just absurd. I also have a significant problem with the amount of money big programs are spending on football (particularly high level salaries) and question what impact that has on the broader institution. Iowa is in decent shape, but there are a bunch of marginal FBS programs that are forcing the general student body to subsidize high level sports through activity fees and the like and in order to provide additional financing they have to roll their marginal teams out against the likes of Alabama or Ohio State in rent a victim games.
Adam
Well-Known Member
I can't argue any of that.
Northside Hawk
Well-Known Member
When word got out that Kenny Arnold was sick with cancer, even his former coaches and teammates were surprised. He didn't want to burden anyone. Lute had Ronnie Lester or Tree Henry, not sure which one, pick hime up and arrange a visit. When he was literally carried into Lute's office, Lute was horrified. When the team found his family was getting stiffed by insurance on the meds he needed, they were outraged. The Iowa City community rallied around Kenny in a hurry, organizing golf outings and other fundraisers, getting him proper meds, hiring lawyers to fight the back payments Kenny's family owed. Us Hawkeye fans remember our heroes. And I'm proud to be one. And those who claim to be Hawkeye fans and call us sheep and zombies for supporting mediocrity should be ashamed of themselves and read stories like Kenny's or Amari's once in a while.
Adam
Well-Known Member
Yes I agree. The Iowa fan base is loyal and devout. As this story gets more traction you will see the Iowa support machine crank up a few gears, but ya Amari needs to open himself up for our support.
RobHowe
Administrator
When I asked Amari about keeping in touch with former teammates, he said he does so on social media here and there but it took him a while to reconnect with some of them. Part of the depression is wanting to be alone. But as he said, that's not good for the illness. Getting out and socializing is much better. Sean Welsh said the same thing. I think Amari is getting there.
ChosenChildren
Well-Known Member
We all love football and we love Iowa Hawkeye football, but is football now too dangerous for anyone to play? Seriously, the size, speed and athleticism of these kids is making it too dangerous for them to even play the sport. How can we protect the players?
Northside Hawk
Well-Known Member
Part of me thinks it will be abolished in my lifetime (I'm 52). Then I hear guys like Dan Bernstein on WSCR in Chicago talking about how, even as he knows about all the cutting edge medical information admits that he simply can't stop watching football. I believe that his view is a pretty good simulacrum of the general public,
the people who drive the ratings and in turn the cash cow. Money talks, but sometimes I wonder if doctors, insurance companies, and the general outrage of the viewing public sick of seeing their heroes die young will eventually speak louder as we find out what football is really doing to these young men.
