Was Stephen A. correct in his assessment of McDaniel's handling of Tua last year

[pondwater]

The other day the talentless hack named Stephen A. had some harsh criticism of Mike McDaniel's handling of Tua last year.

Thoughts?

I put it in this forum because it's more of a media related question as opposed to the Dolphins. Move if needed.

[Dave Gray]

Fair question.  Thanks for posting.  I will move it since I do think that it's probably more related to those who are interested in the Dolphins.

While we're on it, can you link to the harsh criticisms or quote it?  I'm unfamiliar with the story.

[pondwater]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSIQc0aLO58&t=1s&ab_channel=BarryCunningham

[Dave Gray]

I watched the first 30 seconds.

No, Stephen A. is often a bozo.  And again here, he is a bozo.

Whenever anyone says "I don't care what anyone says," as part of their discussion, you should throw out their comments.  Neither Stephen A. nor McDaniel are qualified to make medical decisions.  That's for team doctors/ league doctors.

It doesn't mean that the doctors are always right.  But Stephen A. isn't qualified to have a medical opinion.  And he isn't even challenging it medically.  He's asking someone else with no grounds for a medical opinion (McDaniel) to overrule the doctors.  I don't take his argument in good faith.  If he wants to have a doctor on his show to challenge the medical opinion, fine.  He isn't.  But even if he was, the beef should be with the team and league doctors and not with McDaniel.

It's just a bozo take, all around.

[Downunder Dolphan]

Funny timing this.

Here in Australia in the AFL last week, we had a star player for a team competing to be in the top two appear to be knocked out in a head clash (along with his teammate), go back to the bench, not undergo a proper concussion protocol and go back out on the field about 6 minutes later. Both went down with a reflex action which immediately reminded me of Tua's concussion against the Bengals - then they sent him out again after what already appeared to be a serious head trauma. The team was fined $100,000 (a record for AFL) for not looking after the player.

https://7news.com.au/video/sport/afl/showdown-rocked-by-sickening-head-clash-between-lachie-jones-and-aliir-aliir-bc-6332077296112

The sporting world has changed. Yes these guys are well paid, but there is a duty of care that should be there long after they have retired. The owners (or the governors of the leagues, who ever is running and profiteering from these blood sports) should know this by now. Be prepared to pay a lot for the brain damaged and crippled, and for a long time ahead. If you're not prepared for that, look after them right now, expand the benches and have proper head injury protocols.

[Brian Fein]

Stephen A is a turd and his job is to get attention.  It worked.

At the time Tua played the Cincinnati game, it was stated that he DID NOT have a concussion.  Stephen A can say what he wants, but that's what team doctors said at the time.  The fact he got rag-tossed (and no penalty was called) by a Cinci lineman had nothing to do with anything.

Remember, he came back in the second half of the Buffalo game.  For this dude to criticize a head coach of any team for listening to his team's physicians, is absolute garbage.  Is McDaniel supposed to say "I know you have decades of medical pedigree but I think you're wrong and he has a concussion so I'm going to sit him."  Get out of here.

[AQNOR]

Stephen A is a turd and his job is to get attention.  It worked.

At the time Tua played the Cincinnati game, it was stated that he DID NOT have a concussion.  Stephen A can say what he wants, but that's what team doctors said at the time.  The fact he got rag-tossed (and no penalty was called) by a Cinci lineman had nothing to do with anything.

Remember, he came back in the second half of the Buffalo game.  For this dude to criticize a head coach of any team for listening to his team's physicians, is absolute garbage.  Is McDaniel supposed to say "I know you have decades of medical pedigree but I think you're wrong and he has a concussion so I'm going to sit him."  Get out of here.

What the physicians don't take into account, and why so many players end up with CTE down the road despite never having suffered a concussion is shots to the head that DON'T cause concussions.   And those happen more often than you think.   

[Downunder Dolphan]

What the physicians don't take into account, and why so many players end up with CTE down the road despite never having suffered a concussion is shots to the head that DON'T cause concussions.   And those happen more often than you think.  

There are so many players who had their "bells rung" at junior levels and went out back on the field... and there are a lot of guys playing my chosen sport here (AFL) who I genuinely fear for in 10-20 years with CTE injuries yet to be diagnosed (but I already suspect are coming). All professional leagues should be genuinely shitting broken glass about trying to compensate players who wind up with serious brain injuries. Not now, not tomorrow, but Mike Webster/Junior Seau-like in 10-20 years time when they have 24 hour a day headaches, paranoid and are suicidal. The NFL have have seen it already... it's not like it's exactly new.  

[Brian Fein]

What the physicians don't take into account, and why so many players end up with CTE down the road despite never having suffered a concussion is shots to the head that DON'T cause concussions.   And those happen more often than you think.   

Completely agree - however....
What I saw Stephen A specifically comment on was McDaniel "allowing" Tua to play after having a concussion.

According to team doctors, Tua did not have a concussion.  Thus Stephen A's comment is moot and absurdly foolish (just like everything else he says).

[Dave Gray]

I'm all for stronger protocols.  I don't want these guys out there with crippling CTE.

It's just that I'm against putting that decision on the coach.  If the guy is medically cleared, the coach is there to make a football decision.  McDaniel shouldn't be making medical decisions on the field during games.

The NFL has to have an independent medical staff that overrides everything else.  ...not even one guy -- a medical team at each game where any one of them can hold out a player.  It's like the doctor in Star Trek -- it's the only person who can override the captain.

[Downunder Dolphan]

I may be in the minority, but I think we (or the NFL Doctors) screwed up in the Buffalo game and Tua was clearly concussed from the moment he had Bambi legs like a punch drunk boxer. If they determined he was impaired back then, he would have not been starting for the Bengals game.

At that stage someone from the medical field has to come in, be it the club doctor or an independent league doctor to say you're off for the next 30 minutes and you will be evaluated if its safe for you to come back on. Something seriously broke down back then - it was put under the microscope, and for a good reason.

Yes these guys are being paid serious $$$ to play with pain, but do you really want to see someone permanently brain damaged or die for your entertainment?

[Fau Teixeira]

Lets not forget they put a "non medical spotter" in the stands the next game the dolphins played and they called down that Teddy Bridgewater was concussed and looked shaky on the first play of the game when he clearly wasn't hit anywhere near his head and wasn't shaky at all. It's all optics and politics and the A stands for asshole.

[AQNOR]

Completely agree - however....
What I saw Stephen A specifically comment on was McDaniel "allowing" Tua to play after having a concussion.

According to team doctors, Tua did not have a concussion.  Thus Stephen A's comment is moot and absurdly foolish (just like everything else he says).

He raises a valid point.  Tua was clearly not himself after the hit.   Had he not used the word concussion, then this thread would not exist. 

I'm all for stronger protocols.  I don't want these guys out there with crippling CTE.

Stronger protocols can be real simple.   If a player sustains a shot to the head and the trainers have to come out and assist him in getting off the field, then he's done for the remainder of the game, whether the doctors determine if he's concussed or not.   No exceptions.

[Downunder Dolphan]

Lets not forget they put a "non medical spotter" in the stands the next game the dolphins played and they called down that Teddy Bridgewater was concussed and looked shaky on the first play of the game when he clearly wasn't hit anywhere near his head and wasn't shaky at all. It's all optics and politics and the A stands for asshole.

That was a knee jerk reaction to what happened with Tua the two weeks before... lets not forget that.

If the medics actually did their job back then, none of that would have happened.

[Dave Gray]

Stronger protocols can be real simple.   If a player sustains a shot to the head and the trainers have to come out and assist him in getting off the field, then he's done for the remainder of the game, whether the doctors determine if he's concussed or not.   No exceptions.

Don't you think this almost assures that you don't go help guys off the field unless they're like....knocked out???