I know Greg really well, he is one of my Dad’s best friend and he is one of the nicest people I know. He is tougher than steel. He one time had knee surgery with no anesthetic because of his past problems with medication and because he said he wanted to watch it. He is tough as nails and his whole family is a great family. Love ya Greg
He seems like a really tough but nice guy! Him doing this interview to help others who haven’t crossed those bridges is amazing! I wish him peace and happiness.
We all wanted to be like this Gentle man when we were growing up...I am 62 now...will be 63 in June and honestly have no physical or mental maladies at all.Would have given my soul to be famous and rich when I was 20 or 21...but everything worked out.I wish this fellow a peaceful and happy future.
Reminds me slightly of Earl Campbell in "A football life." No whining or complaining, just discussing the reality of their life and both men loved playing football.
I am 6'3" 240 pounds. My mom never let me play organized football. I am 3 months older than Greg and have no pain. Football is a blood sport. They are not overpaid.
I'm a former player and no one knows the pain on the daily we go through. The popping and clicking of joints in the knees shoulders, elbows . The stiffness through out the body. Pain management is crazy. I'm 58 and i remember him. He threw his body around alot on special teams.
Boo hoo. So what? I played too. No regrets. Don't spit on the game that gave you glory. Coal miners & construction workers have missing fingers & nobody cares. Stop crying.
@ANTI HERO Seahawks can do it! I knew they had a good chance at making the playoffs once the season started. We got a team with a lot of young talented and motivated players. Most balanced team since Russell Wilson's first year they won the Superbowl. I hope we face the rams again and beat them this time.
I remember him, he was an excellent linebacker, very tough. It's sad to hear that he is having problems now, like so many others both great, and average players.
He doesn't seem to me to be complaining so much as merely explaining how his life is today, as a result of football. The fact that he said he would play football all over again shows the level of commitment and love for the game he has. To him, what he had to live with now was worth playing in the NFL for the time he did. It seems to be more defensive players that are affected, but of course not every player suffers the same fate.
I didn’t play pro football, but I did play in college. I received no money from the school. It was D-III. I can relate to his story. I did not play at that level or the length of time. I now wander what impact the collisions have had on me. Anger at the players because they made a lot of money is misplaced. A lot of these players did not make millions.
I played from wee-wee little kids all the way til I graduated high school. both offense and defense, on the field all game every game. I'm 49 and I can tell you that my body aches so bad and I know I have some brain problems .
The helmet protects the skull and scalp from trauma more than it protects the brain. The brain is traumatized by sudden, violent movements. To protect the brain adequately from trauma, the helmet would have to be far more cushioned. It might look like a beachball with a facemask.
I read a study once that said the best kind of helmet would be a breakaway helmet. This would dissipate the force more thoroughly than a solid helmet. It makes sense, but I don't see it happening.
Sounds counterintuitive, but taking the helmets away altogether would probably help. Guys wouldn't lead with the head and collisions would be far less violent. But I don't ever see this happening, and the fans and players would never accept it.
@Danny Krinkle Lmao not at all. Unless you want rugby or flag football, then helmets would always be a positive on the field. Helmets or no helmets, head contact will always be involved, simply because of how violent the game is in general.
@@USMCLP he's right in that much softer helmets would reduce head injuries significantly because people would only lead with the head into softer parts of the body
@signs He said taking away helmets altogether, not using softer ones. And like I said before, not really at all because football is inherently a violent and impact sport; Meaning head hits are bound to happen at a high rate regardless. Obviously players don’t only hurt their heads by leading with the helmet, there’s plenty of unintentional ways of hurting your head playing football. Dudes can take knees and elbows to the head. Then you got crazy things like mid air collisions with receivers and defensive backs. Etc etc.
I lived in Seattle in the 1980s and I followed the Seahawks. The Seattle Times once did a story in which they chose "the toughest Seahawk". They picked Greg Gaines, who belonged to a very distinguished Seahawk linebacker corps. The article recounted the hair-raising, stomach-churning injuries Gaines experienced and played through. I see that today he is tough in a different way, talking about his symptoms and his life now without any self-pity.
Greg Gaines and his two younger brothers grew up in my neighborhood in the Nashville suburbs. When I say they loved football, I mean they LOVED it. He would have played professional football even if it didn't pay like it does. He's shooting it straight -- he made the choice and it took his health. Glad to see he's not on the drugs like he used to be.
At the beginning of the interview he acknowledged that he was aware of the dangers of the sport but he also made it clear that he loved it. You actually have to like what you do if you want to last a long time.
You can tell Greg Gaines is a good man. He's very honest about the whole situation. But as he said, "I got to do what I loved." If these same kind of interviews were done with bull-riders, steer wrestlers,etc, their replies would be the same. And, as others here have said, roofers, mechanics who stand all day, workers who are around dangerous chemicals and so on.
I do auto body work...35 years. Chronic back and neck pain, can barely sleep some nights, in pain everyday to some degree, arthritis, knees, etc...Your average linebacker in today's NFL makes more money in ONE GAME than i have made in 35 years. Cry me a river, gentlemen.
Been a chef for 28 years...don't have total feeling in my hands from repetitive actions...my legs ache from 11 hrs a day...days become so similar I forget what day it is sometimes....so many of us go home and drink away the adrenaline rush ... I'm only saying...
I feel just as bad or worse Greg so don't complain! when you were playing football you were on top of the world I never was. I was just a very hard worker barely getting by now I'm retired with a history of work-related surgeries and it sucks so count your blessings!!
I didn't play NFL, but I did play through college. I even played against OJ once. Playing football is pain and exhaustion and more pain. We have to be nuts. I have arthritis in my right shoulder, both ankles, both knees, and right hip. Not to mention the fingers in my hands. I played for half a season with a broken metacarpal bone in my right hand. One time I went to bed on a Friday night and woke up Sunday morning. I got a concussion during the game on Saturday, and I have no recollection of the game. If I had to do it again, I would do it again, and I wish I could do it again, even at my age. Another good thing about playing football, when they tried to draft me, I failed the Army physical. I was classified as 4F.
How about interviewing a retired truck driver? Construction worker? Assembly worker? There bodies hurt too!!! The players in the NFL make millions... and the ones who play 2-3 yrs aren’t the ones with all these issues it’s the ones that actually played for 10+ years... sorry I don’t have a whole lot of sympathy for them it’s what they loved to do and got paid millions. The avg working man spends 40 yrs making a living for his family and his body is destroyed at the end of it...
Agree. Many 2-3 year players do have issues though. Old broken bones, repaired knees, concussions. But so do loggers, steel workers, miners, ag workers, tree planters, tree climbers etc. For us regular folks a not for profit medical establishment would help and not to have Tea Party Republicans talking about ending Social Security. These players speak to maybe warn others to maybe take some music lessons or play base ball etc. With the billions of dollars the NFL makes ex-players are looking for a piece.
Good point I sympathise with these ex -players. Every physical profession has its long term effects on workmen. He is not really whining saying he would do it again. He did get rich. The average Joe didn't get the money. They deserve just as much respect and compassion.
Agreed. There are lots of other occupations that have risks with long lasting affects. Maybe not as severe as the NFL but those guys also got paid a lot more than a heavy equipment operator or roughneck does. The NFL should have their own health care system that provides care for a set number of years focusing on opiate detox and the players need to educate themselves on how to plan for a future with injuries, no income and funding their own health care.
There's ZERO reason this man & his family need to suffer any longer. The players union should get together at their next meeting and pass Veterans care reform & also allow players to use Marijuana for Pain relief & other things. Its proven that its far less dangerous than pain pills. Theres evidence it helps with inflammation.
no weed to pickle there brain there already dummd down from shots to head not a big weed guy people get cocky when they smoke it get munchies and steal from stores when i smoked it in 86 it was twenty an 8th now i hear its like 50 naw no weed son
I have known Greg since I was very young and this video doesn't do his problems justice his condition is way worse than its portrayed. He's a good man along with his brothers. Believe me he's not bitching or complaining he's just making people aware of head injuries.
Watch the documentary called 'League of Denial' from which the movie concussion was produced. Overall, I agree with Joe Vick's comments below, but lost lots of respect for the NFL after seeing that. It was ONLY when public opinion turned against them did they begin to address their culpability in suppressing and hiding information. And make no mistake, it wasn't just old school, but none other than current commissioner Goodell leading the legal defamation hit squad that destroyed the career of a leading scientist, only to turn about face, start fining the biggest hitters in the league, and ruining their careers too. When I see him hugging the draft picks every year it makes me want to puke.
No one had talked about concussions on non athletes. I was dropped on my head, banged against a wall while being choked, and more than once dropped to the floor and my head bouncy against the floor like a coconut. I have had black and blues eye sockets. The nightmare lasted 23 years.
It's great that you got to do something you love and do because most people don't your interviewer was looking for something for Glory for himself The Twist words of your great career just because you're in pain now but sometimes to get what you want you got to work hard to get it and sometimes sacrifices have to be made that's the American way
"How about interviewing a retired truck driver? Construction worker? Assembly worker? There bodies hurt too!!" - Joe Vick. Dude, are you kidding me? Please tell me you are.
6 лет назад+5
Also, some people dont age well. I'm 53 with sports injuries but I am still very active and mobile. My cousin, same age, not so much. Some men in their 50s have pain. Diet, regular movement, being around nature, sleep are important.
I'm 50 and I have a new pain every day and I never played football. But I played lots of other sports. I know I overdid it, too but it was fun at the time. Maybe the nerds who sat around and read books and played on computers in their younger years get the last laugh because they aren't paying the price later?
He has brothers that are hurt by the game as well. His brother is part of a documentary called Saturday's in the South o the ESPN SEC NETWORK. His story will ripe your heart out of your chest
the problem is a form tackle is hitting the guy in his body mass, exploding into the player right smack in his sternum. that creates a whiplash affect which causes the brain to strike the skull. even if the tackle isn't that hard, it's the accumulation of all those collisions that will create long term health/mental issues....
@@ripperduck that's only part of the problem. I've encountered numerous occasions when you make a tackle with minimum impact but you have 10 other team mates flying to the ball. The amount of collateral damage adds up to. Body position, head trajectory, and speed all play a role. A lot of players receive concussions from friendly fire hits not always the ones they inflict on their opponent.
@@Diggs-nw5iz yeah agreed. I was never really worried about hitting a runningback, I was always thinking twice about hitting another teammate while he tried to make the tackle with me. Shit was nerveracking
Cant agree more and sports have risks involved and we try to minimize them they are real. The mma and other sports try and knock there man out and yet they have no head protection or laws other than the referees
I don't believe that these retired players who has been playing football for many years didn't know that they are risking their health in the long run by the hits they sustain. Those were college athletes, so didn't they learn anything from the scholarship or money they used to get into college? Why did they not look at the physical and emotional effects of a war veteran to realize the trauma any injury to the hole body can cause overtime
I remember a childhood friend who played a few years in the NFL attending a welcome home party for me. I give him credit for doing so, as we hadn’t seen each other since grade school. He began to complain about his aching knees. I asked him if he had ever seen what a 7.62 round does to a kneecap? Out of 2.5M Vietnam Veterans, something like 5 were professional athletes. Empathy, sure. Sympathy. Sorry, not here.
Prime Creator applied the 2 Lightworker Healing Protocols in perpetuity to the 2.5 million Vietnam veterans, living and dead and to healing 20-50 of these veterans their individual ancestors.
All of us go through personal tragedies, but it takes a special kind of self-pity for you to diminish other people's pain just because you went through something worse. Here, let me top your story; my best friend died when we both fought in Afghanistan. So, your kneecap? Empathy, sure. Sympathy, sorry, not here.
Weak. Very weak to diminish someone else's struggles because you feel yours are worse. My Twin brother died in an accident when I was 20. That doesn't mean I can't understand and try to help someone upset that their dog died... Even if the scope is incomparable. Be better.
greg lived in the room across from mine in the jock dorm at Tennessee, Gibbs hall... he was skinny as a rail in those days., he picked on the swimmers, (they had a couple olympic gold medal swimmers on UT swimming team). he got a little agessive with a couple o them one night after being out on the town,, def coach had him come in for the 6 o'clock club for about two weeks.. (doing sprints at 6am every morning for about an hour). we called him bullet head...he was tough dude for this size
From the start of FB until now, players have constantly gotten bigger, stronger, faster, more adept, and the cruel irony is that better equipment just enables players to hit harder. Equipment can only do so much, and some parts of the body can be injured anyway, almost as if they were not "protected" at all.
He knew the risks, he made phenomenal $$$ (relatively speaking for his day) for playing a friggen game! Guaranteed pension after 5 years for playing a game - it's a shame he's in pain but how about the men who works with cement all day? Masons? Roofers? Steel workers building bridges? They are in a great deal of pain too with not even remotely close to the $$$ he made for playing a game part of the year.
His problems are nothing new for retired sportsmen in many areas, apart from possibly the head injuries which seem to be a major problem in the NFL.. I played rugby at a very good level for 14 years in the front row, and was concussed once or twice, and although rugby has issues it's no where near as bad as the NFL.. I've got arthritis in my spine, all fingers have arthritis from being broken or dislocated numerous times. I've had knee operations and rebuilds, plus much more, but I would do it all again in a heartbeat. My body is still a temple: A 57 year old set of ruins.. There's nothing like the camraderie in a major contact team sport, on and off the pitch, and the adrenalin rush is second to none.. Its the friendships you make around the world in my case that helped get me through when I had to retire through injury, and not of my own choice..
I saw a moviefilm once were a truckerdriver said,"breaker...breaker one-nine...we done got ourselves a convoy!" then they runned over sheriff lobo squadcar. Since then I alway admire trucker drivers. Wish they would have runned over football stadium.
Although he says he didn't have detailed information about the health risks of playing football, he admits that he knew the health risks in general (00:45). And this is why no football player should ever complain about the ailments they live with when they become old, let alone try to blame and sue the NFL. It's like the chain smoker afflicted with lung cancer blaming tobacco companies.
Same age. I played D1 bball. No pads and when I fell, I hit hard surfaces. Of course, he fell on concrete. He moves like I do. Noises, my loved ones call them Big Daddy noises. I can't stand up, shift, roll over without screams.
How does football compare to hockey (padded) rugby or Aussie rules (unpadded) for long term injuries? The pads might amp up the player to do reckless moves. BTW. I don’t think a field is intended to be a peaceful place. Too expensive for it to sit unused.
I hate to say it but I don't know how any parent could encourage thier son to play football. It's kind of like smoking cigarettes, you know it's going to cost you your health in the long run.
Some people just can't handle football players honestly explaining what the game we all love to watch, does to them. Nowhere do I hear this man whining about his fate, he's just telling his story with a minimum of self-pity, acknowledging he had his moment in the sun, and there turned out to be some brutal consequences.
If I had had a son I would NEVER have let him play football. I am addicted to the NFL and find it the most interest of all sports but it is deadly to the players due to the harsh contact between players that cause concussions, joint destruction and depression. StocktonRob
Anyone with these types of issues should view Dr Hillary Lampers video on NCR here on RUclips. Whether it is Football or a car accident or whatever. NCR is the most incredible treatment available for anyone suffering from the types of issues Greg is talking about here on this video. Neural Cranial reconstruction is unbelievable. Dr Dean Howell is another awesome Dr doing this as he originally trained Dr Lampers back in the late 90s. Good luck all.
Exactly. He made the trade. Just like wrestlers who get body slammed in every match. Construction workers have missing fingers for pennies on the dollar.
Somewhat, would you like it if you died in a car or plane crash and someone crapped on you talking about that's the risk you took? So many classless comments here.
My heart goes out to former NFL players , if it was up to me they would get an upfront bonus, then set it up so they can get 150,00 to 200,000 a year for the rest of their life. So they and their families can be financially secure and have medical for the rest of their life
I have cerebral palsy and I'm about the same age and I have all those physical problems I never took pain medicine but I had to take arthritis medicine to even stand up and I've been working the same job for 40 years
ive got a dead finger from football got it caught underneath the 290 lb fullback same time i was getting chop blocked finger kept going with back till it broke wasnt able to be reset and now sticks out cant be bent and i often catch it on walls etc and it breaks the finger and yes it does hurt thinking bout doin what ronnie lott did but that surgery you woodnt think is very techincal and u could very easily die do i feel sorry for thesse guys no im a farmer my legs and back are beyond repair but my legs are like tree trunks
No one’s reporting on what’s happening to NFL players after they leave, but their general quality of life and life span is considerably diminished over that of the general population. Death is much earlier than average.
Here is my idea that I know everyone is going to talk crap about, but it's my thought. Professional Football should only be limited to playing for two years PERIOD. Think about the possibilities and excitement. No more paying quarterbacks $30M because you would have to refresh the position every other year. No more long term injuries from people playing too long
With anything envolving any kind of physicality there's going to be consequences. I'm a houeshold goods mover or furniture mover. I'll be doing it for 25 years coming this August. I don't have the head trauma like these athletes but i got physical ailments. Through the years i suffered minor and major body injuries. With anything involving any kind of physicality your body will never fully heal.
Lots of people from many professions in life suffer from the effects of their job/lifestyle etc when they get older,is being wealthy doing what you like in your prime worth it,depends on the person i guess but i would think it is
I was expecting to see some rough & tumble film footage of him roughing up Earl Campbell, sacking Joe Montana blowing up Walter Payton! Never heard of him, did he get in the games?
Hell yes he got in games. He was part of a great Seahawks defense that had guys like Kenny Easley, Jacob Green, Jeff Bryant, Joe Nash, Fredd Young. Awesome player.
but do you suffer from the permanent injuries that he has and has to live with everyday? its easy to say cry me a river when your not in his situation....
Do you know WHY football helmets used to be made of thick leather? 1) the player knew he couldn't use it as a "weapon"; 2) he knew that if he tried to he may snap his own neck and it wouldn't hurt the opponent anyway; 3) he had to use other athletic skills ALL THE WHILE making sure he didn't bounce his brain off the inside of his skull. Oh, and 4) they all had other livelihoods to return to after football season. They weren't "conditioned" and "trained" like circus seals all year round by.....fitness experts, nutritionists, and, yes, of course, what was that other thing.....yes - PAIN-MANAGEMENT charlatans [read: take THIS pill] !!
at 2:35 I turned it off. As an 82 year old let me say this: The man across the street from me is about 50 and he has been in a wheel chair for the past 25 years. Can't get out of it. He would trade places with u in a heartbeat. In my family we had a 3 year old girl and a 5 year old girl, sisters, die within 5 days of each other. U. R. a big strong man. To you I say "count your lucky stars". Life is not easy for some folks. U were a big strong jock at one time, big man on campus, had a bunch of cheer-leaders and now u r in the same boat as those 60 year old cheer-leaders. They no longer have their looks and their bodies are shot. So my friend, quit your belly aching and start working on your mind. Sit in front of that computer and learn, learn and learn. God bless you - God bless President Trump and God Bless America.
@allen D He did say that. He said no regrets. The only way to make collision sports safer is less games, less plays, less rounds, more time between matches, enforced shorter careers. Even soccer players get it from heading the ball. Even baseball players and hockey players have suffered later neurological problems. Some have suggested that Lou Gehrig's early death was due to neurological trauma coming from playing college football, not Lou Gehrig's disease. What an irony. Athletes pay a terrible price so that we can enjoy the glory. I do not like the people who are yelling for more games and longer seasons, and for more playoff games in college football. College football should go back to the ten-game season, plus bowls. I don't take the national championship game seriously. To me it is an exhibition. The NFL should go back to 14-games and eight teams in the postseason. People do not realize the benefits college get out of conference membership above all. Getting into the Big Ten for Maryland and Rutgers means academic parity with the likes of Michigan, Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota and the rest. It is worth billions in grants and research contracts and might give a better pool of applicants for their undergraduate colleges and graduate and professional programs too. Maryland once was regarded as just about the worst public university in the United States and Rutger has lived for an eternity in the shadow of the Ivy League. Have a little more sympathy for the athlete. They come into the system as kids with dreams of glory and famous name, and a big payday. Then they are used and discarded, and only the pros get paid. The numbers who take advantage of their academic opportunites are not big either. Many are not capable of doing so. Other are only marginally capable, and most of those fail to take the right courses and graduate. A few are exceptional. They may go on to graduate and professional school, into a career where a degree is the norm, or into coaching. You cannot be hired as an assistant in football either by four-year college or a professional team unless you have a bachelor's degree. I don't think they care what subject your degree is in. but they want you to have it. Nor will you go on the be a head coach unless you first have been an assistant.
Evidently, Sir, you don't understand what's taking place here. You can't "sit in front of a computer and learn learn, learn." There is brain damage involved. The brain begins to self-destruct. And no, lol, your "neighbor" WOULD NOT trade places with him!
I know Greg really well, he is one of my Dad’s best friend and he is one of the nicest people I know. He is tougher than steel. He one time had knee surgery with no anesthetic because of his past problems with medication and because he said he wanted to watch it. He is tough as nails and his whole family is a great family. Love ya Greg
He seems like a really tough but nice guy! Him doing this interview to help others who haven’t crossed those bridges is amazing! I wish him peace and happiness.
We all wanted to be like this Gentle man when we were growing up...I am 62 now...will be 63 in June and honestly have no physical or mental maladies at all.Would have given my soul to be famous and rich when I was 20 or 21...but everything worked out.I wish this fellow a peaceful and happy future.
This is an excellent interview. Prayers to Greg Gaines✝️
Reminds me slightly of Earl Campbell in "A football life." No whining or complaining, just discussing the reality of their life and both men loved playing football.
No.such thing ss a football life man.its a man made game. Once the game over...ur life continues and ur leftt crippled
I like the highlight of Campbell at Texas when he shoulder the guy into the end zone from like 5 yards out
@Big Bill O'Reilly
Yes, yes. And F U 2!
Very nice, honest man.
I am 6'3" 240 pounds. My mom never let me play organized football. I am 3 months older than Greg and have no pain. Football is a blood sport. They are not overpaid.
Yay, Mom! Always listen to your mother.
MAma is the devil!
Your wife is in compassionate! I’m sorry brother my football life left me the same @ 58! Stay strong!!!!!
" I got to LIVE my dream and I am good with that " Classic !! GOD BLESS Greg Gaines ! ( I am now 55 and remember him )
I'm a former player and no one knows the pain on the daily we go through. The popping and clicking of joints in the knees shoulders, elbows . The stiffness through out the body. Pain management is crazy. I'm 58 and i remember him. He threw his body around alot on special teams.
If you're Mack Herron, you died 3 years ago.. HMMM
Boo hoo. So what? I played too. No regrets. Don't spit on the game that gave you glory. Coal miners & construction workers have missing fingers & nobody cares. Stop crying.
@@franner9 Bears had linebacker in late '70's early '80's named Bruce Herron
@ANTI HERO Seahawks can do it! I knew they had a good chance at making the playoffs once the season started. We got a team with a lot of young talented and motivated players. Most balanced team since Russell Wilson's first year they won the Superbowl. I hope we face the rams again and beat them this time.
Prime Creator applied the 2 Lightworker Healing Protocols in perpetuity.
May 20-50 of your ancestors be healed.
God bless this man and take away his pain.
I remember him, he was an excellent linebacker, very tough. It's sad to hear that he is having problems now, like so many others both great, and average players.
He doesn't seem to me to be complaining so much as merely explaining how his life is today, as a result of football. The fact that he said he would play football all over again shows the level of commitment and love for the game he has. To him, what he had to live with now was worth playing in the NFL for the time he did. It seems to be more defensive players that are affected, but of course not every player suffers the same fate.
I didn’t play pro football, but I did play in college. I received no money from the school. It was D-III. I can relate to his story. I did not play at that level or the length of time. I now wander what impact the collisions have had on me. Anger at the players because they made a lot of money is misplaced. A lot of these players did not make millions.
They were still well compensated with a great pension
D1 ball here. No regrets. We all love the game. I know of construction workers suffering far worse. At least I got 100% tuition paid
I played from wee-wee little kids all the way til I graduated high school. both offense and defense, on the field all game every game. I'm 49 and I can tell you that my body aches so bad and I know I have some brain problems .
You wander? Sounds like you have a concusion.
@@bigbanknewyork3655 you must was the guy who held the ball when the kicker kicking an extra point?
The helmet protects the skull and scalp from trauma more than it protects the brain. The brain is traumatized by sudden, violent movements. To protect the brain adequately from trauma, the helmet would have to be far more cushioned. It might look like a beachball with a facemask.
I read a study once that said the best kind of helmet would be a breakaway helmet. This would dissipate the force more thoroughly than a solid helmet. It makes sense, but I don't see it happening.
Sounds counterintuitive, but taking the helmets away altogether would probably help. Guys wouldn't lead with the head and collisions would be far less violent. But I don't ever see this happening, and the fans and players would never accept it.
@Danny Krinkle Lmao not at all. Unless you want rugby or flag football, then helmets would always be a positive on the field. Helmets or no helmets, head contact will always be involved, simply because of how violent the game is in general.
@@USMCLP he's right in that much softer helmets would reduce head injuries significantly because people would only lead with the head into softer parts of the body
@signs He said taking away helmets altogether, not using softer ones. And like I said before, not really at all because football is inherently a violent and impact sport; Meaning head hits are bound to happen at a high rate regardless. Obviously players don’t only hurt their heads by leading with the helmet, there’s plenty of unintentional ways of hurting your head playing football. Dudes can take knees and elbows to the head. Then you got crazy things like mid air collisions with receivers and defensive backs. Etc etc.
May God bless you Mr. Gaines
I lived in Seattle in the 1980s and I followed the Seahawks. The Seattle Times once did a story in which they chose "the toughest Seahawk". They picked Greg Gaines, who belonged to a very distinguished Seahawk linebacker corps. The article recounted the hair-raising, stomach-churning injuries Gaines experienced and played through. I see that today he is tough in a different way, talking about his symptoms and his life now without any self-pity.
Greg Gaines and his two younger brothers grew up in my neighborhood in the Nashville suburbs. When I say they loved football, I mean they LOVED it. He would have played professional football even if it didn't pay like it does. He's shooting it straight -- he made the choice and it took his health. Glad to see he's not on the drugs like he used to be.
This is why these players deserves millions!!
I like him more now, then when I used to watch him play. Thanks for uploading.
At the beginning of the interview he acknowledged that he was aware of the dangers of the sport but he also made it clear that he loved it. You actually have to like what you do if you want to last a long time.
You can tell Greg Gaines is a good man. He's very honest about the whole situation. But as he said, "I got to do what I loved."
If these same kind of interviews were done with bull-riders, steer wrestlers,etc, their replies would be the same.
And, as others here have said, roofers, mechanics who stand all day, workers who are around dangerous chemicals and so on.
WARNING: smashing bodies into bodies causes injuries.
Or makes a baby.....
I do auto body work...35 years. Chronic back and neck pain, can barely sleep some nights, in pain everyday to some degree, arthritis, knees, etc...Your average linebacker in today's NFL makes more money in ONE GAME than i have made in 35 years. Cry me a river, gentlemen.
Been a chef for 28 years...don't have total feeling in my hands from repetitive actions...my legs ache from 11 hrs a day...days become so similar I forget what day it is sometimes....so many of us go home and drink away the adrenaline rush ...
I'm only saying...
I feel just as bad or worse Greg so don't complain! when you were playing football you were on top of the world I never was. I was just a very hard worker barely getting by now I'm retired with a history of work-related surgeries and it sucks so count your blessings!!
I know Greg very well. A great dude.
I didn't play NFL, but I did play through college. I even played against OJ once. Playing football is pain and exhaustion and more pain. We have to be nuts. I have arthritis in my right shoulder, both ankles, both knees, and right hip. Not to mention the fingers in my hands. I played for half a season with a broken metacarpal bone in my right hand. One time I went to bed on a Friday night and woke up Sunday morning. I got a concussion during the game on Saturday, and I have no recollection of the game. If I had to do it again, I would do it again, and I wish I could do it again, even at my age. Another good thing about playing football, when they tried to draft me, I failed the Army physical. I was classified as 4F.
How about interviewing a retired truck driver? Construction worker? Assembly worker? There bodies hurt too!!! The players in the NFL make millions... and the ones who play 2-3 yrs aren’t the ones with all these issues it’s the ones that actually played for 10+ years... sorry I don’t have a whole lot of sympathy for them it’s what they loved to do and got paid millions. The avg working man spends 40 yrs making a living for his family and his body is destroyed at the end of it...
Agree. Many 2-3 year players do have issues though. Old broken bones, repaired knees, concussions. But so do loggers, steel workers, miners, ag workers, tree planters, tree climbers etc. For us regular folks a not for profit medical establishment would help and not to have Tea Party Republicans talking about ending Social Security. These players speak to maybe warn others to maybe take some music lessons or play base ball etc. With the billions of dollars the NFL makes ex-players are looking for a piece.
Good point I sympathise with these ex -players. Every physical profession has its long term effects on workmen. He is not really whining saying he would do it again. He did get rich. The average Joe didn't get the money. They deserve just as much respect and compassion.
Lmao 2-3 yrs for something they've been playing their whole life head injuries don't start in the pros but for some way before then...🤔🤔🤔
Go watch something else
Agreed. There are lots of other occupations that have risks with long lasting affects. Maybe not as severe as the NFL but those guys also got paid a lot more than a heavy equipment operator or roughneck does. The NFL should have their own health care system that provides care for a set number of years focusing on opiate detox and the players need to educate themselves on how to plan for a future with injuries, no income and funding their own health care.
There's ZERO reason this man & his family need to suffer any longer. The players union should get together at their next meeting and pass Veterans care reform & also allow players to use Marijuana for Pain relief & other things. Its proven that its far less dangerous than pain pills. Theres evidence it helps with inflammation.
Pot does not alleviate pain.
Give him cocaine to snort too to get that energy back
@@freddyflintstoned913 High CBD strains do alleviate pain!
Amen
no weed to pickle there brain there already dummd down from shots to head not a big weed guy people get cocky when they smoke it get munchies and steal from stores when i smoked it in 86 it was twenty an 8th now i hear its like 50 naw no weed son
I have known Greg since I was very young and this video doesn't do his problems justice his condition is way worse than its portrayed. He's a good man along with his brothers. Believe me he's not bitching or complaining he's just making people aware of head injuries.
Been in construction for 25 years we can share pain areas.
We gotta show our gridiron heroes more love and support after they retire from the game. They gave us so much.
Heros? get a life.
Watch the documentary called 'League of Denial' from which the movie concussion was produced. Overall, I agree with Joe Vick's comments below, but lost lots of respect for the NFL after seeing that. It was ONLY when public opinion turned against them did they begin to address their culpability in suppressing and hiding information. And make no mistake, it wasn't just old school, but none other than current commissioner Goodell leading the legal defamation hit squad that destroyed the career of a leading scientist, only to turn about face, start fining the biggest hitters in the league, and ruining their careers too. When I see him hugging the draft picks every year it makes me want to puke.
And there’s the paradox... you get to do what you love, but it sucks the life out of you. Football.
No one had talked about concussions on non athletes. I was dropped on my head, banged against a wall while being choked, and more than once dropped to the floor and my head bouncy against the floor like a coconut. I have had black and blues eye sockets. The nightmare lasted 23 years.
It's great that you got to do something you love and do because most people don't your interviewer was looking for something for Glory for himself The Twist words of your great career just because you're in pain now but sometimes to get what you want you got to work hard to get it and sometimes sacrifices have to be made that's the American way
"How about interviewing a retired truck driver? Construction worker? Assembly worker? There bodies hurt too!!" - Joe Vick.
Dude, are you kidding me? Please tell me you are.
Also, some people dont age well. I'm 53 with sports injuries but I am still very active and mobile. My cousin, same age, not so much. Some men in their 50s have pain. Diet, regular movement, being around nature, sleep are important.
give it 10 years, it'll catch up with you, it always does.
@@tomitstube I'm 63 and you are correct. Every morning starts the Mystery Ache of the Day competition. I have my orthopedic surgery on speed dial.
I'm 50 and I have a new pain every day and I never played football. But I played lots of other sports. I know I overdid it, too but it was fun at the time. Maybe the nerds who sat around and read books and played on computers in their younger years get the last laugh because they aren't paying the price later?
He has brothers that are hurt by the game as well. His brother is part of a documentary called Saturday's
in the South o the ESPN SEC NETWORK. His story will ripe your heart out of your chest
Whether you lead with your helmet or not. There is still high speed contract on the head.
the problem is a form tackle is hitting the guy in his body mass, exploding into the player right smack in his sternum. that creates a whiplash affect which causes the brain to strike the skull. even if the tackle isn't that hard, it's the accumulation of all those collisions that will create long term health/mental issues....
@@ripperduck that's only part of the problem. I've encountered numerous occasions when you make a tackle with minimum impact but you have 10 other team mates flying to the ball. The amount of collateral damage adds up to. Body position, head trajectory, and speed all play a role. A lot of players receive concussions from friendly fire hits not always the ones they inflict on their opponent.
@@Diggs-nw5iz yeah agreed. I was never really worried about hitting a runningback, I was always thinking twice about hitting another teammate while he tried to make the tackle with me. Shit was nerveracking
Cant agree more and sports have risks involved and we try to minimize them they are real. The mma and other sports try and knock there man out and yet they have no head protection or laws other than the referees
He is fresh tho he wearing Jordan Jumpsuit
He said he's been in pain. He didn't say anything about being Broke.
RL Driver LMAOO
He knew what he was getting into before and after signing that football contract.
He said that...
What we know today has nothing to do with "what he knew".
Bruce Pisetzner so that's like saying a boxer does not know the dangers of being a boxer.
Richard Jamet
Ok broke homosexual you knew your daddy wouldn’t approve of your lifestyle
Please show me what research was being done in the '80s on CTE and then you tell me if he fully knew what he was getting in to?
I don't believe that these retired players who has been playing football for many years didn't know that they are risking their health in the long run by the hits they sustain.
Those were college athletes, so didn't they learn anything from the scholarship or money they used to get into college?
Why did they not look at the physical and emotional effects of a war veteran to realize the trauma any injury to the hole body can cause overtime
I remember a childhood friend who played a few years in the NFL attending a welcome home party for me. I give him credit for doing so, as we hadn’t seen each other since grade school. He began to complain about his aching knees. I asked him if he had ever seen what a 7.62 round does to a kneecap? Out of 2.5M Vietnam Veterans, something like 5 were professional athletes. Empathy, sure. Sympathy. Sorry, not here.
Prime Creator applied the 2 Lightworker Healing Protocols in perpetuity to the 2.5 million Vietnam veterans, living and dead and to healing 20-50 of these veterans their individual ancestors.
@@MichaelWilson-xc1uk English next time weirdo
All of us go through personal tragedies, but it takes a special kind of self-pity for you to diminish other people's pain just because you went through something worse. Here, let me top your story; my best friend died when we both fought in Afghanistan. So, your kneecap? Empathy, sure. Sympathy, sorry, not here.
Weak. Very weak to diminish someone else's struggles because you feel yours are worse. My Twin brother died in an accident when I was 20. That doesn't mean I can't understand and try to help someone upset that their dog died... Even if the scope is incomparable. Be better.
That's the reason football won't die. The guys know what they are signing up for but love the game no matter what. Hard to fight that.
An honest man!...
greg lived in the room across from mine in the jock dorm at Tennessee, Gibbs hall... he was skinny as a rail in those days., he picked on the swimmers, (they had a couple olympic gold medal swimmers on UT swimming team). he got a little agessive with a couple o them one night after being out on the town,, def coach had him come in for the 6 o'clock club for about two weeks.. (doing sprints at 6am every morning for about an hour). we called him bullet head...he was tough dude for this size
We all age in life. Each person is different so enjoy the memories .
From the start of FB until now, players have constantly gotten bigger, stronger, faster, more adept, and the cruel irony is that better equipment just enables players to hit harder. Equipment can only do so much, and some parts of the body can be injured anyway, almost as if they were not "protected" at all.
So sad! So many former nfl players have similar stories.
He knew the risks, he made phenomenal $$$ (relatively speaking for his day) for playing a friggen game! Guaranteed pension after 5 years for playing a game - it's a shame he's in pain but how about the men who works with cement all day? Masons? Roofers? Steel workers building bridges? They are in a great deal of pain too with not even remotely close to the $$$ he made for playing a game part of the year.
His problems are nothing new for retired sportsmen in many areas, apart from possibly the head injuries which seem to be a major problem in the NFL.. I played rugby at a very good level for 14 years in the front row, and was concussed once or twice, and although rugby has issues it's no where near as bad as the NFL.. I've got arthritis in my spine, all fingers have arthritis from being broken or dislocated numerous times. I've had knee operations and rebuilds, plus much more, but I would do it all again in a heartbeat. My body is still a temple: A 57 year old set of ruins.. There's nothing like the camraderie in a major contact team sport, on and off the pitch, and the adrenalin rush is second to none.. Its the friendships you make around the world in my case that helped get me through when I had to retire through injury, and not of my own choice..
I’m a retired truck driver of 39 years! I’m a wreak
Paul Grimm So are your spelling abilities.
Wreck haha but I agree
I saw a moviefilm once were a truckerdriver said,"breaker...breaker one-nine...we done got ourselves a convoy!" then they runned over sheriff lobo squadcar. Since then I alway admire trucker drivers. Wish they would have runned over football stadium.
He ADMITTED that he was warned that he would have issues later on, but now that he's broke, he is concerned...SMH
Although he says he didn't have detailed information about the health risks of playing football, he admits that he knew the health risks in general (00:45). And this is why no football player should ever complain about the ailments they live with when they become old, let alone try to blame and sue the NFL. It's like the chain smoker afflicted with lung cancer blaming tobacco companies.
I know the feeling. My body is racked with pain.
Notice how far the guy on the left is sitting from the interviewee?
Same age. I played D1 bball. No pads and when I fell, I hit hard surfaces. Of course, he fell on concrete. He moves like I do. Noises, my loved ones call them Big Daddy noises. I can't stand up, shift, roll over without screams.
How does football compare to hockey (padded) rugby or Aussie rules (unpadded) for long term injuries? The pads might amp up the player to do reckless moves. BTW. I don’t think a field is intended to be a peaceful place. Too expensive for it to sit unused.
Yep, like boxers, we know the consequences
Agreed. 2 sports with consequence 💥
New England Views
Hockey MMA Soccer etc etc etc CTE has proven to be a deadly consequence :o(
007 Lanski
We are actually just recently learning the tragic, sometimes deadly, extent of cte in MANY sports actually :o(
I wear boxers... what are you saying? Should I switch to briefs or whitey tighties?
I hate to say it but I don't know how any parent could encourage thier son to play football. It's kind of like smoking cigarettes, you know it's going to cost you your health in the long run.
Hate to say it but contact sports make a boy tougher and builds character communication skills plus a bond with other young men...🤔🤔🤔
Hate to say it but today's children are pussies...
Pulled my son when he started having headaches every day, dawned on me how could I do this.
@@dynamicsolution8166
Did you also give him a participation trophy?
@@NunYa953 that's a stupid comment, no i didnt have to the team went to the nationals,
Some people just can't handle football players honestly explaining what the game we all love to watch, does to them. Nowhere do I hear this man whining about his fate, he's just telling his story with a minimum of self-pity, acknowledging he had his moment in the sun, and there turned out to be some brutal consequences.
The reality for any competitive athlete at the highest level. 2012 NPC Nationals Welterweight Champ; Retired IFBB Pro.
The Navy sums it up this way. Choose your rate and you choose your fate.
If I had had a son I would NEVER have let him play football. I am addicted to the NFL and find it the most interest of all sports but it is deadly to the players due to the harsh contact between players that cause concussions, joint destruction and depression. StocktonRob
Anyone with these types of issues should view Dr Hillary Lampers video on NCR here on RUclips. Whether it is Football or a car accident or whatever. NCR is the most incredible treatment available for anyone suffering from the types of issues Greg is talking about here on this video. Neural Cranial reconstruction is unbelievable. Dr Dean Howell is another awesome Dr doing this as he originally trained Dr Lampers back in the late 90s. Good luck all.
i know his body is messed up i play jc d-2 ball and my neck is on its way out .... but i had fun playing so it is what it is .
I do agree with him in regards to doing it all over again my career beat the hell out of me
He traded money for health. Period.
Exactly. He made the trade. Just like wrestlers who get body slammed in every match. Construction workers have missing fingers for pennies on the dollar.
We all do, even cubicle dwellers.
hal warner As does everyone that has a job. What job do you know that doesn't drain you physically or mentally?
@@mikenotta7079 office peasant what a loser. 😂😂
Somewhat, would you like it if you died in a car or plane crash and someone crapped on you talking about that's the risk you took? So many classless comments here.
I feel his pain, my body is falling apart too. All I got out of it was enlisted pay.
My heart goes out to former NFL players , if it was up to me they would get an upfront bonus, then set it up so they can get 150,00 to 200,000 a year for the rest of their life. So they and their families can be financially secure and have medical for the rest of their life
Play baseball, kids. The most timeless game of all.
Many, many people suffer physically and mentally as a result of the jobs they chose during their working lives.
I have cerebral palsy and I'm about the same age and I have all those physical problems I never took pain medicine but I had to take arthritis medicine to even stand up and I've been working the same job for 40 years
he knew when he signed on end of story!! his words not mine.
Football is a violent sport and it takes violent men to play it. Leave them alone and let them play the game.
ive got a dead finger from football got it caught underneath the 290 lb fullback same time i was getting chop blocked finger kept going with back till it broke wasnt able to be reset and now sticks out cant be bent and i often catch it on walls etc and it breaks the finger and yes it does hurt thinking bout doin what ronnie lott did but that surgery you woodnt think is very techincal and u could very easily die do i feel sorry for thesse guys no im a farmer my legs and back are beyond repair but my legs are like tree trunks
I'm surprised all of them aren't hobbling around the game . The players got bigger and faster this is the tip of the iceberg
They the NFL need to do right by these guys
Dude's in good shape compared to Junior Seau and Aaron Hernandez, who both had severe CTE.
Aaron was a criminal from childhood.
Doug Carter; You play you pay and then you live with your choices ALL OF US!
I can truly sympathize with him I'm a MARINE and I wrestled for 12 yrs yes I'd do it again I t s what i loved
No one’s reporting on what’s happening to NFL players after they leave, but their general quality of life and life span is considerably diminished over that of the general population. Death is much earlier than average.
Here is my idea that I know everyone is going to talk crap about, but it's my thought. Professional Football should only be limited to playing for two years PERIOD. Think about the possibilities and excitement. No more paying quarterbacks $30M because you would have to refresh the position every other year. No more long term injuries from people playing too long
With anything envolving any kind of physicality there's going to be consequences. I'm a houeshold goods mover or furniture mover. I'll be doing it for 25 years coming this August. I don't have the head trauma like these athletes but i got physical ailments. Through the years i suffered minor and major body injuries. With anything involving any kind of physicality your body will never fully heal.
But you don't get blindside hits etc and so on. You cannot compare removal to NFL
Lots of people from many professions in life suffer from the effects of their job/lifestyle etc when they get older,is being wealthy doing what you like in your prime worth it,depends on the person i guess but i would think it is
I was expecting to see some rough & tumble film footage of him roughing up Earl Campbell, sacking Joe Montana blowing up Walter Payton! Never heard of him, did he get in the games?
Hell yes he got in games. He was part of a great Seahawks defense that had guys like Kenny Easley, Jacob Green, Jeff Bryant, Joe Nash, Fredd Young. Awesome player.
I was a tree worker for 30yrs. I almost got killed everyday. Cry me a river
but do you suffer from the permanent injuries that he has and has to live with everyday? its easy to say cry me a river when your not in his situation....
If this is true, you were a complete fool for working there, and you boss was a criminal.
He made a conscious decision and chose fame/fortune over his health. Sow the wind, reap the whirlwind...
Dealing with pain like his Seahawks teammate, the Boz.
Would stem cell replacement surgery help his situation?
I'm a millwright. I have bad knees, hip, lower back problems. Deal with it
Was it really worth it?
Do you know WHY football helmets used to be made of thick leather?
1) the player knew he couldn't use it as a "weapon";
2) he knew that if he tried to he may snap his own neck and it wouldn't hurt the opponent anyway;
3) he had to use other athletic skills ALL THE WHILE making sure he didn't bounce his brain off the inside of his skull.
Oh, and
4) they all had other livelihoods to return to after football season.
They weren't "conditioned" and "trained" like circus seals all year round by.....fitness experts, nutritionists, and, yes, of course, what was that other thing.....yes - PAIN-MANAGEMENT charlatans [read: take THIS pill] !!
Some players are affected and some players aren't
Football is a choice.. Dont complain when its over.. We celebrate when its good
part of the game bro man up
Why is he draped in Jordan gear?
at 2:35 I turned it off. As an 82 year old let me say this: The man across the street from me is about 50 and he has been in a wheel chair for the past 25 years. Can't get out of it. He would trade places with u in a heartbeat. In my family we had a 3 year old girl and a 5 year old girl, sisters, die within 5 days of each other. U. R. a big strong man. To you I say "count your lucky stars". Life is not easy for some folks. U were a big strong jock at one time, big man on campus, had a bunch of cheer-leaders and now u r in the same boat as those 60 year old cheer-leaders. They no longer have their looks and their bodies are shot. So my friend, quit your belly aching and start working on your mind. Sit in front of that computer and learn, learn and learn. God bless you - God bless President Trump and God Bless America.
@allen D He did say that. He said no regrets. The only way to make collision sports safer is less games, less plays, less rounds, more time between matches, enforced shorter careers. Even soccer players get it from heading the ball. Even baseball players and hockey players have suffered later neurological problems. Some have suggested that Lou Gehrig's early death was due to neurological trauma coming from playing college football, not Lou Gehrig's disease. What an irony.
Athletes pay a terrible price so that we can enjoy the glory. I do not like the people who are yelling for more games and longer seasons, and for more playoff games in college football. College football should go back to the ten-game season, plus bowls. I don't take the national championship game seriously. To me it is an exhibition.
The NFL should go back to 14-games and eight teams in the postseason.
People do not realize the benefits college get out of conference membership above all. Getting into the Big Ten for Maryland and Rutgers means academic parity with the likes of Michigan, Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota and the rest. It is worth billions in grants and research contracts and might give a better pool of applicants for their undergraduate colleges and graduate and professional programs too. Maryland once was regarded as just about the worst public university in the United States and Rutger has lived for an eternity in the shadow of the Ivy League.
Have a little more sympathy for the athlete. They come into the system as kids with dreams of glory and famous name, and a big payday. Then they are used and discarded, and only the pros get paid. The numbers who take advantage of their academic opportunites are not big either. Many are not capable of doing so. Other are only marginally capable, and most of those fail to take the right courses and graduate. A few are exceptional. They may go on to graduate and professional school, into a career where a degree is the norm, or into coaching.
You cannot be hired as an assistant in football either by four-year college or a professional team unless you have a bachelor's degree. I don't think they care what subject your degree is in. but they want you to have it. Nor will you go on the be a head coach unless you first have been an assistant.
He doesn't seem to be bellyaching so much as giving a warning to young boys. "Mother's don't let your son's grow up to be cowbows".
You are the one complaining not him....He said he would do it all over again. Congrats on making it to 82, I am 53 now and aging sucks haha
Evidently, Sir, you don't understand what's taking place here. You can't "sit in front of a computer and learn learn, learn." There is brain damage involved. The brain begins to self-destruct. And no, lol, your "neighbor" WOULD NOT trade places with him!
He's not complaining, just explaining.
when they play its like getting whiplash every sunday.