Tony Dorsett Battling CTE. LINK!

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

Hall of Fame running back Tony Dorsett, who was diagnosed with having signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy in 2013, said he is "in a battle" and that he had no idea "that the end was going to be like this."

CTE is a degenerative condition many scientists say is caused by head trauma and is linked to depression and dementia. It is indicated by a buildup of tau, an abnormal protein that strangles brain cells in areas that control memory, emotions and other functions.





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AP Photo/Martha IrvineTony Dorsett, who rushed for more than 12,000 yards with the Dallas Cowboys, said he is still "in the battle" with CTE and hopes that "we can reverse this thing somehow."



Dorsett was diagnosed along with Joe DeLamielleure and Leonard Marshall in November 2013 after undergoing brain scans and clinical evaluations at UCLA.

"I signed up for this when, I guess, I started playing football so many years ago," Dorsett told 1310 The Ticket in Dallas. "But, obviously, not knowing that the end was going to be like this. But I love the game. The game was good to me. It's just unfortunate that I'm going through what I'm going through.

"I'm in the fight, man. I'm not just laying around letting this overtake me. I'm fighting. I'm in the battle. I'm hoping we can reverse this thing somehow."

The 60-year-old Dorsett, the 1976 Heisman Trophy winner who played with the Dallas Cowboys and is the NFL's eighth all-time leading rusher, has struggled with his memory and has said in the past that he had trouble controlling his emotions and was prone to outbursts at his wife and daughters.

"It's very frustrating at times for me. I've got a good team of people around me, my wife and kids, who work with me," he said. "When you've been in this town for so long and I have to go to some place I've been going to for many, many, many years, and then all of a sudden I forget how to get there. Those things are frustrating when it comes to those things.

"I understand that I'm combating it, trying to get better. But, you know, some days are good. Some days are bad."

http://espn.go.com/dallas/nfl/story/_/id/12300070/tony-dorsett-battling-cte-had-no-idea-end-was-going-this

 

[upj87]

and we all laughed at Franco running out of bounds in the second half of his career to avoid hits..........

 

[Zaz]

I worked at the UPMC at the Dept. of anes for 35 yrs and back in those days I got to see Tony Dorsett,what a great Player. Love our Panther.

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

Re: Talk To An Alumnus, Franco's Ex-Wife From Aliquippa!

I went to a Funeral 2 weeks ago in Aliquippa and there were two players that played with Dorsett in High School. One is a former NFL Pro too. They told me Tony had a few concussions in High School and was taken out of one game that cost their Team Hopewell a loss to Sharon.

In those days 1 loss meant no State Playoffs. They said Tony was doing way much better than a few years ago since he has been working on exercises and treatments. Yet, they did say he forget things when he used to come back and do charity events for the McQuire Home.

I took that opportunity to ask both of them, did they suffer from any pain now that they are older? The one that played in High School and College only said not that much. The one that played in High School, College and NFL did say he never had a major injury but the pain in his shoulders, elbows, legs, knees, and back hurt all the time. Even when he walks, I saw him limping just a tad and just to get up from sitting, does it more slowly and gingerly. Both looked great and were not overweight.

The NFL Player told me he played only 6 years in the NFL and got a NFL Pension, but only about $1500 a month. He said today an NFL Player can earn a Pension after just 3 years.

He said Ditka used to complain he only got $125 month from his NFL Playing Days from in the 1960's. Players in the Pros in early 1960's only averaged $8,000 to $10,000 and that was big money in those days for a few months of playing. He said he did get some additional compensation in NFL Payments but both Ditka and Dorsett got as much as $5 Million from the NFL Settlement on concussions and other Medical Conditions.

It was funny but while we were talking, Franco's Ex-Wife came to the Funeral Home for another person from their area. They told me that was Franco's Ex-Wife and she was from Hopewell and she approached both and talked to us. I just listened.

They asked her how her son is doing after she asked about them. After she left, they explain how their sisters went to school with her and they with her brother. They brought up Franco and how he too is still hurting from his playing days but does not have the problems as many other NFL Players. They also said they could always count on Franco for Charity Events and he held his own as well.

One talked about how Franco did not like playing under Paterno at Penn State and was often in Paterno's Dog House and was considered a lazy practice player. He was often benched by Paterno in favor of Lydell Mitchell. I talked to a few a Steelers at Dapper Dan Dinners years ago, and they said that it was true about Franco and often did not like to go all out in practice and even during the early Practice Games this was well known.

Yet, when it came to big games the Steelers needed to win and especially during the Playoffs, Franco took practices and especially his game to another level and often ran harder. When asked why, they said they were told by him it was for the additional Playoff money and to make sure they made the playoffs and Super Bowls.

They also said, after Franco left Penn State he became closer to Paterno and credits Paterno Teachings of running towards the ball on any play for being in the right place at the right time for the Immaculate Reception.

They became very good friends and I was told Paterno would still give them banter and lectures whenever they met and remembered their wives and children names. Other players said that too and one has to wonder how he forgot so much on Sandusky?

They did say, he was not much liked as Head Coach in College and often called "Bigger Rat" from some Cartoon Show, behind his back, but valued after they left Penn State. I don't know if this ever applied to Franco in college but he was considered the second back behind Mitchell in those days.

In any event, I cannot believe the players that have and are still coming out of Aliquippa, Hopewell, and Central Valley High schools all with the same Zip Code! Anytime I go to Beaver County events it is hard to avoid someone that played or know great players from that area and you get stories from their High School friends.

In any event, Franco and Dorsett had long playing careers in the NFL, but Dorsett was a tad smaller and broke records in High School, NCAA and NFL. Franco did great in the NFL, but was smart to watch out and save his body in practices in College and the NFL until the game was on the line. Franco and Kenny Jackson often went out of bounds on plays and took care of their bodies.

Jim Brown even said, he would comeback to play if Franco ever broke his NFL record and pretty much called Franco a pussy. Earl Campbell and Larry Brown also ran their heads off often not going out of bounds, and today Earl Campbell cannot even walk without help and is paying for every extra hit he took in the NFL.

Some want to know why some great players at Pitt or other Colleges don't become Head Coaches but it is often they have big injuries from their playing days and all pay for playing in or just practicing in the Pros. I enjoyed watching both in College and the NFL. Franco and Jack Ham are Pro-HOFamers and helped win 4 Super Bowls for the Steelers too!

This post was edited on 2/10 1:35 PM by CaptainSidneyReilly

 

[TempleBAPittMPA]

Re: Talk To An Alumnus, Franco's Ex-Wife From Aliquippa!


Franco was occasionally benched at PSU, but it wasn't in favor of Lydell Mitchell. Generally, the two were paired in the backfield together--Harris at fullback and Mitchell at tailback. (Back in those days, it was commonplace to have tandem running backs.)

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

Re: Agree & Link!

I agree, Harris was used to block for Mitchell, but also scored big and ran big at PSU.

Joe did bench him and Mitchell played more, and during Harris last year at PSU, he was benched for the Bowl Game.

Franco went in the First Round as 13th Pick, due to the Steelers overruling Noll that wanted Newsome. But Mitchell did go to until the Second Round. Franco was perfect for the Steelers Running game.

ARTICLE & LINK:
Rooney wanted Franco Harris, the 6-foot 2-inch, 230-pound fullback from Penn State who ran with the sudden acceleration of a sprinter. Noll was not convinced. He had heard scouts say Harris was moody and uncoachable, a great talent who only produced on those days when the moon and stars of his heavens coincided.



Noll preferred Robert Newhouse, a stumpy 5-foot 9-inch, 205-pound product of Houston who had shown more consistency during his college career.



"I made the thing into a personal campaign," Rooney said. "I felt Harris was a far superior prospect, and I set out to convince Chuck of that. I finally made a study in which I proved that big running backs have longer and more consistent careers than the little guys. Little guys like Dickie Post and Mike Garrett might have one great year but you almost never see a little guy put two great ones back-to-back. Chuck listened to my argument for a while, and finally said, `Okay, I'll go along with you, but you'd better be right about this guy."'

For a while Art Rooney, Jr. was worried. Franco reported to camp late after a prolonged contract impasse and spent the first couple weeks jogging to get his legs in shape. The other Steelers, meanwhile, were driving hard twice a day to smooth out the timing and prepare for the regular season.

The talk around the clubhouse during those days wasn't exactly pumping Franco for rookie of the year, or even rookie of the week, for that matter. Bradshaw remembers, "I saw him in camp and said, `This is our first round draft pick and he's jogging? We're building our running game around him and he's jogging? What kind of stuff is this?"'
LINK:
http://www.steelersuk.com/history/seventies/terry%20bradshaw%202.htm

This post was edited on 2/10 4:30 PM by CaptainSidneyReilly

This post was edited on 2/10 4:31 PM by CaptainSidneyReilly

 

[ameoba defense]

Great stuff Captain!

 

[RiskyBusinessPSU]

After almost 40 years since his days at Pitt, I still believe that Tony D.
was the greatest rb I've ever seen. Keep on keepin on, Tony.

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

Re: Ameoba Defense, Thanks, Great Pitt, Players, People, & Posters!.....

..........anytime I see something on Pitt that interests me, I post it, then Posters make comments and augment those posts and then we all learn more together but I was honored and privilege to follow Pitt Football since 1960's when my sisters went to Pitt and I attended some Bon-Fires and Rallies, but the accomplishments of Pitt People and Players and now reading and learning from Pitt Alumni, Posters, and Fans is a joy and my memories of Tony Dorsett and Pitt wining the National Championship is still a big part of joy in my life and I credit The University of Pittsburgh and all it means, shares, and has accomplishments in sports, academics and life!!

I also recall Buzz's Ameoba Defense and Billy Knight winning at UCLA and playing UNC in the NCAA Tournament and Dean Smith calling time out when the Panthers had a big run, and Dean Smith asked the Officials to check the Ball, when nothing was wrong with it, but he got what he wanted, time for his Team to re-group without calling a Time Out?

PITT has been a blessing to Pittsburgh, Western Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, America and the World!

Thank you again, and our thanks goes to Pitt!