Jim McMahon says he wishes he had played baseball

[dbackjon]

In my family, the members of the 1985 Super Bowl-winning Chicago Bears team ranked just slightly behind the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost. In fact, as a 6-year-old I was taught the "Super Bowl Shuffle" by a Franciscan nun, so that ranking could be muddled at times. Walter Payton was at the top of the list, but I couldn't help but be crazy about the rebellious, mouthy, "Punky QB known as McMahon."

The way he would play football made me misunderstand the quarterback's role as a child. Aren't all quarterbacks supposed to jump over the top of the pile? Don't they all take punishing hits then pop back up for more? Why would a quarterback slide for a first down when he could get an extra half-yard by taking the big hit?

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutd ... --nfl.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[GrizFanStuckInUtah]

He probably wishes he went to a different college so he could of tapped more ass too.

[GannonFan]

Certainly the biggest issue the NFL, and just football in general, has going forward - how to keep kids playing football when more and more evidence comes forward about the long term danger to the brain because of playing the sport. Not that football hasn't faced fears like this over the years and they've made changes to make it safer, but it's still something that will need to be surmounted again.

[AZGrizFan]

Agreed it's a big issue...but for players from the late 80's and 90s' to claim that they had no idea the effects is ludicrous....this has been on the front burner for a LONG time.

[GannonFan]

Agreed it's a big issue...but for players from the late 80's and 90s' to claim that they had no idea the effects is ludicrous....this has been on the front burner for a LONG time.

Really? I don't seem to recall a lot of research into the effects of concussions, both diagnosed and undiagnosed, on the brain late into life like what we are seeing now. I think there's always been an understanding that former players would be more likely to suffer from bodily injuries and would have those issues over time - but the idea that early dementia and even an increased tendency for suicide as we've seen in a bunch of recent cases wasn't really talked about in the 80's.