I am going to take a break in writing about the Steelers All-Time team and write about something I think is of great importance and that everyone should at least know about when remembering our retired athletes. We are going to talk about the abuse of which some athletes put their bodies through during their professional athletic careers and the after effects of which they suffer once they retire. Yes, I will admit that this story may never have come about had it not been for the research in which I did while seeking information on Michael “Iron Mike” Webster, one of our very own Pittsburgh Steeler heroes.
Mike Webster (born March 18, 1952 – died September 24, 2002) was an American football player who played center in the National Football League from 1974 to 1990. He is best known for his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, though he played two seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs. “Iron Mike” as we all know him, had 17 seasons in the National Football League and was an anchor for the Steelers offensive line during the dynasty era with four Super Bowls (IX, X, XIII and XIV).
He is a member of the Professional Football Football Hall of Fame, and he made the Pro Bowl in 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985,and 1987. He was a 10-time All-Pro selection from 1977 until 1985. Mike Webster was a member of the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team, the NFL's 1980's All-Decade Team, and the NFL's 1970's All-Decade Team as well as the Pittsburgh Steelers 75th Anniversary All-Time Team.
He is considered by some as the best center to play in NFL history. Iron Mike suffered terribly after his retirement from anxiety, depression, seizures and uncontrollable pain. Signs of dementia, constant headaches, frayed and herniated discs were just a few more things to add to the list of ailments he suffered from. While it was believed that he used them, Webster never admitted to using anabolic steroids at any time in his career and physicians would agree that the amount of concussions he suffered over the term of his career was a large factor in his health problems.
Over the years we have seen what the physical downfalls of the use of steroids can do to the human body. Examples are Lyle Alzado who died from brain cancer, in which he attributed to the use of steroids. However, Alzado’s physicians did not contribute steroid usage to his death. Bill Romanowski was another who admitted that he took illegal steroids for a two-year period starting in 2001 and Jim Haslett who admits to using steroids and said that in his era, steroid use was quite rampant throughout the NFL. Estimating that during the 1980's that over half of the players in the league used some type of performance enhancing drug or steroid. I am not sure about that particular estimate but I am sure other big name players were indulging in the use of such drugs to enhance their playing ability.
Are these the signs that one looks for in retired athletes who suffer such ill-fated problems in their post careers? Webster, among others like Willie Wood, Herb Adderley, Trent Green, and Troy Aikman just to name a few have suffered from repeated concussions during their career, some of which have been diagnosed with brain damage caused by repeated head injuries sustained during their time with the NFL. Concussions had damaged Webster’s frontal lobe and the effects of those injuries would continue to grow worse as the years went by. He suffered from signs of dementia. His head throbbed constantly. He suffered from significant hearing loss not to mention the effects on his body, with frayed and a herniated disc. His knees had most of the cartilage in them gone causing bone grinding against bone. It is said that to allow himself any peace at night to sleep, Webster would have his own son use a Tazer gun on him stunning him into unconsciousness because that was the only way in which he could get any relief from his pain.
Is this what athletes have to look forward to in the post life of sports? Either the ill effects of brutal treatment of their own bodies or the usage of steroids to increase their abilities to hit harder and sustain those hits. Is this what we as Americans want to see happen to our heroes of our chosen sports? You say to yourself, well hey, they are the ones playing the game and putting their health at risk but the questions should be, why do they do it? Why do they put their bodies through so much, knowing that in the years to come that they could more than likely be in the same shoes as dear “Iron Mike”.
I love sports in general and football of course is my favorite to watch on any given day. But let me assure you of this…I now look at sports in a different light and the players of that sport have earned a new respect from me because of what they put themselves and their bodies through every day, the chances in which they take to be the best of the best.
We watch a game on Sunday and are amazed at some of the hits that we see players take and we wonder sometimes how they get up from those vicious and bone crushing tackles. None of us stop to think about how those players get up after they retire from the game they so love. We take for granted what we see on game day not allowing ourselves to think what happens to those players after retirement. As long as they are on the field, or the court we are willing to pay that money to buy those tickets and to sit back and watch as each hit, each tackle and each sack adds just another ailment to the individual player, not thinking about how that player will go on to live his life after retirement. I take my hat off to them and I show my respect. Thank you for the entertainment in which you provide for the public and thank you for showing how much you love your sport. The money I know is nice but without love of the game, there is no way anyone can convince me that any of you play just for the money.
Comments and questions welcome: Black_N_Goldette@hotmail.com
As always, Here We Go!
