Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Westbrook needs another 'concussion' opinion

If I was Brian Westbrook, I'd get at least one and probably a couple more medical opinions about the concussion issues plaguing him the past three weeks.
I would do so just to be a little surer, no disrespect to the guys who evaluated him Wednesday.
What stands out about concussions is that a lot is not known about concussions.
If, for example, Westbrook was fully cleared to play this past Sunday - and there is no reason to doubt that - is it just coincidental that he suffered another concussion in his first full game back?
Here's a guy who never had a serious concussion in his career, and just like that he gets dinged twice. Hey, I know any football player is at risk for a concussion any time they step on the field. But two in three weeks? That's after following all of the accepted procedures for concussion testing.
Walking around the NovaCare Complex Wednesday it sounded a lot like Westbrook's second concussion could be a career-wrecker.
Donovan McNabb was talking about quality of life after football. Other players shook their heads - no pun intended - and thought about their own mortality.
Later the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center put out a release suggesting Westbrook's second concussion was much milder than the first one, and that the Villanova University product could get back on the field providing his rehab goes well. They want to test him in two or three weeks,
Watching film of the most recent hit concussing Westbrook, I'm not so sure he's elusive enough to avoid a third concussion. It was a sandwich type of collision with multiple players that happens several times every game.
Getting back on the field seems like a leap of faith.

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