Brainwashed: Ex-NFL Star Merril Hoge Explains the Bad Science Behind CTE, Part 2

11/01/18 • -1 min

Your Brain Health with Dr. Kristen Willeumier

Ex-NFL star Merril Hoge continues the conversation with Dr. Willeumier, discussing the truth about CTE.When post-concussion syndrome forced ex-NFL star Merril Hoge into early retirement in 1994, research on football-related head injuries wasn’t a priority.
At the time, football was heavily influenced by a tough guy culture, and little was known about concussions and their potentially dangerous effects. Then the tragic death of Hoge’s ex-teammate Mike Webster in 2002 launched a wave of fear after an autopsy determined he suffered from an obscure brain disease—chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
The media pounced. Concern over player safety soon became a war on football at every level, with one scientist even declaring youth football “child abuse.”
Merril and Dr. Willeumier discuss his new book, BRAINWASHED, in this important two-part series that explores the scientific advancements in the area of CTE research.

Previous Episode

Brainwashed: Ex-NFL Star Merril Hoge Explains the Bad Science Behind CTE, Part 1

Ex-NFL star Merril Hoge joins Dr. Willeumier to discuss his new book, BRAINWASHED.When post-concussion syndrome forced ex-NFL star Merril Hoge into early retirement in 1994, research on football-related head injuries wasn’t a priority.
At the time, football was heavily influenced by a tough guy culture, and little was known about concussions and their potentially dangerous effects. Then the tragic death of Hoge’s ex-teammate Mike Webster in 2002 launched a wave of fear after an autopsy determined he suffered from an obscure brain disease—chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
The media pounced. Concern over player safety soon became a war on football at every level, with one scientist even declaring youth football “child abuse.”
Merril and Dr. Willeumier discuss his new book, BRAINWASHED, in this important two-part series that explores the scientific advancements in the area of CTE research.

Next Episode

A Conversation with Tracy Murray, Part 1

Tracy Murray, retired professional basketball player, speaks with Dr. Willeumier about mental health and his own personal struggles with depression.Tracy Murray is a retired professional basketball player who currently works as an analyst with the UCLA Sports Network for all of the games during the UCLA Bruins' basketball season. He worked as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the 2015–16 NBA season.
Murray played 12 years in the NBA with the Spurs, Blazers, Bucks, Rockets, Wizards, Nuggets, Raptors and Lakers and won an NBA championship in 1995 with the Rockets. He has also been a coach in the NBA D League, WNBA and Assistant Coach for the Lakers.
He has been a vocal advocate for mental health and has come out publicly with his struggles with depression, which he shares with Dr. Willeumier in two compelling, informative and inspirational segments.