As most avid sports fans have learned by now, backup Ohio State defensive lineman Kosta Karageorge died over the Thanksgiving weekend on what the Columbus Police Department described as likely a self-inflicted gun shot wound. My sympathies go to the family and friends of Karageorge. Several former Guardian staff members went to high school with Karageorge and described him as a funny, caring guy. I am sure those who love him will miss him.
But this brings me to my next point. We do not know enough about the effects of concussions. Plain and simple. Karageorge had reportedly had a number of concussions as a student-athlete at OSU.
For those who do not know my background, I worked in the Columbus area for several years first covering the Columbus Blue Jackets and then Ohio State football. While I covered the Blue Jackets, we learned that former NHL enforcer Derek Boogaard died at 28 after overdosing on drugs and alcohol while recovering from a concussion. In the same offseason, former Canucks forward Rick Rypien took his own life. He too had been suffering from concussions and also had depression.
Last year, The Guardian conducted a series on how athletes handle concussions. I asked WSU President David Hopkins whether the NCAA was doing enough to address the issues of concussions. Hopkins has served on the NCAA's Board of Directors the last three years. Here is his response:
“There is a constant surveillance; it is not just the coaches telling the players to get back in the game,” Hopkins said. “Coaches can’t overrule these situations anymore. I know at Wright State, if we think there is a concussion, out of the game and nobody goes back in unless an athletic trainer (clears them). There is all kind of testing we do and it is much better but we are looking for ways to improve.”
A key word Hopkins brought up is, "Surveillance."Today, a teammate of Karageorge, Michael Bennett, told multiple media outlets that teammates were well aware that he had suffered from a number of concussions but Karageorge was not the type to make it known nor did he show any signs of symptoms.
How does this relate to Wright State? I have covered a number of athletes who have experienced multiple concussions. Given the long term ramifications, certainly they are concerned about their wellbeing.
WSU men's basketball player Kendall Griffin experienced three concussions last year and a possible fourth one last month.
“It was frustrating but at the same time, basketball is not going to be with me the rest of my life so it was important for me to take all the precautions,” Griffin said before leaving a game on Nov. 14 with a head injury. “I wasn’t pushing it. It was scary to get three in one year.”
Griffin has put his trust in the trainers and medical staff at WSU and has only played in one game in the last 17 dating back to the end of last season. Perhaps the only way to put an end to these needless tragedies is for athletes to be up front and honest with medical staffs. It might just prevent another family from losing a loved one.
Dr. Corey Ellis, a team physician for Wright State and Beavercreek High School said the No. 1 way athletes to prevent long term symptoms is to understand the signs of a concussion.
“Athletes are paying more attention to it, schools are paying more attention to it,” Ellis said. “The NFL guys now, they have no idea how many concussions they have had in their lifetime because they didn’t pay attention to them.”
Plan for coverage
As some of you have noticed, I am flying solo in the sports department these days. Our women's basketball beat writer Greg Felder stepped down last month and in the interim, I am covering both the men's and women's basketball teams. We plan on adding a staff writer as soon as the university gives us a green light. There are still questions on whether we will be allowed to work after the semester ends next week.
So my apologies for not having as many updates as we had to start the year. If all goes according to plan, we will have a new writer in place s0on allowing me more time to focus on covering WSU's men's basketball team... assuming they'll let me over the holidays. I'll keep you posted.
