A hearing was held by the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, chaired by John Conyers (D-Mich.), on October 28 that allowed Conyers to grill NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and NFL Players Association leader DeMaurice Smith on the connection between head injuries from playing football and later brain diseases.

Conyers asked Goodell whether he thought there is an injury-disease link. Goodell responded that the NFL isn't waiting for that debate to play out and is taking steps to make the game safer, and that he wasn’t a medical expert and couldn’t give any better answer. But Conyers pressed with, "I just asked you a simple question. What is the answer?”

Both Goodell and Smith agreed to turn over players’ medical records to the committee. One would think that because the NFL is a private corporation and that medical records are private, the records would remain in the hands of the NFL.

But in 1961, a law was passed that granted professional sports leagues gigantic anti-trust exemptions for broadcasting privileges. That has apparently come back to haunt the NFL. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), whose husband is an ex-NFL player, boldly stated: "I think it's time for the Congress of the U.S. to take a look at your antitrust exemption. You're an $8 billion organization who has not taken seriously your responsibilities to the players."

Waters asked Goodell how the league was addressing the welfare of retired players during current collective bargaining negotiations with the union, and was assured that the NFL is taking steps to reduce injuries, and to care for retired players with injuries. Waters countered, "We've heard from the NFL time and time again — you're always 'studying,' you're always 'trying,' you're 'hopeful.' I want to know what are you doing ... to deal with this problems and other problems related to injuries?"

Conyers also is demanding information on head injuries from the NCAA, high schools and medical researchers to better understand the health risks of football. "We need an expeditious and independent review of all the data," saying it is a matter of “life and death,” in order to justify this federal scrutiny.

Fortunately, there was some sanity injected into the discussion. Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) said: "the NFL does not need Congress to referee this issue." He watered that sentiment down somewhat stating his belief that Congress should highlight the seriousness of NFL injuries, but then added, "Football, like soccer, rugby and even basketball and baseball, involves contact that can produce injuries. We cannot legislate the elimination of injuries from the games without eliminating the games themselves." Although, perhaps that is exactly what the leftist nanny-staters in Congress want, given their constant opposition to anything that smacks of free will and free markets.

In fact, that seemes to be understood by some in Congress, at least, ingluding Rep. Ted Poe (R-Texas) who said that Congress' involvement in football would mean the end of the sport. "We'd all be playing touch football," he predicted.

The fact is Congress has absolutely no business poking its nose into a private corporation’s business. But of course, that’s never stopped them from doing so. One has to wonder if this isn’t the first step toward the absorption or takeover of the NFL by the federal government, as they are trying to absorb and rake in revenue from other businesses, like the auto industry, banks, etc. It’s called socialism, and it’s quite the lucrative proposition, for some.

As for the players, both NFL, college, high school, amateur, or semi-pro, it’s up to the individual to know and understand the risks. A second-grader could make an assessment after watching five minutes of a game and come to the conclusion that the nature of football lends itself toward injury and pain.

There are those who are simply passionate about the game of football and who assume the risks without a view to what the league or the union or the government can do for them if they do end up seriously hurt. With the money, at least at the professional level, that players make and the health coverage NFL players have under the group plan — five years of continuing coverage for vested players at career end, with non-vested players receiving coverage until August 31 following their release — they should have socked away enough money, or planned much better for their post-career lives by purchasing long-term disability coverage. They should be ashamed to presume upon the welfare of the government, courtesy of hard-working, tax-paying, job-holding citizens.

Unconstitutional meddling of this sort needs to be aborted and the self-serving claptrap from the elites that serve in congress exposed for what it is. With many serious issues facing the nation, Congress should get back to some meaningful and sincere legislative action within the bounds of the Constitution, like auditing the Fed and eliminating corruption and abuse of power across the board.

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RP said:

... Somehow, I just can't see the Founding Fathers having any thoughts of government oversight of cricket or horse racing. If football or baseball had existed in the 18th century, I don't imagine that the Continental Congresses, or the Congress of the Confederation, or the early Congresses of the United States would have felt any inclination or obligation, or even justification, for involvement in overseeing these activities. Government is spiraling out of control, spending is spiraling out of control, the economy is in a shambles, we are involved in several wars, the future of the Republic is in question, and these idiots in Washington are worried about football? Somebody call the asylum! All the lunatics have ESCAPED!

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October 30, 2009
Votes: +4

DDW said:

	Once again A snooping, prying, meddling, out-of-conrol rogue government proves beyond a shadow of a doubt the it needs immediate and severe trimming and to be put back into its proper Constitutional box (and by any means necessary!!). I still say that it looks like the antifederalists were right all along.
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October 30, 2009
Votes: +2

RP said:

The antifederalists There were a number of notable people who worked against ratification of the Constitution. George Mason, Elbridge Gerry, Patrick Henry, George Clinton... just to name a couple. They were very afraid the the proposed Constitution would open the cage door to restriction of government power. If you haven't already, obtain and read "The Anti-Federalist Papers and the Constitutional Convention Debates". Do not misunderstand me... our Constitution is a wonderful document and served us well, until usurpers eventually made it essentially irrelevant. It is useful to understand our history... all of it.

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October 30, 2009
Votes: +1

Still Free said:

	Maybe our "leaders" played football... Gee, I wonder if we, the taxpayers, could get a look at the medical records of our Congressmen and Senators? Now that would be revealing.
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October 31, 2009
Votes: +3

DDW said:

	Dear RP I thought it was the first ten amendments, the Bill of Rights, that caused all the controversy because the Founding Fathers thought the Constitution was clear enough and that the adding of the first ten amendments would create loopholes.
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November 01, 2009
Votes: +0

Jim Bowman Jr. said:

Loopholes One giant loophole in our Constitution is the phrase "general welfare." Of course , it become a "loophole" when common sense is discarded by modern day revisionists. The original intentions and meanings of the Framers are there for all to read and understand. The current allowance from the Fourteenth Amendment to those sneaking into this country hours before giving birth says it all. Again, common sense!

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November 01, 2009
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DDW said:

	Does common sense Still exist?
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November 02, 2009
Votes: +1

watchdog said:

Abuse!! Abuse!!! Someone's coffee must be COLD! The comment titled *WTF* is totally irrelevant to the article. What on EARTH does racisim have to do with a power hungry government meddling in affairs of private companys??? RACISIM???? Try using a dictionary next time. If a person has a negative comment, that is fine, but getting foul-mouthed and shouting slanderous untruths at others is totaly uncalled for!

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November 05, 2009
Votes: +1