Chris Conte, You're Picking Football Over Life? WTF Is The Matter With You?
This is Chris Conte. He's a football player for the Chicago Bears. Last March, he had surgery for a shoulder separation. This season he's had two concussions. Football is a tough game.
Conte has played four seasons with the Bears. In an interview with WBBM Newsradio in Chicago, Conte let us know just how much football means to him.
"I'd rather have the experience of playing and, who knows, dying 10, 15 years earlier than not be able to play in the NFL and live a long life. It's something I've wanted to do with my life and I wanted to accomplish. I don't really look toward my life after football because I'll figure things out when I get there and see how I am."
Yanno...I understand. Most little boys dream of playing a professional sport. Less than 1% get there. He beat the odds. Conte is living his dream.
Conte is just 25 years old. He's still a kid. At that age we still feel invincible. We're going to survive whatever bad decisions we make. I know I did a lot dumber shit for a lot less money.
Oh yeah...there's the money!
In four years, Conte will have made $2.6 million. That's a lot of $$$. Is it enough to give up 10-15 years of living? Tough call.
In the United States, the life expectancy for a male is age 76. Not too bad...I'd take that right now. The life expectancy for an NFL player is mid to late 50's. Close to twenty years less than the general public.
Nfl players take a beating. They earn their money. They leave the game with bad backs, shoulders, knees and other disabling injuries. Surgery is a way of life for these guys.
Then there's the brain. The blows to the head have led to issues such as Dementia, depression and suicide.
The NFL and it's player's association are trying to make the game safer for its players. They want them to live longer and better lives after football. What are they thinking after hearing Conte's comments? You know they want it to go away.
What do I think of this?
I have a neurological disease (Parkinson's). I'm fighting like crazy to make it to 76 and longer...and to be healthy getting there.
I take meds and do mental exercises to keep my mind sharp. It doesn't always work. Dementia scares the Hell out of me. I think about it every day. EVERY DAY!!
I know people with Parkinson's and other neurological diseases who deal with the same thing. They're battling this, too.
Then there's those who didn't make it. Players who had bodies that failed them from playing a game they loved...for a lot less money than Conte makes. People dying young from Cancer, heart disease, diabetes, whatever.
Telling us he doesn't care about living past 55 is just plain disrespectful. It's disrespectful to the men who paved the way for him. It's disrespectful to everyone. Someone needed to pull him aside to tell him to stop talking. But it's too late now. Please Chris, no apologies, just STFU!!
And Chris...as a guy who is more than twice your age, I do have some advice for you. The Lions are coming to Chicago on Sunday. You and your team have sucked this year. Sucked bad! This Calvin Johnson dude is really good. Worry about him.
I'll be pulling for you. I'll also be pulling for you to have a long and healthy life.