NCAA Concussion Settlement - who won? Not the players.

I was happy to hear that the NCAA reached a settlement in a class action suit regarding concussions, as reported by the Chicago Tribune (http://bit.ly/75MConcussionSettlement)...  that is until I read it.  Don't get me wrong, this is a huge moral victory for players and will get them some help, but it falls WAY short of getting money to where money is needed.  It falls far to short those who have been injured and continue to suffer...  far too short.

As reported by the Tribune, "The settlement would end litigation that began when a dozen college athletes — including former Eastern Illinois defensive back Adrian Arrington" ....  " The NCAA admits no wrongdoing in court documents filed, as it agreed to make small payments to the athletes involved in the litigation" ....  "Arrington and three other former athletes would be paid $5,000 for being deposed as part of the lawsuit, while eight others would receive $2,500 for being named plaintiffs. The players’ lawyers would receive $15 million and up to $750,000 for expenses".  Who is getting taken care of?  Who won this case?

I will try to get off the attorney rant and what they are collecting and that the NCAA admitted no wrong doing...  I don't think I even read anything about where the universities themselves stand in all this.... my guess is they are just turning their head and looking the other way (towards their bank accounts).  Where is the justice?  Not here.

Ryan Greeley

OK, so, as good as it is, it does not help my son in any way, shape or fashion.  My son played men's ice hockey for Rutgers University...  who opted not to have their hockey program play under the NCAA umbrella, they played under the ACHA (American Collegiate Hockey Association) oversight. Ryan suffered his career ending 6th concussion on October 12, 2013 in a game between Rutgers and West Chester University.  At the recommendations of his doctors (those working at Rutgers University Medical and his private neurologist), Ryan has not returned back to school...  he has not been capable of going to class.  None months after the injury, Ryan is still under medical care that has cost thousands of uninsured dollars.  The University has done NOTHING.  Ryan withdrew from Rutgers, again, at the suggestion of his doctors so he could at least get a partial reimbursement of his tuition...  the university refused, saying the cut off date to withdraw was October 14, 2013 and he did not withdraw until November....  not that he had the capability of doing so sooner.  The university didn't care if he had been lying unconscious in a hospital room...  cut off dates are cut off dates.  

Only recently, his doctors have cleared him to try to return to class, which he will do in the fall at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the Kinesiology program....  after months of depression, pain, headaches and major financial loss.  I'm very proud of the recovery he has made and the program of study he is pursuing.

We need a settlement that will take care of the players who suffered, and the universities they represented need to step up.  Stand by Rutgers, Ryan just needs a good attorney.

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Side notes:  
There is a short piece about Ryan on the Web site for The KnockOut Project, founded by Jay Farga.  I encourage you to go over to the KnockOut Project page, it is a GREAT resource and Jay is an amazing guy and now friend of ours.

After suffering his first concussion on the ice, Ryan worked extensively with the folks at Elite Sports Medicine in Farmington, CT., to this day, I think they were AMAZING while treating him.  As his recovery progressed and he got back to "normal life", Ryan was one of 4 student athletes to tell their story in a concussion awareness video for players, players, parents and coaches.  The video was made in conjunction with the Connecticut Concussion Task Force, another superb source of concussion information .  You can watch the video by clicking -> HERE.  The first voice you here is Ryan.