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 The target audience for the Brain Unity Trust is players, coaches
and organizations, said Marshall, who suffers from CTE-related
illnesses, perhaps from concussions during his 12 seasons as a
defensive lineman in the National Football League in the 1980s and
'90s.
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a progressive degenerative
disease of the brain often found in athletes who suffered repetitive
brain trauma.
"Leonard never had an opportunity to realize that he had an injury,
that it was a problem," said Pittsburgh lawyer Jason Luckasevic, who
first sued the NFL in 2011 over concussions.
"He was told that that was part of the process. You see stars, you
take an Advil and that's it. There's nothing wrong with you."
Marshall, 53, who suffers from mood swings and erratic behavior,
recalls the brain-jarring hits he endured during a decade of
punishing practices with the New York Giants.
"First thing we did after we stretched in the morning, (coach) Bill
Parcells would blow the whistle and he'd line up 14 guys across from
each other," said Marshall. "He’d say, 'It's party time, boys. I
want to see who’s going to quit first.'"
The object was for the players to batter each other and "and for how
long," Marshall said.
"Was it fair? No. But it happened," he said.
Joining Marshall and Luckasevic in the non-profit start-up is
Roberto Clemente Jr., son of the late Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of
Famer, who has developed an online program that can determine brain
function over time.
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Luckasevic insists the panel will not bash the NFL but demonstrate
how to avoid hard hits. It will also show participants how to deal
with concussions.
Medical experts will join the group at each stop.
"When we explain to people what this is, there is absolutely no
negative connotation," Luckasevic said. "The only way the NFL should
be mentioned is that we’re going to help people make it there
because they’re not going to be playing the game with a brain
injury."
The NFL has agreed to pay up to $5 million to each former player
developing neurological impairment in a settlement that is under
judicial review.
Brain Unity Trust plans to hit the road this spring.
(Reporting by Steve Ginsburg)
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