Let's remind everyone of the important facts about the high number of football veterans with ALS. It's a concern. Is it a clue? We spend millions of dollars on food and tickets and advertising and corporate hospitality this weekend. We need to spend some on ALS research to get to the bottom of this disease, too. We need to fight it as fiercely as we want the Packers and the Steelers to fight it out on Superbowl Sunday. It's much more than a game.
Kevin Turner, a bruising fullback who spent nine seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots, spends a lot of time thinking about his life - or more accurately the life he has left after being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease.
A recent study has linked ALS to brain trauma with NFL players having an eight times higher risk of contracting the disease.
"In 1997 on a kickoff I took a hit to the head and found myself asking a team mate are we in Green Bay or Philly," said Turner. "I played the whole time but I can't recall ever getting treatment and I practiced and played next week.
"We need to start taking those things seriously and treating the most important organ in your body like we do our knees."
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