You feed them, clothe them, spend thousands on equipment and camps and tend to their wounds. You drive them all over creation trying to get them a shot. Isn’t that what all kids trying to make it to college want.
Just a shot.
Let’s say they make it to the big times. Many of you reading this have kids I have covered. And many of your kids have made it all the way to the College grid iron. Heck I need more then two hands to count the number of them that have made it all the way to the NFL.
But after they make it to college are they getting a shot of a different kind? And if they were would you even know?
Football’s latest scandal broke this week as Brian Ross of Night Line brought us the story of Armond Armstead who played for USC. The big defensive linemen was a rising star. He played with a toughness typical of top athletes in college.
Toradol is being used by many of the Nation’s top colleges and Universities. Something that the NCAA has not policy on or oversight of.
And that toughness caused him to have plenty of injuries and pain. So how did he and USC deal with that?
No sweat.
Just grab a needle and take a seat. Load it with the powerful pain killer Toradol. AKA Ketoralac Tormethamine.
Jab it into the athlete and BAM! Good as new!
And guys like Armstead can go right back out and play and feel like a million bucks as soon as it kicks in.
As bad as that sounds it is done at Major Universities and Colleges across the Nation apparently. No football insider would be surprised about that.
But Mom and Dad did you know? And if you did were you told it could give your athlete a Heart Attack?
What about Renal (Kidney) failure? Addicition? Stomach Problems? And the list goes on.
And if you did know how did you justify your boys life for the chance to get on the grid iron?
Because what happened to Armstead is not acceptable. In 2010 after repeated use of Toradol during games he had a heart attack. He was in perfect health and had no family history of heart problems.
Despite the fact that the manufacturer clearly posts a warning on Toradol that it can cause Heart Attack the USC Doctor and officials allowed its use and it appears they may have been doing so for a long time.
He was injected by the Doctor and or staff at USC in what is known as the “Shot Room”, according to the report, to make it possible for him to play while he was in severe pain from serious ankle and shoulder injuries.
Armond told Ross that a lot of players received these shots and that after he was injected he not only did not feel any pain but he felt invincible.
His shots were at the Direction of USC Team Doctor James E. Tibone who was briefly on Camera in the Nightline piece and he was less then concerned in our view.
Armond has filed a lawsuit against USC and their team doctor. He was not advised of what he was being injected with or told what the risks might be according to him.
His Mother says he was treated worse then a race horse where this sort of injection would not be allowed or accepted without restrictions and oversight.
And you know what? She is right.
ABC News contacted 25 Top Football Universities to inquire about the use of Toradol within the Football Program. 16 of them refused to say if they used Toradol. 4 of the schools including USC admitted they used it.
Armand wants the use of the drug banned. And if you have a kid in College you better get behind him.
Ross and his Nightline crew tried to visit a USC practice and talk to Kiffen and the Team Doctor but were escorted off the property by Security.
In addition USC Head Coach Lane Kiffen was laughable when he responded to Ross and his questions in the piece here. Instead of coming across with any level of concern he came across as smug and dis-interested. But what else would you expect from the guy. He claims not to have known. Really? Come on. That is insulting. The man juggles the names and numbers of hundreds of the Nations Top recruits but does not know that his team Doctor is shooting his guys up with a powerful pain killer? Hmmm. Ok.
And then there is the fact that Kiffen has been called out for standing by and watching his star Wide Receiver Robert Woods stumble and go face down after being blasted in a game against Utah and then be allowed to return a few minutes later. Not exactly mush of a record to work with on Player safety issues.
Toradol. A drug designed to be used after Surgery for severe pain. Not to be given to student-athlete so Millionaire Coaches can grind them into the ground as they make Billions for their respective Universities and Leagues.
Now to you players.
Guys if your in college do not tolerate this crap. I already know a bunch of you are shaking your head up and down because either you have experienced this or know someone who has. This is about you…this game. This is not about the fans or the coaches and it sure in the hell is not about some Team Doctor who could care less about you.
If your in this situation or know someone who is tell someone. It is unacceptable to trade your health and your life for this. And believe me guys there are Lawyers lining up all over the country after this story ran. There will be a line of cases a mile long by this time next season. So email me or call me and let me know what is happening if you need to vent. I am here anytime day or night.
The NCAA has no policy at all about this sort of thing. No surprise. They barely had a concussion policy until just recently. Now they are thankfully all over that one. Time to get on this one too.
Here is my position. This is your time guys. The game of football is teetering on the brink. The fans want violence and victory. Many Coaches and schools are looking out for themselves; at least a whole lot of them are. So who is in this for you?
Find a Coach and a school who would never want you to be injected and play hurt because they care about you as a person. If they like you as a player healthy they can sure and the heck wait for you to get better before getting you back out there.
Quit chasing these big name schools. There is no need. Just find one that is right for you and ask them about Toradol and things like that as a part of your process. Once your 18 your an adult and it is time for you to look out for you!
This is your time. YOUR TIME!
Mom and Dad you already know what you need to do if you read this. If you don’t well I guess you never did.
To the many coaches and schools I have supported this is not aimed at you at all. If your using Toradol stop immediately. Same goes for other drugs like it. And use that in your recruiting. Let these kids know you would not put them in that position. They want to play for someone who cares about them. They tell me that ever day.
Now if you read this…. and really read it… SHARE or LIKE it if you want to hear the story of a NW High School that seems to be right in the middle of this very same controversy. That story is in the works as we speak. and it is not an easy one to tell.
WATCH THE BRIAN ROSS NIGHTLINE INVESTIGATIVE PIECE HERE
MOmmaKat Dulay
January 10, 2013 at 12:29 pm
First we had to worry about steroids……..now it\’s pain killing shots………what\’s next?………..this is ridiculous………we need to protect our athletes out there.