Brain study shows high rate of CTE
Researchers studying the link between football and chronic traumatic encephalopathy found that 99 percent of the brains donated by families of former NFL players showed signs of the neurodegenerative disease, according to a new study published on Tuesday.
In all, researchers from Boston University School of Medicine and the VA Boston Healthcare System examined 202 brains that belonged to men who played football at all levels and were later donated for research. They found CTE in 177 of them — 87 percent.
Although they found evidence of the disease across
“When Zack’s on break, he’s in here, and it’s, ‘Hatt, can I borrow a bag of balls?’” Hatt said.
Hatt admired Steffen’s humility as a high school player, as well as his work rate. He also appreciates Steffen’s appreciation for his roots and how often he makes time to speak with players from Downingtown West and his former club team.
On Wednesday, many from Steffen’s early soccer days — Hatt included — will be in attendance not far from Downingtown at Talen Energy Stadium in Chester, where the Crew will finish off the back end of a home-and-home with the Philadelphia Union.
Steffen said Monday that he is excited to play in front of family, friends and former coaches not far from his hometown, but he doesn’t necessarily have the fondest memories from his last visit to the Union’s stadium. It was there that he and the Maryland Terrapins fell 2-1 to Notre Dame in the 2013 NCAA title game.
— GK Steffen; D Jimenez, Abubakar, Mensah, Crognale, Raitala; MF Artur, Trapp, Meram, Manneh; F Kamara.
— GK McCarthy; D Wijnaldum, Onyewu, Elliott, Gaddis; MF Bedoya, Medunjanin, Picault, Ilsinho, Najem; F Sapong.
“I remember a couple hand balls that the ref didn’t call for us,” Steffen said with a smile. “That hurt, but it was a really fun year for Maryland. It was my freshman year, so it was a lot of fun and I’m glad that we were able to make it to Philly.”
This time around, the stakes have been lowered a bit — win, lose or draw, Crew SC will have 12 regular-season games remaining after Wednesday night — but it’s still a big moment for Steffen, who spent some time with the Union Academy during his last two years of high school. Back then, he knew he wanted to be a professional soccer player, but wasn’t quite sure where.
Steffen left Maryland after two seasons, signing with German club SC Freiburg. Crew coach and sporting director Gregg Berhalter said he isn’t sure how many teams were looking to place a discovery claim on Steffen when he signed with Freiburg, but Crew SC managed to get to the front of the line.
“It was literally the day that he signed pro and we saw it in the news, we put him on the discovery list,” Berhalter said.
Berhalter made use of that claim last summer by acquiring Steffen, who won the starting goalkeeper job just before opening day this season. The 6-foot-3, 190-pounder has played every minute of the Crew’s 21 games this season, recording six shutouts as rookie in a system that places considerable strain on its Talen Energy Stadium, Chester, Pennsylvania Spectrum Sports, Ch. 6.2 WWCD-FM (102.5), WVKO-FM (103.1, in Spanish) Crew 10-10-1; Philadelphia 6-9-5
The Union has won five of its last six MLS home games. … Philadelphia did not register a shot on goal in a 1-0 loss to Crew SC on Saturday … Goalkeeper Andre Blake (Jamaica) and defense.
Steffen said he has managed to find a support system in Columbus — his parents attend every home game and he frequently visits teammate Alex Crognale’s family tailgate after games — but there will likewise midfielder Chris Pontius (U.S.) are on Gold Cup duty and will not be available Wednesday.
Midfielder Federico Higuain remains out because of a sprained right knee and has been limited in training this week. … Crew SC has not allowed a goal in 206 minutes. … Five of the Crew’s last six goals have come in the second half.
Crew SC has a losing record (4-5-0) all-time at Philadelphia, but can it return to winning ways at Talen Energy Stadium? A more complete Union lineup likely means more for Crew SC’s back line to handle. Will it be able to put on a repeat performance and keep Philadelphia off the board? be plenty of people pulling for him Wednesday night in Chester.
“It’ll be cool,” Steffen said of his return. “It’ll be a little surreal, probably, at first but I’m excited.”