Brainwashed

The Bad Science Behind CTE and the Plot to Destroy Football

By: Merril Hoge, Dr. Peter Cummings - contributor

Narrated by: Merril Hoge, T.L. Howell

The outcry surrounding CTE is missing something critical: the science to justify it.

When improper concussion care forced star NFL running back Merril Hoge into early retirement in 1994, research on football-related head injuries wasn’t a priority. At the time, football was heavily influenced by a tough-guy culture, and little was known about concussions and their potentially dangerous effects.

Then the tragic death of Hoge’s ex-teammate Mike Webster in 2002 launched a wave of fear after an autopsy determined he suffered from an obscure brain disease—chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). The media pounced. Concern over player safety soon became a war on football at every level, with one scientist even declaring youth football “child abuse”.

In an effort to set the record straight, Hoge and board-certified forensic neuropathologist Dr. Peter Cummings explore the hidden agendas and misinformation fueling the CTE hysteria machine. Armed with extensive research, critical insight, and expert interviews, they address some of the common myths surrounding the disease, examining significant flaws in the often-cited studies and exposing the sensationalistic reporting that dominates today’s CTE dialogue.

Compelling, accessible, and ultimately revelatory, Brainwashed exposes the biases and unsubstantiated claims crippling true scientific advancement in the area of CTE research. This is a must-hear for anyone who cares about the future of youth sports and the survival of our nation’s most beloved game.

©2018 Merril Hoge (P)2022 Merril Hoge

Great narrator, interesting CTE contrasting info

The author does a good job of sharing information about CTE which is contrary to what we generally hear. His personal experience and references from experts paints a more balanced picture of the disease and suggests that the focus on football, and especially the movement to eliminate youth football, should be reconsidered.

The author reads the introduction of the book and explains that he would do a disservice to the material if he were to narrate the entire book. Fortunately, the narrator he chose, T.L. Howell, does an amazing job of telling the story and pronounce some challenging medical terminology.

I recommend this book for anyone who has read or heard the fear-inducing stories of CTE and also for anyone who has a child in youth sports.