Last week, Baltimore Raven Wally Williams was interviewed on the 105.7 The Fan's Norris and Davis Show. I did not listen to the show. But, I have been told that Williams was asked about bounties and whether or not he would have still played football if he knew he wasn't going to be able to walk when he reached the age of 50. I understand that he answered, "Yes," he would still have played.I also have a question. But, my question is not for Wally. It is for Wally's wife, mother, children, or anyone else close to him. If you were told when Wally was playing that when Wally is 60, he will no longer recognize who you are; you will need to feed, dress, bathe and toilet him; he will not be able to speak to you in words or sentences; and his personality and dignity will be taken from him, would you want him to have played football?
I am not so na�ve as to think bounties did not and do not exist. I was, however, na�ve enough to think that teams would not be so blatant and barbaric about bounties. It's 2012 and we know what repeated head blows can do to the brain. The thought of intentional head blows targeted at those players with known past concussions makes me feel physically sick for many reasons. The main reason is that for the last 15 years, I have seen and lived with the results of my husband's brain trauma.
If there is any active or retired player who, with his wife (or significant other), would like to meet my husband, to see what the last 10, 15, 20 or more years of life might look like, my invitation is still open to make the introduction as it has been for the last 5 years. No one has contacted me yet.
Eleanor M. Perfetto
wife of Ralph Wenzel
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