OT Gronkowski's explanation for retiring

[Russ Smith]

Did people see this, the hit in the Superbowl on his quad was so bad he had internal bleeding in the leg and had to have doctors go in and drain blood multiple times? He was in so much pain he couldn't sleep more than 20 minutes a night for weeks. He got ripped by "fans" for retiring early, called him soft, get a real job you pansy etc.

He's now lobbying the NFL, along with current and other ex players to legalize marijuana for pain management and if not, then legalize CBD oils for it. He's actively promoting one he said helped him tremendously with the inflammation and pain he was dealing with daily.

It just amazes me that people who watch the game from their couch continue to call people like Gronkowski soft etc because he retired after 9 years. He had 9 surgeries, he'll have countless more now that he's retired. He's got a chronic elbow issue, back problems, he's recently turned 30 and he apparently has arthritis already.

I continue to be amazed we don't have more guys like this retiring early. I actually think Luck and Gronk are a sign of what's coming.

 

[speedy]

I played semi pro ball until I was 33. I would have kept playing, but one night my ACL decided it had enough, and it went, taking with it significant damage in other places. I spent 10 months in rehab before I could return to work. The first 3 of those months were spent between a wheel chair, the floor, in a CPM machine, and loaded up on high doses of opiates. Luckily for me, I didn’t experience any withdraw symptoms when I DC’d the opiates, but I did go nearly 4 weeks without taking a poo because of them. I can’t say what exactly the opiates did for me, other than make a couple glasses of whiskey a little more enjoyable. Sometime later, a friend came in from CA and brought a rice crispy edible. I had half of it and had my best sleep in years. I’ve had MD’s argue that the THC does “nothing for pain,” but my counter was “neither did your opiates.” Getting to the point, I’d have much rather ate 2-3 “treats” a day then the 2-3 opiates at a time. Being able to relax and zone out (sleep) is probably anyone’s top priority when in recovery.

The game can be down right brutal on your health. The NFL is too convicted in the all-American optics of their product. These guys (some of them) are paid well, but the price they pay to stay there would be completely impossible for the average fat belly idiot fan who gets drunk and screams from the stands.

 

[gimpy]

You disagree. You don't like something. You revert to name calling+.
That's what I don't like about this forum. All the name calling, bullying that goes on. .

Sad.

 

[Russ Smith]

You disagree. You don't like something. You revert to name calling+.
That's what I don't like about this forum. All the name calling, bullying that goes on. .

Sad.

Not sure what you mean I didn't call anybody a name unless you mean I said people watching the game from their couch call players soft. which is true.

Gronkowski went on live tv and talked about the pain he was in and how it impacted his life, and then people blew up his twitter account calling him soft and saying he let his teammates down for retiring. Again I'm amazed more players don't retire early.

 

[Southpaw]

I have no problem with CBD but isn't that just another masking agent for damaged parts? The sheer ferocity of the game is frightening.

 

[Russ Smith]

I have no problem with CBD but isn't that just another masking agent for damaged parts? The sheer ferocity of the game is frightening.

I have arthritis in both knees now so I started looking into it. Apparently there's mixed data on if it helps with arthritis. I would do the cream not the oil you take and it's not clear to me if it's really legal in California or not. I guess it depends on levels of THC, some have almost none some have some. And it's not clear if you would fail a drug test if using it so for now I haven't tried it.

 

[Ronin]

I saw the interview. Sad to hear him say that playing football made him really unhappy, there was no joy in playing the sport.

 

[Shane]

I saw the interview. Sad to hear him say that playing football made him really unhappy, there was no joy in playing the sport.

He’s clearly the exception not the rule... Most longtime vets talk about the game as though it’s their first love.

 

[GatorAZ]

He’s clearly the exception not the rule... Most longtime vets talk about the game as though it’s their first love.

There’s lots of guys who play because they’re big and athletic and not because they actually like it. Wolfley talks about it all the time... You have to be a different breed to enjoy that level of contact which is basically putting your body thru a car accident every Sunday (depending on position).

 

[speedy]

There’s so many variables at play here. Gronk was a very physical player, and was seemingly playing injured most of his career (I’ll always remember him for his super human robotic arm). Living your life as a professional FB player and the remaining balance of your “personal” life rehabilitating a broken, but otherwise highly functional, body, is mentally and emotionally difficult (so very difficult it runs really close to the impossible range). I’m sure this was the case for him most all of his career.

 

[Russ Smith]

I saw the interview. Sad to hear him say that playing football made him really unhappy, there was no joy in playing the sport.

Yeah you see him in public and he's always smiling, joking around, very outgoing. There was the drinking during the Super Bowl celebration stuff that people said man he drinks too much but I don't think there were any obvious signs but he says he was basically unhappy the last few years of his career and it sounds like he doesn't just mean unhappy he means depressed due to being in pain all the time.

An amazing player among the best TE's in my lifetime(up there with the original Winslow, Gonzalez and a few others). 9 years is long enough in my opinion I think he's a first ballot HOFer.

He did leave it open to returning possibly at some point if he gets his head and body back together and it certainly wouldn't surprise me as great as he was and with legacy of the Pats. But if he never plays again that's fine with me, great career.

 

[Dan H]

I have arthritis in both knees now so I started looking into it. Apparently there's mixed data on if it helps with arthritis. I would do the cream not the oil you take and it's not clear to me if it's really legal in California or not. I guess it depends on levels of THC, some have almost none some have some. And it's not clear if you would fail a drug test if using it so for now I haven't tried it.

From what my cousin says, the crime/lineament does wonders for his hands, and he has massive arthritic knuckles.

 

[Ronin]

I have never noticed his laugh.

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[BigRedRage]

I have no problem with CBD but isn't that just another masking agent for damaged parts? The sheer ferocity of the game is frightening.

its an anti inflammatory that does not hurt you like ibuprofen does. It doesnt mask anything.

 

[BigRedRage]

I have arthritis in both knees now so I started looking into it. Apparently there's mixed data on if it helps with arthritis. I would do the cream not the oil you take and it's not clear to me if it's really legal in California or not. I guess it depends on levels of THC, some have almost none some have some. And it's not clear if you would fail a drug test if using it so for now I haven't tried it.

There is no mixed data. Queen elizabeth used to use marijuana for arthritic. A CBD of CBDTHC cream will help it. I assure you.

 

[Russ Smith]

There is no mixed data. Queen elizabeth used to use marijuana for arthritic. A CBD of CBDTHC cream will help it. I assure you.

Thanks. I was reading a thread on Reddit about it and there were a bunch of folks on there who said it is not effective for arthritis. To be fair most meant rheumatoid which is not what I have but some were saying just from knee surgeries like me. THere was a few who said it helped but most seemed to say it didn't.

Another weird deal where you can buy the stuff on Amazon and have it shipped to California, but it may or may not be legal to do so.

 

[cwamjn]

I have arthritis in both knees now so I started looking into it. Apparently there's mixed data on if it helps with arthritis. I would do the cream not the oil you take and it's not clear to me if it's really legal in California or not. I guess it depends on levels of THC, some have almost none some have some. And it's not clear if you would fail a drug test if using it so for now I haven't tried it.

It's helped with my arthritis. The stuff that works best for me had .3 percent thc. Do yourself a favor though and go meet with somebody knowledgeable about this, everybody is different.

I haven't taken any over the counter pain medicine in a week now and I feel amazing.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

I have arthritis in both knees now so I started looking into it. Apparently there's mixed data on if it helps with arthritis. I would do the cream not the oil you take and it's not clear to me if it's really legal in California or not. I guess it depends on levels of THC, some have almost none some have some. And it's not clear if you would fail a drug test if using it so for now I haven't tried it.

They sell zero-THC, CBD oil.

It does not show up on drug tests.

Sent from my mystical communication warp drive device thingy

 

[RugbyMuffin]

He’s clearly the exception not the rule... Most longtime vets talk about the game as though it’s their first love.

I miss playing rugby that is for sure. But that was not a professional sport, so it doesn't compare other than it being a contact sport.

Sent from my mystical communication warp drive device thingy

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Thanks. I was reading a thread on Reddit about it and there were a bunch of folks on there who said it is not effective for arthritis. To be fair most meant rheumatoid which is not what I have but some were saying just from knee surgeries like me. THere was a few who said it helped but most seemed to say it didn't.

Another weird deal where you can buy the stuff on Amazon and have it shipped to California, but it may or may not be legal to do so.

Joy Organics is a good company.

Sent from my mystical communication warp drive device thingy

 

[GatorAZ]

They sell zero-THC, CBD oil.

It does not show up on drug tests.

Sent from my mystical communication warp drive device thingy

That’s hemp CBD which you can buy anywhere (gas stations, grocery stores etc..). Cannabis CBD is the good stuff which you need a card for in certain states. I take 1-2 drops at night, 10:1 CBD:THC. No psychoactive effects.

 

[BigRedRage]

Thanks. I was reading a thread on Reddit about it and there were a bunch of folks on there who said it is not effective for arthritis. To be fair most meant rheumatoid which is not what I have but some were saying just from knee surgeries like me. THere was a few who said it helped but most seemed to say it didn't.

Another weird deal where you can buy the stuff on Amazon and have it shipped to California, but it may or may not be legal to do so.

if you get CBD only, there is nothing to test for. Drug tests test for THC, not CBD. Get a topical CBD and try it. maybe it helps, maybe it doesnt.

dont you live in california? Walk into a pot store and ask them about it, tell them your concerns. they are trained to get you the proper product.

 

[Russ Smith]

That’s hemp CBD which you can buy anywhere (gas stations, grocery stores etc..). Cannabis CBD is the good stuff which you need a card for in certain states. I take 1-2 drops at night, 10:1 CBD:THC. No psychoactive effects.

A friend works for a company that designs equipment that does drug tests. They do it more for airports screening etc but he says hemp made CBD can absolutely cause you to test positive. It's one of the issues in the industry right now the tests are too good people that are consciously trying to NOT get THC in their CBD are still testing positive because even hemp has trace amounts of THC in it.

I've heard the creams are far less likely to make you test positive, but also tend to be less effective. I think it's a catch 22 for many people it seems what actually helps with the pain is the THC, not the CBD.

 

[Russ Smith]

if you get CBD only, there is nothing to test for. Drug tests test for THC, not CBD. Get a topical CBD and try it. maybe it helps, maybe it doesnt.

dont you live in california? Walk into a pot store and ask them about it, tell them your concerns. they are trained to get you the proper product.

See my response to GatorAZ apparently you absolutely CAN test positive using CBD only. Note, my company doesn't currently drug test but I just figure it's a good idea to know in advance. Last thing I want to do is find something I like, then my company or a future one decides to drug test and I test positive because of something I'm putting on my knees.

Hopefully by the time I REALLY need the stuff, it'll be fully legal and nobody drug testing will fail you on it. Right now in California it's pretty common despite it being legal now, that you can fail a drug test for pot and be denied employment because that company has their own rule. Exactly how the NFL is.

 

[GatorAZ]

A friend works for a company that designs equipment that does drug tests. They do it more for airports screening etc but he says hemp made CBD can absolutely cause you to test positive. It's one of the issues in the industry right now the tests are too good people that are consciously trying to NOT get THC in their CBD are still testing positive because even hemp has trace amounts of THC in it.

I've heard the creams are far less likely to make you test positive, but also tend to be less effective. I think it's a catch 22 for many people it seems what actually helps with the pain is the THC, not the CBD.

Airport screening as in testing the liquid? Yikes I take it back from Seattle and just tear off the label.