Researchers at the Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy (CSTE) used the brains of seven dead NFL football players, including John Grimsley, Mike Webster, Andre Waters, Justin Strzelczyk, Terry Long, and Tom McHale. The results of their findings showed that the players, even though most were in their 30s and 40s, all had the brain make-up of an 80-year-old man with onset dementia.

"What's been surprising is that (the damage is) so extensive," said Dr. Ann McKee, a neuropathologist at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Bedford, Massachusetts, and co-director of the CSTE. "It's throughout the brain, not just on the superficial aspects of the brain, but it's deep inside."

The damage affects the parts of the brain that control emotion, rage, hypersexuality, even breathing, and recent studies find that CTE is a progressive disease that eventually kills brain cells.

Yet, Dr. Ira Casson, co-chair of the NFL's concussion committee that was formed in 2007, is still not 100% convinced:

"It’s very hard to react to things and to case studies that are not presented in appropriate, scientific form and have not gone through peer review. I think that there are many questions that still are out there as to whether there is a kind of traumatic encephalopathy associated with football. I think we don’t know. I think that there is not enough scientific evidence to say that there is.”

The reality is it's the responsibility of the player to know when to stop. The NFL's never going to step in because then the league would take on more responsibility and blame for the premature deaths of many of their ex-players. There's a difference between player concussions that are "reported" to team trainers and those that actually happen. Many concussed players never speak up— if the dizziness subsides before they get back to the sidelines, well, they're fine. Back in the game.

And most players know the risks and play through the warning signs. 45 seems so far away when you're a 25-year-old that it might as well be 80.

I interviewed Bill Romanowski in late November about his nutritional supplement business (Nutrition53) and this issue came up. Romanowski estimates he suffered 20+ concussions throughout his football playing career. At 42, he's already suffered the memory loss, depression, and slurred speech, but he was convinced that his supplements were helpful in staving off the effects. And Bill still wants to play. I asked him if he'd play the game any differently if he knew what he knows no — if he knew it would add another 10 healthy years to his life to be with his family and friends and children — and, without pausing, he said "No." He even said that even though he's probably one head shot away from being a vegetable, he'd strap on the pads tomorrow.

I'm sure many in the league share the same attitude. So how do you fix that?

Brutal Damage To Football Players Brains [Boing Boing]
Dead athletes brains show damage from concussions [CNN]
Study of Ex-NFL Players Ties Concussion To Depression Risk [NYT]

It seems the Senator was taking Neuro1, which is manufactured and sold by Nutrition53, the company that belongs to the rather, uh ... "excitable" former linebacker. Romo himself says, "It's phenomenal for any person with stress and an overwhelming travel schedule." Or access to nuclear codes?

In any case, political insiders will be watching the next debate closely to see if McCain shows any signs of increased energy or vigor, such as spitting in his opponent's face, suggesting some sort of animal ancestry in regards to his mother, or punching Sarah Palin in the back of the head when she's not looking.

• Celebrity Side Dish [NY Daily News; third item]
• If John McCain delivers a forearm shiver to Barack Obama during the next debate, it will be Bill Romanowski's fault [Shutdown Corner]

Yes, that's Romo right there, sucking the finger of Kenan Thompson ... so you know it's a good movie. The cast also includes Darrell Hammond, Jenny McCarthy and Andy Milonakis. The plot: "A road trip comedy about three friends who travel across the country in a Wiener Wagon to beat up a popular daytime talk show therapist."

Sheesh, what's not to like?

Bill Romanowski Was Born to Play The Role Of Gay Trucker [The Angry T]

With inflation being what it is, we feel that we have to be very prudent with our entertainment dollar. That's why we will only see new movies with the following fun synopsis:

Three friends, in their mid-20's, travel cross country in a weinermobile to kick a talk show host's ass for assisting in the break-up of one of their friends who appeared on the show.

The film is Wieners, and did we mention that Bill Romanowski is in it, playing a gay cowboy? Needless to say, our Netflix queue is loaded up and ready to go.

Meanwhile, Romo, who had a bit part in the 2005 remake of The Longest Yard, continues to make movies. In the upcoming movie Weiners, he plays a gay cowboy. In Get Smart, a movie he starts shooting next week, he plays an air traffic controller.

We can't decide which is more terrifying: Gay Cowboy Romanowski, or Romanowski in charge of guiding planes at a busy airport. Either way we advise all bystanders to run like hell.

Parker: Romo Tackles Biz In Supplements [Rocky Mountain News]
Who Would YOU Trust To Get The Right Supplements In Your Body? [Deadspin]
Writing Duo Fights Studio Over Release Of Wieners [Los Angeles Times]

You can go ahead right now and get yourself Nutrition 53's flagship product, a mental energy drink called Neuro 1 that claims to help improve memory recall, endurance, creativity, reaction time, and sexual stamina. From this press release:

Romanowski decided to develop Neuro1 while on his lengthy search for a product that could help him recover from his 16 years and countless concussions in the NFL. After a challenging search to find options, Bill decided to take charge and set forth to develop a product for those seeking energy and cognitive support in a great tasting nutritional beverage.

Romanowski's Crazy Motherfucker Juice is available right here.

Also available are bottles of Romanowski's saliva, which you should always keep handy in the event that you run into J.J. Stokes and don't want to waste your own saliva on his face.

Bill Romanowski Wants to Fill You With Powder [Sports by Brooks]

Romo Gone Gonzo; The Knight's - Phil & Bobby [CNBC]

Bill Romanowski's ASKROMO.com Neuro1 — Fuel for Thought [PRWeb]

Get Neuro 1 [Nutrition 53]

So, what's he doing now that he has, uh, been kicked out of football for steroids? He's running health and fitness seminars, of course. A reader at a PR firm who "works with outdoor manufacturers and some trade shows" received the following flak inquiry from a representative of Mr. Romanowski.

My name is Kelly Gray and I work with Bill Romanowski (4-time Superbowl Champ 16 years in the NFL). I am researching events that we might be looking at in '07. We are launching Bill's new Nutrition Company in Q2 2007. I wanted to see if there were any potential speaking events affiliated with your expo. We want to start educating people on Nutrition 53. Bill's presence and willingness to speak would attract people to your event, and it could also serve to help educate people on Nutrition 53 and Bill's new endeavor. We have celebrity affiliates from Gabrielle Reese to Adam Sandler backing this company. Let me know if there is any synergy to be explored.

Nutrition 53 — Romo's number — sounds like something we might want to look into; if celebrities like Adam Sandler are backing it, we're in! Now we know what was fueling Happy Gilmore's temper fits, though: Roid rage! We totally should have known.

Bill Romanowski: Workout FREAK [Deadspin]

Back in '98 my girlfriend and I were at the Chop House in downtown Denver, having some drinks at the bar after work. Bill Romonowski came in with 3 other middle-aged, overly-buff white guys (they weren't Broncos) and sat at a table on the other side of the bar. My friend is a gorgeous girl who, when people ask her what she wanted to be when she was little, says, "Blonde and blue-eyed." (She got her wish.)

Anyway, one of Romo's friends (who was an executive with the Purina corporation - talk about strange bedfellows) came over, started talking to us and immediately paid our tab. He invited us over to their table and we accepted. Romo seemed agitated and said
very little. A few expensive entrees and $100 worth of booze later, my friend and I were just trying to keep ourselves together. About that time my friend made a joke and boozily said, "Oh, that's just because I'm blonde!"

Suddenly, Romo pushed back from the table, pointed at my friends crotch, bellowed "YOU ARE NOT BLONDE!" and stormed out of the restaurant. We all sat at the table in silence for a few moments, then the five of us shared one of the heartiest laughs of my entire life.

P.S.: Romo had it wrong; she is a true blonde.

We love the idea of Romanowski having a silent, secret mission to rid the world of bottle blondes.

Athlete Run-Ins: Lamenting Caminiti [Deadspin]

(We remind you to send your favorite athlete run-in stories to tips@deadspin.com.)

We don't have much more to say about Romo, except:

1. Anybody else remember the Rick Reilly column in Sports Illustrated — titled "Health Nut" — about how impressive Romo's workout routine is? About how he works harder than any other athlete, and how that's the secret of his longevity? Yeah. That column was written in September 2003; not very long ago. Whoops.
2. We could look at that painting there all day. It's from something called T's Original Art and is definitely the best painting of a linebacker fighting a demon horse from hell to save the castle that we've ever seen.

Health Nut [SI.com]
This Just In: Mexicans In Mexico [The Lumberyard]
T's Original Art [Official Site]

(UPDATE: A reader reminds us that Reilly had no problem with requesting Sammy Sosa pee in a cup, but gave Romo a pass because they're old pals from back in Denver. We had forgotten about that. Wonder if he asked Rebecca Romijn to pee in a cup, while we're thinking about it.)