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In today’s episode, we have the honour and privilege to be joined once again by Professor Tony Collins, who previously featured in Episodes 61 and 70. Professor Collins is a renowned historian and Emeritus Professor, widely regarded as a leading authority in the field of sports history. Over the course of a distinguished career spanning several decades, he has authored more than a dozen books and is a four-time recipient of the prestigious Aberdare Prize. His expertise has also been featured in major media outlets, including BBC Radio 4’s Sport.

(01:30) - Origins and History of The Ashes?
(03:10) - Why It Synonymous with Cricket Only?
(05:20) - How Was the Australian V England in Sports Built?
(10:40) - Biggest Historical Moments in Ashes Series?
(14:30) – The Cricket Bodyline Series
(16:21) – First Rugby League Ashes Series
(20:00) – Meaning of Beating the Our Foe’s in the Ashes
(25:45) – Players picking Elegances
(29:17) – What Keeps the Ashes Alive?
(34:30) – Dr Tony Collin’s Favourite Ashes Moments
(44:26) – Cricket and Politics
(47:00) - Roy Francis: Rugby’s Forgotten Black Leader

Tony Collins:
x/twitter: @collinstony
http://www.tonycollins.org
Rugby Reload Podcast: http://www.rugbyreloaded.com


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⚠️ Content Warning:
This episode contains discussion of suicide, murder, and abuse,

Listener discretion is advised.

Today’s episode features an in-depth conversation with Irvin Muchnick, an acclaimed independent journalist and author whose fearless investigations have exposed the darker, hidden side of sports. Irvin’s reporting has been featured in leading outlets such as Sports Illustrated, People, The Washington Monthly, the magazine sections of The New York Times, and as a contributing writer for Salon.

He is the author of several powerful books, including Chris & Nancy: The True Story of the Benoit Murder-Suicide and Pro Wrestling’s Cocktail of Death, Concussion Inc., and Without Helmets or Shoulder Pads: The American Way of Death in Football Conditioning. His most recent work, Underwater: The Greed-Soaked Tale of Sexual Abuse in USA Swimming and Around the Globe, continues his focus on systemic corruption and abuse in youth and Olympic sports.

In this episode, we dive into Irvin’s reporting, the ethical challenges of covering tragedy in sports, and the broader cultural issues that allow exploitation

(01:10) - Journey into investigative journalism

(04:40) - Chris Benoit and Irvin’s Journalistic Work in Concussion/ mTBI

(11:10) - Narrative Around Public Health Harm’s in mTBI/ Injuries

(17:15) - Are We Desensitised?

(23:00) – WWE Wellness Policy

(31:24) - Without Helmets or Shoulder Pads: The American Way of Death in Football Conditioning.

(39:52) - Underwater: The Greed-Soaked Tale of Sexual Abuse in USA Swimming and Around the Globe.

(44:00) – How Does Irvin Keep Going in Investigative Journalism?

Irvin Muchnick: https://concussioninc.net/?page_id=14210

Twitter/ X: @irvmuch

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In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Jamie Woodman, chiropractor and captain of the Perth Thunder in the Australian Ice Hockey League, the premier competition in the southern hemisphere. Jamie’s career on the ice stretches back more than ten years, beginning with a bold move to Canada at just 16 to skate with the Banff Bears, followed by time in the U.S. with the Palm Beach Hawks. Since then, he’s gone on to represent Australia at multiple levels, wearing both the “C” and “A” for club and country while balancing life as a dedicated health professional.

(01:00) - Journey into the World of Ice Hockey

(02:45) - Pathways in Australia

(04:35) - Overseas at age of 16 years old and Differences in Styles

(08:30) - Hockey and Brief Overview

(11:09) - Hockey Injury Leading to Chiropractic Professional

(15:00) - Base Line Testing and Set Up in Australian Ice Hockey

(19:24) - Personal Perspective of Impacts in Hockey

(21:58) – Physical Toll of the Travel Schedule

(25:21) – Favorited Moments in Jamie’s Career

(27:45) – Stories Form the Locker Room

(30:00) – Where Can You Find Jamie

Willagee Chiropractic: https://www.willageechiropractic.com

Instagram: @jamie_woodman

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Today we are honoured to invite back by popular demand, returning guest Dr. Eric Windholz, a highly respected expert in sports law and regulatory theory. A senior lecturer at Monash University and a member of several prominent sports law boards, Dr. Windholz has been a favourite among listeners since his appearances in Episodes 28 and 49.

In this episode, he returns by popular demand to delve into the latest legal developments surrounding sports injuries and insurance, a topic many people have requested.

(01:26) - Backgrounds of the AFL lawsuits and Medical Retirements

(03:44) - Why De-class a Lawsuit and Implications

(08:00) - Legal Case: Club vs Organisations

(12:00) - Possible Club Doctor Litigation

(13:38) – Trials by “Time Block”

(15:05) – Second Class Action Lawsuit

(16:32) – Possible Reasons Why Players Involve Clubs

(18:17) – Medical Retirement of Players

(20:00) – Insurance on Medical Retirement

(22:20) – Medical Payouts

(25:20) – AFL/ AFLPA Hardship Fund

(27:45) – Possibly Implications at Community Level

(32:06) – Biggest Case in Australian Sport Which Set Legal Precedence

Book chapter: Footballers, Umpires and Boxers in the Supreme Court

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5277759

Journal: Professional athletes and injury insurance: A better way forward

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1037969X251337131

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Welcome Back to Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast. Today we have the honour and privilege to be joined by Dr Matt Ventresca and Dr Kathryn Henne.

Dr. Ventresca is a critical sports studies scholar and Research Associate at Western University and Brock University, as well as a Visiting Fellow at Australian National University. His decade-long research focuses on how social and cultural inequalities shape our understanding of brain injuries in sport, especially concussions and CTE, examining the roles of media, science, and public narratives. He has also held research positions at Georgia Tech and the University of Calgary.

Professor Kathryn Henne directs the School of Regulation and Global Governance (RegNet) at ANU and is a leading expert in regulatory governance. Her work explores how science and technology influence health, safety, and social policy, with a special focus on concussion and CTE regulation. Dr. Henne has published over 76 academic articles, cited more than 1,700 times.

00:30 - Episode Introduction

01:30 - What is a Concussion, Repetitive Head Impacts and CTE?

06:30 - Biopsychosocial Models/ Qualitative Research with Concussion?

13:14 – What is Meant by Functionalism in Concussion?

19:05 - Concussion Across Gender

32:44 - CTE a defence for murder or A Criminal mind?

42:24 – Cultural Aspects of CTE

45:23 – Violent Impacts: How Power and Inequality Shape the Concussion Crisis

Dr Matt Ventresca:

https://mattventresca.ca

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=L-UuJWkAAAAJ&hl=en

Dr Kathryn Henne:

https://katehenne.com

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=PIyJCfAAAAAJ&hl=en

Books

Violent Impacts: How Power and Inequality Shape the Concussion Crisis:

https://www.amazon.com.au/Violent-Impacts-Inequality-Concussion-Crisis/dp/0520396987/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0

Sociocultural Examinations of Sports Concussions:

https://www.amazon.com.au/Sociocultural-Examinations-Sports-Concussions-Ventresca/dp/1032085320

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In this episode of Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast, we welcome Dr. Tommy Wood. A neuroscientist and physician, discussing his journey into human optimization and brain health. We explore the complexities of concussions and mild traumatic brain injuries (MTBI), the role of inflammation in brain health, and the nuances of cognitive decline and dementia. Dr. Wood emphasizes the importance of lifestyle changes and actionable steps to improve brain health, introducing his 3S model: stimulus, supply, and support. The conversation also highlights the Better Brain Fitness podcast, where listeners can find more resources and insights on brain health.

00:00 - Introduction to Dr. Tommy Wood

01:50 - Journey into Human Optimization and Brain Health

07:12 - Understanding Concussions, MTBI and The Egg Analogy: Explaining Brain Trauma

15:00 – Teaching and Conveying the Message About Concussion

19:10 - Inflammation in the Brain: Causes and Effects

23:38 - Understanding Cognitive Decline

33:40 - The 3S Model for Brain Health

39:21 - Exploring the Better Brain Fitness Podcast and Dr Wood’s Up and Coming Book

-Better Brain Fitness Website: https://www.betterbrain.fitness/about

-Better Brain Fitness Podcast: https://www.brainjo.academy/the-better-brain-fitness-podcast/

-Dr Tommy Wood’s Website: https://www.drtommywood.com

-@drtommywood

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**Re-Release Episode with Dr Stephen Townsend. Original air date: July 2nd, 2024**

Welcome to HeadFirst: A Concussion Podcast In this episode, we are privileged to host Dr. Stephen Townsend as our special guest. Dr. Townsend holds the position of Lecturer and Research Fellow at Queensland University with the School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences specializing in sport social studies. Dr Townsend is renowned for his work in sports history, with his extensive academic contributions including multiple journal publications, authored books, and published chapters. Notably, his PhD dissertation titled Becoming Ali: A Digital History, Newspaper Discourse, and America's Most Famous Boxer, 1969-1975 reflects his deep exploration of sports history.

Dr. Townsend brings a unique perspective to our discussion, providing expert opinions and analytical insights into the history of concussion and mild traumatic brain injury. Join us as we explore the intersection of history, sports, and concussion research with Dr. Stephen Townsend.

- What is a concussion and lack of consistent definition? (2:20)

- Earliest reports/ history of concussion/ History of concussion in Australia (6:58)-

- Boxings Role in awareness and Brief NFL History on “Death Harvest of 1905” (9:35)

- Cultural Relationship with Concussion, Societal Perceptions & Possible Sensitization to Violence (13:10)

- World War 1 Divergence Point in Concussion (19:00)

- Historical lessons or insights that can inform our approach to preventing and managing concussions in the future (26:10)

Dr Stephen Townsend:

Article:

“‘The Tragedy of the Punch Drunk': Reading Concussion in Australian Sporting Newspapers, 1843–1954”: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sports-and-active-living/articles/10.3389/fspor.2021.676463/full

Twitter/X: @historycarb

Instagram: bigcrab_oncampus

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Welcome back to Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast. Today we are joined by Professor Amanda Ellison, a neuroscientist and physiologist at Durham University with more than two decades of experience. She has published over 80 peer-reviewed papers with close to 3,000 citations, and her research covers areas including the neuroscience of vision, neuronal disruption in migraine headaches, visuomotor systems, and sensorimotor cortical function. Beyond her academic work, Professor Ellison is the author of two well-regarded books, Getting Your Head Around the Brain and Splitting: The Inside Story on Headaches, which bring complex neuroscience concepts to a wider audience.

- How Did Dr Ellison Got Involved in Physiology and Neuroscience? (01:51)

- Lobes of the Brain and Their function? (08:00)

- Whys It Called a Stroke (15:49)

- What are Headaches (19:20)

- Big Ticket Items Regarding Headaches (30:00)

- Migraines (34:10)

- Common Myths About Headaches? (51:10)

- Where to Find Dr Amanda Ellison (58:33)

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=-z_DSs4AAAAJ&hl=en

Splitting: Inside Story on Headaches (https://www.amazon.com.au/Splitting-Inside-Headaches-Amanda-Ellison/dp/1472971396)

Getting Your Head Around The Brain: https://www.amazon.com.au/Getting-your-head-around-brain-ebook/dp/B09HZ9FVSR?ref_=ast_author_dp

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