ESPN’s Robert Smith is unhappy with ‘Concussion’
ESPN’s Robert Smith is absolutely furious with the way one of his former colleagues was portrayed in the new film ‘Concussion.’
The highly controversial new film Concussion is finally out in theaters and it really has a lot of people reacting in different ways to the way the film dramatizes the head trauma issue that has permeated the National Football League.
While there has been critical acclaim for the film and many positive reviews, including from players that have seen the film, there are also people that are not happy with the film.
ESPN’s Robert Smith is one of those people that is not happy with the film. The former Minnesota Vikings running back served on the NFL’s disability board in the past. One of the colleagues that he worked with was former NFL player Dave Duerson, who committed suicide and had his brain studied for CTE.
Smith, who personally knew Duerson, was not happy at all with the way the film portrayed Duerson. He had some pretty harsh things to say on Twitter about the film.
#ConcussionMovie smears Dave Duerson and all of us who serve or served on disability board. Filmakers are cowards to lie about a dead man.
— robert smith (@Robert26Smith) December 26, 2015
It's illogical, nonsense to attack former players on that board. We care for every player and case we hear. We follow the law as fiduciaries
— robert smith (@Robert26Smith) December 26, 2015
I worked with Dave on board- angers me his family being put through this after all they've suffered. Causes aren't worth sacrificing truth
— robert smith (@Robert26Smith) December 26, 2015
It’s easy to see why Smith is angry with the film. To see a friend that he personally knew, who is no longer alive to defend himself, to be dragged through the mud and the effects that it has on his family is pretty low.
These aren’t just men in suits on the disability board that the film is dramatizing them as. They are former players who have suffered from head trauma and other disabilities as a result of the game.
For the film to treat them as suits and not even accurately portray that the people they are is insulting to Smith and many who have had to watch their families suffer as a result. Smith’s anger toward the film is certainly justified and it’s not surprising to see a dramatization get something wrong, which should absolutely come as a surprise to no one.