They will really need some professional soccer players to donate their brains after dying so they can take a look and see what kind of trauma is there.
Yeah, I think the biggest thing that has changed is our awareness of the issue. I played football in college and never heard the word concussion nor talk of brain injuries during my playing days (despite having had and witnessed multiple such injuries). Not until my kids became involved in sports did I really become aware of it. I coach youth sports and we have to take concussion training before we are eligible to coach and parents & players are given and have to sign concussion awareness documents before every season. So it is leaps and bounds better today than in my youth - as it should be for such an important and high risk topic.
Also, as you mention, people conjure images of the huge hits receivers or quarterbacks may take when thinking about concussions, but it is the repeated rattling your brain takes, bouncing around there in your skull, (really on every play for lineman) that really takes a toll. And in soccer, especially youth soccer, think of the force a soccer ball in flight generates and compare that with the mass of a child’s head, especially given the lack of structural, biological and muscular development. When my kids play soccer, I repeatedly tell them to not head the ball; though my son had to learn the hard way - he suffered a mild concussion heading a ball (he saved a goal, but was “out of sorts” for a while and I had to monitor him).
LOL. Thanks, made me laugh.
And it looks like the Raiders are headed to Las Vegas. Ian Rapoport reporting that they’ll file relocation paperwork as soon as Monday.
Isn’t Vegas only a population of 600k? How does your TV sets theory from upthread explain this move?
You don’t lose the Bay Area, the 49ers still exist.
Also Vegas has this weird appeal to sports. Being first in is a huge thing, uncontested market. So they could t let the NHL get too settled in there, and so the NFL wanted a team there fast to try and draw loyalties.
Also Vegas is a huge tourist cough gambling cough spot. So it punches anove it’s weight, I’d imagine.
Vegas has even larger problems.
A large percentage of the population is employed by the entertainment industry. And a lot of those folks are sorta busy on the weekends.
There’s some weird hope that the hotels will offer tickets to guests and high rollers and such, or that fans of other teams will all travel to Vegas on road games.
What Craig said.
The NFL doesn’t lose a DMA, because of the Niners here. Also:
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The TV sets thing isn’t a “theory”. It’s the NFL TV contract in black and white.
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Vegas gives the NFL a new DMA in the top 40. If you look at other DMAs in the top 40 without a football team, there’s one thing that sets Vegas apart from every other one: they have a publicly funded brand new stadium.
And with all that being said, it’s important to note a key difference here.
The Rams and Chargers to Los Angeles was part of a lovely song and dance by the NFL and two ownership groups to enhance the NFL’s money making footprint.
The Raiders to Las Vegas is a rogue owner doing what he wants against the will of the NFL, who may be powerless to stop him anyway.
A Vegas team will have much greater visibility than a team in another 500k-1m market (e.g. Jacksonville). And a team that will do well there is one like the Raiders that have a sizable fan base across the country, that as much of a national brand as it is regional (Cowboys would be another obvious example). There are Raider fans all over, and there will be tons of packages available to travel to games. I hate Vegas, but many love it, and being able to do a weekend in Vegas and see a raider game will appeal to lots of people.
I honestly think the league wants, or at least would be happy to have a team in Vegas, but isn’t willing to say so publicly.
Well, as a Seattle fan, that was depressing. Near the end there, I was shocked that Hester’s latest kickoff return wasn’t also turned back because of a foul like all the others. Special team penalties. I do wonder what the game would have been like without them.
Now time for David to beat Goliath. Come on Houston! I’ve never seen them play before today (well, not this particular team, I did watch them early in the season against KC, but they had JJ Watt back then). Hopefully they’re a decent team even without JJ Watt.
Sorrynotsorry, Seattle.
Patriots covered the spread.
So tomorrow: America’s Team, Dallas, or America’s Team, Green Bay?
I have to admit, I’m almost as excited about seeing that matchup as I am the KC-Pittsburgh game. Though that’s mostly because I’m just really nervous about the latter game. If KC was fully healthy, I really think we could win it all this year. But even with the injuries I think we have a great shot this year.
They tried very hard in the first half to lose it, though. Here’s hoping they learn from it, because they can’t afford that shit with any team left.
The bye week can be a disadvantage. The Pats looked rusty for most of that game. Maybe they were believing the hype about themselves.
What injuries are you referring to? According to the playoff injury list, KC has the fewest of any team in the playoffs. They have one injury listed. Jamal Charles, who had 12 carries all season. The team you’re playing has 4. Both Dallas and the Packers show 8 on the injury list. Since Charles hasnt been available pretty much all season and you won 12 games without him, I would say that you are in fact pretty much “fully healthy” Dont be playing the injury card man, thats just sad.
Oh? I was referring to the two injuries on the defense in our last two or three games of the season. If they’re not on the list, that means they’re back in the game today. That’s great news. Thanks!
I only knew this because a have a few bets out this weekend and I researched before I made them. BTW I took the Pats and the points yesterday. One of the reasons was that the Pats had only one player on the injury list as well.
Well this Cowboys game is turning into a laugher.
Edit: nm Dallas woke up
Fuck, now that’s a football game!
Great game by Green Bay and Dallas. I didnt have a dog in this race but I do like a great game. Awesome 4th quarter by both teams. Especially the last 4 mins or so. It was like watching 2 boxers trading punches.
Green Bay should be ecstatic to get that last FG and not just for the win. I don’t think that they wanted anything to do with OT. Their defense was gassed in the 4th and Dallas was totally having their way with them. One thing I noticed, the Dallas corners are really grabby. They got nailed a few times but there were a lot of times where the refs missed a timely jersey pull. Anyway, that was the best football of the postseason so far. Especially since I took the Packers and the points.