Dan Wheldon, 33, died of blunt head trauma in a fiery, 15-car crash early in Sunday’s Izod IndyCar World Championships at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, shocking the motor sports community and raising a range of questions among drivers, sponsors and fans about how the sport is run and its future.
It’s a miracle that more people weren’t killed. My sympathy goes out to Wheldon’s family, friends and fans.
Speaking of Dangerous Sports . . .
What’s up with all the concussions in football and hockey? Everyday there is a new story about an athlete’s career threatened or ended due to one or more brain concussions. Sidney Crosby, who was arguably the best hockey player in the game, has not yet returned from a concussion suffered last season. Some medical experts say he may never be the same.
Today, I read that St. Louis Blues forward Andy McDonald has been diagnosed with a concussion by team doctor Rick Wright, his second in 10 months and the fifth of his career. He’s been placed on injured reserve and will be out indefinitely.
The injury occurred at the end of the second period of Thursday’s 3-2 loss in Dallas.
McDonald missed 24 games last season after suffering a concussion on Dec. 4 in a game at Edmonton. He’s had multiple concussions while in Anaheim as well, with the most serious one coming in 2003. That one forced McDonald to miss 57 games total, including the final 21 of a playoff run because of post-concussion syndrome.
McDonald missed seven games with a concussion while playing for the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks of the American Hockey League. A concussion sidelined McDonald again in 2002 while with the Mighty Ducks.
Helmets weren’t even made mandatory in the NHL until , August 1979. Even then, there was an exception to the rule for players—after signing a waiver form—who signed pro contracts prior to June 1, 1979. Essentially, this grandfather clause allowed hockey’s veterans to choose whether or not they wanted to wear helmets but forced all new players to wear them.
Back then, there was a “stigma” about a player wearing a helmet, and those who wore them without being required to were considered “sissies”. (This stigma apparently did not exist in the European and Russian leagues, as their players wore helmets, without shame, long before NHL players did.
I remember, as a kid growing up in Canada, playing organized Tom Thumb and Pee Wee hockey without a helmet . . . just a toque with the team colors to keep my ears warm. I watched “Hockey Night in Canada” and there were now helmets worn by the NHL players . . . not even the goal tenders. I remember Guy Lafleur’s hair blowing back from his un-helmeted head as he flew down the ice.
I don’t remember, back then, any fuss about concussions. Maybe there were lots of concussions that went undiagnosed, or they were not reported about? Maybe, because nobody was wearing a helmet, the players were more careful about hits to the head? Also, back then, the players didn’t wear the massive shoulder pads that they do now, and a lot of concussions are resulting from shoulder hits to the head . . . and, back then, there weren’t any 6′ 9″ (without skates), 270 lb. players like you see today. I wouldn’t want one of those guys blind-siding me with a solid shoulder hit to the head while sprinting down the ice.
Take a look, for example, at the 1965 Stanley Cup Champions, the Montreal Canadiens. Yvan Cournoyer was 5′ 7″ and weighed (maybe) 170 lbs., soaking wet. Ralph Backstrom was 5′ 10″, 165 lbs. Gump Worsley: 5′ 7″, 155 lbs. Henri Richard: 5′ 7″, 160 lbs. Dick Duff: 5′ 10 “, 160 lbs.
Now look at the roster of the Boston Bruins, last year’s Stanley Cup Champions. There’s very few players under 6′ 2″ and 200-220 lbs.
Another thing that has changed over the years is the training of the players; before, training once focused on cardio workouts, but now the emphasis is on “explosive conditioning” and strength building.
Add to that the fact that the starting salary in the NHL in the 1960s was $13,000. Now, players make that much in one shift . . . so there’s a financial incentive to train hard during the off-season. In “the old days”, the players took the off-season “off”.
Other factors have to include the fact that the population of players from which the NHL teams can recruit has increased dramatically. Also, the size of the playing surface has not increased, whereas the size of the players certainly has – it’s now a lot more “crowded” on the ice and easier to collide or get hit.
I know that work is being done on improving the design of helmets to make them more concussion proof, and the league is cracking down on hits to the head, so hopefully concussions will become less of a problem as time goes by.
On a positive note, I understand that Sidney Crosby has be “okayed”, by his doctors, for contact during practices . . . so maybe we’ll see him in action again, soon.
Here’s another “tempest in a teapot”:
In celebration of a victory at Detroit, an obviously pumped- up San Fracisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh gave Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz an enthusiatic handshake and a backslap that an obviously disappointed and overly-sensitive Schwartz took offense to. A minor scrum broke out, with coaches and players involved.
Harbaugh was clearly excited after a big win and was high-fiveing, backslapping and pumping everyone’s hand. Apparently, Schwartz didn’t think the vigorous hand-shake and backslap was the appropriate way to interact with the opposing coach, post game, and the “cry baby” yelled obscenities at Harbaugh. Harbaugh, for his part, seemed to not even notice and just wanted to get into the dressing room with his team; however, Schwartz wouldn’t let it go and kept chasing and yelling at him.
As far as I’m concerned, this was a “non-event”, which only made Schwartz look foolish, and I can’t believe all the attention that the media is giving this thing. (What the heck am I doing, contributing to that, by even mentioning here . . . forget I said anything).
A Disappointing Season for the Saskatchewan Roughriders
My team, the Riders, after appearing in three of the last four Grey Cup games, will not even make the playoffs this year.
The fanatic Rider fans are still loyal to their team, win or lose, and even the (relatively) meaningless final games of the year are still selling out to hordes of crazy screaming fans.
Next year, for sure!
Can Texas Win the World Series This Year?
The MLB World Series, between the Texas Rangers and the St. Louis Cardinals begins tomorrow, Wednesday, October 19.
The Cardinals have been to the World Series 17 times and have won the title 10 times . . . the most of any National League team.
The Rangers, on the other hand, have only been to the World Series once before (last year) in their entire history (which dates back to 1961) and in that series they won only one game, going down to the San Francisco Giants, four games to one.
I think maybe it’s finally the Rangers’ turn! What do you think? Comments?
My favorite football team, the Saskatchewan Roughriders, have had a tough first half of the current season. They have won only one of eight games.
Some major personnel changes were needed, and have been made (including the sacking of the head coach).
The team had this weekend off, and I’m confident that when they again hit the field (on September 4th) they will again be the winning Riders that we know and love.
In the meantime, I am presently visiting the city of Calgary – the home of the Riders arch rivals, the Stampeders. As you might imagine, the Stampeder fans are coming up with plenty of Roughrider jokes.
For example:
A seven year old boy was at the centre of a courtroom drama this morning when he challenged a court ruling over who should have custody of the boy. The boy has a history of being beaten by his parents and the judge awarded custody to his aunt.
The boy confirmed that his aunt beat him more than his parents and refused to live there. When the judge suggested that he live with his grandparents the boy cried out that they beat him more than anyone. The judge dramatically allowed the boy to choose who should have custody of him.
Custody was granted to the Saskatchewan Roughriders this morning as the boy firmly believes that they are not capable of beating anyone.
What’s the difference between the SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS and the Taliban? A. The Taliban has a running game.
How do the SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS count to 10? A. 0-1, 0-2, 0-3, 0-4, 0-5, 0-6, 0-7, 0-8, 0-9, 0-10.
What do the SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS and Billy Graham have in common? A. They both can make 27,000 people stand up and yell “Jesus Christ”!
How do you keep a SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDER out of your yard? A. Put up goal posts.
Where do you go in REGINA in case of a tornado? A. TAYLOR FIELD – they never get a touchdown there!
What do you call a ROUGHRIDER with a GREY CUP ring? A. A thief.
What do the SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS and possums have in common? A. Both play dead at home and get killed on the road.
How can you tell when the SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS are going to run the football? A. The Running Back leaves the huddle with tears in his eyes.
Ha, ha, ha. We’ll see who has the last laugh at the end of the season!
Here is some interesting Super Bowl trivia that I found at USAToday.com:
Beneath the snow in Dallas, some Super Bowl XLV nuggets
ARLINGTON, Texas — The big game is near, assuming they can shovel the snow off the field in time. And by now there has been enough material discussed about the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers and this weather-plagued Texas Super Bowl to pour out the ear holes of Ben Roethlisberger’s helmet. One more repeated factoid, and you might lose your nachos.
But maybe you haven’t heard these yet. Time to play did you know . . .
That if the Packers win, the Steelers will be the 14th different team to lose the Super Bowl in the past 14 years?
That 13 players from the Mid-American Conference are in this game, just one fewer than the Big 12 and Pac-10 combined?
That the Dallas Cowboys have played 51 seasons, but only 11 of them in Dallas, which is why all the limos Sunday are headed for Arlington?
That several inches of snow fell on the area Friday, so it was good not to have a tee time for the NFL Alumni World Golf Showcase?
That the lowest-rated Super Bowl broadcast of all time was probably the most significant — the Joe Namath guarantee when the New York Jets shocked the Baltimore Colts and hastened the NFL-AFL merger? Now, of course, Namath would send out his guarantee on Twitter.
That the most popular uniform number for a Super Bowl winning quarterback is 12? It’s happened 13 times, thanks largely to Terry Bradshaw and Tom Brady. So things look good for Aaron Rodgers.
Jersey No. 12 could prove to be a good omen for quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Packers.
That of all the movies Mike McCarthy could show the Packers this week, he decided on Hoosiers, because he likes the scene where Gene Hackman reminds his players the baskets are still 10 feet high in a championship game?
That Packers tight end Andrew Quarless will be the third Super Bowl player in history whose last name starts with the letter Q? The only letter still waiting for its debut is X, though the Atlanta Falcons had an assistant coach in Super Bowl XXXIII named Brian Xanders.
That four coaches account for 36% of all Super Bowl defeats? Bud Grant, Marv Levy, Dan Reeves and Don Shula each threw four into the pot, for 16.
That the next punt return for a Super Bowl touchdown will be the first punt return for a Super Bowl touchdown?
That the Steelers and Packers are staying more than an hour’s drive from one another, but next year in downtown Indianapolis, the competing teams will be only eight blocks apart?
That of the last six teams to win the Super Bowl, two did not make the playoffs the next season, and the other four went 1-4 in the postseason?
That everyone might babble all week about the importance of defense, but come Sunday, defensive players have been named the Super Bowl MVP only seven times in 44 years?
That after Vince Lombardi retired, it took 28 years for the Packers to get back to the NFC Championship Game?
That, while the Rooney family gets justifiable applause for the remarkable consistency of the Steelers, the team founded by Art Rooney had only eight winning seasons and no playoff victories in its first 39 years?
That when Pittsburgh defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau got his first NFL coaching job, his boss Mike Tomlin was 1 year old?
That included on McCarthy’s Green Bay coaching staff is special teams coordinator Shawn Slocum, who used to run a construction company, offensive line coach James Campen, who served as a reserve deputy sheriff, and quarterback coach Tom Clements, who practiced law for five years?
That with 954 career catches, Hines Ward has more receptions than Steeler Hall of Famers John Stallworth and Lynn Swann combined?
That the forecast high for Dallas Friday was 28 degrees, and the forecast high for Minneapolis was 33?
And, while the snow falls in Texas, that Packers left guard Daryn Colledge comes from North Pole, Alaska, and lived on — nobody could make this up — South Santa Claus Lane?
That the Steelers were seeded No. 2 in the AFC and the Packers No. 6 in the NFC, Pittsburgh is loaded with Super Bowl veterans while Green Bay has only two, and the Packers are the favorite?
The Fiesta Bowl is proud to host a record seventh national championship game on January 10, 2011. The No. 1 team in the country, Auburn, will face-off against the No. 2 team, Oregon, at University of Phoenix Stadium vying for the national title.
Oregon stormed to the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game in dominating fashion, winning only one game by fewer than 11 points. The Ducks clinched a berth by defeating Oregon State 37-20 in the Civil War. Auburn reached the national title game by routing South Carolina 56-17 in the SEC championship game in Atlanta, the Tigers’ second win over Steve Spurrier’s Gamecocks this year.
The Tigers have been a resilient group this season. They rallied from double-digit deficits four times, and pulled off the biggest comeback in school history when they climbed out of a 24-0 hole to beat Alabama 28-27 in the Iron Bowl in Tuscaloosa. That wasn’t Auburn’s only close call; one week after holding off Mississippi State by three points, the Tigers overcame a 17-0 deficit to pull out an overtime thriller against Clemson. The following week, Auburn trailed South Carolina 20-7 at halftime but came back on four Gamecocks turnovers in the fourth quarter. Auburn also needed a 24-yard field goal as time expired to beat Kentucky. The Tigers have rolled behind quarterback Cam Newton, who leads the nation in passing efficiency. Auburn averages 42.7 points per game, sixth in the nation.
The Ducks set a school record for victories and went undefeated in the regular season for the first time since 1916 when they went 7-0-1 under Hugo Bezdek. Oregon opened with a 72-0 rout of New Mexico and has hardly slowed down since. The Ducks whipped Tennessee by five touchdowns – in Knoxville – and had few tests as they marched to their second straight outright Pac-10 crown. The Ducks’ closest call came in a 15-13 win at California on Nov. 13; they survived when the Golden Bears’ place kicker was called for a false start on what would have been the go-ahead field goal, and he missed on the next attempt. The Ducks finished their march to Glendale with a 37-20 victory over arch rival Oregon State in the Civil War. Oregon’s offense averages a national-best 49.3 points per game. Tailback LaMichael James averages 152.9 yards per game, most in the FBS.
This will be the first meeting between the two schools.
Fans of Canadian football were treated to two excellent games, yesterday!
Congratulations to the Toronto Argonauts and, of course, to THE SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS!
The Riders kept us on the edges of our seats, and at times looked like they might let the game slip away from them . . . but then they managed to pull out an exciting win in overtime.
Now, the Argos face the Montreal Alouettes, and the Riders go up against the Calgary Stampeders, this coming Sunday.
I can’t wait!
Can the Riders beat the Stamps and go on to win the Grey Cup (as they should have, last year)?
Have the Alouettes starters had too much rest to be prepared for the surging Argos?
If you’re not one of the almost two million people who have viewed this on YouTube, here is the famous Iceland Football Celebration.
When Halldor Orri scored a great goal he decided to go fishing and catch his mate Johann Laxdal or “Johann the salmon”. The game was Stjarnan against Fylkir in the top league in Iceland and the goal was the winning goal in extra time.
The top three teams qualify automatically for the World Cup. One more can qualify if it wins a two-game playoff with the 5th place CONMEBOL (South America) team. (I hope I have that right. If not, let me know in a comment).
A particularly interesting game is coming up on June 3, 2009, when the USA team plays Costa Rica, in San Jose (Costa Rica). (These are presently the top two teams in the final round). The game will be broadcast on ESPN at 8:00 p.m., Costa Rica time. (To find out what time that is where you are go to the Time Zone Converter Web site).
Costa Ricans are big into soccer. Most of us received our first soccer ball before we could walk. I remember when we were in primary school we would use anything from a soccer ball to a paper ball we made during class or even an orange to play some soccer or “futbol” during our breaks.
Soccer can unite the country when the national team plays. Costa Ricans will watch any game from Costa Rican soccer to European soccer. Every game is a good excuse to sit down and relax watching soccer; even if the teams that are playing are from a different country.
This past Tuesday May 26th, there was the national championship final game. It was not a tipical game because for the past 16 years either of the two bigger teams in the country, Saprissa and Alajuela, or both have played the National Champion serie. The final is played at two games one at each team’s home stadium.
For the first time in in 16 years neither Saprissa nor Alajuela played the final game. It was played in between Heredia (they won their last championsip in 1993) and Liberia Mia (the team was bought in 2007 and had never won a national title). This game had another interesting fact about it; Liberia Mia is owned by a business man from Costa Rica and his mother owns the Heredia team.
The first game of the series was played on Sunday in Liberia and it ended up tied at 0 goals. Heredia came to the second game as the favorite because they were playing at home and they are a more mature team than Liberia Mia. However, things were not as expected. First half ended with a 0 tied. But in the second half Liberia Mia scored 2 goals in 2 minutes to turn the game on their favor. Ten minutes before the game was over Liberia scored the third goal, and not only won the game, but wrote a new page in Costa Rican soccer history.
As we way in Costa Rica, Liberia Mia won the game by “GOLEADA”. This is a word we use to refer to a game won by a team by more than a three-goal difference.
I am a hearted follower of Saprissa “The Purple Monster” o “Mounstro Morado”. However, I was raised in Guanacaste (where Liberia Mia is from). Saprissa has won the last 5 championships in a row and we were hoping to win the sixth one. This did not happen and we have to go look for a new star in December of this year.
Now, with the national championship over, the whole country of Costa Rica focuses on the national team, which we call “La Sele”. La Sele will be playing the world cup qualifiers against the USA on June 3rd and then at Trinidad & Tobago on June 6th.
All I can say as a Costa Rican is that definetely soccer is the KING of Sports and the best game in the world.
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