Michigan Friday: Enjoys the Summer Break

This is a down time for college football as coaches take time with their families before fall camp and the season begins.  Recruits are pretty much doing the same, they can take un-official visits but many want to wait to see practice, go the BBQ on 8/2, or wait for an official visit during the season.   They also need to get ready for HS practice to start. 

For a Michigan Blogger there isn't much to write about, so we search for any news where we can find it.

• St. Edwards CB Tony Butler out of Ohio has now been to Michigan twice for visits.  His second visit came this week and TB left with out a commitment.   Tony recently de-committed from Pitt and is no longer considering them.  Jimmy is in Paris so Tony got to spend time with his position coach Mike Zordich.   He said all the right things after, like he is comfortable in Ann Arbor and would be a good fit in the program.   He is a 3 star CB and is planning to take all of his officials as he waits for more offers.  Clemson just offered this week.   I don't know Tony but he seems like a guy  waiting on an OSU offer.   I expect there won't be room in Michigan's class if he waits until the season is over to make a decision.

• 2016 CB, brother of  Delano and PSU commit Levert Hill is expected to attend the BBQ at the Big House on 8/2.  This is going to be an interesting recruitment right to the end.   He continues to say he is solid with PSU but has been taking visits.   Does he also want to play a year with his brother? Wouldn't it be easier on the family to attend games with both boys in Ann Arbor?

• Now switching gears a bit, ESPN has been taking a bit of a revenue hit as cable subscribers are moving off of cable and on to the internet to watch their favorite shows.   ESPN's business is off 7% since 2011 and they have lost an estimated 3M+ subscribers the last couple of years.   When you multiply that by $4-$6 a month that they are charging us, that is big dollars.   Many experts believe that live sports is the only thing keeping cable around.  Expensive talent like Bill Simmons and Keith Olbermann have recently been shown the door by ESPN management.  Now just after making headlines in the Jimmy interview, Colin Cowherd is leaving ESPN for probably Fox.  Simmons and Olbermann where expensive trouble makers but reports are that ESPN wanted to keep Cowherd, but he elected to leave for more money.   This is going to be an interesting ride for Cowherd, who has to believe that ESPN didn't make him, that he is bigger then the network.    This is always the case in TV as well, when the popular guy leaves the trendy show to make movies.  Will he be George Clooney leaving ER or that red haired guy that left NYPD Blue?  I will bet you a donut, his star won't be nearly as bright at Fox.   Remember when Erin Andrews left ESPN because she wanted to be more then a sideline reporter?  Fox gave her a studio show and quickly found out she was a good sideline reporter. 

• We can call this the Brady Hoke rule - The NCAA approved an experimental rule allowing head and neck injury observers at games.  Their job will be to sit in the booth and review instant replays if necessary.   If they believe and injury as occurred, they notify the official and that player is removed from the game. 

• A possible medical breakthrough in the treatment ore prevention of head injuries, Alzheimer's and CTE: Author Kun Ping Lu, MD, PhD, Chief of the Division of Translational Therapeutics in the Department of Medicine at BIDMC and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School (HMS), states "Our study shows that an early neurodegenerative process induced by the toxic tau protein can begin just hours after a traumatic brain injury. In both cell models of stress and in mouse models simulating sport- and military-related TBI, the production of this pathogenic protein, called cis P-tau, disrupts normal neurological functioning, spreads to other neurons and leads to widespread neuronal death.    We have developed a potent monoclonal antibody that can prevent the onset of widespread neurodegeneration by identifying and neutralizing this toxic protein and restoring neurons' structural and functional abilities."

Wolverine Wednesday: Jimmy Is Recruiting Europe

In a few months as Michigan head coach, Jimmy has blown through the US looking for talented young men to wear the maize and blue.   He walks the streets of Ann Arbor, shaking hands and kissing babies.   He might even sign a few thousand autographs as well.  

He doesn't sleep and he doesn't stop.  He coached his last game in SF and basically jumped on a plane and headed to Ann Arbor to get to work on another job.   He hasn't stopped working a job where there is something to do 24/7. 

Before the season starts he has decided to take a much deserved vacation with his wife to Paris.  He is tweeting out pictures of buying Diet Coke and eating at a McDonalds.   You can take Jimmy out of Michigan but you can't take Michigan out of Jimmy!  :-)

Michigan Arts in Paris group showing Sarah & I around! Thanks professor Lay, Abi Celis & Students #Homies Go Blue! pic.twitter.com/nDKYqkbpcx

— Coach Harbaugh (@CoachJim4UM) July 15, 2015

Bonjour! Go Blue! pic.twitter.com/EoBL4i5Svh

— Coach Harbaugh (@CoachJim4UM) July 11, 2015

Le Big Mac and Royal with Cheese please. pic.twitter.com/BKLGQgbSwS

— Coach Harbaugh (@CoachJim4UM) July 13, 2015

Enjoy your trip coach and football means something different over there! 

• Joe Namath thinks that hyperbaric oxygen treatment has helped improve brain trauma that he believes was caused by hard hits during his football career and could help others with brain damage from concussions.

• Brandon Graham doing a camp for boys and girls in Detroit. 

Michigan Tuesday: Graham Glasgow Suspended

After good news this weekend from the Glasgow family that Jordan would be joining his two other brothers in the Michigan program, come some bad news:  According to the 15th District Court online records, Glasgow violated probation for a "failure to abstain from alcohol." The test was administered Sunday, and at "9:59 a.m. Mr. Glasgow admitted he consumed alcohol," the records state. His attorney John Shea did not return a request for comment.  Glasgow is now suspended from the team. 

Since he was tested Sunday morning, you can only assume he did a lot of drinking the night before.  Graham was getting starter snaps at center after Jack Miller decided to focus on school and post graduation opportunities.   This is not only bad news for the Graham but the Michigan offensive line as well.   Just last week the center position had nice depth with the likes of Miller, Glasgow and  Kugler, now it's just Kugler left active in the program.   It will be interesting to see who takes snaps at the center position during the spring game. 

• Scout's #1 2015 Basketball Player Jaylen Brown is planning to visit A2 Thursday and Friday of this week.  He had to re-schedule an earlier trip due to other basketball commitments.   I hope Coach B can sell him on the opportunity for playing time in Ann Arbor.

• If you have followed this blog for a number of years, you  understand the interest I have in concussions in football.   One of the most interesting retirements happened yesterday, when 49'ers LB Chris Borland retired from football after playing one year in the NFL.  "I've thought about what I could accomplish in football, but for me, personally, when you read about Mike Webster and Dave Duerson and Ray Easterling, you read all these stories, and to be the type of player I want to be in football, I think I'd have to take on some risks that, as a person, I don't want to take on."  After the surprise retirement of Patrick Willis last week, many 49'er fans weren't too concerned due to the solid play of Borland last year.   Now Chris has stepped away after doing a ton of research this off season on the long term effects of playing football."I just thought to myself, 'What am I doing? Is this how I'm going to live my adult life, banging my head, especially with what I've learned and know about the dangers?'"   It takes a strong man to walk away from millions of dollars for his future health.   Congratulations to Chris on the best decision for Chris.

Michigan Friday: Continues The Talk On Concussions in Football

If you have followed this blog for sometime, you know one of my "hot topics" is concussions in football.   One of the scariest things I have ever seen on a football field was Michael Shaw leaving the field at Purdue with the trainer and acting like he was drunk.   He had just received another concussion and I believe that was the last down he played at Michigan. 

I'm a firm believer that concussions could effect the game we love long term.   That is why I try to keep all my readers aware if there is a new study or another incident with a current or former player.

The latest news comes from a study from the University of Tulsa.   Below is an excerpt from that finding:

College football players with and without a history of concussions have less volume in the hippocampal region of the brain that relates to memory and emotion, according to a study published Tuesday by the Journal of the American Medical Association. Moreover, the number of years of playing experience was inversely related to hippocampal volume and reaction time.

The study, conducted at The University of Tulsa (TU) in partnership with the Laureate Institute for Brain Research (LIBR), is the most comprehensive ever to assess the effects of football specifically on college players.

“Other studies have evaluated the effects on older athletes, such as retired NFL players, but no one has studied 20-year-olds until now – and the results were remarkable and surprising,” said Patrick S.F. Bellgowan, director of cognitive neuroscience for LIBR and a faculty member at TU. “Our next step is to assess what caused this difference in hippocampus size.”

“This unique finding and dataset are a reflection of the unprecedented access and collaboration provided by the Department of Athletics at The University of Tulsa” Bellgowan said. “Subsequent research aimed at understanding developmental aspects of this finding will require similarly strong commitment by local athletes, parents and high schools.”

This study is significant because it shows that football could cause brain damage, even at a young age.   This is the type of study that will effect mothers and fathers in letting their son play football or another sport.   If the sport continues to lose talent at all levels, the product on the field will decline over time.  

I continue to believe we are still in the early stages of understanding the impact of concussions on football and how the brain reacts over time.    I hope there is a solution, so we can continue to enjoy this great game.

Michigan Friday: Applauds the PAC 12's New Policy

With Michigan's camp wrapped up now, there really isn't much to report.  I expect many of the coaches will be taking some time off before Fall Camp starts in about a month. 

So today, I hit a regular topic that I haven't discussed for awhile, concussions.  The PAC 12 will be instituting a new policy in limiting contact in practice.   New research is now showing that not only concussions can cause brain damage but the consistent contact in games and practice can also cause brain damage.

The Big Ten is also serious about concussions, here is a quote from Commissioner Jim Delany: "I know the NFL is down to one day a week [of hitting in practice], and most colleges are down to two," Delany said. "Not by regulation, just by practice. I see where the Pac-12 has suggested two days a week. I think that's actually pretty standard, that not many people are doing more than two. If they are, it's only a few. 

The Big Ten is also in a joint research venture with the Ivy League schools to continue to research concussion and brain trauma. 

Two Big Ten coaches would like to understand the policy a little better:

Northwestern's Fitzgerald:  "Just define for me what contact means, and I can put together a plan," Fitzgerald told ESPN.com. "But I still haven't heard what that means yet. If you put an O-lineman and a D-lineman together with helmets only, do you not think they'll bang into each other? Otherwise, we're playing a different sport.

"I'm just a little worried that the reaction is to take contact away, instead of to use contact constructively to educate and teach guys the healthy and safe way to play the game."

Iowa's Ferentz:  "My experience both in professional football and college football is that most coaches are pretty cognizant and aware and in tune of where their team is health-wise, fatigue-wise, those types of things," he said. "I would imagine a lot of coaches try to be very, very careful and very smart about how they practice. Now we're at 85 scholarships. It's different than the '80s when rosters were bigger, you had more players. When you lose players to injury, it's not good for anybody, so it's a fine line. I would imagine every coach worries about that and spends a lot of time thinking about that, how do we practice intelligently."


I understand how the coaches feel, they need to prepare their teams to win and don't want to be "handcuffed" on rules on when players can and can't have contact.   These coaches are "old school" for the most part and believe they know what's best to protect their players.

The issue how I see it is, they really don't understand how to protect their kids brain and there really isn't a ton of research to show us how to avoid causing these kids issues later in life.   So yes, I'm a 100% in favor of limiting contact in practice to a couple times a week max.    They say playing a college or NFL football game is like being in a car crash every weekend.   These players don't need to crash 3 or 4 more times a week in practice.  

Michigan Thursday: Thinks About the NFL Draft

A couple thoughts on the NFL Draft:

• Could a Chip be the first pick in the NFL Draft?  Highly rated OT Eric Fisher from Central Michigan could be the NFL's #1 draft pick.   KC has the first pick and just cut Eric Winston one of their starting Tackles.   Eric and Texas AM's OT Luke Joeckel are the top two Tackles in the draft.

• Perfect Storm for Denard?  Could there be a better time for Denard to enter the NFL draft?  Sure, his WR skills still need to be developed but with the success of the Pistol Offense, I'm sure there is an NFL team thinking they could develop Denard into a WR but also a guy that could go under center and run the ball from the QB position.   He is not a great passer but I'm betting he wouldn't have to throw that many passes if a team has an established pro-style QB.

Michigan gutted out another road win last night and kept the dream alive of a share of the Big Ten title.  Michigan has to figure out it's defense and some of it's plays on offense.  This dribbling around hoping Burke does something special is really frustrating me.   BTW, I would like to see a stat on how many missed shots from the lane Michigan had last night.  It seemed at least 10, which would have made the game a blow out.   Those lost possessions will kill the Wolverines in the tournament.

• New Cleveland Clinic Study finds that:  College football players who sustain hits to the head may experience long-term brain damage even if they aren’t concussed.  This is a good read.

• A cool story on Tyrone Wheatley Jr. and how he just received a Michigan offer from Brady Hoke.   TW2 (too early for a nickname?) is a TE/DE prospect in the 2015 class.

Michigan Tuesday: It's Slow Folks

The news is pretty light coming out of Schembechler Hall these days.  The Wolverines haven't played in a week and half and the injury news is pretty light.    ESPN is doing articles on commits and their ability to laundry.   Yes, it's slow.

Couple injury updates:

• Nathan Brink is out indefinitely after suffering an injury in practice
• Brennen Beyer and Richard Ash are both expected back this week and making the trip to Purdue.

One of the things that Mgoblog touched on yesterday was a topic that I wanted to discuss.  MSU DE William Gholston was knocked out on the field during the Ohio State game and came back and played.   That is 100% un-acceptable and Dantonio should be fined by the Big Ten.   If you remember Brian Kelly did something similar with one of his QB's when they played Michigan a few years ago (that QB was not knocked out, but he did suffer a concusion).   When a player is knocked out cold they should not be allowed to go back in the game.  Concussions are a serious threat to this sport and if trainers, doctors and coaches continue this type of practice, it will have tragic consequences.

• Former Michigan recruit Dee Hart is 2 of 2 in year ending injuries his first two years at Alabama.  This is his second ACL tear.

Michigan Monday: Concussion Research at U of M

As you know, I am very concerned about the game we love and the number of concussions we are seeing in this sport.   I have family members that have been effective and two years ago while I was at the Purdue game in West Lafayette, I saw Mike Shaw taken off the field after getting a concussion.  He was laughing and barley could walk.  He looked like he had just come from a Frat party at 1:00 AM.   It was very scary and everyone that saw him was terribly concerned about his welfare.   He barley played for the Wolverines after that game, even though he had more then a year of eligibility left.

I have written many of articles on concussions and my concern for high school, college and professional football players.   So when I learned yesterday that Michigan is being pro-active in diagnosing and treating concussions for the football team, my pride for the Wolverines grew even larger (I know, I didn't think it could get any bigger either!).

Kyle Meinke wrote an article for Ann Arbor.com talking about how Michigan is taking a cutting edge approach to concussions.   Here are a couple of excerpts from the article:

Concussion diagnoses at the high school and college level are up around 30 percent since 2006, according to Michigan football neurologist Jeffrey Kutcher. Yes, the Wolverines have their own full-time neurologist. (bold is mine)

Michigan is the only Big Ten football team with a full-time staffer dedicated to head injuries. Kutcher, who was hired by the university's medical school in 2003 and began working as a part-time volunteer with the athletic department shortly after that, said he isn't aware of another FBS team that employs someone such as himself.

That has helped propel the Wolverines to the frontier of concussion research, protocol and prevention. "It has been a process of growth, to the point where we really do have a very cutting-edge relationship," Kutcher said. "It’s something other programs have started to do. They’ve looked at our program as a model, and we’re very proud of that fact.

Robinson, a dual-threat quarterback who has averaged 18.3 carries per game as a starter and is susceptible to withering collisions because of his speed, elected to swap his Riddell for a better-fitting -- and, in his case, safer -- Schutt. Michigan also uses a third brand, Xenith. Players use whichever model best fits their head.

This is what I took from the article:

• Michigan is leading the NCAA in Concussion Research and is doing all they can to protect their students athletes.
• They have a full time Neurologist on the team
• They are tied into the NBA, NHL and NCAA on Concussion Research
• Michigan players can choose 3 different brands of helmets to make sure they have the best fit which can reduce the risk of concussions. 

This is the Michigan Difference and I wish every parent of a 2013 and 2014 recruit would read this article, because these are the things that separates Michigan from every other program in the nation.

• Michigan Summer Football Camp started yesterday.  Hoping to hear about some 2013 and 2014 year guys standing out. 

Michigan Thursday: Football A Game at Risk

We all love football, you wouldn't be on this site right now if you didn't.   We love the athleticism of the players, game strategy and to be fair the contact.   It's a great watch.  I'm sure you feel similar to myself when I say there isn't too many better things in life then walking to the big house on a 72 degree day to watch the Wolverines play a rival.  The air is electric and there is a smell of grills working overtime at each tailgate.   Your walk is a little faster and your heart is beating a bit quicker.   The faster you get to your seat, the faster you get to be apart of 110,000 strong cheering for the same team.   It's like walking into Disney World for the first time as a child.   It's a magical feeling. 

If you have been reading this site for years, you know one of the things that concerns me in this sport is concussion and overall brain trauma players can receive from playing this game.  It scares me for many reasons, including the future of football at all levels.   We got another slap in the face on what this game can do to you long term when "allegedly" Junior Seau took a gun and put it to his chest yesterday.   It's another chilling reminder of something all football fans try to forget, the effects this game has on it's players long term health.

We see former players on TV doing color commentary and they look fine.   They seem to be in control and don't have any problems.  The problem is, that is a small percentage of players that are not struggling and are successful after football.  Most former players have some type of health concerns and most don't mind if their knees are shot or they can't raise their hand over their heads.  Most former NFL players would give up two good knees for the shot to play football again.  It's just how they are wired and they understood their knees probably wouldn't work well after football.

That is all fine and good if we are talking about a knee or a shoulder.  When we start talking about a players head or brain the seriousness changes.   When we start playing football at 8 years old, nobody expects their life expectancy to be another 35 years.  It just doesn't compute or make any sense.

I believe Junior shot himself in the chest for two purposes, clearly he wanted to end his life but the second reason was so his brain could be analyzed for a disease called CTE or chronic traumatic encephalopathy which is a brain condition from constant contact or a number of concussions.   It's also commonly known as being "punch drunk" because a number of former boxers have this condition.  Many doctors give this example: it's like have a 90 year olds brain at the age of 40. 

We are starting to see a number of football players that die before their time with this condition, including former Bengals WR Chris Henry.   The scary part is Chris didn't have any reported concussions in College or Professional football.  Many researches now believe CTE can be caused by the constant contact football players go through in a game or practice over the years. 

This disease is the #1 threat to this great game right now.  The game we all love to watch.   The NFL is cracking down on safety on the field because they are getting sued left and right by former players who are in trouble physically and financially.   Can you imagine doing something you love doing and being told at 30 years old that your time is up and you can't do it any longer?  Add on top of that not being able to physically walk or that you fall into a deep depression for a reason you can't identify.

This threat is real and it's not going to get any better. Remember back in the day when players tackled the proper way?  With us now being in the "Sports Center era" of just highlights of big hits and leading with the helmet, this condition will only get worse.   It's time to really understand what this game can do to it's players in future years.  This is not just an NFL problem, players in college football have it and even players in high school.  

Today, please reflect on this great game and the happiness it has brought to you but also reflect what it can do to a high school, college or professional football player.   Today, think about Junior Seau a great football player and one of the toughest guys to ever strap on a helmet, who is dead at the age of 43.  Now think about Junior being your son, years from now.

Steven Threet to Call it a Career and Why It Should Make You Think

If you have followed the Big House Blog for a few years you know one of the topics I take very seriously are head injuries in football.  If you missed those past articles, I will re-set my stance on the topic (do a search if your interested in the past posts on this topic):

Football is changing, It used to be that if you played High School, College, and maybe even made it to the NFL you knew you might be giving up a couple of knees, probably have back problems, and maybe a shoulder or two.  Now it seems the injuries and penalties can be much worse and even devastating. 

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy commonly referred to as CTE is a degenerative brain disease that has been showing up in football players as young as 18.  In Boxing, they commonly refer to this disease as being "punch drunk".   CTE is now showing up in the pre-mature deaths of many football players who struggle with depression and having a brain that is more like a 90 year old then a 50 year old.  One of the higher profile cases was the recent death of Cincinnati Bengals WR Chris Henry who had CTE at the age of 26.  There are also studies that are showing former football players and European soccer players are also suffering a higher rate of "Lou Gehrig's " disease or ALS.  Why soccer players?  They are taking head shots from a ball traveling at a rate of 80 mph. 

Many researchers had linked CTE to concussions which is accurate but the more alarming trend is evidence of CTE in players that never had a history of concussions.  Chris Henry is an example of that theory.  Chris never had any reported concussions and clearly had CTE after his death from jumping on a moving vehicle.

This week there have been two alarming cases for football fans and football players.  The first sign was the suicide of former Chicago Bears defensive back Dave Duerson.   Dave sent a text to his family moments before his death that asked for his brain to be tested and the results sent to the NFL.  Dave was suffering from depression and was filing for bankruptcy.  

Then today we learn of the apparent retirement of former Michigan QB Steven Threet who has one more year of eligibility left at Arizona State.  Steven has had 4 concussions and suffered 2 just last year, Oct. 23 at California and Nov. 26 against UCLA . Threet told the Arizona Republic on Wednesday that he's still experiencing symptoms from the last concussion and still has headaches and has trouble sleeping.  A source told ESPN that "Doctors have told him a fifth concussion could be debilitating," a source told ESPN. "You don't want to be 35 years old and can't hold up a cup of coffee."

If you need more proof, read the story about the University of Pennsylvania offensive lineman Owen Thomas who also committed suicide in college. Owen was the first college football player to have CTE and here are the chilling words from his mother: “I knew there was a missing piece,” says Thomas’ mother, the Rev. Katherine Brearley, of Allentown, Pa. “No one has given me even a hint of an explanation why Owen, at the drop of a hat, would kill himself. It’s out of all proportion and totally out of his character.”

Below is an example of the damage on the brain from CTE:

Top row: Brain sections showing dense tau protein deposition in multiple areas of frontal cortex (boxes).Bottom row: Microscopic images showing large numbers of tau-containing neurofibrillary tangles (dark brown spots) in the areas of damage.  (photo from BU.edu)

If things don't change these type of head injuries will effect the long term viability of the sport we love.  The NFL is starting to take this seriously now after years of not believing the evidence.  It's now clearly starting to effect high school and college football as well.   Question, do you want someone you love playing football?  Steven you are making a great decision.  Good luck to you outside of football.

Wolverine Wednesday: Is There a Dr. Phillips in the House?

Today is Shoelace Birthday!  Denard turns 20 today.

We mentioned yesterday that Dee is supporting a number of his teammates on trips to places like Arkansas and Auburn.    Today, we list the pure number of Division 1 prospects currently on Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando, Florida.  I have to tell you this is pretty impressive:

Dr. Phillips Senior Prospects with verbal commitments:

• DB Ha’Sean Clinton-Dix: Alabama
• RB Dee Hart:  Open
• OL Darius Johnson: Colorado State
• LB Darryl Monroe: Washington State
• LB/S LaQuentin Smith: Arkansas
• CB Jared Singletary: Arkansas
• CB Roderick Ryles: Arkansas
• DE Chris Curtis: Starting to get offers
• Kicker/Punter Sean Moffitt: Starting to get some interest
• WR Chris Gallon: Starting to get some interest with 4 TD's catches this year (cousin of current Wolverine Jeremy Gallon)

I know I mentioned that Auburn might be gaining ground on Dee because they are recruiting some of his teammates.  With the list above, it looks like Arkansas might be trying to recruit the entire team.   I'm guessing Dr. Phillips has a good shot at winning the state title this year.  That is a lot of talent for one high schools senior class.  As I'm sure your also aware, current Wolverine Ricardo Miller played for Dr. Phillips before transferring to Ann Arbor Pioneer for his senior year.

Concussions

As you know, concussions in football is something that concerns me.  So when I find new research about this topic, I want to share it with my readers.  The latest comes from a study from University of Illinois.  They study the longer term effects for young children that get concussions.  Here are some excerpts from a NYT article today:

Many of the concussions had occurred years earlier and at the time of the testing, none of the students felt lingering symptoms. Each was performing adequately in college. In the testing itself, the concussed students scored just as well as the uninjured athletes.

But when researchers looked at the electrical activity of the students’ brains, they found that the concussed athletes showed noticeably less activity in portions of the brain associated with attention. ‘‘They had suppressed attentional resources,’’ said Steven Broglio, a professor of kinesiology and community health at the University of Illinois. He and his colleagues speculated that, as a result, the injured athletes most likely were devoting a greater percentage of their total mental reserves to each task than the uninjured athletes in order to achieve similar intellectual results. The effort wasn’t obvious. ‘‘These were high-performing college students,” Dr. Broglio said. ‘‘They were succeeding in school.’’


Trouble:

• I'm sure we all know by now that Braylon got a DUI the other night.  I was worried when Braylon got traded to the Jets that NYC might fit him too well.  It's a city that never sleeps and it seems neither does Braylon.  I expect him to get suspended and he maybe in more trouble with the law from his fight in Cleveland.  Let's hope this is a wake up call for him. 

• Dion Sims a former Michigan recruit and current MSU football player has been charged with being part of a ring that stole a number of lap tops from the Detroit Public Schools.  I expect that Mr. Sims football days will be over if he is found guilty.

Recruiting

• 2011 RB DeVondrick Nealy will visit A2 on 10/8.  He is a 3 star prospect and has offers from Auburn, Arkansas, Michigan, and Minnesota.  

• 2012 prospect from Michigan James Ross, LB is going to be one of the top players in the state for the 2012 class.  James has always been a Michigan fan and attended the UConn game.  There are a number of big name programs that are recruiting him.  Names like Alabama, Penn State, and others.   Michigan will push pretty hard to get him to commit early to the Wolverines, since it's a big position of need.    Robert Bolden his former teammate is the starting QB for Penn State.

Multiple Concussions Now Linked to ALS in Football Players

To change it up a bit, you know if you follow this blog I am very interested in the research and long term affects of concussions in football.   If you get a chance to catch  "Real Sports" on HBO I suggest you try to watch an episode.   It's not only one of the best sports shows on TV it's one of the best shows on TV period. 

On last nights episode there was a story about how concussions and brain damage can lead to the deadly disease ALS which is commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.  A number of football players and boxers have fallen victim to this disease at an early age after retirement  (an early age is in their 40's or 50's).   This is not just a factor when it comes to American Football, many soccer players have fallen victim to the same disease in Europe.  Again, I am not a physician so I will not do this justice but here is what I learned last night.  We now know that multiple concussions or head collisions can cause long term brain damage.  In some people with that brain damage, a protein from thier brain can leak directly into their spinal cord which causes ALS. 

This is a break through in the medical community, which will be released today.  One of your questions, might be:  Lou Gehrig played baseball and why would this effect soccer players?  Real Sports thought the same thing about Lou and researched that in his career he had 6 very serious head injuries playing baseball that knocked him out completely.   What was really sad regarding Lou was he never rested after those injuries(we all know about his legendary playing streak).  During one game after he suffered one of those head injuries, his head was so swollen he had to wear Babe Ruth's hat.    Soccer players use their head to advance the ball or to try to score a goal.  Those impacts could be on a ball that is traveling 60 miles per hour. 

What can we learn from this finding? 
1) Not everyone that gets concussions will get ALS. 
2) If you do get a concussion, you need to get the proper rest not only physically but mentally as well.

This is important research on the long term effects of concussions, please be careful if someone you love suffers one.

Concussions are No Longer Footballs Dirty Little Secret

If you follow this blog regularly, you know that I'm very serious about concussions in football.  My interest in this topic goes back to players like Troy Aikman and even the former Michigan running back Sam McGuffie.  Then last season, my nephew got one playing high school football.   This is not only becoming a serious issue in football it's now personal for me. 

The recognition behind concussions has come a long way.  A few years ago the NFL didn't even acknowledge the short or long term effects of concussions, we all remember players getting one on Sunday and being right back playing the next week.    Or having your "bell rung" and being told by a coach to get back in there!

Now the NFL under Roger Goodell is starting to take concussions head on (sorry that is a bad pun).  The NFL will not start providing posters in each NFL locker rooms talking about the serious nature of concussions.  This from the NYT:  The National Football League is producing a poster that bluntly alerts its players to the long-term effects of concussions, using words like “depression” and “early onset of dementia” that those close to the issue described as both staggering and overdue.


The poster, soon to be hung in locker rooms leaguewide, becomes by far the N.F.L.’s most definitive statement on the cognitive risks of football, which it had discredited for most of the past several years as academic studies and reports of deceased players’ brain damage mounted.

“That poster is shocking,” said Domonique Foxworth, a cornerback for the Baltimore Ravens. “It gives people facts before they take risks. But it’s not exactly a new revelation.”
 
 
 

 
I applaud The NFL taking a pro-active stance against the serious nature of concussions and the potential long term effects.  But the job isn't done, what current research is starting to show is that the number of collisions players have on a daily basis (in practice and during games) could have the same long term negative effects.    The most recent example of that is the late Cincinnati Bengals WR Chris Henry who was found to be suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) which is an early onset of dementia or also know as "punch drunk syndrome" which is found in many boxers.  Chris was never diagnosed or missed any games due to a concussion.  So Chris situation could mean two things: 1) Chris did have a number of concussions and was never properly diagnosed  or 2) the regular hits he took in high school, college and in the NFL caused him to have CTE.  
 
In my opinion, #2 above is the biggest risk to the NFL.   If you tell parents that if your child continues playing football could have the brain of 90 year old when he is 40, how many kids do you think will be playing youth football?  Not many. 
 
Scary isn't it? 

 
What are some of the solutions?  Folks talk about safer helmets, which could work but could also have a negative effect.  If players believe their helmets are safer they might continue tackling by leading with their helmets.  I think the best way to reduce concussions is go back to the fundamentals of tackling and not leading with your helmet.  I realize we live in Sports Center world and highlights are what players are after but if this trend continues it might seriously effect the game or more importantly a players long term health.  Throwing a player out for leading with the helmet and even a suspension might help reduce this form of tackling. 
 
Either way, recognition is the first step and I see the NFL doing that.  So today is a positive step in the right direction. NYT:  Chris Nowinski, (who you might remember from the WWF & his college career at Harvard) a co-director of the Sports Legacy Institute and an advocate for youth concussion awareness, said he was relieved to learn about the new language. “The old pamphlet that said ‘no evidence of any long-term effects,’ it slowed down progress — it helped create a latency environment when the evidence showed great urgency for change,” he said. “There’s a greater need for culture change on the lower levels. When coaches and people around the games don’t have all the information, simple documents and simple messages are the most important.”

Another Example of Brain Damage in Football

As you know if your a regular follower of this blog that I am very interested in the study and prevention of concussions in football.   No matter what level of football you have played, I am sure there was a time when your coach said; "you got your bell rung" or you felt a little foggy.   It used to be a sign of how tough you were to be able to continue playing.  I remember Troy Aikman saying he doesn't remember throwing a touchdown pass in the NFC Championship game after suffering a concussion on the play before. 

Concussions in football have been the sports "dirty little secret" for many years.  The NFL for years completely ignored the importance of concussions or brain damage.  That time is over and now we are learning more everyday on what a life of football can do to your brain.

The latest example comes from the late Chris Henry (former RR player at West Virgina) who died last year trying to jump in the back of pick up truck driven by his finance.   He feel to the ground as the truck was moving and died from multiple head injuries.  During a recent a autopsy, Chris was found to be suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) -- a form of degenerative brain damage caused by multiple hits to the head.  CTE is also know as "punch drunk syndrome" and is found in many boxers.  Basically the disease is an early onset of dementia.  The best way to describe CTE is a 40-50 year old man suffering from CTE will have the brain of an 80-90 year old man. 

CTE can be pinpointed only by autopsy, and even under regular post-mortem analysis, its effects are invisible. But using cell-staining techniques discovered and developed by Bennet Omalu, a neuropathologist who is co-director of BIRI, scientists can see the dangerous tau proteins and telltale tangles that characterize CTE. After staining, normal brain cells are blue and uncluttered under a microscope, while Henry's brain cells were discolored, clumpy and filled with threads, according to the researchers.


You know have to wonder, if some of Chris's unique behavior as an NFL player was caused by this brain damage?  Over 50 NFL players have been found to had this type of brain damage.   There are many studies going on currently on the effects of concussions.   One study currently at North Carolina is studying the effects of regular hits (non concussions) on the brain.  Some researches believe it's not just the concussions that are causing damage but the regular impact taken in practice and during games. 

I have voiced my concern here a number of times for former Michigan running back Sam McGuffie who suffered 3 concussions during his first year of college football.  After taking a year off, Sam resumes his college football career at Rice in the fall.   As one of Rice's most talented players, I expect Sam to get a lot of carries and I hope not a 4th concussion.   I think players like Sam who have had a number of concussions are at greater risk to receive more. 

As you know, I love football.  I think college football is one of the greatest games on earth.  I'm just not sure I want my son playing it.