Word: nfl
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...defensive line comes back with experience but is slightly weakened by the loss of a few familiar faces. The Crimson lost an NFL-caliber tackle to graduation in the form of Mike Berg ’07, who frequently drew double teams to free up space for the rest of the unit. The defensive end corps also took a hit in the offseason when the Bryant brothers–Desmond and Brenton—were forced to miss the season for unrelated academic reasons...
...champs in 2005 sank near the cellar last season and lost their best player from that squad, middle linebacker Zak DeOssie, to the NFL. In other words, the Bears will be bad this year, so it’s “Brown and Duquesne and pray for rain.” This is one a few games they should win, and they will, but not by the two touchdowns the bookies predict...
...bear the brunt of the blow, which is why the National Collegiate Athletic Association banned spear tackling in 1976. Beginning in grade school, players are now taught to keep their head up during a tackle, and a sign reminding players to "SEE WHAT YOU HIT!" hangs in every NFL locker room. "I played 20 years ago in high school, and my coaches really pounded home the need for good form, to keep the head up to maintain the curvature of the head and spine to dissipate any forces from impact," says Dr. Andrew Sama, spinal surgeon at the Hospital...
...doesn't help that today's players are also bigger, faster and stronger, which means that each impact packs more punch. Since 1985, the average weight of NFL players has ballooned 10%, to 248 pounds, according to a recent study by Scripps Howard News Service. The heaviest position, offensive tackle, has gone from 281 pounds two decades ago to 318 pounds today. So, the dozens of high-speed hits that happen every game carry a higher likelihood of potentially hazardous results. While catastrophic injuries like Everett's remain rare, reports of concussions and other severe trauma on the football field...
...Under pressure by current and retired NFL players, many of them suffering from disabilities for which they are demanding benefits, the NFL is also addressing the worrying rise in concussions. For the first time, all players were required to take neuropsychological tests by the start of the 2007 season. Doctors can then use these results to establish a baseline of cognitive abilities, memory and motor skills against which they can compare scores after a head injury. The league also added a concussion hotline that players can anonymously call if coaches are forcing them to play against medical advice. Such measures...