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Analysis: A conflicting voice in concussion dialogue
By the end of a morning lecture Monday, Sandra Chapman, Ph.D., had essentially told an auditorium full of football coaches that all the doomsday stuff they've been hearing about concussions isn't quite as bad the media has made it seem.
For the past couple years college football fans have been pounded with the idea that concussions will ultimately destroy the game of football. Now along comes a Doctor that says the health benefits from football outweigh the risks, and that concept is poo-poo'ed by USA Today's Dan Wolken, apparently because it doesn't fit the common theme (I'm trying to avoid the word "narrative" here because it's being overused) that football is bad, really, really bad.
It's an interesting article if for no other reason that it represents the other side of the story and that's why it's leading today's discussion.
It's apparent that we know very little about the brain, at least relative to the rest of human anatomy. We know that repeated concussions, especially when the brain hasn't had time to heal between them, can lead to serious implications later in life, but science still can't tell what causes concussions in the first place. All of this research is in its infancy.
Stuff About Nebraska:
Look at Big Ten bowl ticket sales for 2013 season - ESPN
Guess what! Bowl ticket sales through the schools were pretty lousy except for Iowa and Michigan State.
Moss, Afalava status up in the air | sports.omaha.com
Two top Nebraska defensive recruits of the 2012 recruiting class — and one 2013 major contributor on defense — were not enrolled in second semester classes as of Monday morning, according to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Avery Moss and Jared Afalava are not enrolled at Nebraska.
Ole Miss, UCLA and 8 other breakout teams for college football's 2014 season - SBNation.com
Who are some teams that could turn heads in the first year of the College Football Playoff?
Northwestern and Michigan make this list, as does Maryland. Nebraska is nowhere to be found. (And if you take this as a reason to bitch about Bo Pelini, please don't. It's getting more than old.)
Other Stuff:
Laugh all you want: Lane Kiffin is a good hire for Alabama - SBNation.com
Lane Kiffin's resume is stronger than his public perception and he's entering a situation built for success.
Kiffin was entering a situation built for success at USC too, and blew that up like lighting a match to see if there's gas in the tank. I'll believe Kiffin's success when I see it, not before. While it's true that Saban runs the show at 'Bama, Kiffin's main problem is his constant failure to accept responsibility for his own mistakes.
Fearless: A Q&A on James Franklin With Steven Godfrey - Black Shoe Diaries
In 2011, SB Nation's Steven Godfrey spent a week inside the Vanderbilt football program, gaining an insider's view of James Franklin and his then-football program.
The Florida State process: How Jimbo Fisher combined the best of Bobby Bowden and Nick Saban to build a new champion in Tallahassee - SBNation.com
How Jimbo Fisher combined the best of Bobby Bowden and Nick Saban to build a new champion in Tallahassee.
Risk Acceptance in the BCS National Championship Game - Football Study Hall
Examples of decision making and risk acceptance from Florida State's BCS title game win over Auburn.
College basketball rankings: Wisconsin No. 3 in AP Top 25, USA TODAY Coaches Polls - Bucky's 5th Quarter
Wisconsin at #3. Holy cow.
NCAA says no changes to Miami's scholarship penalties - CBSSports.com
The NCAA will not be flexible with Miami's scholarship penalties over the two-plus-years-long Nevin Shapiro probe despite the Hurricanes' request to consider self-imposed scholarship withholdings from previous years, a University of Miami official told CBSSports.com.
Schools closer to giving athletes full cost of attendance, NCAA president says - ESPN
NCAA president Mark Emmert says there is a reasonable chance the five power conferences of college football will be able to supply athletes with full cost of attendance after being granted autonomy to do so sometime after an upcoming NCAA convention.
This has to happen. If it doesn't, the power conferences need to leave the NCAA. That's it. If they don't, they should be pounded into the ground by public pressure and opinion.
Texas to pay $9.375 million for Charlie Strong in 2014
The University of Texas' new football coach, Charlie Strong, will be paid $5 million for the 2014 season and the university will pay Strong's $4.375 million buyout to Louisville, according to financial terms approved Monday by the university system's board of regents.
In Remembrance of the 2013 Ducks and the Hope for 2014 - Addicted To Quack
Never has there been such a successful season in Oregon football history that was met with such polarizing opinions. Whatever positives/negatives one can make there appeared to be one constant. The team didn't appear to know who they were.
HAHAHAHAH OMG Expectations are crazy everywhere.
100 Reasons Why College Baseball is Better Than College Football " College Baseball Today
When there is a weather delay in college football, they usher everyone to the locker rooms and tell the fans to get the hell out of the stadium. In college baseball, we get free entertainment that is the brainchild of the players themselves. That’s the sign of intelligent "student-athletes".
Got to hand it to Eric Sorenson. He loves his sport.
College Top 100 Draft Prospects By The Numbers - BaseballAmerica.com
A statistical look at each player that appeared in the College 100 prospects for the 2014 draft.
Almost zero from the Big Ten, but Indiana catcher Kyle Schwarber... just remember that name.