MORE BRAIN DONATIONS, STEWART OUT AT WVU, MORE UGLINESS FROM BUCKEYELAND & BRANGELINA COMES UP HUGE
We lost a pair of Hall of Fame running backs recently, John Henry Johnson & Joe Perry. They were members of San Francisco's "Million Dollar Backfield" in the mid 1950's. These two fullbacks dished out & absorbed a lot of punishment. They played in an era when concussions meant smelling salts waved under the nose & then it was back into action. You had to be knocked unconscious to stay on the bench. The families of Perry & Johnson have fulfilled the last wishes of these great players by donating their brains to Boston University where they will be examined, looking for CTE, Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, a debilitating brain condition that has shown up in 14 of the 15 brains donated to BU by deceased NFL players. Earlier this year ex-Bear safety Dave Duerson killed himself, but on the morning of his suicide, he texted his wishes regarding his brain to family members. Former wide receiver Drew Hill also died of a massive stroke a few months ago, the results of their brain exams were positive for CTE. This condition cannot currently be diagnosed until an autopsy can be performed on the brain. With every brain, new information is gleaned, hopefully enough to figure out how best to prevent it from occurring. I'm afraid we're a long way from that, as long as players use their helmets as battering rams or warheads, concussions & the resulting CTE will remain a major issue for football players of every age. Helmet design & rule modification are about the only realistic hope right now.
I need to make a correction on something I told you yesterday. I don't want anyone getting all worked up about my comments regarding Titans' wide receiver Kenny Britt. I said he had been arrested three times since Tennessee made the Rutgers product their 1st round selection in the 2009 draft. I strive to be as accurate as I can be, he has been arrested six(6) times. That's much better isn't it?
I gave you a heads-up earlier this week regarding a brewing mess at West Virginia. The rumors of head coach Bill Stewart and/or his wife attempting to dig up dirt on the Mountaineers' "Coach in Waiting" Dana Holgerson were true enough to get Stewart fired on Friday. Oliver Luck, WVU Athletic Director, promoted Holgerson. Since it was an internal issue, the administration has a tight lid on any & all details of what really happened. Stewart will receive his 2011 salary but will not remain with the Mountaineers in any capacity.
To my emailers who thought my lockout optimism was misguided, I honestly believe they are close to an agreement, how it looks to the general public is important to both sides. Like I said yesterday, neither side wants to appear as the loser.
To DT584ever, who asked if there was a chance the Chiefs would sign unrestricted free agent Aubrayo Franklin, Niners' nose tackle? That would be a transaction I could get excited about, Franklin is exactly what Kansas City needs in the middle of their defense, a run-stuffing, space-eater who occupies two blockers nearly every snap. If Franklin was brought in as the starter, Jerrell Powe could be brought along slowly as his backup. But spending huge money in the free agent market is not Scott Pioli's style, so I'll say it won't happen.
Dennis Talbott, the Columbus area businessman connected to Terrelle Pryor, was accused by an unnamed source on ESPN's Outside the Lines of paying Terrelle Pryor between $20,000 & $40,000 for autographing mini helmets, pictures & other Buckeye gear. Pryor's attorney, Larry James, denied any connection to Talbott, calling him "a small player who doesn't have deep enough pockets to pay anyone that kind of money." Talbott himself also denied any relationship with Pryor. As Lee Corso says "not so fast my friend." Doug Lesmerises of the Cleveland Plain Dealer said in Friday's edition Talbott & Pryor had golf dates together at the Scioto Reserve Golf Club in Columbus. That according to club manager Regan Koivisto. Lesmerises went on to disclose Talbott's current wheels, a heavily customized Ohio State Buckeye edition with vanity plates that read "T Pryor." Also in the article, Lesmerises said Jim Tressel was warned in two 2007 emails about Talbott's business dealings with several OSU underclassmen. The emailer went on to tell Tressel he found two online sites where Talbott was selling the autographed memorabilia. Who sent the email? The same Chris Cicero who warned Coach Sweater Vest about Terrelle Pryor's issues with a local tattoo parlor in April of 2010. Larry James Esq. also said on Friday Pryor was "no longer subject to NCAA rules since he's no longer a student-athlete." Real simple strategy, no investigation, no evidence, no IRS hassles. Computer hard drives, cell phone records & lies will end up burying these guys just like Anthony Wiener.
Brangelina aka as Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie did a wonderful thing on Friday. They donated $500,000 for rebuilding Joplin Missouri. Pitt was born & raised in Springfield Mo, just 70 miles east of Joplin, his parents still live there. Jolie said:
"Last year 42 million people worldwide were displaced by natural disasters. So often these disasters seem so far away, but now the need is for thousands of people displaced right here at home. Our hearts go out to the families in Joplin who have lost so much."
Pitt added:
"With the devastating loss of thirty percent of the city, the Joplin community faces great challenges ahead. Having spent much of my childhood there, I know these people to be hardworking, humble & especially resilient. We hope to further help with their rebuilding efforts."
I understand that this Hollywood power couple has a lot of money, but so do many team owners & some superstar players. It would be nice to see a few similar donations like this very generous gift.
I need to make a correction on something I told you yesterday. I don't want anyone getting all worked up about my comments regarding Titans' wide receiver Kenny Britt. I said he had been arrested three times since Tennessee made the Rutgers product their 1st round selection in the 2009 draft. I strive to be as accurate as I can be, he has been arrested six(6) times. That's much better isn't it?
I gave you a heads-up earlier this week regarding a brewing mess at West Virginia. The rumors of head coach Bill Stewart and/or his wife attempting to dig up dirt on the Mountaineers' "Coach in Waiting" Dana Holgerson were true enough to get Stewart fired on Friday. Oliver Luck, WVU Athletic Director, promoted Holgerson. Since it was an internal issue, the administration has a tight lid on any & all details of what really happened. Stewart will receive his 2011 salary but will not remain with the Mountaineers in any capacity.
To my emailers who thought my lockout optimism was misguided, I honestly believe they are close to an agreement, how it looks to the general public is important to both sides. Like I said yesterday, neither side wants to appear as the loser.
To DT584ever, who asked if there was a chance the Chiefs would sign unrestricted free agent Aubrayo Franklin, Niners' nose tackle? That would be a transaction I could get excited about, Franklin is exactly what Kansas City needs in the middle of their defense, a run-stuffing, space-eater who occupies two blockers nearly every snap. If Franklin was brought in as the starter, Jerrell Powe could be brought along slowly as his backup. But spending huge money in the free agent market is not Scott Pioli's style, so I'll say it won't happen.
Dennis Talbott, the Columbus area businessman connected to Terrelle Pryor, was accused by an unnamed source on ESPN's Outside the Lines of paying Terrelle Pryor between $20,000 & $40,000 for autographing mini helmets, pictures & other Buckeye gear. Pryor's attorney, Larry James, denied any connection to Talbott, calling him "a small player who doesn't have deep enough pockets to pay anyone that kind of money." Talbott himself also denied any relationship with Pryor. As Lee Corso says "not so fast my friend." Doug Lesmerises of the Cleveland Plain Dealer said in Friday's edition Talbott & Pryor had golf dates together at the Scioto Reserve Golf Club in Columbus. That according to club manager Regan Koivisto. Lesmerises went on to disclose Talbott's current wheels, a heavily customized Ohio State Buckeye edition with vanity plates that read "T Pryor." Also in the article, Lesmerises said Jim Tressel was warned in two 2007 emails about Talbott's business dealings with several OSU underclassmen. The emailer went on to tell Tressel he found two online sites where Talbott was selling the autographed memorabilia. Who sent the email? The same Chris Cicero who warned Coach Sweater Vest about Terrelle Pryor's issues with a local tattoo parlor in April of 2010. Larry James Esq. also said on Friday Pryor was "no longer subject to NCAA rules since he's no longer a student-athlete." Real simple strategy, no investigation, no evidence, no IRS hassles. Computer hard drives, cell phone records & lies will end up burying these guys just like Anthony Wiener.
Brangelina aka as Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie did a wonderful thing on Friday. They donated $500,000 for rebuilding Joplin Missouri. Pitt was born & raised in Springfield Mo, just 70 miles east of Joplin, his parents still live there. Jolie said:
"Last year 42 million people worldwide were displaced by natural disasters. So often these disasters seem so far away, but now the need is for thousands of people displaced right here at home. Our hearts go out to the families in Joplin who have lost so much."
Pitt added:
"With the devastating loss of thirty percent of the city, the Joplin community faces great challenges ahead. Having spent much of my childhood there, I know these people to be hardworking, humble & especially resilient. We hope to further help with their rebuilding efforts."
I understand that this Hollywood power couple has a lot of money, but so do many team owners & some superstar players. It would be nice to see a few similar donations like this very generous gift.
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