Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy

This is bad news to bring up during football season, but there is increasing awareness of possible long-term neurological consequences of repeated concussion-type injuries.  Formerly, these were associated with boxers, and was at one time referred to as traumatic encaphalopathy of pugulists -- in other words, being punch-drunk.

This diagnosis can only be made post-mortem; but here's a list of players who had confirmed or suspected diagnoses:

List

Brett Favre has stated that he would not let his son play football; and I respect his decision as a loving and conscientious father.  

I wonder if we should reconsider its prominence in American culture.  Are we doing thing the right thing by encouraging this potential form of chronic brain pathology?  They need to radically revise how the game is played, or discourage it if  this persists.

Severe amnesia problems are not normal in 40-year-olds.  I hope stiffer penalties for head shots or other potentially dangerous hits will do it.  But we may need to go further.

Especially for high school or college football.

Some cheerleading competitions have forbidden the use of standing pyramids or other dangerous gymnastics.  If that sport can do it, certainly football also can.

Seriously Inappropriate School Play

A Spanish school staged a play in which some of their students played camouflage-wearing Spanish soldiers invading Gibraltar, and shooting other students playing Brits.  Suppose the Brits in the play didn't die according to script?  Kids would rather be on the winning side.

I remember another Spanish-speaking nation trying an actual invasion of a British-owned island and it did not turn out very well.

Apparently, we're not the only country with dumb ideas.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/gibraltar/10339883/Spanish-school-stages-invasion-of-Gibraltar.html

Football Predictions Week Five

South Carolina  45   Univ. Central Florida  7  -- What idiots scheduled this one?

Alabama   35   Ole Miss  17 -- While Bama was uninspired last week, they should have more enthusiasm for the Rebs.

LSU  24     Georgia  21 -- This is the SEC Game of the Week.

Vanderbilt  29  UAB  13 -- Again, a SEC team has a semi-week off.

Tennessee  40  South Alabama  14

Texas A & M  45   Arkansas  17

Florida  31   Kentucky  10 -- Florida probably learned its lesson last weekend.

Missouri  38   Arkansas State  10  --Mo is too strong for the Red Wolves. 

Well, I hope I do better than in the previous weeks.  Don't use my picks as info on filling out your football pool card.

Alabama School Asks Permission for Corporal Punishment

Well, Alabama managed to get another negative news item:  Now Leeds City School sent home with all children a consent form allowing the school to use corporal punishment on their children.  If the parent does not return the form, this is taken as implied consent.  No specifics are included as to which offenses might be dealt with using corporal punishment, or the like.

In other words, the school would like a blank check saying it's okay to beat the child in question.

This is another example of how Alabama manages to shoot itself in the foot from time to time.

Eliminating corporal punishment in schools is long overdue.  I know it's legal in 19 states; but it doesn't make it right!

http://news.yahoo.com/alabama-elementary-school-parents-want-hit-kids-161123090.html

Football Predictions Week Four

Vanderbilt  30     Massachuetts  24 -- An interesting intersectional game.

Georgia  45    North Texas  17  -- An easy one for the Dawgs.

Arkansas  38     Rutgers 16 -- The Hogs look improved, and should prevail.

Florida  45    Tennessee  20 -- Tennessee needs a quarterback.  Florida needs some cred in the SEC East.

Alabama  42   Colorado State  10 -- After last week's headline game, the Tide gets a breather.  Still, not one to blow off.

Texas A & M  44    SMU  20 -- The Aggies are pissed; and the Mustangs are what's available as a consolation victim.  Johnny Football continues to mouth off.

LSU  28  Auburn  14 -- In this Battle of the Tigers, the Bayou ones prevail

Mississippi State  35   Troy  14 -- Ho hum!  It's the Bulldogs.

Missouri   31   Indiana  24 -- These Tigers win also.

Bad News from Tuscaloosa

As an Alabama alum, I'm still interested in what is going on with the institution.

First, I must say that I enjoyed the Tide's win over Texas A & M yesterday hugely.  I notice that the story line emphasized by the sportswriters is Saban winning out over Manziel.  Talk about oversimplification!  Oh well, there are not great thinkers on most sports columns.

But for the bad news. 

Earlier, apparently the sororities had gotten involved in the local Tuscaloosa School Board elections, even to the point of members signing up to vote in the month before and being driven to the polls.  Has the goddam Machine entwined into local county politics?  Anyway, it read bad.  Somehow, I don't feature the average university student from elsewhere having that must stake in a local school board election.

Unless one candidate was a UA grad.

The other news is even worse:   Apparently sorority alumnae successfully blocked  African-American students from pledging into at least three sororities.  I thought we were past that crap long ago.

Doesn't anyone on the administration there pay attention to things like that; or are they all mesmerized by football?

http://blog.al.com/tuscaloosa/2013/09/university_of_alabama_suspends.html#incart_river

http://blog.al.com/tuscaloosa/2013/09/university_of_alabama_responds_1.html

Neither of those stories makes me proud to be a UA grad.

Football Predictions Week Three

There's just one headliner this week; but some good games.

Alabama  38   Texas A & M  31 -- This is the big 'un.  Alabama outlasts A &M in a wild game if they can contain Johnny Manziel.

LSU  38   Kent State  7 -- An easy one for the Tigers.

Louisville  40   Kentucky 14 -- No end of misery for the Wildcats.

Oregon  42   Tennessee  21 -- The silly-outfitted Ducks are too much for the Dreamsicle-colored guys.  Still, UT played two warmup games and is finally going against a competititve opponent.

Arkansas  28    Southern Mississippi  14 -- The Eagles should be tough for the Hogs.

South Carolina  28  Vanderbilt  14 -- Vandy has gotten better; but this should be a win for the Cocks who have had their ups and downs.

Mississippi State  28   Auburn  24 -- A painful one for the Tigers.

Mississippi  31    Texas  24 -- This game will show whether Ole Miss is Top 25 material or not.