A big deal is being made of teams not wanting to go to the White House to celebrate their championships, but there is precedent for this.  The 1969, 1970, 1973, and 2003 champion Cub teams and 7 of the Packer championship teams with Favre also chose not to go to the White House.

It seems that most of the talk about concussions focuses on football, with some discussion devoted to soccer.  This is a major issue, and these sports should be heavily in the discussion.

However, in most sports, concussions and injuries are a byproduct of the game/sport, and not the purpose.  Boxing, on the other hand, as well as other “fighting” sports, has the sole purpose of hurting another human being.  I’ve said for around 30 years that boxing should be banned, and with all of the evidence being uncovered about brain injuries during the concussion discussion, how can there not be an outcry to ban boxing and other “sports” where the sole purpose is to hurt another human being?

In other sports, rules can be changed to try to minimize the amount and severity of injuries, but in boxing and other “fighting” sports, that is the purpose.  This is barbaric.

A few thoughts on sports “rules”:

The Miami Heat won their playoff game last night largely due to a rule that I have never understood.  I say “largely” because the Pacers’ continued bad plays also made a big difference in the outcome.  The rule I am questioning is why does a team get to take the ball out at halfcourt after calling time out when their opponent scores, instead of having to take the ball out from under their basket as is the case every other time the opponent scores?  Since there were 2.2 seconds left when Indiana took the lead, the odds of Miami winning if they had to inbound the ball from under their basket would have been very low.  In football, should a team be able to call time out after their opponent scores and then get the ball at their opponent’s 45-yardline?  This rule provides a big advantage for the team that was just scored upon, and I do not see any reason to give that advantage.

Is it a rule that after an NHL goalie gives up a goal, he has to take a drink from the water bottle on top of the net?

Is it a rule that after an MLB batter strikes out, he has to look back at the pitcher halfway back to the dugout?

By the way, one more example of where I knew more than coaches/organizations.  During the celebration for the Hawks’ Stanley Cup championship two years ago, I said the team needed to get Kane help immediately for his drinking and partying, as this could be dangerous to him, would hurt his career, and would reflect poorly on the organization.  Two years later, it looks like they are starting to do this.

This is a response to a friend:

People say bye teams need to know their time slot so they can prepare their stadiums.  Of course I know that is the NFL’s rationale, but that doesn’t change the fact that it is extremely unfair to give one team 6 days and one team 8.  Why does the NFL have no issue with scheduling playoff games with a week’s notice for the first and third rounds, but can’t do it for the second round?  I have always said how unfair this is, and I’m not just saying it now because it affects the Packers.  I believe the NFL used to give all 4 teams 7 days, but I could be wrong.  I believe this is unfair and can be easily corrected.  How do they plan for stadiums in round one when games could be on a Saturday or Sunday and many teams could fill any slot?  It’s not a problem, and round 2 is a lot easier.  Now, if both the Packers and bears do win, you could say the Packers have almost an extra day.  That’s something that can’t be prevented, unlike the first scenario, but giving one team 7 days (their usual schedule) and one almost 8 is a lot different than giving a team 6 (less than the normal time).

Mark Schlereth was telling other ESPN broadcasters why Favre was one of the top 5 QBs of all time.  He said, “Name me one Hall-of-Fame offensive player Favre played with on the Packers.  Name just one.  I’ll wait.”  After a pause, he said, “There aren’t any.  Favre made everyone around him better.”

Favre wavered on coming back each year because he was struggling between his love of the game and his frustration from playing for coaches who hurt the team.  He wants to win so badly and is always there for his teammates, but he knows the conservative gameplans really hurt their chances.  That’s why I knew he’d come back each year–he loves it and just had to work through the frustration.  Mangini didn’t have a clue.  They were 8-3 even running a lot, Favre tears his bicep and the Jets lose 4 of 5, yet still would have won 3 of those and got first downs the times they did throw on first.  We all know about Childress.
Why does all of America think he only won 1 Super Bowl?  Why do people think the Lakers beat the Kings?  I said for years that was fixed, and it finally came out.  People only focus on what they know or are told.  All people talk about is Favre’s interception in the Saints NFC champ game.  Let’s see.  He took a team that had gone nowhere and won the SB.  He led the league in QB rating all year until Childress ran those 4 games, finishing second.  He had over 30 TDs and less than 10 interceptions, the only guy (with Rodgers, also last year) to do that.  Far and away the best QB in the playoffs.  League VP of Officiating puts out video of bad calls against Vikes in that game, not even including the Saints’ failed 4th down in OT or bogus pass interference call which gave Saints “winning FG.” Favre drives team for score after score, despite Vikes fumbling at Saints’ 1 and 10.  Saints intentionally try to put him out of game all game with dirty hits, finally just about breaking his ankle at end of third quarter.  No other QB returns, but Favre does.  Three 4th-quarter drives when he can hardly walk:  First, drives team to Saints 10, where Berrian fumbles.  Second, drives team to TD.  Third, with little time left and people saying play for OT, drives team to 51-yd FG attempt, but too-many-men-on-the-field penalty moves them back 5 yds, changing run call to pass.  On top of all this, game would have been in Minnesota where they were undefeated if refs don’t steal Steeler game or Childress doesn’t cause 3 losses in 4 games by running–Favre played well enough to get homefield advantage.  The team felt a 56-yd FG was pushing it, so called a pass.  I ask why everyone blames him for this loss when he played GREAT (much better than Brees and all other playoff QBs), the loss was caused by coaching and teammate errors, and the game is “lost” on a coin flip?  That’s what I mean by people focusing on what the press says, instead of reality.