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“The Olympics-the Darkest Moment”

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The greatest events we see every four years have been sandwiched by scandals and tragedies.

The what is happening as we prepare to watch the Winter Olympics in South Korea, seem to be the worst of all time.

Society has watched the terrorist tragedies of the Munich Olympics, you never forget the TV coverage of the Olympic dorms, the seized airliner, the kidnappers in ski masks.

You remember the bitterness of the forced boycott of the Olympics during the Jimmy Carter era.

Recently the era of tampered drug tests and the expulsion of the Russian athletes for a far reaching scandal.

Mexico City gave us the Black Power salute of the American sprinters and the horrid flashback at John Carlos and Tommie Smith.

And of course, the scandals about bribes and kickbacks on bids as countries built facilities that nearly bankrupted them, while the IOC got richer and richer.

All that pales now to what has happened to more than 150-female athletes who were members on the US Olympic gymnastics team.

Years and years of sexual abuse, directed at young athletes, ranging from age 13 to those in their 20s.

Dr. Larry Nasser is headed to life in jail.

Beyond the sordid sickness of what the Michigan State doctor did, is the equally bigger question, how come no one knew, how come this was allowed to go on unchecked?

Now 6-top administrators of US Gymnastics have resigned in the wake of the tsunami of public disclosures by the girls of what Nasser did to them.

Michigan State officials said they had no knowledge.

A former CEO of Team USA, reportedly had his officials tell the parents they would investigate and not to speak in public.

Some athletes and families were asked to sign non-disclosure settlements.

Last week and now this week, the young girls, violated, wept, spoke with anger, and demanded retribution for what Nasser did to them, what the USOC allowed to go unchecked, and what Michigan State knew or should have knows.

Nasser sent a letter to the judge, asking the testimony stop, because it hurt too much. The judge refused.

The teenage girls, including 4-gold medalists, who were violated for years, says Nasser’s pain in no way compares to the pain and humiliation these young girls have gone thru for years.

Nasser will go to prison forever. He might not survive in prison, for the seedy side of society has a history of retaliating against child abusers in prison. It’s their own form of prison payback. The cons to get back at the creep?

And you wonder next, whether there will be legal action coming against the USOC for the decades of abuse that was allowed to happen. The IOC fired the women’s coach, upon finding out he had a 25-year relation with Nasser, and that an athlete testified the coach came into the trainer’s room and saw Nasser performing digital sex on her and did nothing.

The strongest comment among the statements made by all these young women came from Olympian Ali Raismann, who refused to call him Doctor, because he was not a doctor, but a sexual predator.

Of all the horrid things we have experience about the Olympics, this is the darkest moment the Olympic rings have ever experienced.

In a society that has had to deal with child porn, date rape, human trafficking and the Catholic church priest-sex scandal, this is as bad as it gets.

It makes you want to cry, in addition to screaming rage on behalf of these violated young star.

Olympic gold tarnished by an organization, whose leadership may be just as sleazy as the team trainer they let have access to these teenage girls.

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“Super Bowl- Snapshot-Geat Offense-vs-Great Defense”

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This will be fun in two weeks, come Super Bowl Sunday night,even if you loathe the quarterback, dislike the coach, and are tired of everyone coming out of the ‘State of New England’.

The great veteran leadership and the quarterback that make up the foundation of the New England Patriots, against the dynamics of a bright young coach and the dimensions of the street tough defense, that define the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Patriots got stronger and stronger as the game went on, beating the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC title game.

The Eagles destroyed a powerful Minnesota Vikings defense, to punch their tickets to go to the Big Show with that awesome display in the NFC title game..

It was a wild Sunday in the championship games.

Tom Brady, playing with 12-stitches near his right thumb, overcame that, wore out a once dominant Jacksonville defense, and put aside all types of distractions, to earn the trip back to the Super Bowl, with a 6th ring just ahead.

The thumb injury did not hamper him, though he was scared for much of the week.

The loss of tight end Rob Gronkowski might have been devastating in the game, but so many other weapons were there to throw too.

Danny Amendola made big catches and returned a key punt, off-setting the loss of last years hero Julian Edelman, who did not play at all this year.

The assistant coaches, Josh McDaniels and Matt Patricia, both headed to head coaching jobs when the Super Bowl is over, put together superb game plans.

And the team did not let the controversy of a couple of weeks ago , the stories of strife between the owner, the coach, Brady, his trainer and more, eat away at their team.

And Bill Belicheck’s defense got better and better over the second half of the season. And coming out of character, the Patriots unveiled two trick plays that went for big yardage, something historically you’d never seem from a Belicheck team.

Meanwhile on Sunday night, the Eagles destroyed what was a great Minnesota defense, using their own sledgehammer defense, and backup QB-Nick Foles.

It was the brilliance of young head coach and his kid coordinator that took away the strengths of the Vikings defense. Doug Pederson and Nathan Hackett put Foles in a quick passing package, let him make plays, find his rhythm, and wear out a Vikings defense.

Minnesota came into the game giving up just (275) yards a game. Foles threw for (336) in just 3-quarters, and led his team to 38-straight points to win the game going away.

A journeyman quarterback posted an amazing 141-QB rating, despite having struggled three games in a row heading into this title affair..

And it was an Eagles team that suffered a lot of jolts during the year, losing running backs, and linebackers, and of course their spectacular QB-Carson Wentz.

Heroes everywhere, Fletcher Cox and his friends on defense had lots to do with disrupting Case Keenum. And across the field, Foles came out throwing, and his receivers made big play after big play, and got big yards after contact.

So it is on to the Super Bowl, where New England seeks out a sixth ring, and the Eagles, seeking to do something they haven’t done, win once since the 1960 Norm Van Brocklin-Tommy McDonald-Chuck Bednarick era, will oppose them.

It will be a great Patriots offense vs a great Eagles defense. It will be worth the watch. Even if you hate one of the franchises because they are always there.

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“NFL-QB League-But Not This Weekend”

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It’s a highlife weekend of the NFL schedule, showdown Sunday, the AFC and NFC Championship games, with the winners headed to the Super Bowl.

It’s usually a weekend of electricity. The biggest names on the stage, really good teams, and quarterbacks who would put the fear of God on defenses.

Used to be, but not that way, at least this season.

Tom Brady is the marquee name in lights this Sunday for New England. That’s the way it usually is.

But the other 3-quarterbacks are pedestrian or journeyman. Their teams have gotten to this weekend because of great defense.

Brady is (18-3) in postseason games at home, and (108-18) in his career at home. He and Bill Belicheck are attempting to get a 6th Super Bowl ring.

Nick Foles, once upon a time, had a 27TD-2 interception season for the Eagles, but that was years back. Since then he is nothing more than a journeyman, and no longer a sure thing, Sunday to Sunday. In fact, since he replaced Carson Wentz, gone with an injury, the Eagles have just 4-touchdowns in 9-quarters of football covering three games.

In Minnesota, no Teddy Bridgewater, then no Sam Bradford, and now Case Keenum. Yes the Vikings are (14-3) but it has more to do with that Purple defense than anything else. Keenum was an after thought on NFL rosters, but has become a great game manager in Minnesota.

In Jacksonville, so much was expected of Blake Bortels, but he has not delivered, at least not consistently in terms of wins. He has put up big passing numbers, but his teams have not won.

This year, with a better run game, and an amazing defense, he has gotten the Jags deep into the playoffs, even though he runs hot and cold. A playoff quarterback throwing for 87 and running for 88-yards in a win. Not what we normally expect this time of the year.

But it has been defense that has been the different. The Jaguars numbers are overwhelming, 55-sacks, 33-takeaways.

The Vikings and Eagles are 1-2 in the rankings on defense, with some awe inspiring stats, like 25% conversion rates on third downs, and minimal points allowed.

It might not be pretty this weekend. Tom Brady has lots of firepower that might just wear out the Jags defense.

That Philly-Minny game may be more about Fletcher Cox and his Eagles friends and Ev Griffin and the Vikings gang.

Tom Brady takes the field on Sunday with a QB rating of 102. Keenum is at 98.3. Bottles at a poor 84. Folks plays this weekend with a league low 79.5. Don’t think we have seen numbers this bad at a position so important, on a big-big NFL weekend.

In a league known for quarterbacks, this looks like the strangest weekend we have ever seen.

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“Washington State Football-There are No Words”

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Grief stricken…Heart Broken…Saddened.

It is what Washington State football is all about today.

There will be no off season workouts for the units today.

There will be no heavy metal music blaring in the weight room.

There will be no jokes cracked by Cougars coach Mike Leach.

There is silence most everywhere around the Athletic facilities in Pullman, Washington.

This the day after starting quarterback Tyler Hilinski took his own life, a shotgun to the head, with a suicide note on a table, in his apartment. Police found him after he missed the team’s off season morning workout.

The responses via twitter, and via interviews are all one and the same.

Tears, prayers, shock, disappointment and blame.

No one knew the young 21-year old QB from Upland, California had problems, issues, depression.

Teammates asked for prayers for his family. Competing schools wrote glowing letters of tribute about the young man. Even ex-Cougars and Chargers QB-Ryan Leaf expressed regret, wishing he could have been there to counsel the young man thru whatever tough times he was having.

Mike Leach has worked so hard to resurrect the Washington State program. To teach his kids how to compete. To get his QBs ready for the NFL. To make Martin Stadium a destination point on campus.

To make Washington State football special again. To return it to glory days of Mike Price-Ryan Leaf….Jim Walden and the option….Drew Bledsoe-Mark Rypien-Tim Rosenbaach-Jack Thompson and others of good eras of years gone by.

Hilinski had all the makings of the next really good one on the Palouse. Leach coached him hard, made it tough, and watched the kid lead his team to a triple overtime win over Boise State, and then in a bowl game.

The young QB came off as happy, a lucky-go guy, thrilled at what was just ahead of him, three years likely as the starting QB of a program on the rise. He was a young leader, learning on the job trying to carry on in the tradition of the Crimson & Gray.

Just 3-weeks removed from his Holiday Bowl appearance, the WSU-Michigan State game, up next will be the saddest of funeral services possible.

The hardest part ahead will be answering the questions. What went wrong. How could Hilinski be around so many people daily, and no one have knowledge of problems.

Great athletes are all wired differently. Love to compete. Can hold up to the tough love coaches give them. Can grow on the job. Become winners.

The issues, whatever they were, overwhelmed Tyler Hilinski to the point he did not feel he could reach out for anyone.

The joys of the growth of the Cougars program have been set aside right now. The Memorial Service will be extremely hard to be around. Going forward will not be fun.

The players, the program, the coach, will not be able to leave this behind. This is so much worse than losing an Apple Cup game to the cross-state Washington Huskies.

There will be an emotional emptiness going forward from now till spring ball into fall camp.

The loss of life hangs heavy all around the Washington State campus.

There are just no words to describe what everyone involved, or who follows or covers the program, can feel at this hour.

You hope Tyler Hilinski is at peace.

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“Delay-Deny-Hope You Die”

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The pictures in your mind never-ever go away.

Ryan Shazier of the Steelers, lying motionless on the field, after a head first tackle into a ball carrier, his career damaged, and life likely changed by a neck injury.

Mike Utley of the Lions, flipping over, crashing to the ground, his offensive lineman bulk flying thru the air, landing on his head, with his arms flailing out of control. Paralyzed.

Daryl Stingley of the Patriots, going down after a violent head on collision. A quadriplegic for life till death.

And then the face of Mike Webster of the Steelers, Iron Mike, as they called him. The epitome of toughness as a player, a weakened degenerate of a man by the time he passed.

The excitement and explosiveness of the NFL game is the hook that lures fans to stadiums and to televisions each weekend. The damage done to the players is hardly ever seen, till we are reminded of the victims.

The players, then their families, then the bitterness.

3-starting offensive lineman of the Pittsburgh Steelers are dead because of head trauma, concussions, CTE, and brain damage, all from the same era..

We all know the stories of Mike Webster, the face of toughness, the legendary Steelers center, dead at an early age because of decades plus of blows to the head, blocking after snapping the ball.

His right tackle Justin Strelczyk is dead too, in a wild rage auto accident on the New York Thruway, driving at a high rate of speed, heading eastbound on the westbound lanes on the Thruway, running into a gasoline tanker truck head on, a suicide mission.

That right guard Terry Long, deceased too, self-indicted, drinking anti-freeze in an angry rant, after years of off field mental problems and incidents when his life was no longer football.

All three died from acute CTE to the brain, after all those years playing in the NFL.

It has been a couple of years since the settlement of the 965M-CTE lawsuit, filed by families of players suffering from dementia, Alzheimers and Parkinson’s disease.

All allegedly brought on by playing in the NFL and by suffering concussions.

The suicides of Junior Seau, Andre Waters, Dave Duerson and others is like a scorecard, never to be forgotten.

Steve Gleason, the Saints linebacker, is a testament to those still living, but dying a slow death, bound to a wheelchair with ALS.

Payments are being made slowly but surely to those suffering players, and to the families of those who took their own lives. Anywhere from 3M to 5M for the worst cases, for those who died.

The research continues at Boston University, where at last count 110 of the 111 players autopsied, had CTE when they died, most at ages 30 to 60.

But as the payments are being metered out slowly, there will be no payments to Mike Webster’s family, Strelczyk’s wife and kids, nor Long’s loved ones.

It’s because the NFL and the lawyers agreed that payments would go to any players afflicted after the year 2006. No one before could get those payments.

Webster died in pain; Strelczyk died in a fire; Long choked to death, all prior to the 2006 threshold date.

Imagine how many other senior players there may still be out there, suffering, whom cannot get payments.

Did you know any player that retires today, who develops these systems going forward in their post career life, cannot file a claim? That’s as absurd for we know hitting, concussions, head injuries continue to happen, with damage not likely to show up for years.

And like the Webster family destitute, or the other Steelers teammates, embittered by treatment, it all seems unfair.

Maybe the judge in the case will appoint a special committee to evaluate the aging players issues.

It’s shameful, that the CTE disease, and the CTE settlement, is all the result of Mike Webster, and no one seems willing to find a way to take care of the hurt, pain, agony his family has gone thru, after watching the hurt-pain-agony he went thru at the end of his life.

The history of the league in dealing with workmen comp claims, and the lawsuits is well known. It came from players who testified they felt the NFL’s mode of operation was ‘delay-deny-hope you die’.

In Mike Webster’s death there is hope for better medical research and better future health for players going forward in the NFL.

The NFL and the Steelers owe him and his 2-fallen Pittsburgh teammates something, don’t they?

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