Wednesday night football

Last week I got started a little early and the news revolved around Deadrin Senat, who was ejected twice in three games for targeting.  Unlike a lot of those penalties this one was immediate and final, as was his previous one.  If you can't control your body, and if your brain can't recognize a head, what is the point?

In that game Illinois received quite a build-up and South Florida is ranked but it was a slopfest.  The penalties and stupidity were too much.  All the talent in the Tampa area just didn't make a difference.

Still the biggest news this season is the Florida suspensions still going on, still not explained.  On the surface using some funds that aren't yours and paying it back seems fairly harmless, but the apparent collusion and now this--stealing credit card information and using it--has everyone waiting for more than just football suspensions.  Without citing them specifically, there are all kinds of rumors about how it is affecting the locker room and that makes sense.

Tennessee?  Who knows how good they are.  The area's football fans and the intensity of coach Butch Jones are scary.  When I looked into the murder of Caleb Radford (18, married, with child) Vols practice video popped-up.  Just before the murder Isaiah Wright was in New York City as part of a Last Chance U promo and brother Camion Patrick accepted his medical hardship from IU.  I can't help but say it:  it looks like a drug deal gone bad.

Awareness of CTE is heating up and the implications will be more noticeable.  You could argue over how best to have an impact on the NFL but there is no better way than to cut it off at its source:  youth football.  Younger brains--10 to 12 is a particularly bad time--are more susceptible.  Teams and leagues around the country are being canceled and "enrollment" is down some 20%.  Clearly parents are reacting.

I'm too lazy to go back because there are several of them, threads on blogs about CTE.  One quote that stands out, paraphrased:

My son is growing-up in a white, middle class environment and he will probably have better opportunities.

Don't blame the messenger.  Longer term?  The NFL will become more like the NBA.  In college football this week two players died shortly after, as a result, of games.

Around Ann Arbor and the virtual world the talk is about wide receivers and the offense.  Pep Hamilton, passing coordinator, it isn't working so well; the short passing game, get the ball in the hands of the athletes, has been nonexistent.  Of course they're trying and improving but watching Kekoa Crawford drop passes and Eddie McDoom get smothered is getting old.  Nico Collins, Oliver Martin, and Nate Schoenle from the bench aren't a sign of encouragement, but still, the list of potential pass-catchers is some 14 or 15 names long.  That list includes names like Maurice Ways and Nate Johnson.

One name, or at least three initials, is DPJ.  Two others are Nick Eubanks and Zach Gentry, plus there's Grant Perry.

I thought I saw him make a move once!  Magnus and his stats have a point--Crawford on kickoffs isn't working so well either.

In West Lafayette, Indiana they are plugging it as a really big game.  I've seen a few of their games and, like some other folks say too, they are rejuvenated but they don't look great.  More on that another time.