SB Nation - Sean Morey

Arizona Cardinals Injury Report; Gandy To IR

Andrew602 — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 10:00:21 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

Mike Gandy's likely reaction after learning he won't return to the Cardinals next season. Bye bye Mike.

The Cardinals remained relatively unscathed at midpoint this week, with only eight players landing on the injury report. Most notably was left tackle Mike Gandy. He however, won't come off the report as he was put on injured reserve late Wednesday afternoon. Gandy has likely seen his last moments as an Arizona Cardinal and I can't say he'll be missed much.

Other notables that made the report were Larry Fitzgerald (knee), Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (toe), Bryant McFadden (hamstring), and the still-injured Neil Rackers (groin). Aside from Rackers, all are expected to be fine and play on Sunday.

Some less fortunate to make the list were Sean Morey and Ben Patrick, who are both suffering from concussion-like symptoms. That news isn't good for Morey, who has dealt with concussions in the past. Losing Morey is a blow to a special teams unit that has been tops in the NFL so far. Also doubtful for Sunday's game is linebacker Will Davis. He recently returned from knee surgery, but should be ready once the playoffs begin.

Making other news yesterday was linebacker Pago Togafau, who was pulled up from the practice squad to back up Gerald Hayes. Togafau should see most of his time on kick off duties. In his place, the Cardinals added Ali Highsmith to the squad as he cleared waivers, a fact that would not have happened after the previous two training camps.

Arizona Cardinals News: Sean Morey Named Special Teams Player of the Decade

Hawkwind — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 21:11:39 -0000

The end of a decade always launches interesting fodder for most talking heads and with this being the first internet dominated decade, I'm sure we'll see more than ever before. Leading the way so far is Sports Illustrated and they've put out an impressive list of "decade talk" including the All Decade Team, Ten Signature Moments, the Highlights and Lowlights and the best plays, signings and draft picks of the decade. As we all know the Arizona Cardinals are not normally considered in any "best of" conversations but the past two or three years have started to change the perception of those in the national media. The Cardinals are represented to two prominent categories:

Special Teams Player of the Decade - Sean Morey: Morey has only been a Cardinal for three seasons but he's still made a significant impact not only on this team but on the NFL as a whole over the past decade. Not only has Morey survived longer than most as the "special teams ace," he's done it for three playoff teams and appeared in the Super Bowl twice. Over the course of the past ten years Morey has led his team in special teams tackles in five of the eight seasons that he's played and his blocked punt of Matt McBriar last year might have been the best Cardinals-related special teams play of the last quarter century.

Best Super Bowl - XLII Cardinals vs. Steelers: We all know what happened so there's no real need to pour salt in these wounds right?

Thoughts on the last decade of football? Is this the best decade of Cardinals football that you've ever witnessed? Those that have followed the team since the heights of the '70's, care to comment?

Injuries and the NFL

Emmett Smith — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 18:34:36 -0000

More photos » by Jack Dempsey - AP

27 days ago: Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall (15) makes a catch while being defended by New York Giants cornerback Corey Webster (23) during the third quarter of an NFL football game in Denver, Thursday, Nov. 26, 2009. Denver won 26-6. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

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Hidden Injuries and Concussions: The Direction of Healthcare for Players

"A man's own observation, what he finds good of and what he finds hurt of, is the best physic to preserve health." Sir Francis Bacon

It isn't news that football is a rough, hard-hitting sport. Our modern combination of the stratagems of chess and the violence of unarmed territorial warfare has a bare-knuckle history, in which simply being willing to use the forward pass was once considered a sign of weakness; in which playing hurt was and is a mark of excellence rather than a failing and which sometimes pits the health of the players against the financial and strategic considerations of the teams and the league itself. Football is still constantly finding and reinventing itself, just as it has over the past 100 years. One thing that has changed over those scores of years is the perspective of players and fans alike: We are discovering that while we will cheer on anything that brings victory a step closer, fans and the league increasingly also want the best for the health of the players. It's leading to a sea-change in the way that we observe and handle the issues of injury in the NFL.

The owners and players alike are also embroiled in a burgeoning snare on the subject of healthcare practices by the teams. The NFL has been guilty of fighting a rear-guard action against the rights of the players to obtain a fair and unbiased diagnosis when problems don't respond to the normal or entrenched processes of diagnosis and treatment. This has long been a serious concern within the league, but both the owners and the players' sides have generally avoided any actions that could threaten their own situations. While I'd prefer to see an even higher level of leadership on the issues of player healthcare, certain steps are being taken, and I don't minimize that fact. It's a welcome change, and it is getting more central to the situation each day.

In the past year, the AFC has brought forth a couple of prime examples of the difficulties and the contradictions that are created by this problem. Denver fans were treated to this up close as Brandon Marshall, last summer, chose to vent in the media about his issues regarding his hip injury. In San Diego, Antonio Cromartie also dealt with the subject of a hip injury that tainted his last season. The two cases, while similar on the surface, seem somewhat different as we dig deeper.

Marshall's case tells us something that is often hard for fans to understand. In medicine, even if everything is done properly there is no assurance that the league's doctors (or any others) will ever be able to spot and treat every problem, every time. Marshall complained of pain in his hip during the 2008 season, but despite two series of MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging, one of the most advanced diagnostic tests currently available) nothing appeared on the films. Marshall felt betrayed by this turn of events. While Brandon's disquietude about last year's injury is understandable, he was also ignoring something that people may misunderstand: Our current levels of diagnostic testing simply don't show all injuries. The magnetic resonance imaging process is a remarkable and valuable tool most of the time, but there are many kinds of joint injuries that simply don't show up on that scan. He received two such scans, and both came back 'clean', making it impossible for the team doctors to make a further diagnosis at that time. Marshall is expecting all tests to show accurately and fully the problems that he experienced, and that just isn't reasonable. But there is a precedent here that entitles him to wonder and to need reassurance on this subject: The NFL has been complicit in the past regarding poor diagnosis and care of injuries.

As is sometimes the case, Marshall should also reflect on the fact that he has a history of being less than fully concerned with his practicing and playing time. Ironically, this time he was actually injured. In 2007, Mike Shanahan had to threaten him to get him back to practice during training camp. It seems likely that his previous incident influenced the coaches inappropriately but understandably. Moving forward, it's worth noting that neither side was at fault when he had physical issues last summer, and that's exactly what both sides want.

It was a very different case regarding Cromartie's hip-injury situation. As Michael Silver noted in his June 2, 2009 column, Cromartie suffered a broken hip in the second quarter of SD's Week 2, 2008 game against Carolina, yet he played out the season on that fracture. Cromartie's performance suffered greatly that season, and he's been on record as feeling that the hip injury was at the heart of that drop-off. The team, in degree, countered that it was up to him to make it clear how bad his situation was becoming. While it's fair to say that he needed to step up and be more proactive regarding his health, there are at least four reasons why that wasn't done:

Because the owners and management don't want to hear it. Right now, the team's physicians are paid for by the individual teams. As long as that's true, the diagnosis can always be suspect if it later appears that everything necessary wasn't done. Since every team has to have a medical staff, those same dollars could be provided by an independent medical house operating within, but not as a part of the league. That would go a long way to creating at least an appearance of propriety. There isn't going to be a perfect solution to this one, but we can at least make an effort.
Because the fans don't want to hear it. Spend a little extra time this season paying attention to the waves of accusations on the internet that this player or that one is 'soft'. People are people, and the willingness to believe that others should live up to a standard that none of us would want to is just an aberrant part of human tendencies.
Because the coaches don't want to hear it. Coaches famously believe that letting another team know what your weaknesses are will mean more losses, and in a league where the coaches keep their jobs by winning, anything that smacks of a lost edge is going to be ignored whenever possible.
Because the players themselves don't want to hear it. Players don't get points or paychecks for sitting on the bench or in the whirlpool. They lose their jobs. Just as difficult, the players who feel themselves to macho to admit how much pain they're in will often later argue that their pains should have received greater credence. They also are in a Catch-22 - if they don't say something, later that can come back on them. If they do, they run the risk of incurring the team and/or the coaches discomfort, as well as it influencing their own professional self-image. There is no perfect solution for human nature, but improvement should be possible with a better dialogue among the parties involved here.

Concussions and the Players

The most most important coverage that the players have been receiving of late has centered on the issue of head injuries. Long misunderstood, traumatic brain injuries have been a thorn in the side of healthcare because we have tended to take a particular position regarding them. In medicine, we have often been guilty of trying to apply 'scientific' standards that are contrary to common sense and personal respect. We have often claimed that if our testing doesn't clearly show a particular symptom or disease state, the problem doesn't exist. Because our testing abilities have lagged behind the severity of the problem in the past, we lacked a definitive test for head injuries. Doctors have too often used this as a crutch to claim that we can't observe the symptoms and believe the patient regarding them. Problems with pain have presented us the opportunity to avoid the problem, rather than a chance to improve our diagnostic abilities. That has led to problems, since we like to claim that the players are 'faking' their problems. It's been a neat way to avoid accepting responsibility to the damage that the game has done to thousands of retired players. Finally, testing and research have improved, and the problem is being approached more directly. We are beginning to see that change.

Dr. Ira Casson has become a lightning rod for anger on the part of the players and the public. He was formerly the co-chair of the concussion committee. Casson has consistently taken the perspective that we can't diagnose mild-to-moderate traumatic brain injuries, that the major concussions are not the problem that many now feel that they present and that the NFL has done everything possible and reasonable under the circumstances. The only problem with his position is that he reached it before sufficient research was done and he has maintained that position despite mounting evidence that he's wrong. He's the problem in miniature, a perfect example of why not enough has been done, but things are happening that show people like him for the paid shills that some of them are. As a result of public opinion and even congressional distaste for their position, the owners are accepting of the fact that the status quo won't stand. On Tuesday, Casson and another doctor, Dr. David Viano, both offered their resignations. Goodell has promised to replace them with individuals whose agendas are based in medicine, rather than politics.

Even with the improvement offered by the replacement of these two men, it's important to note just how it was that they came to be heading this committee. They were brought in to replace Dr. Elliot Pellman, who resigned in 2007 after strong criticism of his work and indications that he had exaggerated several aspects of his medical education and professional status in official biographical sketches and a résumé prepared for Congress. Since the NFL let him go to bring in two more doctors whose professional ethics seem less than optimal, you can understand if the players don't embrace the new hires with open arms..

The Concussion Dilemma

When treating a problem, the first thing that you have to do is to be able to diagnose it. One of the problems in doing so is the crying lack of understanding of the concussion problem on the part of the coaches and players. Consider these quotes from AP, posted on nfl.com:

"You know how a bell vibrates? That's how my brain was going at that time," Cartwright said. "I think five minutes later, I came back to myself. I went back out there and played football."

"You get back up, and things are spinning," Giants backup quarterback David Carr said, "but you don't tell anyone."

Now the NFL wants players to keep tabs on each other and tell their teams if they believe someone else has a head injury.

"Part of the game," Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Deshea Townsend said.

"We're obviously concerned by the data and by the information," NFLPA assistant executive director George Atallah said. "We believe that there's more relevant data and information that the league has on these issues that we'd like for them to share with us in confidence."

During the AP interviews, some players quickly replied that they never had a concussion, then realized they weren't sure, such as Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Chris Hovan a 10-year veteran, who said: "I probably was just too young and too dumb to realize it."

Not that it's necessarily easy to miss -- or mask -- the symptoms.

"Everyone can clearly see that you have a concussion: You are walking around like you are drunk," Seattle Seahawks' defensive back Roy Lewis said.

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Bobby Wade told the AP he has never tried to hide a concussion but is sure it happens frequently in the NFL.

"You see guys with their eyes rolling in the back of their heads," he said. "You see guys shaking their head trying to get it together. If there was a doctor evaluating them, I'm sure they would say, 'Your brain has taken trauma.'"

In addition to these quotes, Vonnie Holliday, defensive end for the Denver Broncos stated, "(It's like) being in a car crash 20, 30 times a game. I do often think about the damage I'm doing to my brain and my nervous system. When does it catch up with you?"

What these quotes show concerns me deeply: There is still a great deal of misinformation out there. Contrary to what Roy Lewis and others believe, everyone cannot see that you have a concussion. Quite the contrary - one of the great problems with concussion is that many of them have hidden perils. People who know you may not understand why you've begun to become less focused or more irritable, but the symptoms may be hard to separate out from day to day life. Players believe that if they had a concussion they'd know it, but the reality is that most concussed individuals really can't tell at all. As the number of concussions - and this includes the so-called 'minor' concussions, which can easily become cumulative - the player himself may not have a clear way to tell if he's not improving or is getting worse.

One part of the solution has been identifying cutting-edge clinical environments like the University of Pittsburgh, where first Michael Westbrook and then Clinton Portis went to have their concussions checked and their future play considered. There is no lack of good facilities that can help the NFL with this problem. The problem has been getting the NFL to make use of the independent programs that are already in existence. By adding their expertise to the formula, the players can be assured of getting high-quality, independent healthcare advice. That provides a precedent that should be widely applied.

A Word from The Dude: Gambling, Fantasy Football, and Injury Reports

The NFL is no stranger to gambling. Even its founders had links to legal gambling with the likes of bookmaker Tim Mara (grandfather of Giants owner John Mara) and Art Rooney, who, in part used his winnings from gambling to buy the Pittsburgh Steelers (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124511421029417367.html). The recent NFL, however, has tried to distance itself from the gambling industry, while at the same time benefiting outrageously from the NFL's popularity with gamblers. In any given year, there can be in upwards of $100 million wagered on the Super Bowl alone. And there are hundreds of millions more being wagered during the season.

The somewhat recent popularity of fantasy football has also provided a boon to the NFL. It's estimated that almost 20 million people play fantasy football and it's annual revenues are somewhere in the range of $3 billion (http://www.informationweek.com/news/internet/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=201804513). Fantasy football encourages fans to watch more games until the final whistle, and follow more teams and players--all in turn benefit the NFL's lucrative TV deals.

Which brings us to the weekly injury reports each team puts out during the season. Have you ever asked yourself why they exist at all? Sure, on one level, they exists to make sure each team has a "level playing field" as they prepare for each other. But that's hardly the real reason. The real reason injury reports exist is for fantasy football and for gambling, not for player safety.

Before we assume nefarious behavior on the part of the NFL, there's a legitimate reason for this. As Mike Sliver points out in his excellent column from Yahoo Sports from June 2nd, 2009, "...the NFL's [injury] policy isn't a principled stand for truth and transparency. Rather, the league is looking out for the interests of gamblers - not altruistically, but in an effort to keep them at bay. If injuries are reported in a uniform and reasonably accurate manner by all teams, there is a far lesser chance that high-stakes gambling interests might be empowered to purchase inside information from, say, an assistant equipment manager in the know."

In other words, the NFL is the ultimate want-your-cake-and-eat-it-too league. On one hand, they are happy to gorge themselves on the TV deals, advertising revenues, and merchandise sales that are driven by a gambling and fantasy football crazed populace, but at the same time, they don't want to be influenced directly by these powerful concerns. Unfortunately, player safety hasn't been included with the cake. That is slowly starting to change. - TJ

NFL Spine Centers

There are good steps being taken that I want to support and publicize. In one, the NFL has opened a series of what are being called Spine Centers. Spinal impacts also can have extended neurological effects. Given the nature of the sport, that is going to happen in some cases, but such problems have to be expertly diagnosed and extensively monitored. I wanted to take this opportunity to extend my thanks and appreciation to the new NFL Spine Centers. These centers may end up providing a partial template for addressing concerns like the one's listed here.

The NFL Spine Centers are a response to the adage that an ounce of prevention will save a ton of greenbacks, not to mention a life of pain. Early diagnosis and treatment is the cornerstone to an effective approach to minimizing the difficulties of living with long-term spinal damage by the retired NFL players. Each medical center provides an orthopedic spine surgeon who serves as a program director and coordinates the services of a team of healthcare professionals in the evaluation and treatment of the former players. The team includes a neurosurgeon and a physiatrist as well as a wide spectrum of other professionals. While the next step can and should be the formation of similar centers for current players, I want to applaud all sides for putting together and funding this project.

It's a good first step and it may provide a template for a way to improve the situation. Each team currently maintains its own staff of paid doctors who are responsible for decisions regarding the players' health. Since those physicians are paid by the teams, questions of conflict of interest are inevitable. Anytime you see a situation like Marshall's or Cromartie's, you have to question whether or not the doctors involved let their loyalty to their source of income overcome their oath to the profession. Since you cannot fully discern where such a line gets drawn, it becomes necessary to consider the possibility of having a neutral party in on the decisions. In this case, the Spine Centers provide that party. Congratulations, folks. Well done!

Solutions

There has been considerable movement on this group of subjects, those that involve the health and healthcare of the players. Rodger Goodell has been making an attempt to be fair in his handling of this circumstance. A committee of current and former coaches, led by legendary former coach John Madden, a master of malapropisms, speaks by phone with Goodell every three weeks about safety issues and reports to the league's competition committee. Madden's group will make formal recommendations in February.

Tony Dungy has also stepped in -- The league selected the former player and coach to coordinate the Player Advisory Forum. Dungy, who brings an instant air of respectability, will select players to attend meetings in various cities around the league to receive input, comments and criticism about various league matters, including the NFL's player conduct policy and player safety issues. Among those whose knowledge he is drawing on are Broncos safety Brian Dawkins, linebacker Ray Lewis and quarterback Kurt Warner.

USA Today's Jarrett Bell has reported that the NFLPA has formed its first committee on head injuries just in the past few weeks. While long overdue, I applaud the steps that are being taken. Their committee is being headed by Arizona Cardinals special teams ace Sean Morey. The NFLPA has identified head injuries as a priority that they will continue to address during the new CBA negotiations. The recent congressional hearings also have shown a public spotlight on the problem and that makes it less likely that the owners and management group will be able to sweep this under the mat any longer.

The plight of retired NFL players has drawn increased scrutiny as well. Former Chicago Bears head coach Mike Ditka has been instrumental in getting this problem into the public spotlight. Punch-drunk ex-players, many (most) of whom are also suffering rheumatic and degenerative physical conditions are a substantial and growing problem and that has now been accepted as fact by all but the most recalcitrant doctors and authorities. Funding the solutions will be a constant fight, but the simple agreement that a problem exists is a step in the right direction.

All parties will now agree, at least in principle, something needs to be done to address this. The NFL has drawn a lot of well-deserved flack for the fact that they battled against admitting this problem to exist, but they have been exposed recently. House committee hearings served to remind the owners that they have an anti-trust exemption at the whim of Congress and that violations of the public trust can lead to changes in that exemption.

Where Do We Go from Here?

As the Collective Bargaining Agreement lapses, this is a good time for the NFLPA to bring the subjects to the bargaining table. Otherwise, fully funding insurance, health care costs and retirement for players whose bodies have been decimated by the game of football could eventually bankrupt the sport. Look at the situation with General Motors for a down-the-pike, real-world example of the issues that the NFL may end up facing. It is essential to the long-term health of the sport as well as its players that the situation be looked at objectively and that steps must be taken to solve this growing problem.

Making sure that players have access to outside, neutral second opinions is a minor step in this process. Establishing protections for players who admit to the severity of their injuries will at times be difficult, but initial steps in that direction should be considered. The game is tainted when players are forced to play when dangerously injured. Giving them a chance to deal appropriately with their injuries when they occur (rather than after the site of injury has been increasingly damaged by playing through them) would save big dollars down the road. It would also permit those athletes the recognition of a measure of decency and humanity.

Since the dollars are going to be spent on doctors and equipment which have the responsibility for giving unbiased diagnosis and rational treatment to players when the players are injured, it behooves the sport to lock into the next agreement a provision that will establish a system that is independent of the owners purse strings. We know from history that such system are flawed from their inception: healthcare has to be independent of financial rewarding of the doctors by one side or the other if it is to be accurate and fair. Whose pockets this comes from is an important question: the players will benefit the most from such a change and they should look at their own responsibility in funding part of the costs. The owners now cover such costs and they should not be permitted to foot-drag in donating a similar percentage to the solution. Again, the Spine Centers have provided a basis to discuss this further. We also have the growing influence of Sean Morey's group, Dungy's group and John Madden's committee. Ditka and other have brought the problems of retired players into the public eye. There is a growing sense of optimism regarding the direction the circumstances are going it.

Whatever the final solution or solutions may be, it should live up to the following standards: It must be financially independent of either side. It should take advantage of facilities, clinics and programs that already exist and which are considered at or near the top in their fields. There must be a high level of transparency, with the results available to all appropriate parties. Last, all new research must be openly explored and embraced in an attempt to continue to improve the quality of care for the players, past, present and future.

You can see the change beginning. The NY Times had this to say:

"George Atallah, the players union's assistant executive director for external affairs, said in an e-mail message that his organization had been speaking with N.F.L. officials for two weeks about implementing some sort of independent scrutiny for players who receive concussions - perhaps including an outside doctor present at every game. He said that the union's medical director, Dr. Thom Mayer, "has personally approved and reviewed doctors for roughly one-third of the teams," suggesting that the union would cooperate on the program."

In addition, Commissioner Roger Goodell has agreed that bringing in more outside specialists is in everyone's best interest. These are decisions that are going in the right direction for the players and for the sport.

On Monday, November 23, 2009 Thom Mayer announced that 1/2 the NFL teams, plus the players union have agreed upon independent specialists (up from 1/3) to evaluate head injuries. While the other half of the teams need to get on with their obligations, this is a wonderful step in an important direction. Using this same approach to redesigning the medical system in the NFL is an ongoing challenge, but moving in the direction of independent examination and treatment is a huge step.

Whatever decisions are made will influence the lives, health and happiness of generations of NFL players. For their sakes, the sake of their families and for our own moral responsibilities, we have an obligation to get this one right. The enjoyment that we receive from watching this dynamic and remarkable sport should not be diminished by a realization that we are skimping on the quality of care that the players receive.

Finally, we have to see this as an opportunity as well as an imperative. Individual opinions will vary in different situations, but the overall road map to the future should not be drawn, as it often has been, in the blood of the players themselves. Our willingness to demand, as fans, a quality system for caring for the players will influence Congress, balance the preferences of the ownership and management groups and provide an impetus for the improvement of the current system to improve and to emphasize an openness to future changes as well. The field of healthcare is moving rapidly and many changes are being made that will provide a higher level of care for everyone in the future. We must demand that such advances be implemented whenever they are discovered.

Finally, the players themselves must see that they are a great resource for further research into the problems created by trauma and impact. They should make themselves available for such testing as may provide clues to better methods of diagnosis and treatment as time unfolds. This hasn't been employed sufficiently to date, but the demise of the Collective Bargaining agreement will inevitably create an opportunity for improving the lives and care of the players and for the rest of society, which may benefit from what we learn by studying the problems that players experience.

Fans, doctors, owners, management and players all bear a responsibility in this circumstance. Each group needs to step up and to provide the best effort they can, so that the game can be enjoyed for generations yet to come. I salute their efforts.

Many thanks to The Dude for his contributions to this article

Poll

Is the NFL doing enough to protect its players' health?

Yes

42 votes

It's hard to achieve, but they're trying

176 votes

They're dragging their feet, but they're starting to move forward

140 votes

No, they're not doing enough

76 votes

434 votes | Poll has closed

Rams vs Cardinals: Gameday notes & injury report

VanRam — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 15:23:26 -0000

by Dave Weaver - AP

Can this man single-handedly stop Texas...and just how would he look with Golden Horns on his helmet?

View full size photo »

Don't count on injuries to give the St. Louis Rams a break today. The visiting Arizona Cardinals won't likely be sitting many player when they take drop into the Ed Jones Dome today.

RIght now, it looks like the only player out for Arizona is LB Chike Okeafor. The questionable list includes: CB Michael Adams (hamstring), LB Karlos Dansby (shoulder), T Mike Gandy (pelvis), LB Gerald Hayes (back), CB Bryant McFadden (ankle), WR Sean Morey (head), TE Ben Patrick (knee).

The Rams will be without DE Victor Adeyanju and OG Richie Incognito. As we've mentioned, the Adeyanju injury leaves them thin at defensive line. DE Chris Long is the only player listed as questionable, and Spagnuolo made it sound as though that would be a game time decision.

Continuing on the o-line theme form 3k's post yesterday, the PD has a look at the unit. No surprises there. This is a really strong group for the Rams now, with the potential to get better. One thing that's really helped the Rams this year is the depth. Adam Goldberg has started all but one game this season.

The Cardinals are kind of sneaky good again this season, winning five of their last six with the league's fifth best passing offense. It'll be a big day for our secondary.

Stray thoughts on college football

I watched the Mississippi State at Arkansas game yesterday, and three players really stood out. The obvious is Ryan Mallett. He's an accurate and strong QB, smart too, but needs to develop his ability to find other receivers when his guys are covered up too tightly. Surely, he stays in another season. Arkansas WR Cobi Hamilton, a freshman, is one helluva receiver. I was really impressed with Mississippi State running back Anthony Dixon. He reminded me of Steven Jackson, similar moves and style. There's probably a reason for that: Sylvester Croom, the former Bulldogs head coach who was hired as the Rams running backs coach this season. Croom isn't getting enough credit for Jackson's big season, but he should be.

Les Miles, seriously?

Ndamukong Suh will get a national stage when Nebraska is sacrificed to Texas in the Big 12 championship game. I still think it could be a pretty interesting game, and I look forward to watching what he can do against one of college football's elite teams.

Michigan got beat by guys in sweatpants...Rodriguez has to go now.

Arizona Cardinals vs. St. Louis Rams: Injury Report

Hawkwind — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:20:40 -0000

More photos » by Nam Y. Huh - AP

Arizona Cardinals ~~wide receiver~~ special teams ace Sean Morey continues to deal the after effects of a concussion. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

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As the season wears on the Arizona Cardinals injury report seems to get longer and longer and this week is no exception. In all there were 13 players listed on the report with four DNP's, eight limited particpations and a single player who was listed but participated fully. Duece Lutui is officially on the report because he missed practice but it wasn't injury related so we can assume that he'll be back at practice today. Joining him on the DNP list are Bryant McFadden (ankle), Chike Okeafor (back) and Michael Adams (hamstring). On the limited side were Steve Breaston (knee), Karlos Dansby (shoulder), Mike Gandy (pelvis), Gerald Hayes (back), Kenny Iwebema (knee), Sean Morey (head), Ben Patrick (knee) and Adrian Wilson (groin). Reggie Wells continues to be on the report with a broken thumb but he's yet to miss any practice or game time because of the injury.

Needless to say that's quite a bit of talent standing on the sidelines, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Five of the eleven starters missed at least some of practice yesterday, including three of our four linebackers, so hopefully this was just a day where Ken Whisenhunt took it easy on some veterans. It's good to see Hayes back in practice, even if just on a limited basis, and there is some hope that he'll be ready to go by Sunday. Okeafor is a guy we'll have to continue to monitor as his back continues to give him problems. He's missed two games already this season and he's one of the more consistent pass rusher. If he's unable to go then his OLB spot will again be filled by a combination of Bertrand Berry and rookie Will Davis.

The Rams injury list isn't nearly as long but there are some key names.

Did Not Practice:

G Richie Incognito (foot)
DE Chris Long (knee)

Limited Participation:

C.J. Ah You (knee)
DE James Hall (back)
DE Leonard Little (knee)
DT Clifton Ryan (toe)

Week 3: Friday Injury Report

shake n bake — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 21:28:38 -0000

Dwight Freeney returned to practice and Clint Session stayed on the practice field for a second day, but Kelvin Hayden and Gary Brackett remained on the sidelines. Joe Addai and Marlin Jackson got days off.

Out: Bob Sanders, Anthony Gonzalez

Questionable (no practice): Gary Brackett, Kelvin Hayden

Questionable (some practice): Clint Session, Dwight Freeney

Colts.com link

Oesher relays Caldwell's comments on the questionable players.

“Gary’s still being worked on constantly,” ... adding that Brackett’s injury could be best described as a strain. “He’s getting better. It’s kind of a day-to-day thing.”

Hayden “is still nursing” his hamstring injury, but added “he’s at a stage right now where he’s better I think than expected.”

Freeney, listed late in the week with a back injury, returned to practice Friday. “He had a little bit of an issue, but he’s fine,

Session has made “some progress.” “He did some limited things (Thursday), so we feel good about that,”

On the Cards side they are quite different of the Colts in how they use the report. While the Colts haven't meet an injury they didn't feel deserved at least questionable. The Cards list players with full participation across the board on their report and are big fans of the probable label.

Out: Kenny Iwebema

Questionable: Matt Ware (limited all week), Ali Highsmith (out Wed/Thurs, limited Fri), Levi Brown (limited all week), Rashad Johnson (new on report, limited Friday. Practice injury?), Steve Breaston (out Wed, limited Thurs/Fri), Chike Okeafor (out Wed, limited Thurs/Fri).

Probable (none missed practice time): Sean Morey, Kurt Warner, Antrel Rolle, Bryant McFadden, Brian St. Pierre, Reggie Wells, Anquan Boldin, Will Davis, Early Doucet

AzCardinals.com link

Former Chiefs Lineman Complains of Concussion Problems

Joel Thorman — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 20:12:21 -0000

Former Kansas City Chiefs tackle Kyle Turley has retired from the game of football but still has some lingering issues from his playing days. Turley talked to Mike Silver of Yahoo! Sports regarding some post-playing health issues he's been having.

Turley talked of an incident a few months ago that he called the scariest moment of his life.

"I was having a full-on seizure-type-thing, probably because my potassium levels were so low. I was on a table just flipping around like a fish; I was fully conscious and knew what I wanted to say, but I couldn’t speak. Realistically, if I hadn’t gone to the hospital, my kidneys could’ve shut down and I probably could have died."

Some medical experts have discussed the possibility of Turley suffering from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), which killed former player Andre Waters a couple years ago.

Turley claims he received "inadequate treatment" from the three teams he played for in his career including the Kansas City Chiefs. He talked about the possibility of suing the NFL, though he blames the NFLPA as well. Ultimately, though, Turley wants the system changed.

Representatives from the Chiefs, New Orleans Saints and St. Louis Rams declined comment for the story.

One of the scariest things about this is that Turley thought he wasn't one of the guys that had a lot of head trauma relative to the rest of the NFL. One NFL player, Sean Morey of the Arizona Cardinals, figured about 50% of concussions go unreported.

Silver discussed the possibility of NFL doctors having a conflict of interest. On the one hand, they're there as medical professionals to the players. On the other hand, they're employees of the team that wants the player on the field.

Morey expounded upon the difficulties the players face when it comes to concussions.

"Professional players naturally want to play," Morey says. "We want to keep our jobs, we have loyalty to our coaches and teammates, and we desperately want to win. Typically, when we get a concussion, our first reaction is to avoid the trainer at all costs. That’s just our mentality, our culture."

Turley told a story while with the Chiefs. He was sitting in a cold tub with teammate Rich Scanlon following a game at Arrowhead.

"He came in and had a broken nose that was cracked all the way across," Turley recalls. "All of a sudden, in 50-degree water, he passes out. I went and told the trainers and doctors and they said, ‘He’s all right.’ I said, ‘No, he’s not. If you guys let this guy go home right now, I’m gonna file a report against you for negligence.’ He ended up in the hospital, and they kept him for a couple of days."

Wow.

Keep in mind that we're hearing one side of the story. The Chiefs declined when Yahoo! Sports asked to speak with team doctors and trainers that were involved.

Definitely check out the whole story. And, we'll follow Josh Looney's lead in wishing Turley the best of health and success in his post-playing career.

Arizona Cardinals vs. Jacksonville Jaguars: Injury Report and Game Coverage

Hawkwind — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 15:56:16 -0000

More photos » by Matt York - AP

3 months ago: Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Anquan Boldin (81) makes catch as San Francisco 49ers safety Dashon Goldson defends during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 13, 2009 in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)

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After a somewhat grim injury report yesterday that included nine players on the list, including four who didn't participate in practice at all, the Arizona Cardinals had better news yesterday after practice. While there were still nine players listed, there were only three who couldn't participate at all and several players moved from 'limited' to full participation, including Sean Morey, Early Doucet and Brian St. Pierre. Steve Breaston practiced on a limited basis after not participating on Wednesday and Anquan Boldin was limited again for the second consecutive day. Reggie Wells is still listed on the report although he's fully participated in every practice. Kenny Iwebema, Matt Ware and Chike Okeafor still haven't practiced this week and the status of Okeafor is now worth watching. He has some form of shoulder injury and if he is unable to play that would push Bertrand Berry into the starting role and Will Davis would become the primary backup at both OLB spots.

The return of Early Doucet to full participation is key considering the still unsure status of Boldin and Breaston. At this point I think it's fair to say that Breaston will be a game time decision again this week but either way he won't return punts or kickoffs. I would also imagine that Boldin will play but the question remains, how much he'll play and how effective he'll be when he's out there. Either way, you'd have to think that the return of Doucet is one of the primary reasons that led to Lance Long getting his walking papers and if he's close to 100%, he should be an upgrade.

The Jaguars status hasn't changed very much with Zach Miller and Brian Witherspoon still being held out of practice although there were two new names on the report. Quentin Groves (DE/OLB) and Daryl Smith (LB) were both limited in practice but both are expected to play.

Cards will be able to keep their cool - To the Cardinals cope with the heat and humidity in Jacksonville, some Cardinals will have a cooling system in their shoulder pads. Players can hook a hose to their shoulder pads on the sideline, and cool air blows through an insert in the pads. The Cardinals tried the system out in practice last week, and it drew positive reviews from the players. "Our guys liked it," coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "A lot of our guys are like me, they are superstitious about certain stuff. Even though it may be one-tenth of an ounce, in their minds it probably weighs 10 pounds and slows them down." Similar systems have been around for several years, and a handful of college and pro teams have used them. This will be the Cardinals' first experience with the system, however. "I wish they had one for my hat, so that when I get really steamed it could cool me down," Whisenhunt said.
Cardinals game blacked out in Jacksonville - The Jaguars aren't expected to have a sell-out this season - Sunday's game will be blacked out in the Jacksonville market - but that doesn't mean they haven't been trying to sell tickets.
Challenging The Cards' Defense - The talk was about Frank Gore and slowing Frank Gore and what Frank Gore could do to hurt the Cardinals, so the Cards’ defense used that as motivation in the season opener. The 49ers running back ended up with just 30 yards on 22 carries. "I think (the defense) likes challenges," coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "They seem to respond to challenges." There will be another one Sunday against Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew, who will likely be the key to Jacksonville’s offensive success. But the Cardinals can see that these individual challenges may not be the best motivation, because it can lead to letdowns.
Challenging The Cards' Defense - The talk was about Frank Gore and slowing Frank Gore and what Frank Gore could do to hurt the Cardinals, so the Cards’ defense used that as motivation in the season opener. The 49ers running back ended up with just 30 yards on 22 carries. "I think (the defense) likes challenges," coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "They seem to respond to challenges." There will be another one Sunday against Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew, who will likely be the key to Jacksonville’s offensive success. But the Cardinals can see that these individual challenges may not be the best motivation, because it can lead to letdowns.
Arizona RB Tim Hightower vs. Jackonsville LB Justin Durant - In only the third meeting between these two teams, both the Cardinals and Jaguars are coming off Week 1 losses. This matchup features a pair of Division I-AA players from Virginia. Hightower, who was not invited to the combine prior to the 2008 draft, established himself during his rookie season as a do-everything player. He was discovered by former Cardinals assistant Maurice Carthon at a campus workout. A good all-around player, he can run , catch, block, and keep defenses from keying on him. Hightower, who had 10 rushing TDs in 2008, caught 12 passes last week for 121 yards. Durant had a team-leading 10 tackles last week against the Colts. He plays fast -- he ran a 4.62 40 at 240 pounds at combine in 2007. He will hit someone on every play. Durant had 17 tackles in a wild-card playoff game against Pittsburgh in 2007. He has the ability to make plays in space, which he will need to do against Hightower and the Cardinals.
The Arizona Cardinals on the East Coast is not Normally Good..... - I know the Cards won last year in Carolina in convincing fashion, but did you know they’ve lost 11 consecutive regular-season games on the East Coast and lost all five of their regular-season East Coast games in 2008 by a combined score of 202-102? The last time the Cardinals won a regular-season game in the east was Nov. 7, 2004, at Miami when they won 24-23. I know the Cards need to win, but they don’t seem to like the eastern time zone. With Kurt Warner looking a little rusty last week and the fact they’re playing in Jacksonville, it might spell trouble for Arizona.
Fantasy Start 'Em/Sit 'Em - Owners beware: Neil Rackers at Jaguars - The Jacksonville defense ranked third in allowing fewest fantasy points to kickers in 2008.

Arizona Cardinals vs. Jacksonville Jaguars: Injury Report

Hawkwind — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:13:33 -0000

The Arizona Cardinals injury list has grown considerably since last week and as of today it includes nine players including four who didn't participate in yesterday's practice. Reggie Wells, Chike Okeafor, Matt Ware and Kenny Iwebema joined Sean Morey, Brian St. Pierre, Steve Breaston, Anquan Boldin and Early Doucet on the report with Okeafor, Breaston, Ware and Iwebema sitting out of the entire practice. Everyone else at least participated in some portion of practice. As of today, Iwebema is the only player who is expected to miss Sunday's game against Jacksonville. Boldin admitted that he's still not 100% but did say that he feels much better than last week and did more in practice than he has in three weeks. Ken Whisenhunt said that they will be very cautious with Breaston this week in hopes that some time off will allow him to play on Sunday.

For the Jaguars, Zach Miller (TE) and Brian Witherspoon (CB) both missed practice. Miller, and this isn't the tight end from Oakland, is a rookie tight end who's making the transition from college quarterback. He's buried on the depth chart and most likely wouldn't have an impact even if he played. Witherspoon is listed as a corner but he's basically a return specialist, and a pretty good one. He averaged over eleven yards per punt return last year as a rookie and 24 yards per kick return.

Update (hat tip to Jeff): We should also mention that the Jaguars most significant injury in the past week was to defensive end and pass rush specialist, Reggie Hayward. He broke his leg against the Colts has already been placed on IR. The 30 year old has 39.5 sacks over the course of his career but has struggled to stay healthy over the past several seasons. It's unknown who will fill the void although Quentin Groves, James Wyche or rookie Julius Williams are in the mix or the team could decide to run more 3-4 schemes. Groves, a second round pick in 2008, is officially listed as a linebacker on their depth chart and has been a disappointment so far as a pro. Neither Wyche or Williams have appeared in an NFL game before.

Arizona Cardinals Weekly Flock: Sean Morey's Brain Donation Edition

Hawkwind — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:30:14 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

Three active NFL players are joining former players in agreeing to donate their brains after death to a Boston University medical school program that studies sports brain injuries.The donations by Mark Birk of the Baltimore Ravens, Lofa Tatupu of the Seattle Seahawks and Morey of the Cardinals were announced Monday, Sept. 14, 2009. Morey says his donation will help improve the safety of retired and future athletes. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)

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Obviously no one is quite over the Arizona Cardinals season opening loss but here on this 'hump day' we begin to look forward to a new game. Today will be the biggest day of practice as soon as we get an injury report, we'll pass it along. The biggest news of this mid-week time frame has centered around Sean Morey's brain......

Brain Donation Shows Morey’s Passion - The Cardinals’ wide receiver and Pro Bowl special teamer became one of three active NFL players – along with Baltimore center Matt Birk and Seattle linebacker Lofa Tatupu – to announce this week they would allow their brains to be studied when they die. The purpose is to learn about head injuries for NFL players and how concussions can lead to problems later in life.
Cards' Morey promises brain for research - Cardinals receiver and special teams player Sean Morey is one of three NFL players who on Monday agreed to donate their brains after death to a Boston University medical school program that studies sports brain injuries.
Offensive adjustments from Whiz - Ken Whisenhunt didn't get into specifics for obvious reasons, but he said Monday that design alterations on offense should help the team in Jacksonville this Sunday. Whisenhunt said the offense was thrown off by last-minute changes at receiver. Steve Breaston had practiced all week to replace Anquan Boldin at the "Z" spot, but Breaston's knee was too painful on Sunday for him to play. Boldin played and Jerheme Urban also took snaps at the "Z" position. "We had a number of guys playing out of their normal position," Whisenhunt said. "That will lend to us not being as sharp. Now, I'm not going to make an excuse because we have been able to overcome those things in the past. As far as how we are going to design things offensively, we will make sure that we are better suited for the game."
No suspension for Wilson's big hit - Cardinals safety Adrian Wilson won't be suspended for his hit Sunday on 49ers tight end Vernon Davis, according to an NFL source, although league officials are reviewing the play and a fine is still possible.
NFL makes right call on Cardinals' Wilson - The Cardinals do not have to worry about losing their most feared defensive player, Adrian Wilson, to an NFL suspension following the safety's huge hit on 49ers tight end Vernon Davis in Week 1.
Cardinals' Wilson to restructure contract - Cardinals' Wilson to restructure contract, Adrian Wilson has agreed to restructure his contract, giving the team more cap space. Here's a look at what the new structure means for the Wilson, the Cards and even Boldin.

Cards Have Long Way To Go - With only one game over and 15 yet to play, the Cardinals were coping with their season-opening loss Monday. The sky isn’t falling, after all. There’s no reason to overreact. Right? "I’m not an even-keeled kind of person," safety Adrian Wilson said, chuckling. "You’re going to hear some pretty bad things in here for the next 48 hours. Hopefully, Wednesday will come fast." Wednesday will be the tell-tale day, because that’s usually the first big day of the new week. It’s the first day of practice, the focus fully shifts – to Jacksonville, in this case – and the Cardinals can shove the disappointment of the 49ers’ game into the closet.
Cardinals hope to regroup quickly - The decade has not been kind to Super Bowl losers, and if the Arizona Cardinals had any doubts about whether it’s a jinx, a trend or something in between, they’ve now at least got an idea. Get this: According to the team’s Web site, safety Adrian Wilson has already proposed that some of the team’s leaders have a meeting to map out a strategy to regroup. If that’s not a signal from within that things aren’t right in the desert, I don’t know what is. They lost their opener on Sunday 20-16 to the San Francisco 49ers at University of Phoenix Stadium. The high-flying offense that guided the Cardinals to the Super Bowl last season was grounded. Who didn’t see this coming?