Head Trauma

Just this last sunday there was a game between the Carolina Panthers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and if you watched this game, it's likely that there was only one part that you remember still today; the hit. Late in the second quarter, Carolina had punted the ball to Bucs' punt returner Clifton Smith. As he waited for the ball to come down, his world went black. Panthers safety Dante Wesley had hit Smith so hard, with his helmet and his shoulder, that the unfortunate player was knocked unconscious for over a minute. Being unconscious for over a minute can cause several devastating problems involving your organs as well as your brain cells. Now concussions and big hits happen in football, however, the problem here, is that Wesley had hit Smith not just while he had his eyes to the sky, defenseless, but that he had hit him directly in the head. As Wesley was ejected from the game, it truly brought the brutal side to the front, showing just how out of control and uncareful these world class athletes can become. As I have touched on previously, steps have been taken to prevent these situations such as fines, suspensions, penalties and new equipment; however, unless the league, and the sports world in general makes significant changes fast, there will finally be a bigger dark cloud over the world of sports entertainment than steroids. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOYqZfNbXcc