Is High School Football Safe Enough

This week, the quest for a high school football championship begins. 

All over the United States on Friday nights, many communities are going to be watching their local high school varsity football teams play. While many players play without injuries, seven high school players this year were not as fortunate. 

For the 18th time in the last 2 years a high school football players has left this world way too soon. Chicago area high school student Andre Smith was the most recent. Smith passed away after suffering head trauma during a game last Thursday. 

Some deaths were head trauma related. Others were caused by previous undetected health issues.

Could his passing have been prevented? Are school doing enough to keep their students who participate in sports safe? Are schools equipped enough to handle emergencies?

Athlete heart and health checks should be mandatory or made available at low cost to parents for students who want to participate in contact and high intensity sports. By having health checks  they can weed out students are at risk or at least take precautions for the students. 

Coaches and staff should be better trained to handle emergencies and have access to equipment to handle any emergency that occurs. The school should have a policy in place for dealing with head trauma and injury protocol. There should be access to safer sports equipment and techniques on how to reduce injuries before they happen.

Sports can unite and inspire a community. Let's hope no more communities have to unite to mourn. 

Prayers for Flip Saunders

Prayers, thoughts for the loved ones of former Pistons coach and Minnesota Timberwolves president and minority owner Flip Saunders.

Saunders who was the Pistons head coach from 2005 - 2008 left us too soon after a brief battle with cancer.

Saunders was a true gentleman who will be deeply missed.

MLB.com Strikes Out On Postseason Coverage

As a paying customer of the premium service for MLB.com, I'm disgusted at their coverage of the games.

 I might have to tell the MLB where they should shove their service. 

You can't watch the games live online if you're in a blacked out area. 

They're also insisting that you have to sign in with your cable company id or buy their post season package if you want to watch online. 

If they do air your citys' team game, it's delayed. By then many fans already know the score, so why watch. 

Some fans are ditching cable because they can't afford it. 

Many are turning to the internet to watch tv.

 What if you have something else to do and still want to see Miggy hit one out or A Rod strike out as usual. 

Some Americans can't afford to go to the games because of the economy. 

Now they're SOL if they want to watch their home team.

 Does the MLB even care about their fan base or are they in it for the profit. 

Baseball is considered to be Americas' game. 

If you really want more Americans to enjoy baseball, don't gouge us or make it difficult to watch.