Assuming Sherriffs is medically cleared for Temple...

[Carl Spackler]

LOL, there are times when I'm typing through to this website and I may as well have been concussed based on the way it gets through the internet. Rules, programs, tools for evaluation - these all exist for situations like this player that got his bell rung and I'm sure was seeing stars. Lots of people probably don't realize it, but you don't need a blunt head trauma to get a concussions. An air pressure and sound pressure wave can do it too. Say - an artillery shell going off near you, or being on the serving end of firing that shell regularly. Or a frigging cannon from an A-10 blowing stuff around you. I have no idea what kinds of tools and evaluation that UCONN uses - but I'm sure they've got em. If the kid is clear, he's clear. If he's not he's not. If he's clear, and they're really concerned, then they need to get a permission slip signed from somebody - but we're dealing with adults here now - young adults - but mommy and daddy don't need to sign for them anymore to go on a field trip. You hope that we're given good advice from an administrative, medical and coaching standpoint - and given the history of multiple players in recent years being held out, and told they can't play anymore (and at least one going elsewhere to play) - no reason to be concerned. This is again - manufacturing a problem when none exist. I hate that.

 

[Colt house75]

Almost every parent would err on the side of caustion. Even if he is cleared and deemed 100%, aside from his health, (which trumps all), should he receive a heavy blow to the head and at worst get injured the administration and coaching staff will get hammered.

We all watched Casey Cochran's career end due to concussions, the concussion bill in Hartford and all that. My guess is that regardless of be medically cleared, Bryant Sherriff's won't play against Temple.

I am not a doctor but all medical opinions to the side, I would not play him even if cleared. IMO, there is nothing to be gained and too much to lose not only for the program but for the young man. Losing Casey last year cost us at least 2 to 3 games during the season. Losing BS forever will not only hurt BS but will have a long term effect .

 

[HuskiesFan1014]

I agree. Weird question. If he's medicslly clear to go, he goes. If there is a question about the mefical clearing process, that's different. Giben recent history, there is plenty of evidence to suggest that uconn is going to err on thevdidevof caution and be conservativevwith recomme dations medically around head injury. No reason to ghink this will be different, and it shouldn't be.

Doc says you can play, you play.

Carl broke into the good stuff in a day-after celebration, I think.

 

[HuskiesFan1014]

Both my kids had pretty serious concussions over the past several years....my daughter was hit in the head during a varsity basketball game and wasn't allowed to play for a couple weeks, and she still wasn't right. My son hit his head snowboarding with friends (with no GD helmet!) and he was seriously screwed up for two weeks, and still screwy for a week after that. I had no idea how much a blow to the head affects you, but knowing my kids and seeing the personality changes, balance issues, vision problems and more...it was pretty scary. The trainer who evaluated my daughter after her basketball injury shed a lot of light on it for me. There is a real evaluatory system in place at the HS level, so I would assume it's even tighter at the D1 level.
I would be shocked if BS returns against Temple...maybe even for a bowl game.
Pleasantly surprised, but shocked.
I'm hoping he heals quickly and gets back to the form we've seen him develop.

 

[EdgewoodNHV]

I am not a doctor but all medical opinions to the side, I would not play him even if cleared. IMO, there is nothing to be gained and too much to lose not only for the program but for the young man. Losing Casey last year cost us at least 2 to 3 games during the season. Losing BS forever will not only hurt BS but will have a long term effect .

Here's the thing, though. If he's clear to play, he's clear to play. Playing at Temple isn't going to put him at any risk of a concussion more than any other individual game. Every single time he plays, he's going to be at risk. If the medical staff thinks he's okay, and the risk isn't going to change game to game, then what are you saving him for? Future games aren't going to magically have reduced risk of injury just cause you waited. Should we only play him against teams with soft D-lines who are unlikely to get sacks?

Obviously if it's borderline, you sit him. But if he's cleared, then I am assuming, as others have, that he's good to go and there's no risk to play him now vs. later.

 

[Confident Carl]

Here's the thing, though. If he's clear to play, he's clear to play. Playing at Temple isn't going to put him at any risk of a concussion more than any other individual game. Every single time he plays, he's going to be at risk. If the medical staff thinks he's okay, and the risk isn't going to change game to game, then what are you saving him for? Future games aren't going to magically have reduced risk of injury just cause you waited. Should we only play him against teams with soft D-lines who are unlikely to get sacks?

Obviously if it's borderline, you sit him. But if he's cleared, then I am assuming, as others have, that he's good to go and there's no risk to play him now vs. later.

I hear what you are saying but in a world of political correctness and Casey's career ending due to concussions, I don't see BS playing. None of us have all the data but sitting him will probably be the most prudent choice for all parties.

 

[1999.2004.2011]

If he is cleared by the medical staff, then yes he should play. If the medical staff isn't 100% positive on him playing, it's a resounding no. This should all be based on what the team medical staff determines, with no input from the coaching staff at all.

 

[Jarhead_1775]

Ok. He was not knocked "out cold". I'm a paramedic so I feel as if I need to clarify here. He took a vicious hit and was definitely significantly impaired. However he moved immediately. At no time was he totally limp. I'm not downplaying how hard he was hot, but out cold is not what happened. Semantics, I suppose.

 

[BlueDogs]

Either way I wouldn't be surprised to see some wildcat looks with Anderson to take pressure off either Boyle or a wounded Shirreffs. I was too busy watching Houston celebrate the TD that clearly was gonna called back to see how messed up Bryant was after the hit. Arms gone stiff and hands folded. Kid was unconscious for at least a few seconds. He looked completely out of it on the sidelines. Apparently he was lobbying to go back in. I'm amazed he even remembered he was playing football.

Being the recipient of too many to count, I suspect many know the feeling and experience, although every hit is different. Sometimes you just hear the crunch and go black. Other times, you literally see stars and hear buzzing or a hum. Rarely do you lose memory or not know where you are after a few seconds. But you are in a kind of disconnected daze where you are playing your own mind game trying to recapture crisp focus, orientation and trying to get up to speed without being pulled off the field. You feel like you are underwater and waiting to resurface. Reasonable clarity usually happens within a couple of plays, although the feeling of fatigue and heaviness lingers especially in the legs. The worst thing players do is try and conceal what has happened. But, in our day that was toughness. Today, its rightly characterized as stupidity.

 

[businesslawyer]

I am not a doctor but all medical opinions to the side, I would not play him even if cleared. IMO, there is nothing to be gained and too much to lose not only for the program but for the young man. Losing Casey last year cost us at least 2 to 3 games during the season. Losing BS forever will not only hurt BS but will have a long term effect .

I don't understand this logic at all. If he's cleared, the Dr.s are telling you his risk isn't greater than it will be next year. So -- if he's cleared -- you play him or tell him what you told Tymeer Brown (which is play somewhere else if you want but we aren't going to play you again because the risk isn't worth it). But saying we won't listen to the Drs. saying its safe now but you then will listen to the Drs. when they say they think it's safe enough in September is just giving oneself way too much self-importance and pretend knowledge.

Unless, of course, you stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

 

[businesslawyer]

I hear what you are saying but in a world of political correctness and Casey's career ending due to concussions, I don't see BS playing. None of us have all the data but sitting him will probably be the most prudent choice for all parties.

Serously dude, this is now funny. PC has nothing to do with it. Casey no longer wanted to take the risk. I respect the decision. But that's BS's decision -- not the team's -- so long as there is medical clearance.

As for political correctness, the thought that with medical clearance and BS's desire to play HCBD will sit him because of how it will be reported in the newspapers is patently upsurd.

 

[Tisbutascratch]

Both my kids had pretty serious concussions over the past several years....my daughter was hit in the head during a varsity basketball game and wasn't allowed to play for a couple weeks, and she still wasn't right. My son hit his head snowboarding with friends (with no GD helmet!) and he was seriously screwed up for two weeks, and still screwy for a week after that. I had no idea how much a blow to the head affects you, but knowing my kids and seeing the personality changes, balance issues, vision problems and more...it was pretty scary. The trainer who evaluated my daughter after her basketball injury shed a lot of light on it for me. There is a real evaluatory system in place at the HS level, so I would assume it's even tighter at the D1 level.
I would be shocked if BS returns against Temple...maybe even for a bowl game.
Pleasantly surprised, but shocked.
I'm hoping he heals quickly and gets back to the form we've seen him develop.

Had a serious concussion myself almost 4 years ago. Lost consciousness for nearly 10 minutes. Family thought I was dead I was out so long. If I had not been wearing a helmet, I probably would have died. My head was seriously messed up for months - memory, concentration, etc. Based on where my brain had the greatest impact with my skull, I lost my sense of smell and taste. Four years in and I still can barely smell anything, even with a very deep inhale. Taste is back probably 75%, but lack of the ability to smell hampers getting the full flavor of anything.

I also still have no memory of the fall or very little immediately after until I became aware of people telling me I should go to the hospital and wondering why they kept saying that.

Now I realize my situation was pretty severe, and BS lost consciousness very briefly, if at all. But I am also not involved in an activity where I am required to wear a helmet because I am repeatedly and violently slammed to the ground. Brains aren't made to withstand repeated violent shaking. I say sit him for Temple, and carefully evaluate before the bowl game.

 

[LRock34]

If there is any possible upside to this, it's that BS will probably try harder to stay in the pocket and throw the ball, and if he has to take off, he will do it with slightly less reckless abandon - i hope. He needs to take care of his body out there.

This is actually the worst case scenario. The minute he starts over-thinking and avoiding his instincts will be the same minute he becomes an ineffective QB. He is who he is, a decent passer who runs like a full-back. Best case scenario is that he gets into his slide sooner but again you don't want to change his DNA.

 

[Chin Diesel]

This is actually the worst case scenario. The minute he starts over-thinking and avoiding his instincts will be the same minute he becomes an ineffective QB. He is who he is, a decent passer who runs like a full-back. Best case scenario is that he gets into his slide sooner but again you don't want to change his DNA.

He was learning to slide and dodge out of bounds. On the knockout hit, he did the right thing. If he had stayed upright it would have been a hit to the gut or shoulders.

 

[LRock34]

He was learning to slide and dodge out of bounds. On the knockout hit, he did the right thing. If he had stayed upright it would have been a hit to the gut or shoulders.

So are you implying that it would be better for him not to slide moving forward?

 

[HuskyDevil]

Curious, did anyone happen to catch any comments on this from Cochrane in the post game review on WTIC?

 

[Confident Carl]

Serously dude, this is now funny. PC has nothing to do with it. Casey no longer wanted to take the risk. I respect the decision. But that's BS's decision -- not the team's -- so long as there is medical clearance.

As for political correctness, the thought that with medical clearance and BS's desire to play HCBD will sit him because of how it will be reported in the newspapers is patently upsurd.

Public perception matters at Storrs. A high profile hometown hero like Casey draws attention. If Sheriffs gets knocked out of the Temple game even after given Medical clearance, right or wrong, the judgement of the coaches and athletic department will be taken into question.

If you don't think that Concussions in football are a hot potato in the public square then perhaps you need to catch up on your reading.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/a...-nfl-players-test-positive-for-brain-disease/

http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs.../18/football-has-no-future-due-to-concussions

 

[HuskiesFan1014]

Ok. He was not knocked "out cold". I'm a paramedic so I feel as if I need to clarify here. He took a vicious hit and was definitely significantly impaired. However he moved immediately. At no time was he totally limp. I'm not downplaying how hard he was hot, but out cold is not what happened. Semantics, I suppose.

I agree. Not knocked "out cold" but he was pretty effed up. Here is a sequence of four photos showing him with right arm extension up, then out and "posturing" with both hands right after he rolled once. I'm only a paramedic and not a neurologist, but watching this on the ESPN replay today made me cringe. I hope he gets back to 100% quickly.

 

[tiger8mush]

Had a serious concussion myself almost 4 years ago. Lost consciousness for nearly 10 minutes. Family thought I was dead I was out so long. If I had not been wearing a helmet, I probably would have died. My head was seriously messed up for months - memory, concentration, etc. Based on where my brain had the greatest impact with my skull, I lost my sense of smell and taste. Four years in and I still can barely smell anything, even with a very deep inhale. Taste is back probably 75%, but lack of the ability to smell hampers getting the full flavor of anything.

I also still have no memory of the fall or very little immediately after until I became aware of people telling me I should go to the hospital and wondering why they kept saying that.

Now I realize my situation was pretty severe, and BS lost consciousness very briefly, if at all. But I am also not involved in an activity where I am required to wear a helmet because I am repeatedly and violently slammed to the ground. Brains aren't made to withstand repeated violent shaking. I say sit him for Temple, and carefully evaluate before the bowl game.

What were you doing? skateboarding? snowboarding? on a job that required you to be up high?

 

[Tisbutascratch]

What were you doing? skateboarding? snowboarding? on a job that required you to be up high?

Riding a horse on vacation in Mexico.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Riding a horse on vacation in Mexico.

I bet that's a great way to start lots of stories.....I was riding a horse on vacation in Mexico this time when......

Look - the kid got his bell rung. Can we stop manufacturing problems among the die hards for this program that haunt this place? The school has a track record of demonstrating thorough, latest best medical practices, and not only that - conservative - management and recommendations for players that have sustained a concussion. That he was concussed to some extent is not really argueable. The kid lost control of his muscles when he got hit. It wasn't a fumblerooski problem like we had last year from ball handlers. He got it in the head, and the hit to the head, separated him from his aibility to grip the football.

If there are questions about what the actual protocol is that we use, (and I still actually have these questions, actually, because I don't know how a player could be told not to play again at this school, and then go and play at another) only explanation is that we we are very conservative in our protocol and management - then those questions should be asked by the appropriate people - to the appropriate people. Otherwise it's a non-issue. IF he's clear, and he goes through the proper risk/benefit discussions with proper authorities and agrees to play - so be it. If he's not clear to play - by the protocol, then he doesn't play - and it seems that if he's told he can't play again - ever - and he still wants to play - there is precedent for him to go elsewhere and do it.

The problem with brain injury - is that nobody understands the damn thing. You ever want to make a medical doctor look at you funny, ask them what a thought is. I did it not too long ago. I got the response, "So you're that guy, there's one in every room." Seems to happen a lot to me. I went through a whole bunch of review and training for all kinds stuff within the past year now - all kinds of subjects, one of them was a triage process and basic emergency medical stuff that I'm sur eothers around here are familiar with.

You get your brain rattled in your head, and you got a couple things you need to check for. Once the basic serious stuff is cleared, no blood or clear fluid coming out of the holes, and stuff like that, vision, hearing, etc - you're left with a window of time to make sure you're not bleeding inside your skull - because if the things happen that indicated that was happening, slowly - you need a doctor real quick, and once that window of time is passed- the major medical stuff is all over, and it's all basically thought, memory, consciousness stuff that everybody and their mother has a set of questions and scoring system for, and that nobody in the medical field understands anyway.

Most of the time in the scenarios I'm thinkin gof right now, people are happy to have a headcache and some cobwebs, if that's what they got, instead of missing body parts. Not minimizing brain injury in any way - just writing my opinions and observations. From my understanding of it all, when it comes to the barin, t's not the single injury that's the big problem - it's repeat injuries over time - and there is no set standard as towhat's ok and what's not.

Playing football comes with risks - I'm confident that a good decision will be made by all involved. Stop making problems when none exist.

 

[BNich]

OK Carl has wrapped this one up. Let's the medical staff do their job and we will still cheer on our Huskies no matter the outcome.

 

[Rocktheworld]

It will be borderline at best, and he won't be practicing this week. Will be taking at least 6 days before returning to competition, and as a minimum, that's assuming at worst a mild concussion where he just saw a couple stars. The hit he took was not mild. The way he stiffened up, he may have lost consciousness for a moment, which changes prognosis a lot. And the way his right arm moved and stiffened, you know there was some left hemisphere involvement from his head bouncing off the turf, as the left motor strip controls the right side of the body. So we may have bilateral trauma here with the right side taking the initial (albeit less traumatic) impact of the helmet-to-helmet collision. Beyond medical clearance, the real concern is the threat of a second blow, which, especially just a week later, would essentially guarantee permanent significant damage (all TBI causes some fashion of permanent "damage"; brain tissue doesn't heal). The chance of permanent damage becomes significant if the traumatic blows happen 3 months apart, let alone 7 days. If he plays, I dunno if he'll play like he has been all year.

Usually when loss of consciousness is involved you're looking at at least 2 weeks. I'm not a doctor, but in my line of work I do have clinical experience with concussion/TBI/coma recovery. I'm also not working with football players, so who knows. Would be interested to see what symptoms he initially presented with; they often determine severity and predict recovery.

Is it that serious a game? Of course going out 7-5 and beating Temple would be incredible. But we're bowl eligible now. Is the icing on the cake worth the potential of sustaining a life-altering injury? Keep in mind BS is likely not going pro and won't be retiring with millions in the bank in 12-15 years. He needs his brain to be healthy for at least the next 40 years of his life.

 

[pnow15]

He probably should sit out the season. The next concussion comes much quicker if he is not fully healed and then he is done as a player.