TUESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2013 SPORTS 9 former Chiefs players Photo of the day join brain injury lawsuit KANSAS CITY: Hall of Famers Albert Lewis and Art Still are health problems they say were caused by football. The settle- among nine former Kansas City Chiefs players who have joined ment, subject to approval by a federal judge in Philadelphia, a lawsuit that contends the team hid the risks of permanent would apply to all past NFL players and spouses of those who brain injuries from repeated concussions. are deceased. The concussions happened between late 1987 and early McClain called the national settlement - which does not 1993 when there was no NFL collective bargaining agreement include an admission from the NFL that it hid information from in place. Five former players filed the initial suit against the players about head injuries - insignificant and said it provides Chiefs this month, saying the team ignored decades of scientific compensation only to the former players with the most severe research indicating repeated head trauma causes permanent brain injuries. Rather than protecting players who sustained brain damage. In the amended suit filed Saturday in Jackson concussions, the lawsuit said, the Chiefs increased their risks by County Circuit Court, the plaintiffs said Arrowhead Stadium’s giving them “ammonia inhalants, caffeine cocktails and/or artificial surface contributed to the head injuries. Toradol to abbreviate the need for concussed employees to Also joining the lawsuit were Dino Hackett, Todd McNair, miss working time due to a brain injury.” Toradol is an injectable, Fred Jones, Tim Barnett, Walker Lee Ashley, Emile Harry and anti-inflammatory drug used short term to treat moderate to Chris Smith, along with the wives of several of them. Ken severe pain. McClain, a lawyer whose firm is representing the plaintiffs, said Players were even more prone to head injuries because of at least 10 more former Chiefs could join the suit by before the the concrete-like AstroTurf surface that was in place until 1994, end of the year. “Certainly, Hall of Famers who contributed the lawsuit said. That surface made the players faster and was greatly to building the franchise add to the urgency for the cheaper than maintaining a grass field, the plaintiffs said. team to find a just resolution, rather than try to ignore it or act Because of the heightened violence of high-speed hits, the suit like they had nothing to do with it,” McClain said. says, the game became more attractive to fans and increased Chiefs spokesman Ted Crews said the team had no com- the team’s revenue. Missouri presented a “unique opportunity” ment. In recent years, a string of former NFL players and other to file the lawsuit because a state workers’ compensation athletes who suffered concussions have been diagnosed after statute was amended in 2005 to exclude cases of occupational their deaths with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, injury that occur over an extended time. That exception more including Junior Seau and Ray Easterling, both of whom com- commonly applies in workplaces where smoking is allowed Marc Marquez (ESP/ Honda) races at Moto Grand Prix 2013 at Twin Ring Motegi in Motegi, Japan on mitted suicide. In August, the NFL reached a tentative $765 mil- and workers suffer lung problems because of it. McClain also lion deal to settle lawsuits filed by more than 4,500 former play- represented workers at a Jasper popcorn plant who were October 27th, 2013 —www.redbullcontentpool.com ers who developed dementia or other concussion-related awarded millions of dollars in lawsuits. —AP LA Clippers beat Timberwolves 120-116 LOS ANGELES: The situation looked bleak at best for the coach Doc Rivers’ Clippers - down by four points with 18 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Then a couple of defensive stops, a huge turnover by Minnesota’s Kevin Martin, and two clutch baskets by Jamal Crawford forced overtime. That’s where Jared Dudley and Chris Paul took over. Dudley made a go-ahead 3-pointer with 38 seconds remaining in OT and Paul added five free throws in the final 19 seconds, leading Los Angeles to a 120-116 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday night. “The biggest thing we learned as a team from Doc is, even in practice, he talks about ‘The game is not over,” Paul said. “When we got down three or four there with seconds left, we could’ve said we lost this one. But we fought hard.” Blake Griffin had 32 points and 10 rebounds and was 10 for 11 from the free throw line before fouling out with 4:08 left in OT. The defending Pacific Division champions extended their winning streak to a season-best five games while beating the Timberwolves for the eighth straight time, their longest current streak against any opponent. Jamal Crawford had 22 points for Los Angeles, 7-4 since losing starting for- ward J.J. Redick with a broken right hand and a torn ligament in his wrist but 5-0 since Crawford was SAITAMA: Japanese figure skater Kanako Murakami performs during the women’s moved into the starting lineup. Paul finished with 19 single skating of Japan’s national championships in Saitama, suburban Tokyo yes- points and 13 assists. LOS ANGELES: Los Angeles Clippers forward Matt Barnes (22) drives to the basket past terday. Murakami finished the women’s singles, while Akiko Suzuki won the cham- Kevin Love had a season-high 45 points and tied Minnesota Timberwolves forward Corey Brewer, right, defending in the first half of an NBA pionships. — AFP a season best with 19 rebounds for the basketball game in Los Angeles on Sunday. — AP Timberwolves, back at Staples Center after their 104-91 loss to the Lakers on Friday night. It was GP Final champ Hanyu Minnesota’s first overtime game since beating Orlando at home on opening night. NBA results/standings “We just blew it. Blew the game. I don’t know books Sochi berth how else to say it. We blew the game,” Love said. Indiana 106, Boston 79; Toronto 104, Oklahoma City 98; LA Clippers 120, Minnesota 116 (OT). Nikola Pekovic had a career-high 34 points and TOKYO: Grand Prix Final champion South Korea’s Kim Yu-Na at the Vancouver 14 boards. Martin scored 16 points after averaging Eastern Conference Western Conference 29 in the Timberwolves’ other two meetings against Atlantic Division Northwest Division Yuzuru Hanyu recovered from an early Olympics, botched her trademark triple the Clippers - also narrow losses. Point guard Ricky W L PCT GB Portland 23 5 .821 - tumble to win the men’s title at the axel attempt twice in the free skate to fin- Rubio played 38 scoreless minutes with 12 assists. Toronto 11 14 .440 - Oklahoma City 22 5 .815 0.5 Japanese national figure skating champi- ish third overall behind Akiko Suzuki and “It was a tough loss for a lot of reasons. That’s all I Boston 12 17 .414 1 Denver 14 12 .538 8 onships, booking a spot at the Winter Kanako Murakami at the Super Arena in have to say,” coach Rick Adelman said. “I don’t want Brooklyn 9 17 .346 2.5 Minnesota 13 15 .464 10 Olympics in Sochi. With a 9.88-point lead Saitama, north of Tokyo. to say anything. I don’t want to get fined.” “We need NY Knicks 8 18 .308 3.5 after the short programme, Hanyu fell on The Japan Skating Federation decided to know how to win and play hard all the way to the Utah 8 22 .267 16 Philadelphia 8 20 .286 4.5 Pacific Division his opening quadruple salchow but later Monday to give the trio the three end,” Pekovic said. “Winning is a habit, like every- Central Division thing else. We still need to get over the hump to LA Clippers 20 9 .690 - nailed his next element, a quadruple toe berths alloted to Japanese women in the Indiana 22 5 .815 - learn how to close out these games.” Phoenix 16 10 .615 2.5 loop, as he skated to “Romeo and Juliet” Sochi figure skating competition. Detroit 13 16 .448 10 Matt Barnes, in his second game back following Golden State 15 13 .536 4.5 by Nino Rota in Saitama yesterday. “I feel totally disappointed today,” said Chicago 10 16 .385 11.5 an eye injury, was ejected with 56 seconds left in LA Lakers 13 14 .481 6 The 19-year-old earned 194.70 points Asada, who will retire from competition the third quarter after committing a flagrant 2 foul Cleveland 10 16 .385 11.5 in the free programme for a total of after this Olympic season along with Kim, Milwaukee 6 21 .222 16 Sacramento 8 18 .308 10.5 against Love on a drive to the basket with the Southwest Division 297.80, better than three-time world a fellow 23-year-old. Clippers leading 77-75. Love sank both free throws, Southeast Division champion Patrick Chan’s world record of “I still have about one month to go. I then added a go-ahead 3-pointer when Minnesota Miami 20 6 .769 - San Antonio 21 6 .778 - 295.27 set last month at the Trophee Eric will work harder still to perform my best,” retained possession. Minnesota was leading 106- Atlanta 15 12 .556 5.5 Houston 18 10 .643 3.5 Bompard in Paris. said Asada, who won the Grand Prix Final 102 before the Clippers forced OT. Crawford made a Washington 12 13 .480 7.5 Dallas 15 12 .556 6 But Hanyu’s new mark will not be women’s title after sweeping two events: driving layup and a dunk after Paul forced Martin Charlotte 13 15 .464 8 New Orleans 11 14 .440 9 recognised by the International Skating Skate America and home event, the NHK into his critical turnover.