Penalties up on Defense
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A54 FOOTBALL BOB GLAUBER’S HOT READS [email protected] Penaltiesup on defense The NFL gave fair warning that it would crack down on defensive players, calling penal- ties in the preseason just about every time adefender so much as laid ahand on areceiver. The KRUTSINGER trend most certainly has carried ENA over into the regular season, /K with penalties way up in the AGES passing game. IM According to the NFL, nearly LOGURSKY TTY GO four times as many illegal-con- GE tact penalties have been called Packers QB Aaron Rodgers. UGENE through five games as there /E were at this point last year (59 After all, Pittsburgh quarter- AGES to 15). Defensive-holding calls back Ben Roethlisberger is IM also are way up; last year, there 18-1 against Cleveland, the TTY were 52 calls through Week 5, best record of any quarter- GE compared to 115 this season. back against ateam since the Jim McMahon and Jeremy Roenick attend Players Against Concussions at Pelham CC on Oct. 6. There also have been 14 1970 merger. more penalties for pass interfer- ence and 48 more calls for Hey Rodgers! nonprofit organization dedicat- he has experienced, especial- illegal use of the hands. No wonder Aaron Rodgers ing to helping athletes at all ly if their issues are related But the crackdown on defend- was telling Packers fans to Jim’s levels of sports better under- to neck problems not previ- ers in the passing game hasn’t relax after they panicked stand the dangers of concus- ously diagnosed. Damadian translated to any major changes because of the team’s slow sions and promoting safety and Rosa believe the intercon- in overall offensive output. An start. Rodgers has been just McMiracle issues to help those sports — nectedness of concussions average of 46.4 points per game about perfect in his last four including football —continue and neck problems is not have been scored this season. games, posting a124.4 rating MCMAHON from A56 to thrive. given enough consideration. And although that’s the most with 11 touchdown passes and And it’s not just with football through five weeks at any point no interceptions. believe what had just hap- Apromise to help players. since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger, pened. Despite his recent improve- “The medical profession is it’s barely more than last year’s Romo vs. Seahawks “Laurie was teary-eyed ment, McMahon believes he generally not aware of it,” total at the same point. Huge game today for the 4-1 because it was like amiracle,” may be suffering from chron- Damadian said. “[Neck is- Not only that, but passing Cowboys, who face the Sea- Terry said. ic traumatic encephalopathy sues] are playing arole in a yards are down slightly from hawks in Seattle and will find Navon simply said, “I got my (CTE), aprogressive neuro- lot of neurodegenerative last year. There has been an out just how they stand against Jimmy back.” degenerative disease. He has diseases, including multiple average of 484.4 passing yards elite teams. McMahon needed afew agreed to donate his brain to sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, per game this year, compared One player who is preaching more treatments —and still the Boston University School Parkinson’s, Lou Gehrig’s to 497.8 at the same point last caution about Dallas’ quick requires help in making sure of Medicine, said to be the disease and, the one that season. start is quarterback Tony his spine is properly aligned — country’s leading facility for troubles me the most, child- Romo, who has seen things but he is living arelatively studying the brains of de- hood autism.” Home sweet home turn out badly before; the normal life again. ceased former players. A Rosa suggests football After getting thrashed 43-17 Cowboys finished 8-8 the last There still is some short-term recent study conducted there players at all levels can bene- last Sunday in New England, three seasons. memory loss, but not nearly to showed that 76 of 79 brains fit from increased focus on Cincinnati is back home this “Being 4-1 is great, but we the extent he experienced be- of former football players, neck issues. He, too, believes week to face Carolina. That’s have along way to go,” Romo fore getting help. And there is including many who played that other people suffering newsday.com good news for the Bengals, said. “You want to put yourself joint pain from arthritis, some- in the NFL, were diagnosed from neurodegenerative dis- who have won 11 straight in the best position at the end thing he understands and ac- with CTE. eases also can find relief. 2014 home games. During that of the year.” cepts after so many years of McMahon wants to do his “We believe that we have The Cowboys hope running 12, streak, quarterback Andy playing in the NFL. But there part to advance the science come across things and obser- Dalton has passed for 2,563 back DeMarco Murray contin- also is relief from the symptoms of brain study, although he vations which are pieces of yards and 22 touchdowns for ues his torrid pace. Murray that once threatened his life. showed some of his trade- the puzzle that the medical a97.7 rating. leads the NFL with 670 rushing Last month, after completing mark humor in making the and scientific people didn’t OCTOBER yards and is tied for first with his bachelor’s degree at decision to donate his brain. know about,” he said. “The Roethlisberger rules five rushing touchdowns. He Brigham Young University, “My girlfriend said, ‘You technology has enabled us to Much-improved Cleveland, has rushed for more than 100 where he starred in college, his can’t just donate your brain.’ I see things we’ve never seen coming off adramatic yards in five straight games, number was retired. And on said, ‘Well, I’m not going to before. If the observations SUNDAY, 25-point comeback win in joining Hall of Famers Jim Monday, he appeared at the need it if I’m dead.’ ” we’re seeing continue as a Tennessee last week, host the Brown and O.J. Simpson as the Pelham Country Club in McMahon’s case is poten- trend, it’s quite plausible that Steelers today.That means only players with at least 100 Westchester to announce the tially good news for other we might very well change we’ll really see just how much rushing yards in his team’s first start of the Players Against former players suffering the course of humanity and NEWSDAY, better the Browns really are. five games. Concussions foundation, a symptoms similar to the ones mankind forever.” A56 FOOTBALL FOOTBALL A57 BY BOB GLAUBER ings myself. If Ihad agun, I believing that his post-NFL [email protected] might be dead.” issues were solely concussion- McMahon didn’t take his own related. im McMahon had life, but he was resigned to “Dr. Damadian said that the nearly given up spending the rest of his days in only thing that would make hope, resigned to declining health, another sad something like this happen to alifetime of pain example of the aftereffects of your neck is if you got dumped and frightening the multiple concussions he on top of your head,” McMa- memory loss. He suffered during his 15-year hon said. “I told him that’s even considered career, which ended with the what happened in 1986. But I giving up com- 1996 season. had taken so many painkillers Jpletely and taking his own life. Acover story in Sports Illus- when Iwas playing, Icouldn’t Then aLong Island doctor trated two years ago chronicling feel anything.” helped him find amiracle. his health problems brought Before meeting Dr. Ray- McMahon’s situation into focus “I got my Jimmy back” mond Damadian of Woodbury, and drew further attention to Afew days after the MRI, the pain in the 55-year-old the league’s concussion crisis. Damadian and Terry accompa- former quarterback’s head was He once had been an electrify- nied McMahon and Navon to so excruciating, the throbbing ing personality on the Bears’ the upstate Rock Hill office of of every single heartbeat in his unforgettable 1985 Super Bowl Dr. Scott Rosa, acranio-cervi- ears so persistent, that he championship team, but now he cal specialist. Rosa performed mostly sought refuge in the was reduced to chronic pain, PARASKEVAS anoninvasive procedure —the bedroom of his home in Scotts- forgetfulness and suicidal Image Guided Atlas Treatment OHN dale, Arizona. It was the only thoughts —afamiliar pattern /J —that aligned the C-1 and C-2 way he could find any sort of for so many other players dam- vertebrae near the base of aged by the game. McMahon’s skull. relief, and even then —just WSDAY lying on his bed with the lights NE Therelief was almost instan- off —hecouldn’t completely And then, help Dr. Raymond Damadian with taneous. escape the pain. But his haunting story ulti- his MRI scanner at Fonar “Whenthey first did it to “It got to the point where I mately turned into alife-chang- headquarters in Melville. me, it was like the toilet wouldn’t get out of bed for ing moment for McMahon, flushed,” McMahon said. “I weeks at atime,” the former thanks to two Long Island memory, and Iasked if he’d thought to myself, ‘No wonder Super Bowl-winning quarter- residents who had ahunch ever had an MRI,” Damadian Ican hear my heart beating. It back said.