I don't know if your hypotheses will bear out but I like where you're going with this. One would think a sports medicine/biologist/psychologist going for a PhD may attempt to demonstrate these relationships empirically. Not sure why we haven't heard more about it unless the case is that injuries are really not up but our ability to communicate them is.
I think more and more studies will come out in order to try (perhaps without succeeding) to get to the true root of the problem with ACL/MCL tears. It could be so random that it's impossible to prevent or slow down. There has to be a reason these injuries have spiked over the past decade though, as it can't be that random, and I have a feeling it has to do with the weight lifting regiments. I'd wonder what percentage of players use cross fit type regiments. These are horrible regiments for your joints that simply push the body to do any string of unrelated exercises together and until fail.
You are 100% misguided here, sir. The joints, tendons, ligaments, and bones grow and strengthen right along with the muscles in a proper weight training program.
Crossfit maybe, but mostly all of the other silly junk fitness "experts" advocate these days. What athletes need the most for performance and injury prevention is to be stronger. This is accomplished through proper barbell strength training.
Might want to check your numbers because I don't think those injuries are spiking like you think. I think it is more of the instant news syndrome where everyone is tweeting, posting, blogging, making it seem like more injuries when in fact it is just multiple people repeating the same injuries over and over. This is from most of the way through the 2013 season. "A memo recently sent to the National Football League's Health and Safety Advisory Committee stated that ACL injuries are currently down in the league, according to The Associated Press. There were 30 ACL injuries reported as of Week 13 of the 2013 season, compared to 39 injuries at the same point last year. The current number is also lower than in previous years. While tears and sprains to the anterior cruciate ligament, which connects the knee to the shin and thigh bones, have decreased this season, the NFL found that injuries to the medial collateral ligament are up. The MCL is a band of tissue situated on the inside of the knee, linking the thighbone to the lower leg. According to the news source, there were 89 MCL injuries in the 2013 season, up from 74 in 2012. However, the 2013 number is still lower than in recent years, as there were 110 injuries to the MCL in 2011 and 103 in 2009." If you have some numbers from last year through week 13 it would be interesting to compare.
I believe his court date is in the next week or so (August 31??) so the league might wait for a ruling before they decide
There is a very real possibility that Sheldon's discipline for the most recent transgressions won't be in play until next year. The league will often dole out suspensions the following offseason, so while not definite it is possible.
I believe he is only charged with traffic violations as they dropped the child endangerment and grass charges so I doubt they are waiting for that.
Thanks for doing this, it's a great resource. Can I make a request? Can you put the date next to each "Update" so we know exactly when it is from? It's especially helpful with updates that contain language like "tomorrow" or "early next week". For example, on the Leonard Williams one, "Update (8/29):" Thanks again for putting in the work!
He will be fine if there's a God. This kid has been through enough in life, doesn't need this shit now.
