Offtopic/fun » with Ben Foakes, who was capped

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Now more than ever, Carolina Panthers players are being forced to confront the omnipresent dangers of repeated hits to the head amid a rash of concussions to key players.Middle linebacker Luke Kuechly was carted off the field with a head injury last Thursday night, a disturbing sight as the 2013 NFL Defensive Player of the Year stared blankly ahead as he wept uncontrollably while heading to the locker room. It was a scary moment some teammates -- as well players across the league -- likely wont soon forget.Left tackle Michael Oher still hasnt returned to practice nearly two months after sustaining a concussion. Even reigning league MVP Cam Newton, with his seemingly invincible 6-foot-5, 245-pound muscular physique, missed a game with a concussion and later talked about his concern over long-term effects.In all, seven Carolina players have found their way into the leagues concussion protocol since the start of the preseason.When you see it, it always comes across your mind that it could be you one day, Panthers defensive tackle Kawann Short said.Short acknowledged the violent nature of some hits is a scary to watch.Its like a car crash, Short said. You never know what the outcome may be. You hope for the best and pray that those guys come back.Kuechly did not practice Monday and Panthers coach Ron Rivera offered no update on his status, just reiterating he remains in the NFLs concussion protocol. He said there is no timetable for Kuechlys return.Still, the Panthers (4-6) must forge on and play six more games without their top defensive player beginning Sunday at Oakland.One of those trying to move on is safety Colin Jones.He missed Carolinas 23-20 win Thursday night over New Orleans with a concussion -- the second of his career.We are trained since we are young to fight through anything... but with a head injury its just a different situation because 70 percent isnt good enough, Jones said. Because if there are any side effects at all then you can just really hurt yourself down the road if you come back too quick.But Jones said when he does get back on the field it wont change the way he plays.Hes not alone.Cornerback Leonard Johnson said Monday he was taken the hospital after the Saints game when he had trouble breathing after taking a cleat to his sternum. He said you cant go into a game thinking about not getting hurt.I dont think it changes the way you play, it just brings more awareness to the game from a physicality standpoint, Johnson said of concussions. Once you roll the ball out there you forget all about the injuries and the possibility that (a concussion) can happen. When people focus more on those things they play timid and thats when injuries do happen.Kuechly missed 34 days and three games last season with a concussion.Panthers defensive coordinator Sean McDermott said A.J. Klein, another player who missed Thursday nights game with a concussion, would start if Kuechly cant play. Klein returned to practice Monday, but he also remains in the concussion protocol. Third-string linebacker David Mayo would make his first NFL start if Kuechly and Klein cant start.McDermott said while he has plenty of confidence in Kleins ability, losing Kuechly would be difficult because hes the glue on defense that connects the defensive front end to the secondary.Lets face it, you are never going to be able to replace a player of Lukes caliber, McDermott said. I wouldnt expect anybody in this locker room to do that. You want those guys to do what they do, do what they did in college and up to this point, and we will be fine.Panthers safety Coleman said he believes Kuechly is in good hands with the teams medical staff.Ultimately, all I care about is Luke the person, not Luke the player, Coleman said. I want him to be as healthy as he can be, not just playing for us, but later in life.---AP NFL website: http://pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFLAdidas Zx 7000 Kopen .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Yeezy Boost 700 Kopen . -- San Francisco 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks was fined $15,570 by the NFL on Wednesday for his hit on Saints quarterback Drew Brees last Sunday. http://www.nmdbelgie.com/kopen-adidas-continental-80-sale.html . Denis Coderre, the former federal MP who was elected mayor on Nov. 3, has drawn the ire of some Montreal Canadiens. During last nights game he tweeted: "Hello? Can we get a one-way ticket to (minor-league) Hamilton for David Desharnais please. Adidas NMD Aanbieding . The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling "puts an end to my dreams of being a top player," the 27-year-old Troicki said in a statement. "I worked my entire life for it, and it has been taken away from me in one afternoon by a doctor I didnt know," said Troicki, whose ranking peaked at No. Adidas Tennis Hu Kopen . Anthony Calvillo, through 20 CFL seasons, was frequently invincible and largely stoic in the heat of competition. But underneath the professional exterior he was, and is, compellingly human.Surrey 260 for 6 (Burns 101) v Hampshire Scorecard Right now, it takes a fair bit to get Surrey fans to grumble. They are a team on the up, with a cup final a week Saturday and their relegation fears all but eased. They have much of the brightest talent in the land, and a seam attack suddenly the envy of the shires. Here, they had a pretty good day on a pitch that was lively from ball one. One of those young thrusters scored a ton and, having been invited to bat without the tossing of a coin, they are on their way to carving out a match-shaping score.But grumble they sure did. They grumbled because three times, on a gloomy but cricketable late season Tuesday, the umpires took the players from the field for bad light. Each time, the floodlights were on. On the first two, the conditions appeared fine and the umpires remained on the field with the conditions barely seeming to have improved. The third, at around 5.15 and with the new ball due, proved terminal.As always, the Oval had a healthy crowd (that should not be taken for granted) and their grumbling - and the booing, and the heckling - was not without reason. These were people who pay their money to watch cricket. Vital points, for both sides, were at stake. At a brilliantly equipped Test ground, with the floodlights on, neither did batting feel dangerous (on the first two occasions, Liam Dawson was bowling his left-arm orthodox), nor did a fielder fail to pick up the ball.Umpiring is a thankless and tricky task, and fans are generally understanding of this, but taking a generous light reading shortly after lunch on the first day - and thus setting the benchmark for the rest of the match - is self-destructive. Those fans grumbled that they would not be going off if the game was on TV, and were quick to remind the umpires that they had paid for this displeasure. Some announced loudly that they would not be returning on Wednesday because well, whats the point?It seemed one of those regular reminders that through all its troubles, county cricket often fails to help itself. Sixteen unbowled overs may not seem much, but if this is the set precedent, then fans of the county game should not expect to see too much cricket this September.Through the gloom shone Rory Burns, who made his second Championshiip century of the season, after a far simpler one came in the reverse fixture at the Ageas Bowl in July.dddddddddddd There are many reasons why Surrey have flown up the table - the end of Sam Currans schooling and Stuart Meakers relocated zip among them - but the elegant solidity Burns, the vice-captain, has offered from the top of the order has proved vital.These were tough runs. The pitch was fresh and the humidity helped the ball move in the air; Gareth Batty, Burns believed, would have bowled first, and 350 seems a very fine score.It took Burns 16 balls to score a run and he appeared relaxed about regularly being beaten outside off-stump. Burns unorthodox, crouched stance - unlike Eoin Morgan, that crouch seems to get deeper the better he bats - with a little glance to midwicket as the bowler approaches the crease, may seem peculiar, but it produces an array of stylish strokes. He pulls and cuts powerfully and with placement (Hampshire, just as they had at the Ageas, fed these strengths), while his work off his pads is brutal.His century came shortly after the second delay for light, with a pull for six beating the three men set for the stroke (a heart in the mouth moment, he said) followed by a scampered single to mid-off. Another pull, this time with a tamer top-edge, found one of those three men.Burns last and most fruitful stand - 76 - was with Ben Foakes, who was capped by Surrey at lunch played beautifully straight for his unbeaten 47, but four others had come and gone before. A brilliant legside catch by Lewis McManus did for Dominic Sibley, a ball after he was hit amidships, while both Kumar Sangakkara and Steven Davies fell to balls that got big just as they were beginning to purr. Arun Harinath carelessly slapped to square-leg.Late on, Sam Curran became Dawsons first wicket, caught off bat and pad. The left-arm spinner, who seems increasingly likely to tour the subcontinent with England even though that was just his 13th wicket of the season, toiled hard but without great flight or marked turn. With a red ball, consistency is his currency and he seldom leaks runs; whether that is enough remains to be seen. ' ' '