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Head Safety in Hockey
Outside the Lines (Sunday, 9 a.m. ET, ESPN; 10 a.m. ET, ESPN2)
Credit: ESPN/Producer Arty Berko
Sunday’s piece includes 8th grader Elizabeth Legget (skating), who suffered a severe concussion playing varsity hockey.
When Sidney Crosby was sidelined for nearly a year after suffering a concussion, it highlighted the issue of head injuries in hockey. Now, the NHL is facing a class-action concussions lawsuit by former players, which has intensified discussions about how to better protect the athletes who play a game known for its speed and hard hits. As Steve Fainaru reports, at least one expert believes people need to take a closer look at hockey helmets.
“I don’t care what helmet you wear, if you get a specific type of blow, you’re going to get concussed.” – Dr. Alan Ashare, President of the Hockey Equipment Certification Council
SportsCenter (Sunday, 10 a.m., ESPN)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5zrKCom4UI&feature=youtu.be
One of the first times Shane Ray remembers seeing his father was in the visitation room at the Jackson, Mo., county jail. Shane’s mother brought him there in an attempt to scare her son straight. Seven years later, as the SEC Defensive Player of the Year from Missouri, Ray will be selected in the NFL Draft and it will most certainly be a turning point in his life. But it won’t be the turning point in his life. He’s had far too many of those already. Tom Rinaldi has the story. (NOTE: Ray will be one of the athletes featured in the ESPN series Draft Academy, which returns April 14.)
“I feel like football opened up a door for me. It became an outlet for me to channel all my anger and my aggression, my pain, my thoughts. And it really and truly saved my life.” – Shane Ray
Chris Baker’s Last Chance
ESPN.com
Former NFL Draft prospect Chris Baker suffered a torn Achilles while working out at Dallas’ 2013 Super Regional Combine, and was among those participating in the NFL’s recent, inaugural Veterans’ Combine. Elizabeth Merrill reports. In the accompanying video, Cary Chow catches up with Baker to see why the Veterans’ Combine was a day of hope, desperation and probably a few unrealistic dreams.
“In the past, their (NFL hopefuls) only hope was to participate in regional combines in the offseason, but many scouts were turned off by what those events had become. Anyone could put on a pair of spandex shorts and audition in a regional combine — middle-aged couch potatoes trying to relive their high school glory days, or yahoos looking for something fun to do on a Saturday — and it was detracting from the precious few with the skills to possibly make a roster.” – Elizabeth Merrill
Jeremy Lin: Isolation Play
ESPN.com (posting March 27)
ESPN The Magazine (“Point Guard” issue, on newsstands April 3)
Pablo S. Torre writes that it isn’t Kobe’s taunts or humiliating viral videos that have made this the toughest year of Lin’s life. It’s the feeling that, as hard as he tries, he just doesn’t fit in.
Sports Reporters
This week’s Panel* (Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ESPN; 10:30 a.m., ESPN2)
John Saunders
Mitch Albom
Mike Lupica
Bob Ryan
*Subject to change
ESPN, Inc. received an industry-leading 57 Sports Emmy Nominations for 2014 in an announcement made this week by The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. ESPN’s most-ever nominations were across its platforms – ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, ESPN Deportes, ESPN.com, ESPNEWS, espnW, Grantland.com, WatchESPN, and in its first year of eligibility, SEC Network. The winners will be announced Tuesday, May 5, in New York.
