The Main Dish: On Monday March 28, Philadelphia Flyer Eric Lindros was replaced as captain by teammate Eric Desjardins. Flyers coach Craig Ramsay made the move after doctors diagnosed Lindros with a Grade II concussion that will keep him out of action at least through the first round of the playoffs.
While Lindros has suffered four concussions the past two years, he's spent time on the bench. Accordingly, the Flyers' play has suffered and the team was eliminated from the playoffs rather early both seasons. Lindros is an incredible hockey player and invaluable to his team.
Flyers Coach Ramsay was not wrong to change captains. Constantly playing without a leader is not a good thing. Ramsay made the right move for his team " he recognizes that once concussions begin to plague a player that the player is more apt to suffer additional concussions and be forced to take more time off.
Apparently, Lindros is not happy with this decision, but he should instead be worried about his own health. Forget about being captain. The man is 27 years old. He's got his whole life ahead of him. He should be thinking about whether or not to continue playing in the NHL.
Any serious head trauma can have adverse effects upon an individual's life. Sadly, head injuries have plagued too many athletes and forced them to retire for fear of causing permanent damage. Some great athletes walk away from the game with minimal damage while others are not as fortunate " think Muhammad Ali, the greatest boxer to ever live.
I am not a doctor nor do I know exactly what Lindros' prognosis is, but sports fans have seen this too many times. A star athlete sustains a couple concussions, takes time off, and comes back to play. He plays well until another concussion. The first doctor advises the athlete to retire, to avoid permanent brain damage. The athlete then seeks the proverbial "second opinion." Really, the athlete will consult as many doctors as it takes before he finds one that will clear him to play.
Take San Francisco 49er Steve Young. Young's situation is nearly identical to the scenario just described. Word is that Young is probably going to retire. He's 39, has his Super Bowl rings, and just got married. Young knows he's only got probably one year left in him, but he still has agonized over the decision.
It's difficult to walk away from the games we love, but in the end there's a lot more to life after sports. Hope that Steve Young and other athletes apt to permanent brain damage realize the potential harm they expose themselves to and that they choose to retire.
In the case of Lindros, I doubt he'll seriously consider retiring now. I just hope he makes the right decision and that he eventually retires from hockey happy and healthy.
Side Order: In the March 27, 2000 baseball preview issue of Sports Illustrated, the magazine tabs the Boston Red Sox to win the World Series. Go to espn.com and you'll notice that ESPN has as well tabbed the Red Sox to win it all. What has happened? Is this the year the Sox cast away the Curse of the Bambino?
Sadly, no, the Sox will not cast away the Curse. While Pedro Martinez is incredible and should have won AL MVP last year and the Sox are much improved with the addition of Carl Everett, they just don't have enough.
Does this mean the Yankees will once again reach the World Series? No. Unless Yankees' owner George Steinbrenner goes insane and adds payroll through acquiring another big name player, the Cleveland Indians will represent the American League. The Indians have the best offense in baseball and the addition of Yankee killer Chuck Finley makes a formidable starting rotation that much stronger.
In the National League, it looks like Cincinnati, Atlanta, or New York will challenge the Indians. Don't bet on it. The National League will be a heated race, but look out for the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Cardinals have what it takes. Until the recent acquisition of outfielder Jim Edmonds though, the Cards would have ended up fighting for the NL wild card. Slugger Mark McGwire will get another chance at a World Series title after one victory in three consecutive tries with the Oakland A's from 1988 to 1990.
However, look for Cleveland to win it all this year. McGwire won't get his second World Series ring, and the city of St. Louis will not complete the trifecta. In case it slipped by, the Rams won the NFL title this year and the St. Louis Blues, FYI, are on their way to the NHL title.
Dessert: Does everyone love the NCAA tournament as much as I do? It's great seeing so many teams have a chance at the national title and it really is March Madness. Division I college football should do the same. I'm a big fan of traditional bowl games, but imagine how exciting and what kind of ratings networks would get with January Madness. Football has arguably stolen the mantle of "America's game" from baseball. It would be incredible.
