by Cory Woodroof | Oct 9, 2012 | Opinion, Sports
After a large number of Kansas City Chiefs fans cheered when their own quarterback left the KC-Baltimore Ravens game Sunday with a concussion, infuriated Chiefs offensive tackle Eric Winston decided to take a stand. Winston held a one-man press conference blasting people who expressed their joy at Matt Cassel’s expense. “We are athletes, OK? We are athletes. We are not gladiators. This is not the Roman Coliseum. People pay their hard-earned money when they come in here, and I believe they can boo, they can cheer and they can do whatever they want. I believe that,” Winston said. “We are lucky to play this game. People, it’s hard economic times, and they still pay the money to do this.” This is true. Fans pay good money for tickets. You guys make a lot of money. Why can’t I cheer for what I want, whenever I want? Not quite so, the lineman says, referring in part to the long-lasting impact of concussions on players that’s still being studied, even while some retired athletes struggle to fully function and others choose suicide over disability. “But when somebody gets hurt, there are long-lasting ramifications to the game we play. I’ve already kind of come to the understanding that I won’t live as long because I play this game, and that’s OK. That’s a choice I’ve made and a choice all of us have made.” Winston continues. “But when you cheer, when you cheer somebody getting knocked out, I don’t care who it is — and it just so happened to be Matt Cassel — it’s sickening. It’s 100 percent sickening. I’ve been in some rough times on some rough...
by Hunter Patterson | Apr 18, 2012 | Sports
Over 120 Nashville Predators fans waited outside of Signature Terminal in the early hours of Wednesday morning to welcome their hockey team back to the city the team calls “Smashville.” Why? Because It’s The Cup. The 2012 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs’ tagline is reason enough for fans to welcome their team back to their hometown at 1 a.m. after a game. However, the team gave the fans more reason to show up Wednesday. When the Predators landed at approximately 12:35 a.m. the team was fresh off two wins at Joe Louis Arena, the arena of the Detroit Red Wings. The two wins put Nashville (3-1) in position to win the series on Friday at their home rink, Bridgestone Arena. Some fans showed up as early as 10:00, knowing the team would not land for at least two more hours. The weather cooperated, but was by no means perfect at a misty, brisk, 52 degrees. The fans waited. Because It’s The Cup. When the team finally walked out the doors of the terminal, the inspired crowd gave each member of the hockey team as well as coaches, staff members and front office people an ovation that sounded like it could have easily came from 501 Broadway instead of 960 Hangar Lane. Why? Because It’s The Cup. Television news crews and folks with iPhones captured the moment when Predators enforcer Brian McGrattan walked through the line of people. Head coach Barry Trotz and his assistants Peter Horacek and Lane Lambert soon followed. The foursome passed out fist-bumps with wide smiles. Other players took an alternate route, dodging the crowd hoping to...
