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Teen Concussion Rate Rising Significantly

By Scott Maier/University of California-San Francisco

The number of Americans diagnosed with concussions is growing, most significantly in adolescents, according to researchers at UC San Francisco. They recommend that adolescents be prioritized for ongoing work in concussion education, diagnosis, treatment and prevention.
The new findings appear online in the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine.
“Our study evaluated a large cross-section of the U.S. population,” said lead author Alan Zhang, MD, UCSF Health orthopaedic surgeon. “We were surprised to see that the increase in concussion cases over the past few years mainly were from adolescent patients aged 10 to 19.”

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Posted on August 31, 2016

Breakfast In America: The Guaranteed Rate EPL

By Eric Emery

Last week the Chicago White Sox announced a name change to their pedestrian field. Apparently, the mountain of cash lessened concerns about tying the club’s image to an economic sector with a pretty bad image.
The good news is that the White Sox will have more money to spend on free agents. And when I say free agents, I mean more 30-some-year-old retreads who want one more chance at glory – or one last payday.
In the English Premier League, clubs are preparing for Wednesday’s closing of the transfer window, after which teams cannot sign a new player until January. Some clubs have a mountain of cash. Some clubs have cash from selling players days and weeks earlier. Still others are called Hull City and even though they have six points in three games, the current owners are trying to sell the club and they don’t want to spend any money.
The good news is that there is time to monetize something, anything, to pay for a new player by Wednesday. By following the White Sox’s example, here are some ideas:

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Posted on August 30, 2016

SportsMonday: Bearly There

By Jim Coffman

Who decided that under no circumstances should starters play in the final NFL exhibition games? And who made that guy king?
This is another instance of dim-witted groupthink among American sports media. It has become an ironclad assumption: Football teams must not allow their starters to play in the fourth exhibition game.
If ever a team needed to think for itself, it is the 2016 Bears. Who could possibly surmise that this team’s offense is so ready for the regular season that it shouldn’t have its starters play at least several series’ at Cleveland on Thursday night? That would be their best opportunity to practice against a foe that is trying to do damage. We don’t really think that happens during intrasquad practices, do we?

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Posted on August 29, 2016

Onesies & Wine Cork

By Marty Gangler

Okay, people. I hate to break it to you, but we may be really close to the best part of this season. This stretch run now should be just great to watch as fans. Just think about it.
Once the Cubs clinch this thing, the games will feel different, kind of meaningless actually. There will be super wacky lineups and kids coming up from the minors when the rosters expand in September and all of that.

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Posted on August 29, 2016

Chili Sell-Off

By Roger Wallenstein

Let’s skip ahead for a moment to the 2017 baseball season.
With two box seat tickets in his pocket, the Old Man tells his wife, “We’re going to the G-spot tonight.”
“Aw, Honey,” she responds, “I’m too tired, and I have to get up early tomorrow.”
“Not that G-spot,” he says. “I mean the ballgame. Sox Park. Quintana’s pitching and it’s Luke Appling Bobblehead Night.”

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Posted on August 29, 2016

TrackNotes: Touting The Travers

By Thomas Chambers

You know that forest and trees thing?
TrackNotes will wax, but how many are really watching these races?
Just imagine how many people hang on every word a Carmelo Anthony spews when, in the end, it doesn’t amount to a hill of unsoaked and unsalted beans.
It can be lonely on the Thoroughbred beat, with reminders every Monday morning. “Did you see California Chrome?” While that name rings a faint bell, it’s always no, they wide-eyed with the Cubs. Pavlovian preparation for the Bears. “Nine wins and no playoffs, again,” they say. I say four wins, tops, and think to myself how programmed Chicagoans are to the Bears, and why Las Vegas makes so much money off of them.

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Posted on August 27, 2016

The 2016 Fantasy Fix Football Draft Guide Pt. 4: Throwing Deep

QBs are getting drafted later than ever. Just last season, there were arguments to take Andrew Luck in the first round, but look where that got you.
This season, the emphasis is all on top-tier WRs. When you have one or two of those, the thinking goes, grab the best RB you can find. Then, maybe in the fourth round, take a QB . . . unless you want to go WR or RB again.
Here are my top 20 QBs:

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Posted on August 25, 2016

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