By MICHAEL FRANCA<\/p>\n
The NFL season began with a match-up between last season\u2019s Super Bowl finalists \u2013 the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers.<\/p>\n
The game was a close affair that came down to a last-second field goal attempt by the Panthers. After a strategic icing of the kicker by Broncos Coach Gary Kubiak, Graham Gano pulled his 50-yard attempt wide left.<\/p>\n
This game provided more story lines than just the final score, however.<\/p>\n
Following the defeat, reporters asked reigning MVP Cam Newton about concussion testing he seemed to be receiving on the sideline.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t remember,\u201d he said, \u201cToo much going through my head right now.\u201d<\/p>\n
While it may be possible Newton was just too busy to recall the kind of questions he was asked, many news media outlets appear to be questioning it. The concern is that his foggy memory is a result of the repeated blows to the head he took during the game.<\/p>\n
Newton was knocked around\u00a0throughout the affair and looked shaken-up on more than one occasion.<\/p>\n
Traditionally, cases similar to this one would go unnoticed and unreported, but things are different this time.<\/p>\n
While Newton\u2019s stardom certainly played a part in the coverage, it was likely not the only factor. A growing public awareness of concussions and the effects of repeated head trauma in the NFL has led to a much-needed sensitivity on the topic.<\/p>\n
What once was considered, \u201cjust a part of football,\u201d is now being recognized for the major issue it truly is.<\/p>\n
Thanks to some shoddy refereeing, most of the helmet-to-helmet hits were not penalized. This has opened the referees up to warranted public criticism.<\/p>\n
If they can\u2019t protect the NFL\u2019s brightest star, who can they protect?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By MICHAEL FRANCA The NFL season began with a match-up between last season\u2019s Super Bowl finalists \u2013 the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers. The game was a close affair that came down to a last-second field goal attempt by the … Continue reading