When Mother Nature Doesn't Care About Your Baseball Game

((HT: KCRG-TV))

The line of storms that has put a lot of the upper Midwest under water the last two days caused some serious issues in Cedar Rapids, Iowa at the Kernels Midwest League game Monday against the Clinton Lumber Kings.

Members of the Kernels staff were injured when 80-mile-per-hour winds blew the tarp over them as they tried to pull it over the infield. The injuries included three concussions and assistant General Manager Scott Wilson dislocated his left shoulder.

Here's the video of when the storm showed up 10 minutes early...

BREAKING La Liga: Stands Collapse During Real Betis-Osasuna Match

((HT: beINSports/DirectoTV))

It's relegation day in La Liga, the Spanish soccer league and as is their wont, all teams that are in the relegation battle start their games simultaneously.

The Real Betis-Osasuna match is a must-win for Osasuna as Real is already relegated.

In the 15th minute, when the home team scored the end zone stands where supporters were standing collapsed in the crush of celebration. The game was suspended as, early on, players for both teams were trying to evacuate the injured out from under the crush of fans trying to gather themselves.

Here's video of the incident...


The game was suspended pending the clearing of the injured and the stadium accident and resumed a half-hour after the accident. There was no immediate word of any serious injuries from Red Cross personnel on site.

Ian Paul Joy's Twitter via beInSports, has a shot of the crush...

Yellow-jacketed security guards were positioned in the end zone to replace the fencing and keep fans off the pitch. With the 35 minutes delay, all La Liga matches decided to take the delay and finish simultaneously.

More when we know more...

1430 UPDATE: Osasuna would go on to beat Betis 2-1, but they will be relegated along with Valladolid after their 1-0 loss to Grenada. Almeria and Getafe stay up with their efforts.

Piers Morgan Flames Out In Cricket Challenge

((HT: The Score/Cricket Australia))

TV host Piers Morgan must have thought that the sport of cricket wasn't all that tough...

So, Brett Lee, who has been clocked at over 100mph went head-to-head with Piers on "The Cricket Show."

Lee hit him four times, Morgan fell over once, left with a cracked wrist, a bruised rib, and a welt on his head.

Here's the segment...


Told you that you'd dig it...

2 Injured As Woman Jumps From Top Section In Oakland

((HT: KGO-TV))

What motivated a woman to jump from the 300 section of the Oakland Coliseum is still a mystery. But, what is certain, is that the Marine that tried to catch her- and injured himself seriously in the process- saved her life...

The woman's injuries are said to be far more serious still- even critical.
Authorities do admit she would have died immediately had it not been for the man who broke her fall of 30 feet.

Here's the look from O.co

Bills Fan Falls From Upper Deck Onto Fan In Lower Level (VIDEO)

((HT: Terez Owens/NFL on CBS))

And, yes, the video does exist...
Look in the upper left corner of the screen before the close-up...


The Bills fan slides along the upper ledge and falls, landing on a fan in the middle level...

The Buffalo News is reporting that an ambulance report from Rural/Metro Medical Services said that the man who fell suffered a shoulder injury and that the man he struck had a head injury.

The Erie County (NY) Sheriff’s Office said that a report on the incident would be issued later today.

OSG High: 6 Teens Injured In Car Crash, Some Recent HS Football Grads

((HT: Statesboro Herald/Bragg))

This has not been a good off-season for Georgia high school football...

Recently, the HQ has had to report on the death of three Brooks County (GA) football players in a truck crash. Now, we shift to just south of Augusta and where six teens — five that were on the Screven County (GA) High roster last year — were injured in a crash early Sunday morning.

Some are recovering from serious injuries, but two remain in the hospital awaiting surgery, according to friends and family.

And, frankly, looking at how the Georgia State Patrol has described the accident, the Hq has no idea how any of these people survived the crash...

Here's what the GSP says happened:

The accident report says the truck was traveling “at an extremely high rate of speed” when it went off the road onto the south shoulder and into a ditch.

The truck traveled in the ditch around 624 feet before striking a private driveway with its undercarriage, becoming airborne.

The truck traveled 57 feet in the air before striking a small tree.

Then it traveled 72 feet, hit a fence, entered a pasture where it traveled 336 feet before striking a second fence.

The truck began spinning counterclockwise, moving another 48 feet, before striking a second tree with its side.

Then it rotated clockwise another 18 feet before stopping in a wooded area.

Chance Harkins, a Gamecocks DB last season and enrolled at the University of the Cumberlands, was slated for surgery Monday for pelvic injuries, but it has been pushed back to Wednesday because of other surgeries in the hospital that he is currently in- according to his father, Shayne's, Facebook page. Harkins also suffered head trauma.

Both Harkins and TJ Heinemeyer (pictured, right from his Facebook page) suffered head injuries and were listed in

critical condition. Jeffrey Friese also suffered head injuries as he was behind the wheel of a Ford pick-up early Sunday morning.

Passengers in the truck were Harkins, Heinemeyer, Hyrum Robert “Bobby” Hodges, Dylan Edward Koch, and a 16-year-old minor

Heinemeyer and Friese, who graduated from Screven County High last year, were listed as offensive linemen.
Koch, a 2013 grad, was listed as a linebacker and suffered "upper body injuries," and the 16-year-old, whose lower body was injured, was listed as a wide receiver.

Holly Bragg caught up with Holly J. Smith- a mother whose daughter is friends with some of the injured:

From Smith through Bragg on Monday night:

“TJ (Heinemeyer) hasn’t shown any improvement. Chance (Harkins) is doing a little better. They both need surgery, but the brain injuries are the priorities. (The 16-year-old’s) surgery went well and he is resting and hungry. Jeffrey (Friese) and his family went home so he could rest. Dylan (Koch) is staying at the hospital to be by Chance’s side and Bobby (Hodges) is still the hero.”

Hodges reportedly helped responding troopers identify the others in the truck, she said.

All six were taken to a hospital in the Screven County seat of Sylvania. But some were transported to Georgia Regents Medical Center in Augusta.

Harkins, Friese and Koch are charged with not wearing a seat belt, according to GSP reports. Friese is also charged with DUI, reckless driving and failure to maintain lane.

More when we know more...

Mark Fraser Takes One Between The Eyes (UPDATED)

((HT: CBC/NHL))

This isn't pretty... and the HQ doesn't have an update yet on Fraser's condition...


The Leafs have needed Fraser's sandpaper this series and they're shorthanded enough already. James Reimer even looks like he's hurting a little bit after the second period barrage from the Bruins...

More when we know more...

2200 UPDATE: From CBC's Andi Petrillo and her Twitter

Scott Oake elaborated early in the overtime to Jim Hughson that during the overtime intermission, Fraser was spotted leaving the building in street clothes under his own power, presumably to hospital...

After the game, Leafs head coach Randy Carlyle said in his post game presser that Fraser was sent to hospital for a CT scan to see if there were any broken bones in his forehead.

DEVELOPING: Jays JA Happ Hit In Head With Line Drive (UPDATED More Than Once)

((HT: Sportsnet/MLB))

First, here's what happened...
It's not pretty...


The latest:

Happ was transported to hospital after 11 minutes of treatment on the field after getting struck on the side of the head after a pitch was hit back to him off the bat of the Rays Desmond Jennings.

Scary stat from Globe and Mail's Tom Maloney... the play where Cleveland Indians pitcher Herb Score was hit by a Gil McDougal line drive was exactly 56 years ago.

The only update, as of 2300 HRS comes from Heidi Watney where the Blue Jays themselves say "he's still undergoing tests. He was conscious in the ambulance on the way to the hospital..."

More when we know more...

WEDNESDAY UPDATE: From Shi Davidi and his Twitter

Happ discharged from hospital with bandage on his head and brace on right knee

He was diagnosed with a fractured skull that he is told will heal on its own. He also tweaked his right knee in the incident.
Happ held a press conference at the Trop earlier Wednesday and he admits that he feels really fortunate...
((HT: Sportsnet))

OSG High: Another Call To Ban Football

((HT: WBZ-TV Boston))

This topic crops up every once in a while... and it continues to be tiresome...

Old people wanting to ban football because of the preponderance of head injuries...

This time it's another doctor in Dover, New Hampshire who just happens to be on a school board. Dr. Paul Butler said the following at a Board of Education meeting:

“I am suggesting that we try to stop the game of football in Dover..."

The literature on head injuries in football is getting increasingly clear. The game is dangerous for our brains.”

Butler is an ex-football player on both the high school and college levels, so he claims that he has a base of knowledge to make his opinion- an opinion that he knows is a minority thought.

Here's Ken MacLeod talking about it and catching up with life at practice in Dover...


The HQ knows that the idea of blowing up football is an extreme opinion, and one that isn't likely to have a lot of traction- ever.

We also know that as long as high school aged athletes still have issues and aren't taught the proper fundamentals when they participate the problem will continue.

The middle ground here will be the place that ideas are figured out, but we also know that this is a world of extremes and compromise doens't come easily or lightly.