Gatorade National Football Player of the Year: Johnathan Gray
Former NFL MVP and New York Jets Running Back LaDainian Tomlinson Surprises Standout with Elite Honor
In its 27th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPNHS, announced Johnathan Gray of Aledo High School (Aledo, Texas) as its 2011-12 Gatorade National Football Player of the Year.
The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Gray as the nation’s best high school football player. A national advisory panel comprised of sport-specific experts and sports journalists helped select Gray from more than 1.1 million high school football players nationwide. Gray is now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade Male High School Athlete of the Year award, to be presented at a special afternoon ceremony prior to The ESPY Awards in July. Read more
NCAA Division One Top 10 Finalists Announced for National ARA Sportsmanship Award
The results are in for this year’s top 10 finalists for the Awards and Recognition Association (ARA) seventh annual sportsmanship award www.arasportsmanshipaward.com, given to one outstanding NCAA Division I collegiate football player who best personifies the spirit of sportsmanship.
The 2011 Sportsmanship Award recipient will be chosen from 10 finalists and announced this November.
“This year’s candidates are an outstanding bunch, there is no shortage of positive role-model athletes,” according to former Brigham Young University Head Football Coach LaVell Edwards who chairs the selection committee.
Previous winners are Arizona Cardinals and former University of Texas defensive end, Sam Acho (2010); Miami Dolphin and former Kansas State University tight end, Jeron Mastrud (2009), Chicago Bears and former Northwestern University receiver Eric Peterman (2008); Winnipeg Blue Bombers and former Washington State quarterback Alex Brink (2007); Cincinnati Bengels and former Rutgers University fullback, Brian Leonard (2006) and, Carolina Panthers and former University of Memphis running back, DeAngelo Williams (2005). Read more
Dallas Cowboys are Again America’s Favorite Football Team
Pittsburgh Steelers move up to 2nd and Green Bay Packers remain at 3rd on the list
As summer ended, there was a sense of trepidation in the air for football fans. Would the arrival of fall also mean the arrival of professional football or would the lock-out continue? Luckily, all that was impacted was the pre-season and the season began on time. And, for the fifth year in a row, the Dallas Cowboys are the favorite team of adults who follow professional football.
The Pittsburgh Steelers move up from 4th last year to number 2 on the list while the Green Bay Packers remain at number 3. Rounding out the top five favorite football teams are the New England Patriots who move up from number 6 to number 4 and “da” Bears who move up from number 9 last year to 5th this year.
These are some of the results of The Harris Poll of 2,462 adults surveyed online between September 12 and 19, 2011 by Harris Interactive. Read more
Fans Select Mark Ingram as NCAA Football 12 Cover Athlete
Heisman Trophy Winner Becomes First Fan-Selected Cover Athlete in Franchise History
Electronic Arts announced Mark Ingram, former University of Alabama running back, has been chosen by fans to be featured on the cover of EA SPORTS NCAA Football 12, set to hit retail shelves on Tuesday, July 12. The NCAA Football 12 “U Want ME” campaign was the first-ever online consumer vote for a cover athlete in franchise history.
Throughout the month of March, fans logged on to the EA SPORTS NCAA Football Facebook page to vote for one of four standouts from the 2010 college football season – Auburn University defensive lineman, Nick Fairley, University of Alabama running back, Mark Ingram, University of Oklahoma running back, DeMarco Murray, and University of Washington quarterback, Jake Locker. More than 140,000 votes were cast, and in the end, Mark Ingram became the first fan-voted cover athlete in NCAA Football franchise history.
Following his outstanding 2009 season, Ingram captured college football’s two biggest prizes: the Heisman Trophy and the National Championship. During a decorated career at Alabama, Ingram rushed for more than 3,000 yards and 42 touchdowns, including 17 touchdowns and more than 1,600 yards during his Heisman Trophy-winning sophomore season. In Alabama’s 37-21 victory over Texas in the 2010 BCS National Championship Game, Ingram capped his sophomore season by scoring two touchdowns and rushing for 116 yards on 22 carries, being named the Offensive MVP.
NCAA Football 12 takes the journey of the college athlete to the next level of depth and authenticity. Experience the pride and pageantry of gameday Saturday like never before as players go from high school superstar to top college player to head coach in the Road to Glory and Dynasty modes. With an enhanced in-game presentation, new traditions, and an all-new collision system, players make an impact by leading their team to the National Championship in NCAA Football 12.
Developed in Orlando, Florida by EA Tiburon, and licensed by The Collegiate Licensing Company, NCAA Football 12 will be available on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system and the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system.
Legislation to Protect the Brains of Young Football Players
A bipartisan bill aimed at decreasing the concussion rate in youth and high school football players by improving helmet safety was introduced to Congress on Wednesday, in recognition of Brain Injury Awareness Day.
Senator Tom Udall (D—NM) and Congressman Bill Pascrell (D—NJ) sponsored the bill, which would give companies that make football helmets for youth and high school athletes nine months to improve helmet safety standards. If they fail to do so, the Consumer Product Safety Commission would be required to set standards. The bill would also enforce stricter penalties for companies that make false safety claims.
At a press conference with the bill sponsors, Nancy Chiaravalloti, PhD, Director of Neuroscience Research at Kessler Foundation in West Orange, N.J., explained the medical implications of concussions: “Concussions are brain injuries that impact the brain permanently…with every concussion, you are weakening the connections in the brain. Repeat concussions increase the risk of mild cognitive impairment [problems with thinking, learning and memory] and depression later in life, as well as illnesses such as Alzheimer’s Disease.”
Rep. Pascrell, co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force, said, “We want our children to be active and athletic, but in the safest possible circumstances right down to the helmets they put on their heads. This bill is the logical next step in Congress’ effort to protect our young athletes from brain injuries.” In September, the U.S. House of Representatives passed Rep. Pascrell’s Concussion Treatment and Care Tools Act, which calls for national protocols to be established for the management of sports-related concussions.
A concussion is caused by a blow or jolt to the head. The concussion rate for young athletes has doubled in the past decade. According to WebMD, 40% of the approximately 250,000 sports-related head injury cases seen in the emergency room between 2001 and 2005 were children, ages 8-13 years.
A study by the National Association of Injury Prevention, released in January 2011, reported that 47% of high school football players endure a concussion in one season while 35% have multiple concussions in a season. Approximately 85% of concussions, however, remain undetected.
Kessler Foundation Research Center conducts groundbreaking research, examining the medical, rehabilitation, cognitive and functional problems associated with acquired brain injury and related conditions.