In trying to decide what to write about this week I had trouble concentrating. Obviously, I could write about the Rangers and their quest to get back to the post season. I could write about the Cowboys and their quest to keep their head above water until Romo and Dez get back. But I can’t focus on either one of those things because I am too pissed off.
I sat with my son Kal today as Dr. Keith Meister showed us the results of a MRI. To my shock and dismay Kal has a torn ACL. I have reported on so many MRIs, so many ACLs. But for obvious reasons, none have pissed me off like this one.
I am pissed because the diagnosis means he is going to miss the basketball season. Regular readers of this space will recall that he 
won a state championship in basketball as a freshman. He is a basketball player. We have discouraged him from playing football for just this reason.
I am pissed at athletes at the high school level who have no respect for the career or health of an opponent. Kal was playing defensive end when this kid blocked him so low that his helmet and shoulder pads made a direct hit on my son’s knee. As if that wasn’t enough, the kid brought his arm down bending the knee the other way. The helmet and shoulder pads actually left bruises on the bone that are visible on the MRI. Nate Newton has told me countless times that at the NFL level, and even in college, blocking someone in the knees is just not done because it could end a career. Not much is sacred on the gridiron, but at the highest level knees are. To me going after an opponent’s knee is a chicken “s” way to play.
I am pissed at the coach who let this kid play that way. Our team could clearly see the illegal chop block on game film. I am sure they could too and I doubt anything was said about it except, “good block young man.” No it wasn’t! It was an illegal block and a cheap shot. I must admit I am not pissed at the referee, there is a lot going on out there and it is impossible to see and call everything.
I am pissed at peer pressure which finally won out. Knowing this was a big year in basketball Kal had decided not to play football this year. But his buddies were begging him to come out again this year. His injury occurred in just the third game of the season.
And I am pissed that my wife was so right. When he announced that he had decided to belatedly join his buddies on the football team she said, “bad idea.” I said, “Oh don’t worry honey. Football will just get him in better shape for basketball.” I hate being this wrong.
Well I got that off my chest, thanks for letting me vent and Let’s Go Rangers.
