A New Legacy: Alex Smith Traded To Kansas City

One thing is for sure: Kansas City will no longer be the worst team in the league.

Say what you will about the coaching inadequacies, the inconsistent offensive line or how great quarterbacks transform into players depressing of mediocrity; but at the end of the day it can’t be denied that Alex Smith brings inspirational hope and drive to a team that needs it desperately.

In a move that was frankly unsurprising, the Kansas City Chiefs sacrificed their 2^nd round draft pick for this years NFL draft, along with relinquishing a mid-round pick for the 2014 draft to obtain the highly touted and effective Alex Smith.

Not only did Kansas City get this under appreciated player at a bargain, but also San Francisco was able to bolster its draft options by retaining over 12 picks for this year’s draft.  This will allow them to bolster their offensive line even further, while allowing them to effectively bring in young defensive talent.  As a result, the defensive legacy of the 49ers will continue to flourish and will be the prominent crux for how tough and consistent this team will be in the coming years.

However, while this deal would appear to be a match made in heaven for the Chiefs, consider how their most recent quarterback acquisition, Matt Cassel, fared after leaving the New England Patriots.

In his first year with the Chiefs, Matt Cassel posted lackluster numbers with 16 touchdowns and 16 interceptions respectively.  However, in his second year Matt Cassel flourished as the centerpiece of the Kansas City offense by throwing 27 touchdowns and only 10 interceptions in a highly successful season that allowed the Chiefs to gain a wild card playoff berth (which they subsequently lost to the Baltimore Ravens).

Unfortunately, Matt Cassel proved less than stellar in the 2011 season by not only failing to maintain consistency from one season to the next, but was also forced to relinquish his responsibilities to the back up Tyler Palko at the time after he injured his hand in week 10 of the regular season.  This effectively ended the Chiefs aspirations of being professionally relevant and ultimately, plunged them back down the rabbit hole into an everlasting state of tragic mediocrity once again.

Now, with the a new quarterback in town which undoubtedly brings a new sense of confidence and hope comes the possibility of an unmitigated disaster that fans simply can’t deal with anymore.  This is a city that takes pride in their sports teams despite lacking any recent accolades.  They have an unwavering faith that is a borderline religious commitment of the highest order.  While this may put tremendous pressure on Alex Smith to not only succeed but to ultimately excel where many others have failed, the fact of the matter is that it should.

 

Being a successful quarterback is more than just getting the necessary wins or throwing the game winning touchdown to clinch a playoff berth; its about being able to overcome adversity and to be self confident enough to shake off the bad moments in order to fight valiantly to gain the victories when they matter most. 

In San Francisco, despite the hatred and the malcontent Alex Smith had to deal with when it seemed he was the definition of a scrub, he was able to push through this pessimism to become one of the most accurate and well-poised quarterbacks in the league.

Whether or not Alex Smith can bring this solidified mentality to the worn and torn Kansas City Chiefs still remains to be seen.  But if any quarterbacks knows how to disprove the naysayers and can bring a competitive edge to team with great athletic potential, it’s Alex Smith.

Can The Lakers Still Make The Playoffs?

Yes. Yes they can.

Despite the inconsistencies that have plagued this team on the court, coupled with a temperamental Dwight Howard along with Pau Gasol’s untimely injury, The Lakers still have a chance to squeak into the playoffs.

While The Lakers regular season efforts can be described as a death trap roller coaster without an emergency brake, their recent athletic displays seem to suggest otherwise.

Ever since the all-star break, The Lakers have finally displayed their ability to function both cohesively and effectively on both sides of the ball.  Even Dwight Howard, supposedly one of the best centers in the league, finally stepped up and played with a determined gusto and athletic perseverance that fans have been waiting for and expecting all season long.

 

Not only has Dwight Howard stepped up his game to another level, but Kobe has also gone back to his roots of shooting first and asking questions later.  In last night’s home game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Kobe scored a season high of 40 points as smoothly and consistently as he once did in the past.  While this performance is nothing short of impressive, the question of whether or not The Lakers can stay grounded and play this type of basketball throughout the rest of the regular season still remains unanswered.

The only way this team that is studded with a plethora superstars can hope to have a chance of making their elusive playoff dreams come true is to play unselfishly and more importantly, to let bygones be bygones and narrow their focus on one singular and necessary goal: win the next game.

While The Lakers have always been expected to be athletically dominate year in and year out, this year, that mentality has changed.  Gone is the pretentious attitude that winning will come without contest and that making the playoffs is something that is innately deserved because of their proven reputation.

In its place is now an understood mentality of do or die.  It comes down to either pursuing necessary survival, or giving up and letting the disappointments become an utterly embarrassing reality.

As long as there is one more game to play, one more shot to take, one last opportunity to not just prove the critics wrong but to prove to themselves that they deserve a shot at making a splash in the playoffs, then no mater what happens, The Los Angeles Lakers will find a way to break through the barriers of doubt and adversity no matter what it takes.

Top 10 Quarterbacks Of The 2012-2013 Season

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10. Matt Schaub        Age: 31           CMP%: 64.3   Yds: 4008      TD: 22              INT: 12

At the beginning of the season Matt Schaub would have easily been at the top of this list.  Not only was he sufficiently accurate and well composed under pressure, on top of that, he had a stellar defense led by the quick and imposing defensive end J.J. Watt.  Unfortunately, the Houston Texans dropped three of their last four games by a margin of at least twelve points.  While this didn’t hinder their playoff chances, the team that was once offensively and defensively aggressive in every sense of the word, lacked the ability to be as imposing as they once were.  Once Matt Schaub stopped performing at a high level, the rest of team went down with him.

9. Russell Wilson      Age: 24      CMP%: 64.1     Yds: 3118   TD: 26       INT: 10

One of the biggest surprises to come out of the 2012 draft, quarterback Russell Wilson is by far one of the most competitive rookies I have ever seen.  Not only did he have to beat out former Green Bay Packer, Matt Flynn for the starting position, in Seattle, but he also had to acclimate himself to a team that had lacked a compelling passing game for sometime.  While he was little shaky in the beginning, he continued to improve from game to game.  He displayed athletic poise within the pocket, and eventually became a dynamic player who could also gracefully avoid defensive pressure while creating improvised plays on the fly.

8. Colin Kaepernick    Age: 25   CMP%: 62.4    Yds: 1814    TD: 10   INT:  3

A seemingly uncalculated mistake, which eventually became a highly respected promotion, Colin Kaepernick is nothing short of an athletic wunderkind.  Despite becoming the starting quarterback at the tail end of the season, Kaepernick exceeded expectations by not only throwing the ball accurately, but also by being able to effectively implement the new up and coming offensive scheme, the pistol.  Week in and week out, Kaepernick used his slight of hand tricks and quickness to confuse defenses which seemed to be simply unstoppable.  Even though Kaepernick was unable to finish his short legacy with a Super Bowl victory, you can bet that come next season, he’ll only be more efficient and effective than he was before.

7. Robert Griffin III   Age: 23     CMP%: 65.6   Yds: 3200   TD: 20   INT: 5

While there are numerous stand out rookie performances that were simply stellar, the success and ability of Robert Griffin III is miraculous.  This young man, with his high quarterback IQ and dual threat athletic ability, was able to breathe new life into a franchise that hadn’t been relevant in nearly two decades.  While the Redskins got off to a slow and unimpressive 3-6 start within the first half of the season, they were able to bounce back by winning seven straight games, sweeping division opponents Dallas and Philadelphia in the process.  Unfortunately, RGIII’s triumphant story came to a bitter end when he was injured during the wild card game against the Seattle Seahawks.  While this may have been a tough pill for Redskins fans to swallow, they can be rest assured that without a doubt they have a legitimate franchise quarterback that will consistently lead them to numerous post-season victories throughout his upcoming career.

6. Drew Brees    Age: 34   CMP%: 63.0     Yds: 5177   TD: 43    INT: 19

Despite a lackluster 7-9 record for the season, which resulted in the Saints surprisingly missing the playoffs, Drew Brees still continues to play on a high level.  While his completion percentage is decidedly low compared to his last seasons unwavering accuracy, Brees was still able to throw for more touchdowns and yards than any other quarterback in the league.  However, a despicably atrocious defense crippled the Saints ability to retain leads and for Drew Brees to find potential consistency throughout multiple drives.  The Saints can take comfort in the fact that not only will Sean Peyton be returning as their head coach, but also that they were able to secure Rob Ryan as the new defensive coordinator.  While the Saints may never be defensive juggernauts even with these drastic changes, as long as Drew Brees remains at the helm of the offense, this team will continue to compete at an unprecedented level.

 

5. Joe Flacco   Age: 28     CMP%:  59.7    Yds: 3817   TD: 22   INT:  10

Joe Flacco is by no means a stellar regular season threat.  While Flacco didn’t throw nearly as many interceptions as some quarterbacks, he did sport one of the worst QBR ratings of all time at a 0.3 when the Denver Broncos decimated the Ravens.  However, once the regular season ended and the post season began, an entirely new and gifted player rose from the ashes of mediocrity and inconsistency.  Not only did Joe Flacco throw for 11 TD’s and no interceptions, but also he did it against the best defensive team in the AFC (Denver) and once again toppled one of the most deadly passers in the game (Tom Brady and The Patriots).  If Joe Flacco can bring this cold blooded and ruthless confidence for the upcoming regular season there is no question in my mind that The Ravens have a compelling chance to make back to the Super Bowl.

 

4. Matt Ryan   Age: 27    CMP%: 68.6  Yds: 4719   TD:  32   INT: 14

Looking at Matt Ryan’s impressive stats, it is highly disconcerting and unbelievable that he has only won one playoff game throughout his career in Atlanta.  Despite their impressive regular accolades and NFC leading record of 13-3, the Falcons lack a powerful defensive front that is unable to bring consistent pressure throughout the course of a single game.  While Ryan had the ability to make up for this blemish with pin point accuracy and consistency, the only way he’ll ever compete in the Big Dance is if the rest of team is able to match his lofty and necessary standards.

3. Peyton Manning   Age: 36   CMP%: 68.6   Yds: 4659   TD: 37  INT: 11

What is there to say about this iconic superstar that hasn’t already been said?  He’s accurate. He’s highly consistent during the regular season.  He never makes the same mistake twice. The only downside with Peyton Manning is his relative inconsistency in the post season.  While he did win the Super Bowl in 2006, his post-season resume is unremarkable.  Throughout his career, Peyton is 9-12 after the regular season, which is certainly unusual considering his unwavering abilities in every other facet of the game.  Even with these criticisms, it’s hard to detest Peyton’s uncanny leadership abilities that effectively seem to drastically improve both team unity and competitiveness as a whole.  However, Peyton’s years as being the poster child for what it means to be a successful quarterback are wearing thin.  At best, he has two years left to match up his regular season milestones with his post season woes.

2. Tom Brady   Age: 35   CMP%: 63.0   Yds: 4827   TD: 34   INT: 8

 With three Super Bowl championships under his belt it would be hard to definitively argue that Tom Brady is less than a top five quarterback.  Out of all the players on this list, Tom Brady conveys the most poise and effectiveness with minimal mistakes.  However, like Peyton Manning, Brady has as of recently struggled in his post-season endeavors.  While he has made it farther on a more consistent basis, ever since the Spygate scandal, Tom Brady has seemingly lost his clutch ability to finish what he started especially when it has come to his recent Super Bowl appearances (lost to Giants at the 2007 and 2011 Super Bowls).  As long as the New England Patriots can retain their offensive weapons and Brady continues dominate in regular season play, it would seem inevitable that the Patriots are capable of capturing one final championship before the Brady era concludes.

1. Aaron Rodgers   Age: 29   CMP%: 67.2   Yds: 4295   TD: 39   INT: 8

While some would consider this a stagnant year for the nearly flawless Aaron Rodgers, in terms of the rest of the league it is a feat that many desire to accomplish but can never fully achieve.  Besides Tom Brady and Robert Griffin III, Aaron Rodgers is the only quarterback that has thrown single digits in interceptions (8) while producing more than four times this number in touchdowns thrown (39).  Simply put, Rodgers is as close to a flawless quarterback track record as you can get to without being inhuman.  If the Green Bay Packers can find some answers on the defensive side of the ball and establish a half decent running game, Aaron Rodgers could very well be the next Joe Montana coming into the prime of his illustrious career.

Ravens Free Agency: Trimming The Fat And Then Some

Team cohesion wins championships.

While having the best statistical players can initially strengthen the core of how a team performs, in order to have the emotional and mental discipline to excel beyond the regular season it is a necessity to have a team that is able to bond through immense adversity.

This is how the Ravens were able to overcome the odds and become world champions when no one believed that they would be able to accomplish this lofty feat.  However, with the offseason upon us comes the inevitable and difficult question: Who stays and who goes?

For the Baltimore Ravens, the answer to this foreboding question is not easy because it requires, one way or another, for sacrifices to be made. 

It would seem obvious that the aspect the Ravens need to keep consistent and prestigious is the defense.  Since the departure of Ray Lewis, this team is looking for a leader and a defensive mastermind to take over where the innovative left off.  So far, the most likely player to take over these leadership responsibilities is long time Baltimore safety Ed Reed.

While Reed has proven his ability as a player to consistently be able to read quarterbacks and to quickly make the big defensive players with over 61 interceptions throughout his career (7 returned for touchdowns) it can’t be denied that Reed is on the other side of the curve when it comes to his abilities.

At 34, Reed is past the prime of his career, especially as a defensive player, most of who only average around six to seven years in the NFL.  On top of that, super bowl MVP Joe Flacco has earned himself a hefty long term contact upwards of $18 million annually, which would potentially squander any hopes of Reed making more or even the same amount of money he has made in previous years.

While this is a depressing sentiment, lets consider another free agent who not only stepped in for Ray Lewis during his rehabilitation from a triceps injury but who also excelled at the MLB position: Dannell Ellerbe

He’s young, quick and overall consistent in his ability to pressure the quarterback and to make the clutch plays in short yardage situations.  With over 170 tackles and 5.5 sacks throughout the year, it seems clear that Ellerbe’s best years are still ahead of him. 

Other defensive free agents include cornerback Cary Williams (solid regular season, lackluster post season) and outside linebacker Paul Kruger (exceptionally consistent throughout the regular and post season).

The offensive free agents of The Ravens are not quite as broad or plentiful but are still nevertheless essential to this teams identity moving forward.

Joe Flacco, one of the best post season quarterbacks to play the game (tied Joe Montana for most touchdowns without an interception in the post season) is more likely than not going to get the payday he’s been waiting for since before the regular season of last year.  While this may seem like the second coming for the Ravens in terms of having a revitalized offense, it comes at a steep price: letting go of the physical and athletically gifted Anquan Boldin.

Despite Boldin only having four touchdown receptions and under a thousand yards receiving for the regular season, he more than stepped up in the post season by matching that same touchdown statistic in just four games.  Not only that, but the catches he made were not only pivotal, game changing moments but they also were highly contested plays that required both strength and a unprecedented athletic ability of the highest order.

While Joe Flacco has proven his consistency and his talents as a championship quarterback, in the end he will only be relevant if he has the receiving core to back up his deep field accuracy.  Unfortunately this comes at a price for Flacco, who would possibly have to take a pay cut in order retain Boldin as his continual go to receiver.

However, no matter which way you slice it the Ravens as whole will be transformed from the Super Bowl roster that fans have come to know and love throughout the years.  Despite this anxious sentiment though, The Ravens have proven that there is still young talent and depth that could be utilized to fill the voids of the long term veterans who sadly may no longer be with us come next season.

Keepers:

Joe Flacco- For the first time in a long while, The Ravens finally have a quarterback who is not only consistent when it matters most, but who also continues to evolve and improve every year.

Anquan Boldin- Without this offensive superstar I believe Joe Flacco would definitely lose some of his deserved hype.

Dannell Ellerbe- While filling the shoes of the legendary Ray Lewis won’t be easy; it appears that Ellerbe has the potential to start his own defensive dynasty.

Paul Kruger- Despite the untimely absence of T-Sizzle and Lewis, Kruger had to really pick up the slack throughout the course of the regular season.  Simply put: he did.

Expendables:

Ed Reed- While it pains me to put one of the best defensive players of all time in this category, it can’t be denied that Reed isn’t getting any younger.  Throughout the Super Bowl he seemed uncertain of his retirement and whether or not he would return.  At best, even if Reed could be retained, he would have another year or two at best before his talents would begin to wane.

Cary Williams: Even though he had a decent regular season, his post-season efforts left something to be desired.  On top of that, The Ravens reliable and returning cornerback Lardarius Webb should be able to fill this defensive gap without much of a problem.

College Basketball Ranking System: A Useless Indicator For Athletic Prestige

This is absolutely pathetic.

Forgive my bluntness, but how can we continue to use a rankings system which is not only inaccurate, but irrelevant in terms of determining who can dominate who in any game.

In the last week alone, we have witnessed 4 of the top 5 college basketball programs succumb to losses at the hands of teams that were unranked.

Duke was the only who prevailed and lived up to their given rank…barely.

Between Florida losing to a weak conference opponent in Arkansas, to a supposedly adept and super star studded Indiana powerhouse blowing a definitive lead to Illinois with three and half minutes left in the game.  That’s not even the worst part.

The biggest unforgiveable mistake that Indiana made in that game wasn’t blowing their hefty lead, it was allowing an Illini player to seamlessly move unguarded right underneath the rim of the basket for and easy pass and lay-up with less than one second left on the game clock.

Don’t even get me started on how atrociously Louisville handled the game clock in one of the many overtimes they were allotted or how Michigan failed to implement a simple fouling strategy which would have prevented unranked Wisconsin from making a astronomically uncontested three point play.

Simply put, watching college basketball has become a complete joke combined with unabashed conceded mistakes which would be considered lackluster at best on the high school basketball court.

While I understand that there will be upsets from time to time, and that even the best have their down days, the frequency at which these upsets are occurring and how they are coming about isn’t entertaining…it’s athletically abysmal.

Kansas is the epitome of this sentiment.

Kansas has not only lost three in a row to unranked conference opponents, the second of these three losses came at the hands of TCU.  Not only had TCU failed to beat a conference opponent up to this point but they were also by and large the worst team in the Big 12.  Somehow, some way they were able to humiliate and handedly beat this overrated Kansas team without much trouble.

Bill Self, the head coach of Kansas, was naturally not pleased with this lose.

He was overcome with what appeared to be anger and inconsolable disappointment when he said “"it was the worst team that Kansas ever put on the floor, since Dr. Naismith was there.”  ..For the first half there hasn’t been a team that has played worse than that offensively.”

While some might say that these allegations are unfair and unjustly demoralizing, I couldn’t agree more.  This is the type of wake up call these teams need if they ever hope to avoid these inexcusable inconsistencies.

Either that or the ranking system needs to be done away with completely because without prestigious teams that are supposed to hoist these rankings up high to make these intangibles worth something, then why would our nation continue reward them with something that they frankly don’t deserve to be associated with in any way, shape or form.

Golden State Prevents Houston From Braking Three-Point Record

“We’re not going to lay down.”

These are the words of a frustrated coach whose team was not only dominated in their game against Houston, but who also made it a point to prevent the raging Rockets from breaking the record of three-point shots made (23) in a single game by any means necessary.

“I’m an old school basketball player and an old school coach,” said Mark Jackson right after his team’s self-destructive demise.  “If you can’t appreciate that, that’s on you.”

While normally it would be acceptable for a coach to make these statements in relation to the entirety of the game, the notion of using this sentiment to prevent a team from breaking a record as opposed to playing tough from beginning to end is frankly hypocritical.

If you’re a coach that plays balls to the wall and doesn’t believe in backing down and letting a team have their way with you then that’s fine.  However, if that is your coaching philosophy then where was this aggressive athletic gusto throughout the rest of the game?

What happened to that merciless fervor after your perimeter defense gave up 14 three-pointers in the first half alone? Why would you wait until your team was humiliated by this Harlem Globe Trotters performance by the Houston Rockets to instill this type of attitude?

If the game were close, then I could accept and tolerate this borderline animalistic ferocity.  But if your only drive and reason for playing this aggressively is to prevent a team from attaining a record which has no statistical bearing on how adept a team is from game to game, then you may want to rework your intangible strategy.

Make no mistake, I am all for teams playing their hearts out and doing what they have to regain morale rather than simply give up regardless of the circumstances.  However, when your childish, sore losing antics become the forefront for how your team conducts themselves on the court, it is simply a display of unprofessionalism and disrespect.

While Mark Johnson has done an exemplary job of helping Golden State rise from the ashes as a relevant and competitive team in the western conference, he needs to be able to shrug off the tough losses.  If he wants to retain the ideology of playing hard and using aggressive persistence to succeed then that’s acceptable and understandable.  However, if he choses that as his go to tactic then he needs to employ it throughout the entirety of the game and not just when the situation gets completely out of hand.

Super Bowl XLVII: A Well Deserved Victory

“Nobody gave us a shot…nobody.” – Ray Lewis

“…Baltimore has no answer for Manning-led Broncos.” Ashley Fox, ESPN Analyst

Winning never felt so good.

After the Ravens dropped four of their last five games at the end of the regular season, hardly anyone believed this team that had endured detrimental injures and suffered several personal tragedies would have a shot at making it past the first round of the playoffs.

However, time and time again the Ravens proved that they could overcome the odds and the definitive statistics that were against them until they finally won the Superbowl.

Simply put, the Ravens are a statistical anomaly.

Besides their defense being completely decimated during the regular season, and the fact that the offensive line left something to be desired, the Ravens never gave up.  They were determined to bring their story to fruition even when everyone thought it was just another long-winded pipe dream.

However, that dream finally became a reality.

It became real when Ray Lewis, the mastermind of the defense and the unwavering leader of the Ravens, came back just in time for the playoffs.

It became real when Joe Flacco played in the toughest places in the NFL and came out flawlessly victorious.

It became real when Ray Lewis and company made a goal line stand to clutch a world championship that no one believed this team would ever attain.

It became real when the confetti dropped and all was said and done.

This will forever be the legacy of the Baltimore Ravens. It will not only define who they are as players and competitors, but who are they are as determined human beings.

No longer will intangibles be judged as arbitrary or nonsensical as motivating factors for what a team is capable of achieving.  The Ravens have proven that through all the adversity and despite all the doubt that was placed upon them from the beginning of the post season that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.

Finally, the Ravens have proven one very important thing: they will never be taken for granted ever again.  They have made it clear that no matter what the outside world says about them or what controversies may come forth from the media that attempt to defame that they will persevere no matter what it takes.

As Ray Lewis said after the Ravens defeated the Broncos in double overtime: “But you still have to play the game…you still have to play the game.”

The Ravens not only played them game, they won it when it mattered most.  The era of the Ravens being doubted and underestimated is at an end.  The dynasty of the Ravens being a respected and effective team has only just begun.

Haters beware.

Caleb Moore: A Death That Could Have Been Avoided

When a player is injured the result is temporarily devastating.  However, when a promising sports figure dies it is forever tragic and the damage is permanent.

Caleb Moore was one of the most promising and enthusiastic X Games participants who not only excelled at what he did but also more importantly had the unwavering potential to be one of the best.

Unfortunately, his passion to be the best and to compete at the highest level resulted in his untimely demise because he chose one of the most dangerous events to be initiated into any sports competition.  He chose to participate in the snowmobile freestyle event.

And why not? Since he has 15 he had been a dedicated advocate of free styling with ATV’s and always seemed to have that innate thrill seeking knack that made him a wunderkind superman of extreme sports. 

Eventually, he decided to up the ante by going one step further by competing in the snowmobile freestyle event at the winter X Games.  Despite the expected and known dangers that come with the profession he proved time and time again that he could efficiently compete in a sport that required not only constant bravery and perseverance but that he could also out do himself and come out a consistently rewarded competitor. 

This was the case at every moment except for the one where everything went wrong.  The moment when his young and unexplored life was over before it began.

I remember distinctly watching as Caleb attempted what appeared to be an impressive backflip.  As he soared confidently and valiantly through the air, all I could think was “He’s got this, he’s on his way to win another consecutive medal.”  However in those few seconds, all the hopes and dreams of this young man being an X Games superstar literally came crashing down on him.

Just before his vehicle could complete the clean landing, the skis on the front of his snowmobile made slight contact on their tips with the front of the slick, snow covered ramp.  Caleb was not only launched face first into the embankment below, but shortly thereafter the snowmobile, as it was flipping end over end, crushed him with its immense weight and tumbling speed.  For a while afterward, Caleb was completely motionless.

Eventually, with the help of his trainers, he was able to walk off under his own power and seemed to be slightly shaken up as result of accident, but ultimately appeared to be relatively unharmed in light of the severity of the wipe out.  Unfortunately, this was wishful thinking.

Caleb was initially admitted to a hospital for an examination for a concussion that he had unsurprisingly sustained during the accident.  However, the worst was yet to come.

Shortly after he was diagnosed with a concussion, it was discovered that there was intense bleeding around his heart and was flown to a hospital in Grand Junction for immediate surgery.  While there it was also discovered that Caleb had severe brain complications.

While it seemed the situation couldn’t get any worse, inevitably the worst-case scenario became a reality.  At the age of 25, Caleb Moore, a young and enthusiastically inspirational athlete died Thursday morning.

This tragedy not only shocked the X Games world into a stunned and depressed silence, but it also had a devastating and reflective impact on the world of sports as a whole.

While athletes have suffered severe injuries with torn ligaments, long-term brain damage and even paralysis, none of these injuries resulted in such an immediate death sentence. 

With this unexpected and tragic situation comes the obvious question. Should this event be allowed to be practiced and recognized in the current X Games and future events?

The short answer is no.

While there is always a tangible risk to competing in any high octane, physically enduring competitive sport, there is usually always a way to minimize the damage that can be taken to our bodies no matter what the circumstance. 

However, there isn’t any type of innovative or protective pads or equipment that can prevent deaths like these from occurring in a similar situation.  Unfortunately, while it may seem unfair to those who compete in this event to be stripped of the privilege to continue to excel in this niche event, is it really worth another community, another family to have to go through the same emotionally scarring tragedy?

Again, while the situation is complicated and the tensions for dealing with this are difficult to comprehend, the answer is simple and clean cut.  If death is an inevitable part of any televised and nationally recognized sport, then in no way shape or form should it continue to be a present part of the extreme sports world.