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SALT LAKE CITY - There are few players in the history of sports that have the ability to define their team for over a decade. Less still that have the ability to be considered the greatest at their position and then there is Derek Jeter and Ray Lewis, both were lost for the season.
These two could be considered in the pantheon of the greatest players in the history of their sports. Jeter is the new "clipper" for the Yankees, following in the footsteps of Babe Ruth, Micky Mantle and Lou Gehrig. He is the all-time Yankee leader in hits and could be considered the greatest player for the greatest baseball team of all-time.
Lewis is the new prototype for a football player. He is was drafted in 1996 and has been to 13 Pro Bowl's, been an All-Pro 10 times, won two Defensive Player of the Year awards and won a Super Bowl MVP award with his team winning the Super Bowl. Lewis was arguably the greatest run-stopping linebacker in multiple defenses and has now lost weight to play the pass game better.
These are the accolades of two sure fire Hall of Fame players in their respective sports, but their lasting legacies will be their leadership. Jeter was lost in extra innings of the Yankees ALCS 6-4 loss to the Tigers. He fractured his ankle doing a very standard dive that took a turn for the worst.
Lewis tore his triceps the day after Jeter was lost and will be gone for the year. They are both late 30's, Jeter 38 and Lewis 37, and now the question is whether either will play again. Much like Jazz fans probably feel about Michael Jordan, they might hate the team, but they really should respect the greatness.
Even if they come back and play for one or two more seasons now is the time to enjoy what they bring. They are once in a generation players and everyone should enjoy the ride.
24 miles in 5 minutes:
In case you have stopped paying attention to space exploration or energy drinks that sponsor extreme sports you might have missed out on Felix Baumgartner's jump from 24 miles above earth. The jump was postponed due to gusty wind conditions in the atmosphere, but he got his chance on Sunday and jumped.
He was able to get video from a few different angles that are shown as he falls to the earth for 4:18 before pulling the parachute. The whole video is just under 10 minutes and he sets multiple records and breaks the sound barrier, which is 768 mph, without a vehicle.
There are also videos of him climbing in a single capsule space ball, that is attached to a balloon. There is also video of him looking out and what he sees floating around, but what is really impressive is the recreation video, made with Legos.
Check it out for yourself. It has everything anyone would ever want: Legos, a guy jumping out of a balloon in space... Red Bull, everything right?
Concussion poster boy:
Jahvid Best has had some scary moments in his football career. And his last one might end his football career. There have been high profile players that have had their career ended by concussions, but Best could become the poster boy for the new problem sweeping football.
His last play in college was this concussion on a touchdown he scored that caused his first serious concussion, in a very scary way. He took off into the endzone for the Cal Golden Bears and landed on his head and he immediately went stiff with his arms in the air.
He was drafted and played for the Detroit Lions for his rookie season, but then got a concussion in the sixth game into his second year, now a year later he still hasn't been cleared to play again.
The Lions team and doctors have said that he won't be able to play "soon" and most believe that they won't clear him for this season and that they might never clear him again.
He has only been diagnosed with two concussions, while he has probably had many more, these two have now put his career in jeopardy. He has said that he is now the "poster boy for concussion testing" going through hours of tests and is still not cleared.
The Lions are holding him out to make sure he is safe. The Lions should be applauded for this and Best should have prayers sent his way. He isn't the biggest name in concussions, but depending on how this plays out he might become the most important for the future of safety in football.
Friendly Fire:
Sometimes the Oakland Raiders are simply the Raiders. Sunday against the Falcons was no different.
Phillip Adams was returning a punt in the Raiders 23-20 loss to the Falcons when he was rocked by Coye Francies. He was coming off a block and blasted in Adams to stop him at the 36.
The big problem was that Francies was the one actually blocking for his teammate Adams. He ended up taking down his own teammate in the personification of the last decade of Raider football.
