We'll kick off this morning's headlines with the above video from ESPN.com where the guys from 'Pardon the Interruption' discuss the Yahoo report suggestion that the Patriots and quarterback and Tom Brady could be at odds over a new deal. I find it a bit funny that everyone I talk to is starting to notice that the word 'disconnect' may be heading down the same road as the term 'misremembered' and 'wardrobe malfunction'. It's just ridiculous.
Needless to say I'm looking forward to the eventual announcement of a deal getting done so we can put an end to this nonsense.
Now that we're past that, let's move on today's headlines:
No Reason to Believe Patriots, Tom Brady Will Go Separate Ways After 2010 Season - NESN.com
Is the Brady Contract Snag a Big Deal? - Boston Globe
Why Welker Got a Head Start - Boston Globe
The above piece is an interesting read by Albert Breer who discusses Welker's remarkable return. Breer cited a 2006 study by the American Journal of Sports Medicine which offered some interesting statistics for players coming back from the type of injury Welker suffered.
"A 2006 study by the American Journal of Sports Medicine showed that 79 percent of NFL running backs and receivers undergoing ACL surgery from 1998-2002 were able to return to the field," writes Breer. "But the players who did return performed at just 66 percent of the level they performed at pre-injury, on average."
In the piece Breer speaks to Dr. James Gladstone, co-chief of sports medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York who offered some insight into these types of injuries and some of the challenges players face in coming back from it.
One thing players typically have trouble getting back, Gladstone said, is first-step quickness, which can take 18 months to return to pre-injury form.
Hopefully Welker can continue to defy the odds, and those statistics.
NESN offers up some more video of Welker from this week's practice.
Jerod Mayo, Brandon Spikes Put Rivalry Aside - NESN.com
Moving on to some National Headlines:
Steelers Roethlisberger Vows to Change - Philadelphia Inquirer
NFL medical heads and Goodell convene on brain injuries CNN.com
Miami Has Become Home for NFL's Bad Boys - FoxSports.com
NFL Twitter Trash Talk Captures Attention - WISN.com
The above piece talks about the interesting "trash-talking Twitter-fest" going on between New Orleans Saints safety Darren Sharper and Vikings tight end Visanthe Shiancoe. The rivalry on Twitter apparently began a few weeks ago, when Sharper sent out a tweet suggesting that the Saints would go after Brett Favre's surgically repaired ankle in the season opener in September.
That's it for now - unless you want to see pictures of Gisele pushing around a baby carriage. Otherwise have a good rest of the day and we'll see you tomorrow.
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