When a player goes down

As I'm watching the Sunday night game between the Eagles and the Giants, Ellis Hobbs goes down from a hard hit on the opening kick of the second half.  It's always painful seeing a guy lie there injured.  It humbles you.  It allows you to see how quickly a moment can possibly change a life.  It's even more humbling for the players on the field witnessing one of their own go down.  Everyone comes together at this moment and the tense look in the players' eyes and their reactions show how real it is. 

I've been a football fan my entire life.  I played as a kid and in high school.  I remember when there were a handful of skilled players.  I remember when linemen were considered slow.  But, today the game is different.  There's an edge.  There's peak athleticism at every position on both sides of the ball, and there's an increased chance of injury today.

I love this game and I wouldn't have it any other way.  I think the NFL is doing a great job in their campaign to reduce serious injuries.  The Hobbs hit was completely legal.  He was basically knocked out as a result of the game.  And that's football.  That's the risk you take as a player.  You take that risk because you love the game.  Actually, you don't even think about the consequences, yet you're aware.

Whenever a player goes down it makes you think.  Maybe how lucky you are.  Maybe how lucky you've been.  It makes you think about life.  How fragile life really is.  To maintain health is a game in a way.  It's a game of staying alive.  Living as long as you can.  Life is short.  We know this, but maybe forget about it because of the distractions we experience on a daily basis.  Don't forget about you!  You need to take care of you.  You owe it to yourself!