Injuries and Traumas

Run with the Bulls....IN BAYTOWN?

This December 7 in Baytown at the Royal Purple Speedway, you can run in sheer, pants-shitting terror from raging bulls just like they do in Pamplona, Spain, each summer. The Great Bull Run's organizers urge participants to "grab life by the horns and experience the rush of a lifetime as you sprint ... More >>

March Madness Elite 8: 4 Winners, 4 Losers

And then there were four! (I know, on the list of lame, cliched, bloggy catchphrases "And then there was (however many are left)" is right behind "Houston, we have a problem." but I'm still a little rattled from falling for the Dream Shake's April Fool's Day prank. I'm running simple plays here, n ... More >>

Possibly Coming to a Texas High-School Football Field Near You: Only One Full-Contact Practice Per Week

Last Thursday, State Representative Eddie Lucio III, a Democrat from Brownsville, filed House Bill 887. If enacted, the law would limit middle-school and high-school football programs to one full-contact practice per week. "Like most people, I'm influenced by the stories I read and the news I see. ... More >>

UTMB Pays Fine in Animal Welfare Act Allegations

Three University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston employees have been fired, and the university has agreed to pay $9,143 relating to allegations of Animal Welfare Act violations. Under the settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the university did not admit or deny any wrong ... More >>

Mary Helen Aranda, 60, Alleged DWI Victim, Bayou Body Count No. 164

A 60-year-old woman was killed by a drunk driver who also sent a four-year-old girl to the hospital Saturday night, police say. Mary Helen Aranda, 60, was driving a Toyota Corolla westbound in the block of 6700 Lyons about 8:10 p.m. Saturday when she was struck by the PT Cruiser being driven eastbo ... More >>

66-Year-Old Woman Sues Bo Pelini Foundation For Football-Related Injuries

"We will aggressively protect the health, safety and long-term livelihood of our players, both on the field and off. We can preserve the fierce competition that makes football great, while simultaneously committing to the relentless pursuit of safer play. Our players do not make excuses on the field ... More >>

Nick Saban's Daughter Gets Sued For Beating The Snot Out Of Her Sorority Sister

Alabama head coach Nick Saban is known for a few things: winning national championships (two in the last three seasons), a steely demeanor (and by steely, I mean he's kind of a jerk), meticulous attention to detail (ask the Dolphins office worker who misplaced his Little Debbie snack cakes), and a h ... More >>

Peyton Manning and Like-Minded Concussion-Test Cheaters: You Might Not Be Able to Get Away With It

A just-published study shows that even if you try to bomb a concussion test, you might very well get caughtcaughtcaught. That includes you, Peyton Manning. According to a study published in the Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, it's not all that easy to purposely fail a pre-concussion baselin ... More >>

Exotic Prop Bet Mania: Profiting Off The Madden Curse

When the average sports fan hears the word "wagering," for the most part they equate it with football and basketball, betting on spreads and total points scored. But if you read my work in this space, you know that the occasional prop bet is a fun diversion and oftentimes a chance to have more long ... More >>

Summer Ott: Memorial Hermann Hires The Michael Jordan Of Preventing & Treating Youth Concussions

Memorial Hermann now boasts the Michael Jordan of concussion expertise: Neuropsychologist Summer Ott, Psy.D, has been brought on board to head up the Sports Concussion Program at the Ironman Sports Medicine Institute at Memorial Hermann. Along with her deep knowledge of head trauma caused during a ... More >>

3-Year-Old Goes Flying Off Rodeo Carnival Ride In Video

KTRK obtained amateur video of the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo incident in which a three-year-old girl was injured on a ride, and it contradicts earlier stories. When the incident happened Wednesday, rodeo officials said the girl had squirmed off the Techno Jump ride and fell to the ground, suff ... More >>

Breaking It Down

It may not be PTSDs or brain injuries that pose the most long-term danger to our surviving vets from their Middle East tours.

Red Hot Chili Peppers Reschedule Houston Date Due To Anthony Kiedis Injury

​And just like that, to anyone who was fretting about missing the Red Hot Chili Peppers at the Toyota Center to see ZZ Top on March 8 at RodeoHouston, your problems have been solved. And mine too, since I wanted to see both bands. RHCP have announced a new date for their show, this next Octobe ... More >>

It's Official: Matt Schaub Out For The Year; Your New Backup QB Is...

The Houston Texans have made it official, placing quarterback Matt Schaub on the injured reserve list, meaning he's out for the rest of the season. The Matt Leinart Era begins Sunday. And if Leinart gets hurt, or plays utterly Leinart-ly, and T.J Yates blows it? Your new backup QB is Kellen Clemens ... More >>

Gurjeet Singh: Sets Self on Fire While on Run from Law

Burns over 90 percent of his body.​A 29-year-old charged last month in Harris County with the aggravated assault of a family member was taken to a San Antonio burn unit yesterday after he apparently stripped nude, doused himself with gasoline and set himself on fire. Police in the Central Tex ... More >>

The Peyton Manning Saga -- A Very Special 4 Winners, 4 Losers

Everyone wants The Beard​"Peyton Manning's not going to let (the Colts) draft Andrew Luck." -- Phil Simms "I don't talk to Phil. Phil doesn't talk to me. He did text me after that, saying 'Hey, sorry to drag your name into this.' I wrote back, 'Phil I don't know what you're talking about.' He ... More >>

The 6 Worst Air-Show Disasters: A Video Collection, Just In Time For Wings Over Houston

Things can go wrong​Next time you go to an air show, take a look at the fine print on the ticket. Besides the usual stuff about acts of God and "Promoter not responsible if the frontman doesn't show due to injecting Drano into his balls," there's something else. It says they're really, really ... More >>

Knocked Out: Bell Ringing

Further studies at UCLA sounded the alarm about concussions and their treatment

Knocked Out

Medical effects of concussion far worse for kids.

Concussions: Avoidance, Protection and Better Helmets

Daniel Kramer​Justin Landers, head athletic trainer at Katy High School, leads me to a secret stash of football equipment. The attic-like room, which is only accessible by one skinny wood ladder, is floor to ceiling and wall to wall with hundreds of helmets and shoulder pads. Landers combs th ... More >>

Cover Story: Concussions in Youth Sports: Is The Risk Worth It?

​Kayla Meyer was a normal kid growing up on the family farm in New Prague, Minnesota, where she used to ride horses around the property. But now, the 14-year-old can no longer ride or even attend school on a regular basis after receiving two concussions in ice hockey. Ali Champness, too, is ... More >>

More NFL Drama: 75 Former Pros Suing League Over Concussions

Former Texas Longhorn Raymond Clayborn (24) and 74 fellow NFL retirees are suing the league.​The National Football League has been, for the past few years, one of the biggest proponents of concussion awareness. Now, all of that cheerleading may bite them in the backside. The Associated Press ... More >>

Two Local Helmetless Teen Skaters Suffer Life-Threatening Brain Injuries

​Tara Csatlos is 16 years old, but her vision is equivalent to a 40-year-old's. In the past year, she has almost died several times, traveled back and forth to Illinois to see medical specialists and dropped out of spring semester at Cypress Woods High School. All of this due to a freak skateb ... More >>

Texas House Approves Concussion Bill: Student-Athletes Would Have to Be Medically Cleared Before Returning

​Late last week, the Texas House voted 94 to 42 in favor of "Natasha's Law," a measure that would disallow a concussed student-athlete from competing in his or her sport until cleared by a physician. Additionally, HB 2038, which now awaits a vote in the Texas Senate, would require preseason n ... More >>

Eirin Ann Hicks: Texas State Student Killed by One-Story Jump

Texas StateEirin Ann Hicks: Killed by first-floor jump​If you're a parent who wonders why you worry about your kid, fresh evidence today that you need to: A Texas State student has died by jumping out of a first-floor window. Eirin Ann Hicks, 24 and from Temple, was taken off life support ye ... More >>

Owls Baseball Falling Prey To Injuries

John RoyalMichael Ratterree makes the throw to first for an early out on Saturday​The Rice Owls are not in a good place. One could sense that on Saturday afternoon when the Owls took the field only to find that day's scheduled DH, Shane Hoelscher, taking throws at third base instead of Anthon ... More >>

Houston Texans -- Owen Daniels Gets Paid

Owen Daniels gets his contract​It's been quite an odyssey for Houston Texans tight end Owen Daniels these last few years. The highlight of his Texans career thus far has probably been his trip to the Pro Bowl at the end of the 2008 season. Since then, to say O.D.'s journey has been star-cros ... More >>

Parents' Nightmare: Three Kids Die in Daycare Fire

Parents' nightmare on the west side​Horrible story out on the west side of town -- three children, aged three or younger, have died and another four are hospitalized with serious injuries, the Houston Fire Department and news outlets report. The fire, at Jackie's Child Care in the 2800 block ... More >>

County Judge Emmett Separates Shoulder, Will Miss Eagles Game

Ed Emmett sidelined​Blatantly ripping off the Barack Obama basketball injury, Harris County Judge Ed Emmett's office has announced that he, too, is on the injured-reserve list. Emmett separated his shoulder in an early-morning tennis game today and will likely require surgery, spokesman Joe S ... More >>

Houston Firefighter Calendar 2011 Is Here! Go Have Some Private Time!

The latest version of the always popular Houston Firefighters Calendar, featuring men holding things while not wearing any shirts, is out. Saturday night was the release party, and the Facebook reviews are in.

NFL & College Football -- Weekend's Best Bets

Does not look like fun​Before I get into the Best Bets for this weekend, a public service announcement for those of you traveling to Singapore any time soon. They still cane people there. Just ask former Florida State tight end Kamari Charlton. He is over in Singapore as you read this helping ... More >>

Case Keenum Faces The Future

Photo by Red Rooster Facing down a defense is the easy thing now​The Houston Cougars knew they were going to have to eventually make the transition. They just weren't counting on that transition coming during the middle of this season's third game. But it was during the second quarter of the Co ... More >>

Geoff Blum Joins Baseball's Stupid-Injury List: Here Are 11 Others

If only someone warned this rookie about dress shirts​Astros utility player Geoff Blum popped his elbow putting on his shirt last week.Yes, that's right, putting on his shirt. Not his jersey. Not during the game. But his shirt. After the game. He's currently on the disabled list, and he might end ... More >>

The Astros: Where Pitching Careers Go To Die

Photo by Aaron M. Sprecher​I don't know what Cecil Cooper has against pitchers, but it's really beginning to harm the team. The Astros put Wesley Wright on the disabled list yesterday. Chris Sampson, who recently came off of the DL, is pitching as if he's still injured, and he and Cooper had a clo ... More >>

The Gloom Starts To Gather For The Astros

With the MLB non-waiver trade deadline fast approaching, the Houston Astros are a listing ship quickly going under. The Astros just lost three of four games to the Chicago Cubs and have gone from surging toward first place to trying to hold off the Milwaukee Brewers for third place.The latest disast ... More >>

Astros Are Red-Hot...For Now

 Is it actually possible? Is it actually possible that the Houston Astros could climb into first place of the NL Central this weekend? Can it really be that we'll wake up on Monday morning and discover that the Astros will be in a position to actually start pulling away with the division le ... More >>

The Astros, Hanging On Despite Themselves

The Houston Astros beat the Los Angeles Dodgers and Thursday and Friday to get their record to 46-44. For a short time, the Astros were in a three-way tie for second place in the NL Central. And with the first-place St. Louis Cardinals coming in for three games starting tonight, there was a chan ... More >>

Backe's Back In The Rotation: Just How Bad Can The Astros' Farm System Be?

Photo by Aaron M. Sprecher The oft-injured Hampton, injured againHere's some shocking Astros news. According to the Chron, Mike Hampton is going on the 15-day disabled list. Yeah, I know, who would ever think that Hampton would get injured. It's not like he missed two of the last three season ... More >>

That Other Sports Team In Town -- Who's Running It?

Photo by Aaron M. SprecherI know I've asked this question before, but I feel that it needs asking again. So, seriously, who's running the Houston Astros?I ask because it came out yesterday that Cecil Cooper has been pitching injured pitchers, even though he knows they're injured, because they say th ... More >>

Who's Running The Astros These Days Anyway?

Photo by William Holtkamp The Houston Astros put closer Jose Valverde on the disabled list yesterday. And that's not too shocking seeing as how Valverde had a ball drummed off his leg last week and has been hobbling and blowing saves on just one leg.What's surprising to me is what Jesus Ortiz at the ... More >>

Spectacular Firetruck Crash Makes Huge Hassle In Montrose

Photo by Justine Schmider Firefighters and at least one civilian were injured in a nasty crash at about 11 o'clock this morning at Westheimer and Dunlavy in the heart of Montrose.The two fire trucks collided while responding to an emergency call, flipping the ladder truck onto a white Infinity, a ... More >>

HPD Beat Man To Death, Family Says

At today's City Council meeting, the family of a dead man will accuse HPD officers of beating the man to death.Houston civil rights attorney Randall Kallinen tells Hair Balls a report from the county medical examiner reveals that Marion Wilson, 52, died from blunt force trauma after an altercation w ... More >>

Astros-Rockies: Feel the Pain

This Just In: Yao Ming Out for Rest of Season Due to Stress Fracture in Foot

Aeros Defeat Rockford and Quad City

Long Snaps with Bryan Pittman: God, Elephantitis and Those Damn Dirty Patriots

Friends sponsor movie fund-raiser for injured Gulf Coast surfer

Aliens to the Rescue

Roller Derby

Wheelchair basketball is for wussies. And park your pity at the door. Welcome to quad rugby, where quadriplegics slam their opponents into the hardwood.

Best Comet

Sheryl Swoopes