One of my earliest football memories was of watching Dennis Byrd of the Jets fall victim to an ugly on-field collision back in the early nineties. How can a child comprehend issues like mortality?
Over a decade later, it's seemingly just as difficult. In tonight's Rutgers/Pittsburgh contest, there was an absolutely cringe-inducing play, where Pittsburgh RB LeSean McCoy accidentally snapped QB Bill Stull's head forward.
I watched the rest of the contest in a daze. How can anyone focus on the game of football when someone's life is in jeopardy? I was extremely unnerved, despite the fact that Stull tried to reassure the crowd by lifting his arm up as he was carted off the field in a stretcher. I can only imagine how traumatic the events were for everyone in attendance.
This blog does not get very much traffic. However, if any of my readers feel the need to express well wishes to Stull in the comments of this post; please, by all means, do so.
Here's to wishing Stull a speedy recovery. Nothing would make me happier than for him to be able to resume his football career. However, it would certainly be an early holiday present if I open my newspaper tomorrow and learn that Stull is going to be able to walk again and live a normal life. Stull is quite fortunate that the University of Pittsburgh operates one of the best hospitals in the country.
As a fan, football is very important to me. Otherwise, I would not be posting on this website. Some things are more important than football, and one of them would be for this bright young man with a promising future to be able to avoid falling victim to a senseless tragedy.
edit: looks like he's ok. Carry on.