Chris B. Brown

Chris B. Brown, Smart Football editor, and author of The Art of Smart Football (Amazon: ). [email protected]

[Brian McCormick @brianmccormick]

#SABA

[Chris B. Brown @smartfootball]

@DVNJr the screenplay writing is always a little transparent there but irons really nails some of the “false” humility of some very senior leaders (“it wasn’t brains that got me here”)

[The Players’ Tribune @PlayersTribune]

https://t.co/xPQn50vyiB

[The Players’ Tribune @PlayersTribune]

After Rondale Moore’s death, A.J. Green is calling for better mental health resources: “I’m not an expert on mental health. I’m a former football player, and I’m writing this as Rondale’s former teammate, and — more importantly — his friend. So please have that in mind when I tell you, in my opinion, Rondale wasn’t planning on any of this. To me? He was just a kid. And he was a kid who was struggling a lot with the idea of losing his identity as a football player. It’s two major injuries … two long rehabs … two seasons away from being part of a locker room … two years of not knowing if he’s ever gonna have more NFL checks coming through. So you add that all up, and it probably doesn’t take an expert to think there’s a good chance Rondale was depressed. But I could also see encouraging signs. Like — he was talking about the future. He wasn’t just on one of these downward spirals. If anything, he seemed to be slowly pointing back in an upward direction. The thing is, though, that upward direction……. It’s not a straight line. There’s gonna be dips. And when those dips come, for whatever reason, you need to be able to manage them in time before your shit hits the bottom....

To me there’s a lot that could still be improved in the NFL, as far as how the league is helping its players with their mental health. And one way I would start is by making it mandatory, if you have a major injury, that you see an independent mental health counselor as part of your rehab. And by also making it mandatory, if you have a second major injury, that you see an independent mental health counselor for an extended period of time, even after your rehab. And the reason I say this — it’s because I’m not an expert. You know what I’m saying? Like, Rondale, he had a support system. He wasn’t alone. He had friends who loved him, family who loved him. But those relationships can be complicated. And while those people can give you love and support … what they can’t give you is professional help, and what they can’t do is equip you with tools so that, if you ever do have a mental health crisis, or even just a really bad day, you know how to handle it. And you don’t go and do something you can never undo.

In my opinion, if Rondale’d had those tools, he might still be alive today. And I want to make sure we’re never saying that again about a young NFL player. Because I keep coming back to this one part about it — and it may be the part that’s most heartbreaking to me: Rondale was 25, man. He was so damn young. He really was just a kid.

And then there’s one more thing I want to say about mental health in the NFL — and I hope that everyone who needs to read this is reading it. All the rules … all the initiatives … all the public statements about awareness … none of that means anything if the people who are making the football decisions, in private, are viewing mental health issues how I feel like a lot of times they still get viewed: as a red flag. That’s the truth. No one in any front office will ever say it out loud. No scout is ever gonna put it in a scouting report. But that’s how it’s viewed in this league by a lot of people.

And as long as that’s the case? Stories like Rondale’s will probably keep happening. Because it means we’re telling players that having a mental health issue is gonna fuck with their money. And if we’re telling players that, then we’re creating an incentive for them to lie about their mental health. And if players lie about their mental health, then they’re going to feel shame about their mental health. And they’re not going to get the help they need — and whatever issues they’re facing are not going to get better, and are probably going to get worse. So that’s one of the big reasons I want people to read this. I want to celebrate Rondale’s life……… but I also want to make sure we’re having the realest conversation possible about his death. And the way I see it, while Rondale didn’t necessarily die because of NFL culture — NFL culture also didn’t do him no favors. It didn’t HELP him. And I just hope we can get to a place where, for the next young player going through a mental health crisis, it actually does help him. Or it even saves him.” https://t.co/MyNSl7yiGp

[Chris B. Brown @smartfootball]

@minakimes

[Chris B. Brown @smartfootball]

@minakimes

[Chris B. Brown @smartfootball]

Even better angle - awesome

[Matt Schick @ESPN_Schick]

Amazing video.

Semifinal of Iowa state high school basketball tournament.

Dallas Center-Grimes trailing Norwalk by four with 35 seconds left.

Ava Smid scores six points with two steals in 10 seconds.

DC-Grimes wins.

This is March.

[Chris B. Brown @smartfootball]

Whew this is great

[Josh Reynolds @JoshReynolds24]

Never, I repeat, NEVER in my life have I seen something quite like this…

What an absolutely insane ending in this Iowa state girls basketball tournament…

What in the world did we just see lol

[Chris B. Brown @smartfootball]

A full day of 10+ hours of college football capstoned by Holtz and May with Rece judging was basically Valhalla on earth

[Kevin ⭕️ @Vanillalite]

@ChrisVannini @toddh_1991 My college years. My best friend and I would be up at like 12 or 1 AM watching this amazing shenanigans after a day of ball.

[Chris B. Brown @smartfootball]

Lindy Infante could light you up now

[Firstdown_XO’s @FirstdownX__Os]

Elite Signal Procedure from 1990

[Chris B. Brown @smartfootball]

This is tremendous

[Firstdown_XO’s @FirstdownX__Os]

Old School Verbiage🎯

[Ben McKee @benmckee14]

Rick Barnes remembers Wes Rucker and sends his condolences to Wes’ family on behalf of the Tennessee basketball program.

[Chris B. Brown @smartfootball]

Still broken up over this. Great, dynamic, fun player - but everyone I know who knew or coached him said nothing but glowing things. Sounds like he’d gotten to a dark place with the injuries. Very sad.

[Chris B. Brown @smartfootball]

This is just awful. You are never alone. This man brought joy to millions. So young, such a bright future, regardless of football.

[Minnesota Vikings @Vikings]

We are deeply saddened by the heartbreaking news of Rondale Moore's sudden passing.

Our thoughts are with Rondale’s family and friends during this devastating time.

[Chris B. Brown @smartfootball]

@brianmccormick @Aprendebalonces I started doing this this season with some youth teams and it’s worked well. Not that different except I come in with a specific “practice plan” and I try to focus on 1-2 things to work on, often redoing activities from practice that week to minimize new teaching/drilling

[Chris B. Brown @smartfootball]

@Jarrod_Martin18 @Nate_Tice @adaptingskill Marrone might not be an NPC and instead a named character but Dante was like getting Drizzt Do’Urden to join your party

[Chris B. Brown @smartfootball]

Girl Scout cookie time! Some new flavors this year plus the classics… I know someone who would really appreciate the support.
https://t.co/i2VbYe8qHg

[Chris B. Brown @smartfootball]

@bcmassey No? I do think he captured one thing: How it can *feel* for coaches

[Chris B. Brown @smartfootball]

Relevant every hiring cycle: Bill Walsh on the dynamic between owners, GMs and coaches. (And even if it’s not 100% the case, definitely truth in there.)

[Chris B. Brown @smartfootball]

keon coleman:

[Ari Meirov @MySportsUpdate]

Wow. #Bills owner Terry Pegula says the coaching staff pushed to draft WR Keon Coleman and that was never GM Brandon Beane's top choice in that situation.

"That was Brandon being a team player. ... He's taken heat over it. I'm here to tell you the true story."

Wowza. I've never seen anything like this before... Coleman is still on the roster BTW.