Former Boxing Heavyweight Champ Mike Tyson Condemns ‘Knockout’ Attacks … “I Don’t Know Why They Do It … Maybe They’re Just Evil”

Just how bad is the “Knock Out” game, even former heavyweight boxing champ and former Brooklyn thug condemns it …

In an interview on CNN with Piers Morgan, Mike Tyson weighed in on the “knockout game” attacks that have happened in many cities across the US.  In his youth, Mike Tyson was hardly considered a good kid growing up in the Bed-Stuy and the Brownsville sections of Brooklyn.

But when asked, even Iron Mike, the “Baddest man on the planet” did not know why these punks did it. Tyson said, “Maybe they’re just evil. They’re are some evil people out there.”

CNN Transcript:

Mike Tyson: “It doesn’t make any sense. It’s a game to some people. I don’t think it’s cool. I saw them hit a woman, from behind… If I was on a robbing spree, I’d done something like that. But this is just for fun. These guys are just, there’s no purpose of doing that. I saw someone hit a woman I’ve never hit a girl in the face. I just can’t imagine. The only thing I can imagine is that being my daughter or my wife … Maybe they’re just evil. They’re some evil people.”

WOW … #4 Auburn Stuns #1 Alabama 34-28 on Last Play of Game as ‘Second’ Miracle at Jordan Hare Happens in Two Weeks (VIDEO) .. Twitter Erupts!!!

THE GREATEST IRON BOWL EVER … TIGERS WIN, TIGERS WIN, TIGERS WIN … WAR EAGLE!!!

It was an Iron Bowl for the ages, the #4 Auburn Tigers stunned #1 Alabama  34-28 on the final play of the game. The Crimson Tide tried a 56 yard field goal with 1 second left on the clock to win the game when another miracle happened on The Plains. The FG was short and the Auburn Tigers’ Chris Davis ran the ball back 109 yards for a game winning touch down. The irony of it all was that Alabama coach Nick Saban lobbied for an extra second to be put on the clock to attempt the long FG. Then they set up for the game winning field goal and the rest is Iron Bowl lore.

via Twitter:Auburn Athletics ?@AUAthletics 1h

SCOREBOARD: pic.twitter.com/9wxOA2E4K4

The Auburn Tigers will head to Atlanta, GA and play for the SEC Championship.

Chris Davis returned a missed field-goal attempt more than 100 yards for a touchdown on the final play to lift No. 4 Auburn to a 34-28 victory over No. 1 Alabama on Saturday, upending the two-time defending national champions’ BCS hopes and preserving the Tigers’ own.

Davis caught the ball about 9 yards deep in the end zone after freshman Adam Griffith’s 57-yard attempt fell short. He then sprinted down the left sideline and cut back with nothing but teammates around him in a second straight hard-to-fathom finish for the Tigers (11-1, 7-1 Southeastern Conference).

This is why we love college football!!!

More VIDEO Here.

Auburn Tiger fans rush Jordan Hare Field after the stunning War Eagle victory!!!

DESTINY BEATS DYNASTY!!!

Last week it was the “Prayer at Jordan Hare” as the hail Mary pass was tipped by two Georgia defenders on a 4th and 18 play into the hands of Auburn WR Ricardo Louis for a game winning TD! This week it was even more improbable as the game seemed all bust lost after Bama scored on a 99 yard TD pass.

The play of the year in college football … Auburn’s Chris Davis runs back the missed Bama FG 100 yards for a game winning Iron Bowl TD!!!

Check out the Bleacher Report for more from the game of the year.

UPDATE I:  I nesver thought it was possible, but Nick Saban got out-coached. On a personal note, I have never really questioned Nick Saban’s coaching as he is one of the best in the business, but today he seemed off his game. However, he went for it on 4th down when he was at about the Auburn 20 yard line in the center of the field and failed. Even though his kicker had already missed two FG’s, he really should have kicked it there and tried to go up by 10 points. Then on the last play of the game, no what in hell I would have attempted a 56 yard FG with a red-shirt freshman kicker who had only tried 2 all year. Sabin does realize that ‘Facing the Giants’ was a movie and the last second FG kick by David of 51 yards was a movie as well, right? I am not sure how Saban left his chances of winning a third consecutive BCS Championship to a freshman kicker, rather than his senior QB AJ McCarron in OT.

(VIDEO Go to 1:37:53)

UPDATE II: Twitter erupts over Auburn’s stunning victory over Alabama.

Some of the better tweets can be seen here, but check out the rest of them at FOX Sports, some are really good!

Maybe the best Tweet of them all … OUCH, that’s going to leave a mark!

Pittsburgh Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin Prevents Ravens’s Jacoby Jones From a Kick-Return Touchdown by Stepping Onto Field … “The Tomlin Tackle”

If it is Thanksgiving Football, we are most certain to have a controversial play …

In 1993 there was the bone-head touching of the blocked field goal by Leon Lett in the Thanksgiving Day game between the Cowboys and Dolphins on the frozen, icy, snowy field in old Cowboy Stadium. 1n 1998 there was the botched referee coin flip in OT between the Detroit Lions and Pittsburgh Steelers that cost the Steelers the game.  In 2012 there was the the Patriots-Jets finale game that on Thanksgiving Daynight gave us the infamous “butt fumble” by Mark Sanchez.  Now we have the “Tomlin” tackle.  As the Ravens’s Jacoby Jones gets the kick off and is about to bring it back for a TD, he had one man to beat. Who knew it would be Steelers’ head coach Mike Tomlin? What is even more unbelievable than Tomlin saying it was not intentional was the fact that the referee running down the sideline on the play and had to avoid Tomlin, never called any type of foul. HUH? In a day in which one sometimes think the NFL has turned into a “flag” football league where teams are no longer allowed to hit and play defense, how do the referee’s miss this call? The ref could have given Baltimore a touch down, he could have called an sportsman-like penalty for a player/coach being in a restricted area of the field. He did nothing.

Check the tape below. Tomlin can be seen standing in the stripe of white paint that nestles the field, facing away from Jones as he comes racing up the sideline during his 73-yard return.

The replay clearly shows Tomlin shifting his eyes from the video board to Jones, hopping out of the way just in time. No contact was made, but Tomlin’s proximity to the field of play appeared to be a factor in Jones deciding to cut back toward the middle of the field where he was tackled by Pittsburgh’s Cortez Allen.

Judge for yourselves.

Tomlin explained the play after the game: “I always watch the returns on the Jumbotron; it provides a better perspective for me. Obviously, I lost my placement as he broke free, and saw at the last second how close I was to the field of play.”

“It broke my stride a little bit,” Jones admitted, “(but) I still shouldn’t have got caught.”

Screen grab from VIDEO – click on pic to watch VIDEO

Baltimore Raven’s QB  Joe Flacco accused Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin of intentionally interfering (VIDEO) to stop Jacoby Jones from scoring on a kickoff return. Well yea, I have no pony in this race as I basically dislike both teams, and it was pretty obvious that it was intention. Especially, with the grins that Tomlin had on his face like a little boy who just got caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

After the Steelers scored to close to 13-7 in the third quarter, Jones broke free down the sideline but slowed up with Tomlin on the white stripe near the field of play — with his foot on the field at one point as Jones neared his location. Tomlin, who had his back to the play, was not penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct but Flacco believes he should have been.

It was nine months ago at the Super Bowl that Flacco took flak for suggesting to teammates that they should run out on the field to tackle Ted Ginn Jr. on the final play.

“That’s exactly what he just did,” Flacco said. “He was looking at the big screen the whole entire time, he knew where he was, he knew where Jacoby was. He pulled my move.”

NFL Rulebook: rule 13 section 1 article 4.

RESTRICTED AREAS Article 4 All team personnel must observe the zone restrictions applicable to the bench area and the border rimming the playing field. The only persons permitted within the solid six-foot white border (1-1) while play is in progress on the field are game officials. For reasons involving the safety of participating  players whose actions may carry them out of bounds, officials’ unobstructed coverage of the game, and spectators’ sightlines to the field, the border rules must be observed by all coaches and players in the bench area. Violators are subject to penalty by the officials.

The NFL can thank their lucky stars that Pittsburgh did not come back and win this game as the Raven’s only ended up getting a FG after this run back, rather than the 7 points they should have. The NFL is to review the play and I would expect that a harsh penalty is going to have to come down on this. You can’t allow this to happen again. Look for the referee to get smacked down too and down-graded.

Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin should have been penalized for stepping on the field last night and the play will be reviewed for discipline over the next week, an NFL official confirmed to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

Dallas Cowboy Great & NFL Hall of Famer Tony Dorsett Showing Signs of CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy)

Former Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Dorsett takes on his biggest challenge …

ESPN’s ‘Ouside the Lines’ is reporting that 1976 Heisman Trophy winner, NFL Hall of Famer and former Dallas Cowboy running back Tony Dorsett has been diagnosed with as having signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy.  CTE is a degenerative condition caused by head trauma and linked to depression and dementia. What a crying shame. Another football great from days gone by that has been a victim of concussions over his career.  the 59 year old Dorsett played 12 season in the NFL talked about the symptoms that compelled him to seek testing: memory loss, depression and thoughts of suicide. Dorsett discussed his struggles with memory loss and confusion like when he struggled to remember why he was on the plane from Texas to California to get testing. Dorsett also said he gets lost when he drives his two youngest daughters, ages 15 and 10, to their soccer and volleyball games. Sad, so very sad and there are hundreds of former players like this.

Get well Tony, get well all!

Tony Dorsett - click on pic to watch the OTL interview

Pro Football Hall of Famers Tony Dorsett and Joe DeLamielleure, and former NFL All-Pro Leonard Marshall have been diagnosed as having signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative condition many scientists say is caused by head trauma and linked to depression and dementia, doctors have told “Outside the Lines.”

The three former stars underwent brain scans and clinical evaluations during the past three months at UCLA, as did an unidentified ex-player whose test results are not yet available. Last year, UCLA tested five other former players and diagnosed all five as having signs of CTE, marking the first time doctors found signs of the crippling disease in living former players.

CTE is indicated by a buildup of tau, an abnormal protein that strangles brain cells in areas that control memory, emotions and other functions. Autopsies of more than 50 ex-NFL players, including Hall of Famer Mike Webster and perennial All-Pro Junior Seau, who committed suicide last year, found such tau concentrations.

Researchers told “Outside the Lines” that they notified Dorsett by phone Monday that they had diagnosed him as having signs of the neurological disease. Dorsett, in an appearance Wednesday afternoon on ESPN’s “Dan LeBatard Is Highly Questionable” show, acknowledged he had been tested at UCLA and received results: “I’m not going to say too much more about it … I’m trying to be proactive rather than reactive.”

OTL also ininterviewed 62 year old Hall of Famer Joe DeLamielleure, who had a 13-year career as an offensive lineman for Buffalo and Cleveland and NFL All-Pro Leonard Marshall have also been diagnosed with CTE.

DeLamielleure, 62, said he never received a concussion diagnosis during his 13-year career as an offensive lineman for Buffalo and Cleveland, but that during games and practices he endured tens of thousands of blows to his head and believes he had at least 100 concussions.

On the day he received the news that he has signs of CTE, DeLamielleure told OTL, “I can guarantee you my CTE, my tau, came from hits, came from blows to the head.” He said he suffers from anxiety and chronic insomnia, and, like Dorsett, he recounted mood swings and suicidal thoughts.

“When I sit still for any length of time, I get depressed for no reason,” DeLamielleure said. “I have CTE. Let’s see what the heck we can do about it.”

Marshall, 52, told “Outside the Lines” that when he received his diagnosis Sunday it was “very emotional.”

Sorry, but I am a firm believer in two things when it comes to the NFL and concussions. One, every player in today’s game who makes a ridiculous amount of money owes part of their pay check to those that made the game great and built the NFL into what it is today and who have obviously suffered the consequences. Two, the NFL should be ashamed of itself because they had to of known about the dangers of concussions and head injuries to players. But their answer today, is to make the game soft, can’t hit the QB, can’t hit defenseless receivers, can’t touch the helmet, etc. That’s fine for the skilled players, but what about the offensive and defensive players in the trenches where ever play is like an organized rumble?

However, the answer is not to take away the hitting in the NFL. Sorry, but like it or not, it is a violent sport. I have played the game from Pee-wees, to high school, to college and trust me, its a pretty hard hitting and yes I have had my fair share of concussions over the years. So much so that in college I switched to rugby for less violence. That would be a joke. But my point being is that the more the NFL makes the equipment and helmets better, the more they make it possible for players to hit harder. And hit they will. How else do they expect to get on ESPN, Inside the NFL and the other football highlight shows? In many respects, because the NFL wanted for marketing purposes to see higher scores and video game offenses, rather than any semblance of defense … they have made the game faster.

58 Year Old Denver Broncos Coach John Fox Taken to Charlotte, NC Hospital after Heart Issue on Golf Course … Update: Scheduled to Have Heart Valve Surguery Out for “Several Weeks”

58 year old Denver Broncos football head coach John Fox was taken to a Charlotte, NC hospital after feeling light headed while playing golf. It is being reported that although Fox did not have a heart attack, he does have a heart valve issue that is going to have to require surgery. USA Today is reporting that John Fox will have aortic heart valve replacement next week, which will keep him away from the team for “at least the next several weeks.” Several weeks, that is being rather generous. I cannot imagine that it will be more like at least 5-8 weeks.

Coach Fox was advised by doctors months ago that his defective aortic valve would require this procedure following the 2013 season,” the team said in a statement.

“As part of his trip to North Carolina over the bye week, he had a preoperative appointment on Thursday with his doctor, who informed him to seek medical attention immediately if he felt any discomfort.

“On Saturday, Coach Fox began feeling light-headed while golfing with friends. He was taken to a hospital, where testing revealed he needed to have this procedure as soon as possible.

Statement From The Denver Broncos:

“Denver Broncos Head Coach John Fox was taken to a Charlotte-area hospital after feeling light-headed while playing golf on Saturday.

“He is being held at the hospital for testing and further observation. Our medical staff is currently in contact with Coach Fox, his family and the doctors who are treating him.

Statement from John Fox via ESPN:

“I sincerely appreciate all of the support from friends, Denver Broncos fans and so many around the league today,” Fox said in a statement released by the team Saturday night. “Although I am disappointed I must take some time away from the team to attend to this pre-existing health condition, I understand that it’s the right thing to do. I have great confidence in our coaches and players, who are fully committed to our goals.

“I look forward to returning to coaching as soon as possible.”

Obviously, John Fox’s health is the primary concern. But when you are a NFL head coach of what many consider to be the best team in the AFC in the Denver Broncos and a front-runner to be in the Super Bowl, many wonder whether this will cause a problem for the Broncos march to the playoffs. The Broncos are currently 7-1 and one game behind the surprisingundefeated 8-0 Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West. Will it have any effect, that is to be seen in the future.

UPDATE I: NFL Community Expresses Well Wishes for Fox on Twitter.