Throughout this week, all sorts of columnists and experts have chimed in with their opinions on Chris Borland's decision to retire. It's either the start of a trend, or the start of nothing. A significant and symbolic move, or a trivial decision in the grand scheme.
I'm not going to share my opinion -- every stance has already been expressed -- but I will pass on one that I feel deserves to be read.
Take a look at this essay by ex-Penn State offensive guard John Urschel: "Why I Play Football." Maybe no one in the NFL has more on the line than him. He's been published in major journals, graduated with a 4.0 GPA, and is intent on earning a chess title. Basically, by all accounts, he boasts a brain that seems more befitting a brain surgeon than a brawny ballplayer.
He doesn't need football. He says as much. He could make a living in mathematics instead of hitting grown men for a living. So, why does someone with so much on the line keep playing? Why does he keep risking his future on the present? His words:
"What my mother and a great majority of my friends, family, and fellow mathematicians don’t understand is that I’m not playing for the money. I’m not playing for some social status associated with being an elite athlete. No, the media has not brainwashed me into thinking this is what real men do. ... I play because I love the game. I love hitting people. There’s a rush you get when you go out on the field, lay everything on the line and physically dominate the player across from you. This is a feeling I’m (for lack of a better word) addicted to, and I’m hard-pressed to find anywhere else."
You can call him idealistic, but don't call him dishonest. Maybe no player's take is more relevant.
Urschel's words might not hold true for all players. Heck, maybe that truth is different for each player. But it's a take worth reading.
He ends with: "Simply put, right now, not playing football isn’t an option for me. And for that reason, I truly envy Chris Borland."
Now, on to the links ...
Tanner McEvoy is ready to make an impact at safety for Wisconsin. Barry Alvarez discusses Borland's decision to retire.
Defensive line coach Greg Mattison is fitting in just fine with the new Michigan staff.
Indiana tight end Jordan Fuchs joined the basketball team in February and has been a physical presence at practice.
Former Penn State tight end Matt Lehman worked at a pizza shop while preparing for one more shot at the NFL.
The Hawkeyes' recruiting spending mushroomed between 2009 and 2013, from $240K to $477K, and only Penn State experienced a greater increase.
Michigan State linebacker Taiwan Jones improved on his combine numbers and said he felt relaxed "back at home."
The Nebraska freshman who blocked a punt in the Holiday Bowl, Kieron Williams, is intent on earning the starting job at safety.
Ex-Rutgers star Brian Leonard said his NFL future remains "up in the air."