Pray for Kevin Everett

By Chris

On a day of renewed excitement throughout the country with the return of football, there is a somber cloud hanging over Buffalo.

Third-year tight end Kevin Everett was taken off the field on a stretcher and then driven off in an ambulance at the start of the second half. After colliding helmet-to-helmet with Domenik Hixon of the Denver Broncos, Everett fell limply onto the field. He wasn't moving and play was delayed for 15 minutes. As he was being loaded onto the ambulance, you could see that he was blinking, but there's no way to know his state of mind. He wasn't even able to give the obligatory thumbs up.

Everett has a cervical spine injury and had surgery for that injury Sunday evening. He's currently in intensive care for further evaluation. Even the casual football fan knew, from watching that hit, that nothing good could come from it.

Here's some pretty good coverage on Everett's condition from WIVB Channel 4 here in Buffalo (video of the hit is included, it's just not for the faint of heart). Link to Video.

This was supposed to be a big year for Everett, his breakout season. Coming from a long line of stand out tight ends from Miami, he was expected to do great things in Buffalo. He missed all of his rookie season with a knee injury and totaled just one catch for one yard in four starts last season. This was supposed to be a put-up-or-shut-up year and now he may not get his chance to show us what he's capable of.


So being a Buffalo sports blog, we here at the Roost want to extend our thoughts and prayers to Kevin Everett and his family, and encourage all of our readers and sports fans alike to do the same.

Sadly, my first thought after watching the hit was of Jason Street breaking his spine after trying to tackle an opposing player in the pilot of the Friday Night Lights TV show. I pray that Everett's injury isn't that serious.

The Bills lost a lot of players to injury in the season opener (including three starters on defense), but it's obvious that Everett's is the most serious.

We all remember David Pollack, the Bengals linebacker who broke his sixth cervical vertebrae last September. Pollack is on the fast track to recovery and may even be able to play next season. So there's hope that these things can work out for the best.

Get well soon, Kevin. We're all pulling for you.

UPDATE.

UPDATE: 9/11

Joe Theismann need not apply

By Chris

I can't wait for the new season of Friday Night Lights. I really can't. I was sketchy on the show at first and never really got into it until midseason. So I watched about a dozen episodes online in order to catch up and I don't regret the decision one bit. It's a great show with a lot of heart and the football scenes are surprisingly pretty good. Don't worry, you'll be getting more Lights praising from me in the coming months.

So I was on NBC's website this evening looking up some information on the upcoming second season (which begins Oct. 5 at 9 p.m. ET), and my jaw dropped when I saw this link at the bottom of the page:

AMERICAN GLADIATORS CASTING CALL

Yes that's right. American Gladiators is returning and looking for contestants and I couldn't be happier. I'm too young to appreciate the show for what it was when it was happening, but I remember watching reruns on TNN on weekday mornings in the summer. I'd wake up early--OK, like 10ish--to catch Miami Vice and then American Gladiators. Good memories.

It looks like the show is going to be a mid-season replacement (imdb.com has it pegged for a 2008 debut), but the wait will be soooo worth it. Yes I know this has the potential to suck hard, but the anticipation is what it's all about right? The worst thing that could happen is that the debut gets delayed because the new Nitro decided to stock up on HGH before filming. And I'm willing to bet no one would be surprised.

Also, even if you're not jacked up like Tim Couch and you're not thinking about applying, take a look at some of the questions being asked in the application for potential contestants. There's some really personal stuff in there.

• "13. Have you had any experiences that have traumatized you?"

• "14. What is your unique and personal motivation for wanting to compete on the show?"

• "19. What conversation topics are 'off limits' for you at a dinner party?"

• "21. If you were going to be in People magazine, what inside info about you would be put next to your picture?"

• "24. If you had Aladdin's lamp and had 3 wishes, what would you wish for? (Rule: you can't wish for money or more wishes). 1. 2. 3. Why?"

• "25. What is your strategy to win the game? (We won't tell the others.)"

• "Draw a picture of yourself in the box below"

Basically every storyline they want to make about you on the show is right there in this application. Maybe I should have tune into The Contender tomorrow night, just for those up lifting and "scripted" subplots each boxer has. Then again, maybe I made the right choice in watching Rocky III tonight instead. After all, Clubber Lang could probably take Laser in the Joust.