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What To Expect From Draft Season In The NFL |
By Carlton Payne
 As the headlines from the draft and minicamps fade from the headlines, coaches, scouting staffs and players all tend to head in separate directions this time of year for some final R&R before the last minicamps and final preparations for training camps begin in a few weeks.
The NFL has become a year-round job in the past 20-25 years, and many team employees regularly put in 80-hour weeks or more throughout the year. This time is much needed by many to recharge before the grind of the season begins.
That doesn't mean that team officials will sleep easily for the next month, however, as this time of year has become "Nervous" Season for the league due to the fact that many players find trouble, or trouble finds them, depending on the point of view you believe, when there is nothing structured in place to keep them focused.
One only needs to look at the headlines from the past few of weeks to understand why certain teams are scrambling to come up with contingency plans just in case players who have run
afoul with the law are suddenly unavailable for any period of time.
1. Ricky Manning, Jr. and Maurice Drew
Although the incident in question here actually allegedly took place in April, the news hit the stands in the past couple of weeks, and the ramifications could be troubling for two NFL teams. According to police reports, Manning, Jr., Drew and another player with UCLA ties viciously assaulted a UCLA student at a Denny's restaurant in Westwood in the early morning hours, resulting in serious injury and serious charges. Manning, Jr. was recently signed to a big-money contract by the Bears, and Drew was a second-round draft choice by the Jaguars.
2. Jake Plummer
Plummer was reportedly involved in a road rage incident where he cut off another driver and kicked the other car. Before leaving the scene, Plummer allegedly backed his car into the other driver's automobile. There are two sides to this story, but it's one large headache for the Broncos and their starting QB.
3. Cory Rodgers
The Packers' recent fourth-round draft pick was involved in what is believed to be a confrontation with gang members in a Texas bar after refusing to buy drinks and sign autographs for patrons in the bar. According to police reports, Rodgers fled the scene of the altercation, but police reports indicate that he allegedly discharged a gun into the air as he left the melee. Rodgers was going to be given a chance to contribute to the Packers' special teams in a big way, and still may do so, but he'll have to clean up this mess before he can proceed with his football career.
4. Reuben Droughns
Three days after being acquitted of a DUI charge, Droughns was charged with domestic violence-related offenses in relation to an incident on May 12 where he allegedly threw his wife out the back door of their home after she told him she wanted a divorce. Although the charges are misdemeanors, Droughns once again has legal problems, and the Browns' featured RB could be distracted as he heads to training camp.
5. Santonio Holmes
Holmes was arrested for disorderly conduct at a Miami-area hotel after a confrontation with local police. The details of the incident are unclear, but this is not the way a classy organization like the Steelers wants to introduce its top rookie to the rest of the NFL.
A few things need to be stressed. First, none of these players have been convicted of anything, and everyone must assume they're innocent until proven otherwise. Secondly, these are only a few examples of legal issues faced by players.
However, these incidents definitely affect the way teams operate, as no one can predict a player being unavailable for duty as a result of legal troubles any more than they can predict injuries. Not to mention, the NFL may get involved with any of these incidents and issue its own discipline by way of fines and/or suspensions if the situations warrant it under the current CBA.
Regardless of what happens, team officials around the league may be trying to take it easy these days, but everyone will breathe a little easier when players report for the season and the time for distractions and trouble has passed.
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Safety in Indoor Rock Wall Climbing
By Erwin Pope
 Indoor rock wall climbing has become a very popular sport in the last five years and many people select indoor rock climbing walls because they offer the best safety features. People can feel safe while climbing on the wall because rock walls are made of sturdy materials that are guaranteed not to shift or come loose and fall to the ground below the climber during the time it takes to reach the top of the wall.
An indoor rock-climbing wall features boulders fashioned from synthetic material such as paper Mache and plaster of Paris. These materials are colored to look like true to life boulders and are enhanced with colored rocks that climbers use as places to put their feet as they progress higher and higher up the wall. One of the safety precautions that climbers use is to wear shoes made for climbing and this shoe style will closely resemble tennis shoes or any other shoe style that have no form of heel on them.
Teeth guards are worn at some indoor rock wall locations because the wall is also made with lifelike terrains that are fashioned from cement. A climber can lose their footing at any time on the rock wall and this could cause the mouth to come in direct contact with this building material. Even with this form of safety gear in place, it is quite possible for climbers to damage their front teeth or dislodge any tooth from its socket. Some climbers have been known to bite through the tongue even when a mouth guard is in place. Safety equipment is worn at all times while climbers are enjoying their chosen sport in an indoor environment.
Every person that is climbing a rock wall will be assigned a safety observer. The safety observer will remain on the ground and be present at all times while the climber is going up the rock face. Some rock wall climbing businesses will assign an escort to accompany a climber while they are learning the ropes. The safety observer will have the responsibility of notifying climbers if they see any safety issues that could cause them to be removed from the rock wall course.
No contact is allowed between climbers when they are on the course and some climbers are not aware that a person might be directly below them on a course. An extra set of eyes that are trained to spot mishaps before they occur is an invaluable tool that all climbers take full advantage of while they are improving their skills. Some climbers use the guidance and advice of safety observers to change their approach and improve their movements while climbing.
The safety observer will also ensure that the climber has a safety harness on and that it is securely fastened at all times. The safety harness is one of the best safety precautions that a climber can take to ensure that the climb is completed without any injuries occurring. There will be a line attached to the safety harness that will be controlled by the safety observer on the ground. Should the climber slip off the rock wall during the climb, the safety observer can use the line to guide the climber while they are lowered to the ground.
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