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Category: Sports

About Hard Knocks

Posted on by Mark LaMonica

On Long Island, there are 116 high schools with football programs.

Beginning in April 2015, Newsday obtained current helmet inventories from the 107 public schools through Freedom of Information Law requests. Newsday requested the same information from the nine private schools, which are not required by law to oblige. Only Long Island Lutheran provided the inventory.

Newsday also obtained concussion reporting from the 2014 football season from 102 public schools through FOIL requests. Five schools declined, citing student privacy laws. Newsday made the same request of the nine private schools. Only Long Island Lutheran and Bishop McGann-Mercy complied.

Newsday compared the helmet inventories with safety ratings that Virginia Tech researchers have been publishing since 2011.

This report is the result of a seven-month examination that included more than 80 interviews with neurologists, researchers, helmet manufacturers, Long Island superintendents, athletic directors, coaches, parents and players.

READ NEWSDAY’S REPORT

Hard Knocks: Helmets, concussions and LI football Inside Virginia Tech’s testing Oyster Bay’s new helmets have sensors Michael O’Donnell’s concussion experience Port Jefferson buys new 5-star helmets View the interactive Watch the videos

‘Where am I? What happened? Did I get hit?’

Posted on by Mark LaMonica

Michael O’Donnell awakened the morning of Nov. 17, 2012, ready to play in one of the biggest football games of his varsity career. What he didn’t realize is that he had already played in that game the day before.

“I woke up with a hospital bracelet on,” said O’Donnell, then the quarterback for Sachem North. “My first thought was, ‘All right, game day.’ I didn’t remember the game or that day in school.”

O’Donnell didn’t remember the hits that sent him to the hospital with a concussion, he didn’t remember passing his driver’s test a few days before and he had no idea of the grueling months of recovery that were to come.

His teammates came over that morning. “They were like, ‘You can watch the play if you want, but this will probably be the last time you watch TV for a while.’ ” he said.

In the video, O’Donnell, then a junior starting in the county semifinal against William Floyd High School, drops back to pass, gets hit helmet to helmet and, as his body drops, he takes a knee to the head. Finally, his helmet rattles against the turf. He is near the 10-yard line and he’s not moving. He is unconscious for close to a minute.

“Whenever he released the ball, as the quarterback, the first thing we looked to see was where the ball went and then we’d always look back to see where he was,” said his mother, Pam O’Donnell. “We looked back and I didn’t see him and there was a player on the ground. . . . He wasn’t moving and I knew it was my kid and I didn’t know what had happened.

“It was the scariest moment of my life.”

When O’Donnell regained consciousness, he was unsteady on his feet, but adamant he could continue playing. He walked to the wrong sideline and forgot which team Sachem North was playing. He shouted at his coaches to be put back in, “because I didn’t know what happened,” he said.

Despite O’Donnell’s pleas to go back in, the team’s athletic trainer and coaching staff would not let him return.

“He was insisting that he could go back in the game,” Pam O’Donnell said, “but the trainer knew right away that wasn’t going to happen.”

Pam and her husband, Mike, took their son to St. Charles’ Hospital in Port Jefferson, where Michael was diagnosed with a concussion. There, he repeated the same questions: Where am I? What happened? Did I get hit? Who were we playing? Was it a run or a pass?

“This went on for hours, literally hours,” Mike O’Donnell said.

Though that night is a blank space in Michael’s memory, the concussion — the days of sensory deprivation, the school time missed and the endless doctor’s visits — would come to dominate his life for the five months it took him to recover. The headaches were constant, he said, and he had extreme sensitivity to light and noise. He was out of school for 3 1/2 to four months, according to his father.

Michael, 19, now plays baseball for a club team at SUNY-Binghamton, where he is studying neuroscience. He doesn’t remember the helmet he was wearing and neither he nor his parents believe that different equipment would have made much of a difference.

“I don’t know if a different helmet would have done anything,” Pam O’Donnell said.

Michael returned to football his senior year and played safety. He said he doesn’t regret playing football.

“You know the risk,” he said. “But it’s something you accept when you walk on the field and it’s nothing I had a problem doing.”

READ NEWSDAY’S REPORT

Hard Knocks: Helmets, concussions and LI football Inside Virginia Tech’s testing Oyster Bay’s new helmets have sensors Port Jefferson buys new 5-star helmets View the interactive Watch the videos About this project

Hard Knocks: Long Island high school football helmets

Posted on by Anthony Carrozzo
Football tackle
a Newsday/News 12 special report

Hard Knocks Helmets and concussions on Long Island

A typical high school football player takes roughly 650 hits to the head per season

According to researchers at Michigan and Purdue

At impacts equal to
car crashes of 15 to 35 MPH According to Dr. Timothy Gay, University of Nebraska physics professor

“It was the scariest moment of my life.” – Pam O’Donnell, on seeing her son, Sachem North QB Michael O’Donnell, motionless on the field after suffering a concussion in a 2012 game.

Experts say the
football helmet is the last line of defense

to protect players from head injuries.

AIR FLOWHoles in the helmet’s shell allow for better air flow to allow for heat to escape.

SHELLA helmet’s shell is typically made of polycarbonate to best handle the force of an impact.

PADDINGPadding cushions the head on impact and decreases head acceleration. Each manufacturer uses different material.

CHINSTRAPKeeping the chinstrap tight is important for securing a helmet’s proper fit on the athlete’s head.

FACEMASKDifferent positions tend to use different style facemasks for better visibility.

CHIN CUPThe chin cup should be firmly placed on a player’s chin when it’s strapped to the helmet.

AIR FLOWHoles in the helmet’s shell allow for better air flow to allow for heat to escape.

SNAP BUCKLEThe chin strap is secured by a snap clip so players can easily get in and out of their helmet.

FACEMASK CLIPA facemask is screwed into the helmet so that it remains tight.

CHINSTRAPKeeping the chinstrap tight is important for securing a helmet’s proper fit on the athlete’s head.

SHELLA helmet’s shell is typically made of polycarbonate to best handle the force of an impact.

AIR FLOWHoles in the helmet’s shell allow for better air flow to allow for heat to escape.

SNAP BUCKLEThe chin strap is secured by a snap clip so players can easily get in and out of their helmet.

FACEMASK CLIPA facemask is screwed into the helmet so that it remains tight.

CHINSTRAPKeeping the chinstrap tight is important for securing a helmet’s proper fit on the athlete’s head.

SHELLA helmet’s shell is typically made of polycarbonate to best handle the force of an impact.

SHELLA helmet’s shell is typically made of polycarbonate to best handle the force of an impact.

AIR FLOWHoles in the helmet’s shell allow for better air flow to allow for heat to escape.
    Virginia Tech helmet ratings

    Virginia Tech researchers
    have developed a 5-star helmet rating system that has become the industry standard.

    A Newsday examination found Long Island high schools have at least 885 1-star and 2-star helmets in circulation.

    Experts call these “low performers” at reducing the risk of concussion.

    ADD A SCHOOL

      5-star helmets are considered
      the best at reducing head acceleration within the helmet on impact.

      Riddell VSR4 helmet Riddell VSR4Riddell says this helmet, introduced in 1992, “was the most advanced helmet in the marketplace for many years.” With foam padding on the interior, this was the most common helmet worn in the NFL as recently as 2010. Riddell discontinued sales in May 2011, the same month Virginia Tech released its ratings. There are 343 in circulation on Long Island.

      Schutt Air Advantage helmet Schutt Air AdvantageIntroduced in 2001, it was designed to be lighter and had a smaller outer shell than most helmets. Helmet designs since have become larger, often with more room for padding on the inside, to better manage energy. Schutt says it discontinued this helmet in 2011. There are 542 in circulation on Long Island.

      Schutt DNA Pro+This helmet’s shell is slightly smaller and therefore does not manage energy on low-impact hits as well as its others in Virginia Tech’s testing, Schutt says. This helmet is the third generation of a model released in 2003. Schutt stopped manufacturing this model last month. There are 666 in circulation on Long Island.

      Riddell RevolutionRiddell says this was the first helmet designed to reduce concussions. Introduced in 2002, its polycarbonate shell is wider and extended further along the jaw line than its predecessors. Riddell said last month it will no longer manufacture this helmet. There are 3,028 in circulation on Long Island.

      Riddell SpeedFlexIntroduced last year, the SpeedFlex features flexibility in certain portions of the helmet’s shell and facemask, which Riddell says reduces impact force transfer to the athlete. There are 154 in circulation on Long Island.

      Flip helmets

      All major helmet manufacturers make 4-star and 5-star helmets.

      “The difference between the top and the bottom is dramatic…” – Stefan Duma, Virginia Tech

      There was a 54% reduction in concussions

      among players wearing a 4-star helmet compared with those wearing a 1-star helmet, a separate six-year study found.

        In 2014, a Shoreham-Wading River junior died after a helmet-to-helmet hit.

        In response, Port Jefferson replaced its helmets by buying
        50 new 5-star helmets for $14,749

        “If this was your son, which helmet would you want on his head?” – Port Jefferson athletic director Debra Ferry

        Schools typically purchase about 10 new helmets per year ranging in cost from $150 to $400.

        Oyster Bay bought 85 5-star helmets equipped with sensors for $33,915

        Oyster Bay is the first school on Long Island to wear these helmets that signal when a player receives a hit above a certain threshold.

        Regardless of which helmet a player is wearing, concussions remain a part of the game.

        “I don’t know if a different helmet would have done anything.” – Pam O’Donnell

        But many experts believe better helmets can help.

        “I would not put my kid in one of those 1-star helmets.” – Kevin Guskiewicz, a member of the NFL’s Head, Neck and Spine Committee

        Just as safety testing changed how the auto industry made cars, Virginia Tech researchers changed how football helmets are made.

        1-star and 2-star helmets have not been manufactured since 2011.

        Another 408 of the 9,502 helmets are not rated.

        Unrated helmets are more than 5 years old and no longer being manufactured.

        On Long Island, 60 schools have 1-star and/or 2-star helmets in inventory.

        27 schools only have
        4-star and 5-star helmets.

        Expand Chart

        On Long Island, there were 364 reported concussions

        in football among districts covering 90 high schools in 2014.

        “It felt like my brain was rebooting…” – Yusuf Young, former Roosevelt linebacker

        14 high schools reported no concussions in football.

        “Statistically it would be pretty unusual to have 14 schools not report any concussions over one season.” – Kenneth Perrine, a neuropsychologist

        While better helmets can help, they do not guarantee a player won’t suffer a concussion.

        No helmet system can protect you from serious brain and/or neck injuries including paralysis or death. To avoid these risks, do not engage in the sport football.
        “If you want to avoid the possibility of a concussion, you probably shouldn’t be playing the game of football.” – Robert Erb, Schutt CEO

        REPORTER: Jim Baumbach PROJECT EDITOR: Hank Winnicki DESIGN: Anthony Carrozzo, Matthew Cassella DEVELOPER: TC McCarthy VIDEO: Jeffrey Basinger, Robert Cassidy, Chuck Fadely, Mario Gonzalez, Greg Inserillo, Arnold Miller, Jessica Rotkiewicz, Chris Ware PHOTO EDITOR: John Keating PHOTOGRAPHERS: Thomas A. Ferrara, J. Conrad Williams Jr. INTERACTIVE EDITORS: Saba Ali, Mark La Monica ADDITIONAL REPORTING: Laura Albanese, Ann Choi, Timothy Healy

        Serena & the slams

        Posted on by Anthony Carrozzo

        Grand Slam totals

        Since turning pro in 1995 and making her Grand Slam debut in 1998, Serena Williams has put together one of the most impressive collections of statistics in major tennis tournaments. Click each number for more info.

        FINALS25
        TITLES21
        MATCH WINS285
        SERENA SLAMS2
        AUSTRALIAN OPEN TITLES6
        FRENCH OPEN TITLES3
        WIMBLEDON TITLES6
        U.S. OPEN TITLES6
        WINS AS HIGHER-RANKED PLAYER250
        WINS AS LOWER-RANKED PLAYER35
        VS. VENUS9-5
        VS. PLAYERS WHO HAVE BEEN NO. 156-21

        Videos

        Serena year by year

        A look at how far Serena Williams advanced in each of the grand slams during her nearly 20 years on tour.

        1998

        AUSTRALIAN OPEN: No. 53 Serena Williams lost to No. 16 Venus Williams in the Round of 64, 7-6 (7-4), 6-1.

        FRENCH OPEN: No. 27 Serena Williams lost to No. 5 Arantxa Sanchez Vicario in the Round of 16, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3.

        WIMBLEDON: No. 20 Serena Williams lost to No. 47 Virginia Ruano Pascual in the Round of 32, 7-5, 4-1 (retired).

        U.S. OPEN: No. 20 Serena Williams lost to No. 8 Irina Spirlea in the Round of 32, 6-3, 0-6, 7-5.

        1999

        AUSTRALIAN OPEN: No. 26 Serena Williams lost to No. 15 Sandrine Testud in the round of 32, 6-2, 2-6, 9-7.

        FRENCH OPEN: No. 10 Serena Williams lost to No. 37 Mary Joe Fernandez in the Round of 32, 6-3, 1-6, 6-0.

        WIMBLEDON: Missed tournament because of injury.

        U.S. OPEN: No. 6 Serena Williams won her first Grand Slam by defeating No. 1 Martina Hingis in the final, 6-3, 7-6.

        2000

        AUSTRALIAN OPEN: No. 4 Serena Williams lost to No. 18 Elena Likhovtseva in the Round of 16, 6-3, 6-3.

        FRENCH OPEN: Missed tournament because of injury.

        WIMBLEDON: No. 8 Serena Williams lost to No. 5 Venus Williams in the semifinals, 6-2, 7-6.

        U.S. OPEN: No. 5 Serena Williams lost to No. 2 Lindsay Davenport in the quarterfinals, 6-4, 6-2.

        2001

        AUSTRALIAN OPEN: No. 6 Serena Williams lost to No. 1 Martina Hingis in the quarterfinals, 6-2, 3-6, 8-6.

        FRENCH OPEN: No. 7 Serena Williams lost to No. 4 Jennifer Capriati in the quarterfinals, 6-2, 5-7, 6-2.

        WIMBLEDON: No. 5 Serena Williams lost to No. 4 Jennifer Capriati in quarterfinals, 6-7, (4-7), 7-5, 6-3.

        U.S. OPEN: No. 10 Serena Williams lost to No. 4 Venus Williams in the final, 6-2, 6-4.

        2002

        AUSTRALIAN OPEN: Missed tournament because of injury.

        FRENCH OPEN: No. 3 Serena Williams beat No. 2 Venus Williams in the final, 7-5, 6-3.

        WIMBLEDON: No. 2 Serena Williams beat No. 1 Venus Williams in the final, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3.

        U.S. OPEN: No. 1 Serena Williams beat No. 2 Venus Williams in the final, 6-4, 6-3.

        2003

        AUSTRALIAN OPEN: No. 1 Serena Williams beat No. 2 Venus Williams in the final, 7-6 (7-4), 3-6, 6-4.

        FRENCH OPEN: No. 1 Serena Williams lost to No. 4 Justine Henin in the semifinals, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5.

        WIMBLEDON: No. 1 Serena Williams beat No. 4 Venus Williams in the final, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.

        U.S. OPEN: Missed tournament because of injury.

        2004

        AUSTRALIAN OPEN: Missed tournament because of injury.

        FRENCH OPEN: No. 7 Serena Williams lost to No. 6 Jennifer Capriati in the quarterfinals, 6-3, 2-6, 6-3.

        WIMBLEDON: No.10 Serena Williams lost to No. 15 Maria Sharapova in the final, 6-1, 6-4.

        U.S. OPEN: No. 11 Serena Williams lost to No. 8 Jennifer Capriati in the quarterfinals, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4.

        2005

        AUSTRALIAN OPEN: No. 7 Serena Williams beat No. 1 Lindsay Davenport in the final, 2-6, 6-3, 6-0.

        FRENCH OPEN: Missed tournament because of injury.

        WIMBLEDON: No. 4 Serena Williams lost to No. 85 Jill Craybas in the Round of 32, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4).

        U.S. OPEN: No. 8 Serena Williams lost to No. 10 Venus Williams in the Round of 16, 7-6 (7-5), 6-2.

        2006

        AUSTRALIAN OPEN: No. 15 Serena Williams lost to No. 17 Daniela Hantuchova in the Round of 32, 6-1, 7-6 (7-5).

        FRENCH OPEN: Missed tournament because of injury.

        WIMBLEDON: Missed tournament because of injury.

        U.S. OPEN: No. 91 Serena Williams lost to No. 1 Amelie Mauresmo in the Round of 16, 6-4, 0-6, 6-2.

        2007

        AUSTRALIAN OPEN: No. 81 Serena Williams beat No. 2 Maria Sharapova in the final, 6-1, 6-2.

        FRENCH OPEN: No. 8 Serena Williams lost to No. 1 Justine Henin in the quarterfinals, 6-4, 6-3.

        WIMBLEDON: No. 8 Serena Williams lost to No. 1 Justine Henin in the quarterfinals, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

        U.S. OPEN: No. 9 Serena Williams lost to No. 1 Justine Henin in the quarterfinals, 7-6 (7-3), 6-1.

        2008

        AUSTRALIAN OPEN: No. 7 Serena Williams lost to No. 4 Jelena Jankovic in the quarterfinals, 6-3, 6-4.

        FRENCH OPEN: No. 5 Serena Williams lost to No. 24 Katarina Srebotnik in the Round of 32, 6-4, 6-4.

        WIMBLEDON: No. 6 Serena Williams lost to No. 7 Venus Williams in the final, 7-5, 6-4.

        U.S. OPEN: No. 3 Serena Williams beat No. 2 Jelena Jankovic in the final, 6-4, 7-5.

        2009

        AUSTRALIAN OPEN: No. 2 Serena Williams beat No. 3 Dinara Safina in the final, 6-0, 6-3.

        FRENCH OPEN: No. 2 Serena Williams lost to No. 7 Svetlana Kuznetsova in the quarterfinals, 7-6 (7-3), 5-7, 7-5.

        WIMBLEDON: No. 2 Serena Williams beat No. 3 Venus Williams in the final, 7-6 (7-3), 6-2.

        U.S. OPEN: No. 2 Serena Williams lost to unranked Kim Clijsters in the semifinals, 6-4, 7-5.

        2010

        AUSTRALIAN OPEN: No. 1 Serena Williams beat unranked Justine Henin in the final, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2.

        FRENCH OPEN: No. 1 Serena Williams lost to No. 7 Samantha Stosur in the quarterfinals, 6-2, 6-7 (2-7), 8-6.

        WIMBLEDON: No. 1 Serena Williams beat No. 21 Vera Zvonareva in the final, 6-3, 6-2.

        U.S. OPEN: Missed tournament because of injury.

        2011

        AUSTRALIAN OPEN: Missed tournament because of injury.

        FRENCH OPEN: Missed tournament because of injury.

        WIMBLEDON: No. 25 Serena Williams lost to No. 9 Marion Bartoli in the Round of 16, 6-3, 7-6 (8-6).

        U.S. OPEN: No. 27 Serena Williams lost to No. 10 Samantha Stosur in the final, 6-2, 6-3.

        2012

        AUSTRALIAN OPEN: No. 12 Serena Williams lost to No. 56 Ekaterina Makarova in the Round of 16, 6-2, 6-3.

        FRENCH OPEN: No. 5 Serena Williams lost to No. 111 Virginie Razzano in the first round, 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3.

        WIMBLEDON: No. 6 Serena Williams beat No. 3 Agnieszka Radwanska in the final, 6-1, 5-7, 6-2.

        U.S. OPEN: No. 4 Serena Williams beat No. 1 Victoria Azarenka in the final, 6-2, 2-6, 7-5.

        2013

        AUSTRALIAN OPEN: No. 3 Serena Williams lost to No. 25 Sloane Stephens in the quarterfinals, 3-6, 7-5, 6-4.

        FRENCH OPEN: No. 1 Serena Williams beat No. 2 Maria Sharapova in the final, 6-4, 6-4.

        WIMBLEDON: No. 1 Serena Williams lost to No. 24 Sabine Lisicki in the Round of 16, 6-2, 1-6, 6-4.

        U.S. OPEN: No. 1 Serena Williams beat No. 2 Victoria Azarenka in the final, 7-5, 6-7 (6-8), 6-1.

        2014

        AUSTRALIAN OPEN: Top-ranked Serena Williams lost to No. 14 Ana Ivanovic in the Round of 16, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.

        FRENCH OPEN: Top-ranked Serena Williams lost to No. 35 Garbine Muguruza in the Round of 64, 6-2, 6-2.

        WIMBLEDON: Top-ranked Serena Williams lost to No. 24 Alize Cornet in the Round of 32, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4.

        U.S. OPEN: Top-ranked Serena Williams beat No. 11 Caroline Wozniacki in the final, 6-3, 6-3.

        2015

        AUSTRALIAN OPEN: No. 1 Serena Williams beat No. 2 Maria Sharapova in the final, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5).

        FRENCH OPEN: No. 1 Serena Williams beat No. 13 Lucie Safarova in the final, 6-3, 6-7 (7-2), 6-2.

        WIMBLEDON: No. 1 Serena Williams beat No. 20 Garbine Muguruza in the final, 6-4, 6-4.

        U.S. OPEN: Serena Williams lost to unseeded Roberta Vinci in the semifinal, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4.

        (Note: Numbers listed above are WTA rankings at the time, not tournament seed.)

        Grand Slam finals

        serena williams

        Chris Evert (34), Martina Navratilova (32) and Steffi Graf (31) are the only women to appear in more Grand Slam singles finals. Williams’ 84 percent win rate in finals is the best ever (minimum five titles).

        Grand Slam wins

        serena williams

        Serena Williams won her most recent Grand Slam event at Wimbledon in July, and at age 33, became the oldest woman to win a major.

        Serena’s Grand Slam match wins

        serena williams

        Serena Williams, with her 285-40 record, has won 88 percent of her Grand Slam matches, which ranks third behind Steffi Graf (89.7 percent) and Chris Evert (89.0 percent).

        ‘Serena Slams’

        serena williams

        After winning the French Open, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open in 2002, Williams won the 2003 Australian Open to become the fifth player to win four straight Grand Slams. Upon victory at the Australian Open, Williams was the active title holder in all four majors, a feat dubbed the “Serena Slam.” She did it again with wins at the U.S. Open in 2014 and the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon in 2015.

        Australian Open

        serena williams

        Serena Williams has won the most Australian Open titles in the Open Era. She is 68-9 (88 percent) at the tournament. Her 2003 championship also made her the ninth woman to complete the career Grand Slam.

        French Open

        serena williams

        Serena Williams is 54-11 at Roland Garros (83 percent) and 3-0 in the final.

        Wimbledon

        serena williams

        The All-England Club has seen the Williams sisters meet in a final four times, with Serena winning in 2002, 2003 and 2009, and Venus winning in 2008. Serena is 79-10 (89 percent) at Wimbledon.

        U.S. Open

        serena williams

        At the 1999 US Open, a 17-year-old Serena Williams won her first Grand Slam by beating Martina Hingis. She is 84-9 at the U.S. Open.

        Wins as a higher-ranked player

        serena williams

        She also has only 19 losses against lower-ranked opponents, with the most recent coming in 2014 as No. 1 at Wimbledon against No. 24 Alize Cornet. She is 12-2 in finals as the higher-ranked player. She is 98-7 overall when playing as the world’s No. 1 ranked player.

        Wins as lower-ranked player

        serena williams

        The 2012 Wimbledon final marked the last time Williams has faced a higher-ranked player in a Grand Slam. As the No. 4 ranked player, she defeated No. 2 Agnieszka Radwanska in the final. She is 8-2 in finals against higher-ranked players and 35-19 in all matches as the lower-ranked player.

        Serena vs. Venus

        serena williams venus williams

        Venus Williams won their first three Grand Slam meetings, but Serena has won nine of their last 11. Serena is 7-3 against her sister in finals, including four straight championship wins between 2002 and 2003. This was the only time in the Open Era two women met in four straight Grand Slam finals.

        Serena vs. players who have been ranked No. 1

        serena williams

        Venus Williams, Justine Henin and Jennifer Capriati are the only players in this group to defeat Serena more than once at a Grand Slam. Her most frequent victims have been Victoria Azarenka (No. 1 in 2012; 0-10 against Williams), and Maria Sharapova (No. 1 in 2005, 2007, 2008, 2012; 1-6 against Williams).

        The winningest cities in sports

        Posted on by TC McCarthy

        How successful is New York compared with other cities in the six major pro team sports in the United States? Compare the 57 cities in the U.S. and Canada based on completed seasons from 2013 going forward in the MLB, MLS, NBA, NFL, NHL and WNBA. Records in both the regular season and playoffs.

        all cities

        top

        bottom

        .550 & above .450-.549 .449 & below
        {{pct}}
        usa state map gray
        RANK CITY W L T PCT
        {{rank}} {{city}} {{w}} {{l}} {{t}} {{pct}}
        back to list


        UFC 187

        Posted on by Mark LaMonica

        Chris Weidman, the UFC middleweight champion from Baldwin, makes his third title defense at UFC 187 against Vitor Belfort on May 23. The card is headlined by Anthony “Rumble” Johnson and Daniel Cormier fighting for the vacant light heavyweight title. Newsday’s Mark La Monica and Jeffrey Basinger are in Las Vegas to document fight week. Follow along here for videos, stories and photos throughout the week.

        And still . . .

        WEIDMAN VS. BELFORT

        And still . . .

        Chris Weidman successfully defended his UFC middleweight title at UFC 187 with a first-round TKO of Vitor Belfort.

        Newsday/Jeffrey Basinger

        By Mark La Monica

        Chris Weidman behind the scenes

        FIGHT WEEK

        Chris Weidman behind the scenes

        Newsday takes you behind the scenes with Chris Weidman during UFC 187 fight week in Las Vegas.

        Newsday/Jeffrey Basinger

        And the new . . .

        CORMIER VS. JOHNSON

        And the new . . .

        Daniel Cormier stopped Anthony 'Rumble' Johnson in the third round to win the vacant light heavyweight title.

        By Mark La Monica

        Classic slugfest

        ARLOVSKI VS. BROWNE

        Classic slugfest

        Andrei Arlovski and Travis Browne put on a classic heavyweight slugfest, with haymakers and bombs and knockdowns and wobbly legs.

        By Mark La Monica

        'Timeout'

        CERRONE VS. MAKDESSI

        'Timeout'

        Donald Cerrone kicked John Makdessi in the face and he called timeout to end the fight.

        Newsday/Jeffrey Basinger

        By Mark La Monica

        Natal takes NY

        HALL VS. NATAL

        Natal takes NY

        Rafael Natal won a split decision over Uriah Hall in a fight between New York middleweights.

        Newsday/Jeffrey Basinger

        By Mark La Monica

        Home cooking

        WEIDMAN VS. BELFORT

        Home cooking

        The Serra-Longo fight team showed up to support Chris Weidman during his weight cut for UFC 187.

        Newsday/Jeffrey Basinger

        By Mark La Monica

        Staredown gets heated

        WEIDMAN VS. BELFORT

        Staredown gets heated

        After making weight, Chris Weidman had some strong words for Vitor Belfort.

        UFC 187 staredowns

        WEIGH-INS

        UFC 187 staredowns

        Watch every staredown from the UFC 187 weigh-ins.

        A 'personal' fight

        HALL VS. NATAL

        A 'personal' fight

        Uriah Hall says his middleweight fight against fellow New Yorker Rafael Natal has taken on a 'personal' nature at UFC 187.

        By Mark La Monica

        Playing the role

        WEIDMAN VS. BELFORT

        Playing the role

        Every member of Team Weidman has a specific role in preparing him for UFC 187. For Gian Villante, that's a physical task.

        By Mark La Monica

        Media day highlights

        WEIDMAN VS. BELFORT

        Media day highlights

        Chris Weidman and Vitor Belfort talk about their upcoming fight during UFC 187 media day.

        Weight off shoulders

        BROWNE VS. ARLOVSKI

        Weight off shoulders

        Travis Browne is one of two fighters on the UFC 187 card with no stresses about weight cutting.

        Bader bashing

        Bader bashing

        Daniel Cormier was supposed to fight Ryan Bader next month. Now they do it through Twitter and the media.

        By Mark La Monica

        Aside from Jon Jones ...

        JOHNSON VS. CORMIER

        Aside from Jon Jones ...

        Daniel Cormier and Anthony Johnson had plenty to say about each other heading into Saturday's fight for the vacant light heavyweight title.

        By Mark La Monica

        'This is what I love to do'

        WEIDMAN VS. BELFORT

        'This is what I love to do'

        Chris Weidman, the UFC middleweight champion from Baldwin, was excited for UFC 187 open workouts on Wednesday. He was 12 years old when Vitor Belfort first won a UFC tournament.

        Newsday/Jeffrey Basinger

        By Mark La Monica

        Happy birthday, Longo!

        Happy birthday, Longo!

        Chris Weidman and Gian Villante surprised Ray Longo in the middle of the UFC 187 open workouts with a piece of birthday cake.

        Cormier vs. Johnson

        Cormier vs. Johnson

        Daniel Cormier and Anthony Johnson discuss their fight against each other instead of Jon Jones at UFC 187 open workouts.

        Weidman vs. Belfort

        Weidman vs. Belfort

        Chris Weidman and Vitor Belfort talk about their upcoming fight on Saturday after the UFC 187 open workouts.

        'Cowboy' Cerrone workout

        'Cowboy' Cerrone workout

        Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone wasn't scheduled to do an open workout on the casino floor of the MGM Grand. He just did it anyway.

        How we got here

        WEIDMAN VS. BELFORT

        How we got here

        Recapping the 17-plus months between the first time Chris Weidman and Vitor Belfort were scheduled to fight and this weekend when it will happen.

        By Mark La Monica

        Longo's 'TUF' return

        Longo's 'TUF' return

        Ray Longo returned to the UFC's training center, home to 'The Ultimate Fighter' show, for the first time in more than seven years.

        Real champion?

        Real champion?

        Jon Jones casts a huge shadow over UFC 187 this week. How will the Cormier-Johnson winner be viewed?

        By Mark La Monica

        Rollin' with Chris Weidman

        Rollin' with Chris Weidman

        Hear from those at Serra BJJ who have been rolling with Chris Weidman since he first started the martial art.

        Training days

        Training days

        Scenes from Chris Weidman's training camp on Long Island before UFC 187.

        By Jeffrey Basinger

        On fighting and FIFA

        On fighting and FIFA

        Yes, Chris Weidman is the reigning UFC middleweight champion, but can he beat Gian Villante in video games?

        On sparring Weidman

        On sparring Weidman

        Stephen Thompson, a UFC welterweight, recalled his first sparring session against Chris Weidman.

        On preparing to fight

        On preparing to fight

        Team Weidman talks about the rigors of running hills and the final week of sparring in the gym.

        Refuse to lose

        Refuse to lose

        The catchy phrase kind of rhymes, works well on T-shirts and takes up just 13 characters in social media when adding the hashtag symbol. But to Chris Weidman, it's a mindset and a mantra.

        By Mark La Monica

        <a href='https://www.newsday.com/sports/mixed-martial-arts/chris-weidman-s-ufc-history-1.5564791'>Chris Weidman's UFC fight history</a>

        Chris Weidman's UFC fight history

        Baldwin's Chris Weidman has had eight fights in the UFC. Here's a recap of his career so far.

        Mario Gonzalez

        UFC 187 preview

        UFC 187 preview

        Anthony Johnson and Daniel Cormier fight for the vacant light heavyweight title. Baldwin's Chris Weidman defends his middleweight title against Vitor Belfort.

        Daniel Cormier's UFC fight history

        Daniel Cormier's UFC fight history

        A recap of how the former two-time U.S. Olympic wrestler has performed inside the octagon since joining UFC in 2013.

        UFC 187 fight card

        UFC 187 fight card

        At MGM Grand Garden
        Arena in Las Vegas         Main card, 10 p.m. ET on pay-per-view

        Vacant light heavyweight title

        Anthony Johnson vs. Daniel Cormier

        Middleweight championship

        Chris Weidman vs. Vitor Belfort

        Other bouts

        Donald Cerrone vs. John Makdessi

        Travis Browne vs. Andrei Arlovski

        Joseph Benavidez vs. John Moraga

        Prelims, 8 p.m. on Fox Sports 1

        John Dodson vs. Zach Makovsky

        Dong Hyun-Kim vs. Josh Burkman

        Uriah Hall vs. Rafael Natal

        Rose Namajunas vs. Nina Ansaroff

        Early prelims, 7 p.m. on UFC Fight Pass

        Mike Pyle vs. Sean Spencer

        Islam Makhachev vs. Leo Kuntz

        Justin Scoggins vs. Josh Sampo


        The Jon Jones situation

        Jones stripped of title

        Jones stripped of title

        Jon Jones was supposed to defend his title at UFC 187 against Anthony Johnson. As of April 28, he's not the champ, is suspended indefinitely and is facing a felony charge of leaving the scene of an accident.

        By Mark La Monica

        Cormier dismayed

        Cormier dismayed

        Daniel Cormier lost his last fight -- a title shot against Jon Jones. Now he's got a shot at the vacant title against Anthony Johnson. Still, Cormier was disappointed in Jones.

        By Mark La Monica

        Previous Chris Weidman documentaries

        Weidman vs. Silva

        UFC 162

        Weidman vs. Silva

        Relive Chris Weidman's stunning victory over then-UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva at UFC 162 in Las Vegas on July 6, 2013.

        Mario Gonzalez, Mark La Monica

        Weidman vs. Silva II

        UFC 168

        Weidman vs. Silva II

        Newsday chronicled Baldwin's Chris Weidman in Las Vegas as he defended his title against Anderson Silva on Dec. 28, 2013.

        Mario Gonzalez, Mark La Monica

        Weidman vs. Machida

        UFC 175

        Weidman vs. Machida

        Another fight week, another behind-the-scenes look at Chris Weidman as he defends his title against Lyoto Machida on July 5, 2014.

        Mario Gonzalez, Mark La Monica

        The last season

        Posted on by Mark LaMonica

        In 1972, the New York Islanders were born. They played their home games at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale for more than 40 years. The 2014-15 NHL season was their last season on Long Island before the franchise moves to Brooklyn and the Barclays Center. This is the story of their final season.

        Leaving LI: Isles' last season at Nassau Coliseum

        DOCUMENTARY

        Leaving LI: Isles' last season at Nassau Coliseum

        After more than 40 years of playing their games at Nassau Coliseum, the Islanders moved to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn for the 2015-16. But “the old barn” rocked in its final season. Newsday followed Islanders employees, fans and players throughout the emotional ride during their last season at the Nassau Coliseum.

        Past Islanders episodes

        Painting the ice

        Episode 1

        Painting the ice

        John Cirola discusses what goes into painting the ice at Nassau Coliseum in the premiere episode of Newsday's season-long series chronicling the Islanders' final season on Long Island.

        New beginnings

        Episode 2

        New beginnings

        The Islanders won their final home opener on Oct. 11, and in the first two weeks of the 2014-15 NHL season, they went 4-2 and introduced their new owners.

        Loyal fan

        Episode 3

        Loyal fan

        As the Islanders began a five-game road trip on the West, Syosset resident Bob Lehman shares his story about how he became a fan of the team since its inception in 1972.

        Fast start

        Episode 4

        Fast start

        The Islanders are off to their best start in 27 years. With almost a quarter of the season done, the Isles are right on the heels of the first place Penguins.

        From Billy to Tavares

        Episode 5

        From Billy to Tavares

        The Islanders are enjoying some early success this season with 18 wins in their first 25 games. They are hoping captain John Tavares can bring them back to the top of the NHL the way goaltender Billy Smith helped lead the the team to four straight Stanley Cups in the 1980s.

        Battling through

        Episode 6

        Battling through

        Even though the Islanders are on a record-setting run by winning 21 of their first 31 games, this season hasn’t been without some ups and downs.

        Zamboni

        Episode 7

        Zamboni

        Thomas Walters, of Terryville, explains the ins and outs of his icy job as the Islanders' Zamboni driver. The Isles finished the 2014 calendar year with a win against Winnipeg, putting them in a tie with Pittsburgh in the Metropolitan Division.

        The Rangers rivalry

        Episode 8

        The Rangers rivalry

        Islanders vs. Rangers has been one of the NHL’s most heated rivalries for more than 40 years. It never matters where each team is in the standings. These games always have a playoff feel not only for the players, but also for the fans as well.

        Bossy and the blizzard

        Episode 9

        Bossy and the blizzard

        As the Islanders head into the second half of the season leading the Metropolitan Division, they will have to overcome many obstacles off the ice such as an injury to Kyle Okposo and a blizzard that hit Long Island. On the ice, the Isles make sure to honor their history whether its good or bad.

        Carkner and the LI Blues

        Episode 10

        Carkner and the LI Blues

        Matt Carkner, an Islanders defenseman coming off back surgery, dedicates some of his off-ice time to working with the Long Island Blues, a special needs youth hockey team. He gives the kids tours of the Islanders’ locker room at Nassau Coliseum, organizes meet-and-greets with other Islanders and helps teach the fundamentals of the sport.

        Nystrom

        Episode 11

        Nystrom

        Bobby Nystrom played 14 seasons for th Islanders and scored arguably the biggest goal in the franchise's 43-year history. Newsday sat down with the former Islander great to reminisce about the team's glory days of the 1980s.

        Super fan

        Episode 12

        Super fan

        The Islanders have their share of fanatics. Add Patrick Dowd, aka 'The Sign Guy,' to that group. As the Isles take the ice at the Coliseum each game, you can see the Bay Shore resident standing by the rink entrance with a supportive sign.

        Junior Islanders

        Episode 13

        Junior Islanders

        The Junior Islanders are made up of elite Pee-Wee level players on Long Island selected through a tryout. They represent the New York Islanders at the prestigious Quebec Pee-Wee Tournament in Quebec held each February.

        Pond hockey

        Episode 14

        Pond hockey

        In North Babylon the Anastasio family, who are huge Islanders fans, can’t wait for the cold weather to come and freeze over their backyard pond so they can start playing ice hockey morning, noon and night.

        Gillies

        Episode 15

        Gillies

        As the Islanders start their playoff run, former Stanley Cup champion Clark Gillies talks about his great memories at Nassau Coliseum in the 1980s and how he would love to drink out of Lord Stanley's cup one more time.

        The final thaw

        Episode 16

        The final thaw

        Ice painter John Cirola and Zamboni drivers Thomas Walters and Kevin Capobianco participate in one final 'ice out' at Nassau Coliseum, where employees of the arena break apart and melt the rink's ice.

        Down come the banners

        Epilogue

        Down come the banners

        Workers at the Nassau Coliseum took down the banners, including the ones from the Islanders’ Stanley Cup seasons, from the rafters on May 8, 2015 as part of the process of renovating the arena.

        2015 NFL Draft: Top 100 prospects

        Posted on by Matthew Cassella

        Every offseason, several hundred college football players go through intense workouts, rigorous interviews and continuous dissection of their skills, measurables and answers. All that for this: to get drafted by a team and play in the NFL.

        This year, that process culminates in Chicago with the 2015 NFL Draft from April 30 to May 2. Nick Klopsis, Newsday.com’s NFL draft analyst, compiled his “big board” of the top 100 NFL draft prospects in this year’s class.

        Interact with the photo mosaic to learn more about the players. Use the dropdowns to search by position and/or class.

        (Note: All measurements are from the NFL Combine in Indianapolis Feb. 17-23.)

        Select a class
        Select a position
        All

        The Aprils of A-Rod

        Posted on by Mark LaMonica

        Career Totals

        Rodriguez’s numbers in regular-season games played in March and April. (click stats for more info)

        Games354
        AB1,379
        R288
        HR96
        RBI289
        AVG.302
        OBP.386
        SLG.589

        Year by Year

        An expanded look at how Rodriguez has been in March and April each year of his career.

        scroll to view table
        Team Year G R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG
        1996 17 12 17 9 0 3 15 0 5 9 .293 .349 .603
        1997 27 22 40 10 0 4 19 4 7 15 .333 .380 .517
        1998 27 23 38 8 3 9 19 5 6 23 .317 .357 .658
        1999 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 .000 .143 .000
        2000 23 27 28 7 0 8 26 2 24 22 .354 .500 .747
        2001 25 22 29 6 0 7 21 2 18 21 .312 .426 .602
        2002 25 20 30 6 1 9 28 0 13 16 .306 .397 .663
        2003 27 23 38 7 0 9 23 3 12 32 .355 .444 .673
        2004 23 13 23 5 0 4 7 2 10 15 .253 .333 .440
        2005 24 20 31 5 0 9 27 3 7 23 .304 .349 .618
        2006 23 22 23 3 0 5 16 3 17 20 .267 .390 .477
        2007 23 27 33 7 0 14 34 2 9 23 .355 .415 .882
        2008 24 14 26 7 0 4 11 1 6 19 .286 .343 .495
        2009 Returned from offseason hip surgery on May 8
        2010 22 12 21 6 2 2 14 1 11 13 .250 .337 .440
        2011 20 16 20 7 0 5 18 0 14 12 .290 .407 .609
        2012 22 14 20 2 0 4 11 2 12 16 .244 .354 .415
        2013 Returned from offseason hip surgery on Aug. 5
        2014 Suspended for entire season
        Totals 354 288 417 95 6 96 289 30 172 280 — — —
        Career averages 22 18 26 6 .4 6 18 2 11 18 .302 .386 .589

        Spring training videos

        A-Rod started all but one of the games he’s played in March/April. On April 18, 2012, Rodriguez pinch-hit for Russell Martin to lead off the ninth inning with the Yankees trailing the Twins, 6-4. He grounded out to third base. Derek Jeter followed with a solo home run, but the Yankees lost, 6-5.

        On April 26, 2005, A-Rod had five at-bats . . . and homered three times off the Angels’ Bartolo Colon.

        Rodriguez scored 20 or more runs in March/April nine times in his career.

        Of A-Rod’s 96 home runs in March/April, he has hit the most against the Los Angeles Angels with 13.

        The 34 RBI A-Rod had in April 2007 is tied with June 2007 for his career high in a month.

        Of the seven times A-Rod has hit below .300 in the opening month of the season, four have occurred since 2008.

        A-Rod has reached base at least one-third of the time in March/April every season he’s played at least three games.

        March/April is the second best slugging month for A-Rod in his career, trailing August’s .599.