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Ryan LaFlare flights for UFC fights

Long Island’s Ryan LaFlare began his mixed martial arts career by fighting for Ring of Combat in Atlantic City, New Jersey, a simple 162-mile drive from his home in Copiague. Since signing with the UFC, LaFlare has traveled the world to compete. His seventh UFC fight is Feb. 11, 2017, in … wait for it … Brooklyn, New York. Follow his career flight path below.


Note: Miles shown represent the distance from NYC to that city via World Atlas, and don’t reflect LaFlare’s actual flight itinerary. They also do not include the return flight back to New York.


Around the world . . . almost

The circumference of Earth measured at the equator is 24,901.55 miles. So, Ryan LaFlare is close to having flown around the world just to get to his fights in mixed martial arts, a sport that is still banned in his home state of New York. If you include the trips back to New York, he’s nearly been around the world both horizontally and vertically. (The Earth’s circumference from pole to pole is 24,860 miles.)

UFC fight 1: Stockholm, Sweden

UFC fight 2: Goiania, Brazil

UFC fight 3: Sacramento, California

UFC fight 4: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

UFC fight 5: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

UFC fight 6: Las Vegas, Nevada

UFC fight 7: Brooklyn, New York

Life after football

Football players face a difficult and harsh reality when their playing days stop. The violence of the game takes its toll on their bodies, and the abrupt end can lead to financial and emotional struggles for which they are not prepared. A survey of 763 former NFL players conducted by Newsday in conjunction with the NFL Players Association’s former players division showed 61 percent said they found it difficult to adjust to daily life after their career, while 85 percent said they did not believe the NFL adequately prepared them for the transition.

Yet, when asked if they had a chance to make the decision to play in the NFL again, 89 percent said they would.

Use the arrows to the right of each headline below to navigate through this project as former players tell their stories.

Test'All of it was a struggle'

Wesley Walker says he is in constant pain, can’t sleep without medication and has suffered so much nerve damage and muscle loss that he needs help to remove the cap from a bottle of water.

Walker, 59, was one of the NFL’s most athletic players during his 13 years as a Jets wide receiver. But he said his health has been on a steady decline since he left the game in 1989.

“Now when I get out of a chair, it takes me so long to get my body moving that I feel like a 90-year-old man,” Walker said. “That’s me. That’s what I’m like every day.”

And he’s not alone.

Life after football can be a difficult and harsh reality for former NFL players, and many believe the league did not do enough to prepare them.

A survey of 763 former pro football players conducted by Newsday in conjunction with the National Football League Players Association’s former players division showed:

  • 61 percent of former players said they found it difficult to adjust to daily life after their NFL career.

  • 85 percent said they did not believe the NFL adequately prepared them for the transition to life after football.

  • 42 percent said injuries from their playing career have been the biggest challenge in their post-NFL life, while 41 percent cited career direction.

  • 89 percent said despite the difficulties they said were caused by playing football, they would do it again.

Walker, a retired elementary school gym teacher in the Kings Park school district, said he has endured seemingly nonstop doctor visits, surgeries, various prescription drugs and other treatments. But he said he has found little relief from his constant pain.

In the last year alone, Walker had two surgeries he said he’d been putting off for years. One was on his left shoulder to fix a torn labrum and rotator cuff. And he had spinal fusion surgery during which doctors inserted 10 screws and a rod to help stabilize the spine, he said. Walker believes these injuries are the results of hits he took as a player.

He also had surgery last month to repair a torn left Achilles, which he said he suffered while taking an awkward step at an autograph signing.

Walker is among the approximately 5,000 former NFL players involved in a class-action lawsuit accusing the league of allegedly concealing the dangers of concussions. A federal judge has yet to rule on a revised settlement agreement reached last June.

A handful of former football players — most notably San Diego Chargers star linebacker Junior Seau — have committed suicide in recent years and were later found to have been suffering from a brain trauma disease, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), that is caused by repeated hits to the head.

Those are the cases that haunt retired players who say they are in pain.

“I think about Junior Seau and all the guys that committed suicide,” said Bruce Harper, 59, a Jets running back and kick returner from 1977 to 1984. “People have no idea how it feels to go through life with stuff that just won’t go away. It’s horrible.”

Walker admits he’s scared.

“What I’m dealing with right now,” Walker said, “is the unknown.”

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Health

‘Sounds like a car accident’

Football is a violent sport.

“It really is hard to put into words just how violent and how intense those hits are,” said Boomer Esiason, the TV and radio commentator who played quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals, Arizona Cardinals and Jets from 1984 to 1997.

“I will say this, that when I would hand the ball off and I would watch a guy go into the pile, what you hear and what you see, you wonder how guys are coming out of that,” said Esiason, 53, who lives in Manhasset and played high school football at East Islip.

The up-close sounds of those collisions have stayed with Esiason.

They’re all in there together, the arms, the legs, the helmets, the shoulder pads, everything is all just in a giant pile,” he said. “And what that sounds like, it sounds like a car accident.”

And for a running back whose job is to attack that pile 25 or 30 times a game, it’s the equivalent of experiencing “25 or 30 car wrecks” in one game, Esiason said.

It’s impossible, he said, for those players to come away unscathed.

The violent nature of the sport is why life after football is so different for former players than life after any other major sport.

“The violence associated with the sport just isn’t there with baseball and basketball,” said Peter Davies, a neuropathologist at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research in Manhasset who has studied the challenges of life after football.

“You don’t go out on the field with the intent to hit somebody on every play in these other sports like football players do,” Davies added. “Maybe it’s there in a limited extent in hockey. But that’s about it. There’s a tremendous amount of violence in the NFL.”

What ailments do you suffer from that you believe are related to your NFL playing days?

That’s why the biggest challenge in retirement is health. In the survey, players said they are still affected by injuries to their knees (70 percent), lower back (67 percent), shoulders (65 percent), neck (56 percent) and head (49 percent).

Researchers continue to learn more about the long-term effects of head injuries.

According to Boston University’s Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy, 76 of the 79 brains of deceased NFL players studied at the Department of Veterans Affairs’ brain repository in Bedford, Massachusetts, have shown some form of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, a degenerative brain disease.

Jovan Belcher, a 25-year-old Kansas City Chiefs linebacker who was from West Babylon, shot and killed his girlfriend before shooting himself in December 2012. An autopsy found that his brain showed signs of CTE.

In football, concussions were once considered a natural part of the game. There was even a sense of pride among players for bouncing back quickly from a big hit and returning to the field.

“There was a while in my career,” said Chad Brown, 44, a linebacker for the New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks from 1993 to 2007, “where I didn’t think I was playing hard enough unless my bell was rung.”

Bruce Harper said that when he played for the Jets “we did not call them concussions. We said we got the crap knocked out of us. Or we went to the sideline and we got the little smelling [salts] and, OK, get back in.”

Kyle Turley, 39, an offensive tackle for the New Orleans Saints, St. Louis Rams and Kansas City Chiefs from 1998 to 2007, said he had only two diagnosed concussions.

“But knowing now what a concussion is,” he said, “I had multiple concussions every season.”

Turley said his most significant concussion occurred during a game in 2003 when he was knocked unconscious and didn’t return. He has no recollection of what happened immediately afterward — or days later.

“I know I stayed overnight [in the hospital], maybe two nights,” he said. “Two days later I’m back at practice.”

NFL concussion data 2011-13(includes preseason and regular-season games and practices)

Faced with increased scrutiny regarding the damage of concussions, the NFL told teams in 2007 for the first time that players should not return to a game or practice if they had been knocked unconscious. Those rules have advanced greatly since then.

Beginning with the 2013 season, an independent neurologist was required on each team’s sideline. The physician was responsible for diagnosing players who had suffered head injuries, taking the decision out of the teams’ hands.

Players who suffered a concussion were automatically ruled out from returning and were required to go through numerous tests before being cleared to practice or play.

The NFL said the number of concussions decreased 13 percent during the 2013 season, the last year on file. League officials cited efforts to raise awareness among players about the dangers of helmet-to-helmet hits as a reason.

Transition

‘I was the American dream’

When Aaron Taylor retired from football after the 1999 season, the former Green Bay Packers and San Diego Chargers guard thought he was embarking on an idyllic life.

“I was 28, single, retired, had no debt and I was a homeowner,” Taylor said. “I was the American dream.”

Taylor, now 42, had a Super Bowl ring and a healthy bank account to show for his five-year career. The pain in his surgically repaired knee had become too much for him to continue playing, but Taylor didn’t mind. He reveled at the thought of spending his days with no commitments, thinking only about fishing, hunting and traveling.

I was living the life that’s portrayed on TV and in the movies, the idyllic life in Southern California with palm trees and blue skies,” he said. “And I was miserable.”

“Inside I was lonely,” Taylor said. “It was dark. I had no purpose. I had no sense of self.”

What led Taylor to that dark time were aspects of retirement he did not foresee —— loss of identity, loss of structure and loss of purpose, all brought on by the sudden absence of what had been the dominant motivating aspect of his life for as long as he could remember: Football.

“Everything that I had done until then, my life revolved around the game of football,” Taylor said. He says he was treated for alcoholism in a 12-step program, which started him on the road to finding his new normal. What happened to Taylor is not unusual, Peter Davies said.

“They go through this incredibly traumatic period, really, of job loss where they are no longer making millions of dollars, they no longer have the camaraderie of the locker room,” Davies said, “and they’re really just out there with very little guidance as to where they should be going and how they should be coping with all this.”

In the Newsday survey, one retiree commented: “As a lifetime football player you are told when to eat, sleep, go to the bathroom, work out, everything. When you retire you are all of a sudden responsible to create that structure. This has been a challenge for me.”

The sudden change of identity status is a challenge, too.

“From high school on through college and 13 years in the NFL, I was always, ‘I’m a Michigan Wolverine,’ or, ‘I’m a New York Giant’ and now I’m just Amani,” said Amani Toomer, 40, a Giants receiver from 1996 to 2008. “And having to deal with that — and having to accept that — took a little time.”

The NFL has responded by building out its “player engagement” department, which is intended to help active players think about their futures beyond football.

In 2013, the league began holding expenses-paid conferences — called Transition Assistance Program — for newly retired players so they could meet with other former players to learn about the psychological, physical and social challenges they faced when they stopped playing.

“With football, it’s kind of unique in that when you’re done playing football, that’s it,” said James Thrash, 39, a wide receiver for the Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles from 1997 to 2008 who now runs transition programs for the NFL. “There’s no rec league where you can go out and play and hang out with the boys and play a football game.”

The goal of the program, the league says, is to somewhat recreate the locker-room setting that they valued during their playing days to openly discuss once-taboo problems such as anxiety, depression, relationship management, finances and finding their new normal.

Dealing with life after football is different than what professional athletes face in sports such as baseball and basketball because of the highly structured lifestyle that football players live and the physical violence of their sport.

“There’s going to be no time in the rest of your life, unless you become a televangelist or a rock star, where you’re going to have 65,000 people jump to their feet at something you do,” Chad Brown said.

“The addiction to that feeling, that takes time to wean off that. So rationally you can say, ‘Yes, I’ll never be able to do this again. I’ll never get 65,000 people to jump to their feet. I won’t see my name on the back of jerseys everywhere I walk.’ You can rationalize that. But the emotional part is much more difficult to cut off. And it literally is just a cutoff process.

“One day you’re a football player,” Brown said, “and the next day you’re not.”

Finances

‘Some really fail miserably’

The average salary for NFL players this past season was about $2 million. According to the NFL Players Association, the average length of a player’s career is 3 1/2 years.

Most players likely will not be paid close to that kind of salary in their post-playing career. Former players say that adjusting to their new financial reality is challenging.

Rob Carpenter, 46, who grew up in Amityville and played wide receiver for the Jets, New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles and Cincinnati Bengals from 1991 to 1995, filed for bankruptcy shortly after retiring.

“I wasn’t the first, I won’t be the last,” he said.

The NFL is littered with the cautionary tales of big-name former players who have fallen on hard financial times, guys who squandered millions, through frivolous spending, bad business deals and investments or legal bills.

Have you struggled financially since your playing career ended?

“Football players get lots of money up front, in the form of a bonus,” said Reginald Wilkes, a linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons from 1978 to 1987 who is now a Wayne, Pennsylvania-based financial adviser at Merrill Lynch. “But they can tear up their knee, be out for a year and their career is over.”

In the survey, players commented about their financial struggles:

“Lost a significant amount of the money I had saved and invested in bad, and what turned out to be a fraudulent, post-football investment.”

“Trying to get to a point where I was making close to what I was in NFL.”

During the last round of collective-bargaining negotiations four years ago, the NFL Players Association allowed for the first time for two former players to be in the room.

One of them was Jim McFarland, now 67, who played tight end in the early 1970s for the St. Louis Cardinals, Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins and later became a lawyer and a state senator in Nebraska.

McFarland said when his name started appearing in media accounts surrounding the negotiations, his email inbox began filling up with messages from former players, with many of them expressing a need for increased pension checks — and fast. Some told him they needed money to avoid getting evicted.

“These players, they went into selling used cars, they became professional hand-shakers, they sold insurance,” McFarland said. “They tried to make a go of it. Some of them are successful, but some of them really fail miserably.”

The negotiations resulted in the league creating a $620-million “Legacy Fund” to increase the pension benefits awarded to some 4,700 players who had retired before the 1993 season.

Players who retired before then needed four years in the league to be eligible for benefits, but those who retired afterward needed only three years to be eligible. That was a source of frustration among older players, many of whom blamed the union for not looking out for them during previous collective bargaining.

The league also has created a series of programs to help active players with financial management, including one that helps teach them to stick to a budget and invest smartly as well as a 24/7 confidential financial support hotline.

Not all players struggle, of course. Some do quite well in their post-playing careers, whether it be as a broadcaster or entrepreneur.

Former Bills special-teams star Steve Tasker, a CBS sideline reporter, said active players need to be thinking about what they’re going to do while they’re still playing.

“The key to being successful after you’ve finished playing is the same key that makes you successful as a football team: Preparation,” said Tasker, who also works for the Bills’ marketing department and is a spokesman for the biggest automobile group in New York State.

“You have to find something you want to do when you’re done, find out what it takes and pursue those ends.”

Regrets?

‘89% would do it all again’

Despite the difficulties that players face after they leave the game, few had regrets.

Asked if they would still play in the NFL if they had the chance to make the decision again, the overwhelming majority — 89.12 percent — said yes.

But not Wesley Walker.

He loved many things about his time as a professional football player and is proud of his career. But the 25 years since have been filled with pain, sleepless nights, too many questions and not enough answers.

Walker was a world-class sprinter at the University of California and known as one of the fastest players in the NFL. But he said in recent years he couldn’t beat the kindergartners he taught in a race across the gym.

He said it took all his effort in 2013 just to get through the school day, and then he would spend the rest of the day in bed, tired but awake.

Spending time with the kids in school always had a way of lifting Walker’s spirits — if only for a few hours. But in 2013, for the first time, he said he was “dragging” all day.

Once a model of physical fitness, Walker said he has lost all muscle tone. “I’m starting to look like a skeleton,” he said.

Increasingly embarrassed by his physical appearance, Walker said he went on sick leave in January 2014. Just before the start of this school year, he submitted his papers for retirement to focus on his health.

“If I had it to do all over again, knowing what I know now, there’s no way I would do this,” Walker said of football. “Not feeling this way.”

Survey

‘About this project and methodology’

Life After Football is a nearly two-year project that included the anonymous and voluntary survey of 763 former players, a review of hundreds of pages of court papers and more than 70 interviews with former players, NFL and NFL Players Association executives, doctors, professors and other experts.

Next Sunday, Super Bowl XLIX pits the Seattle Seahawks against the New England Patriots in Glendale, Arizona. The NFL said last year’s Super Bowl was watched by an average of 111.5 million people, more than any television show in U.S. history.

Retired players say they paved the way for that success, helping the NFL become a multibillion-dollar business juggernaut.

They fault the league for not doing a better job of looking out for their well-being.

The survey, in which players were not identified by name, was conducted in conjunction with the NFL Players Association’s former player services department in December 2013. A team of Newsday reporters and editors developed a list of questions, and Nolan Harrison III, a former NFL player with the Raiders, Steelers and Redskins who is now the senior director of the NFL Players Association’s former player services department, sent the survey via email and text message to more than 7,000 former NFL players.

It was not a scientific sampling of former players because Harrison said he’s read that there could be another 9,000 to 13,000 living former players who are not in their database. Also, the former players who received the survey had to have Internet access in order to click on the link and follow it to a Web page to take part.

A total of 763 players responded. Their varying experiences in the league make for an interesting cross-section. Twelve responders said they played less than a year in the league while another 16 identified themselves as 14-year veterans. They are also young and old. Forty players reported that their last year in the league was 2011 while 37 said they last played football in the 1970s.

How long was your NFL career?

Responding to the survey results, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league has spent years strengthening its efforts to help former players and recently made a series of improvements to its support programs.

“No other company or organization reaches back and takes care of former employees like this,” Aiello said. “With the help of the Players Association, we have implemented improvements in services, pension and other benefits for retired players totaling more than $2 billion.”

Troy Vincent, a former Pro Bowl cornerback and former president of the NFL Players Association who is now the league’s executive vice president of football operations, expressed frustration with the limited number of players who take advantage of what the league offers.

“We have different programs throughout the year through the Player Care Foundation doing checkups,” Vincent said. “Some of these physicals are $10,000 to $20,000 exams and they’re free of charge. And some of the lines are empty. That’s what’s unfortunate. But we have to keep pressing.”

Giants co-owner Steve Tisch said: “I think the reaction is more than noteworthy by ownership, by the league, across all 32 clubs and certainly at 345 Park,” referring to the league’s Manhattan office. “It’s a bit of a wake-up call,” he added, “and it’s a very timely wake-up call.”

Jets owner Woody Johnson added, “If there’s something that the NFL can do, something more that the teams can do, I’m all ears.”

Results

‘How 763 former NFL players responded’

Newsday conducted a survey of former NFL players in conjunction with the National Football League Players Association’s former players division in December 2013. Newsday reporters and editors determined a list of questions for former NFL players about their life after football. The survey was sent via email by NFLPA senior director of former players services Nolan Harrison to over 7,000 former NFL players. Their participation was voluntary. From that group, 763 players responded.

How long was your NFL career?

Did you find it difficult to adjust to daily life after your NFL career ended?

What’s been your biggest challenge in your post-NFL life?

On a 1-10 scale, with 10 being best, rate your physical well-being in post-NFL career

What ailments do you suffer from that you believe are related to your NFL playing days?

Were you diagnosed with a concussion during your playing career?

Did you use steroids or other PEDs during your career?

Did you take prescription painkillers during your career?

Do you currently take prescription painkillers for injuries suffered during your career?

Did you experience marital problems?

Did you prepare for life after football during your playing career?

Have you had a difficult time finding employment for a post-NFL career?

Do you feel the NFL adequately prepared you for the transition to post-football life?

Is the league doing enough to make the game safer?

Have you struggled financially since your playing career ended?

If you had the chance to make the decision all over again, would you still play in the NFL?

VIDEOS

‘Former players share their stories’

Concussions

‘The league needs to step up’

The erratic behavior started in 1998, long after John Mackey’s career as one of the NFL’s greatest tight ends had ended.

Finally, in December 2001, his wife, Sylvia Mackey, got some answers.

John Mackey, a star at Hempstead High School who played at Syracuse University and then enjoyed a Hall of Fame career with the Baltimore Colts, was diagnosed with dementia. Complications from the disease took his life on July 6, 2011, at age 69.

In December 2012, the Boston University Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy revealed that Mackey had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a progressive degenerative disease of the brain found in people — most notably athletes — with a history of repetitive brain trauma.

His diagnosis and death were reminders about the dangers of concussions and how they impact players after they leave the game. Former players suffer in varying degrees from the head injuries they sustained, and while the NFL has instituted safety measures to reduce the incidence of concussions, it is too late for the former players who now deal with the aftereffects.

According to the NFL, the number of concussions suffered in preseason and regular-season practices and games during the 2013 season dropped to 228, a 13 percent decrease from the 2012 season, when there were 261 concussions. The NFL said there were 252 concussions during the 2011 season. The numbers, however, do not include concussions suffered in playoff games.

Still, there are no guarantees that today’s players and those who will eventually play in the NFL will avoid concussion-related problems.

“I’ve seen so many at the Hall of Fame . . . and [the wives] started asking me questions about what did I see in John at first,” Sylvia Mackey said. “I could tell by looking at their faces that they were going through the same thing.”

She eventually grew so alarmed that she wrote a letter to NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue in 2006. “I said, ‘Paul, I feel that this [dementia and concussions] are not a coincidence,’ ” she said. ” ‘Whether it was caused by football or not, the league needs to step up and take care of these players.'”

Within a year, the NFL, which lacked specific benefits for former players dealing with brain-related illnesses, launched the “88 Plan,” named after Mackey’s uniform number with the Colts. The plan provides $88,000 per year for nursing home care and as much as $50,000 a year for adult day care for each former player in need. In 2010, the league included former players suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease, to the “88 Plan.”

The aftereffects of concussions have taken a heavy toll on former players. Some are deceased, due in part to problems associated with repeated head trauma.

Junior Seau, the former San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots linebacker, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on May 2, 2012. It was later determined by the National Institutes of Health that Seau’s brain showed abnormalities associated with CTE.

Dave Duerson, the former Chicago Bears and Giants safety, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest in 2011. In a suicide note, Duerson asked his family to donate his brain to the Boston University School of Medicine, which has a department devoted specifically to studying former players’ brains. According to the Boston University Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy, Duerson was suffering from a “moderately advanced case” of CTE. Boston University also revealed that the CTE in Duerson’s brain was severe in areas that influence impulse control, inhibition, emotion and memory.

Other deceased former players diagnosed with CTE include Pittsburgh Steelers center Mike Webster, Philadelphia Eagles safety Andre Waters, Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive lineman Tom McHale and Steelers offensive linemen Justin Strzelczyk and Terry Long.

More than 4,500 former players sued the NFL, charging that the league knew of and hid evidence of the dangers of concussions. The case was settled in August 2013 for $765 million. But U.S. District Court Judge Anita S. Brody rejected that agreement in January 2014, because she said there wasn’t enough money in the settlement to satisfy all future claims. The two sides agreed last July on a revised financial package that would eliminate the cap on damages. Brody has not yet ruled on the adjusted terms so no payments have been made to former players.

The settlement, however, did not represent an admission of liability by the NFL, nor did the league admit that the players’ injuries were caused by football. Among the litigants were Dallas Cowboys Hall of Fame running back Tony Dorsett, Buffalo Bills Hall of Fame offensive lineman Joe DeLamielleure and Giants two-time Super Bowl champion defensive end Leonard Marshall. All were diagnosed with likely CTE and/or symptoms associated with dementia that are consistent with CTE.

But not all players experience concussion-related problems after they leave the NFL. Boomer Esiason was playing quarterback for the Jets in 1995 when he was knocked out in a game after a hit by Buffalo Bills Hall of Fame defensive end Bruce Smith.

“I didn’t realize that it was going to be a five-week time period before I got back on the field,” said Esiason, who lives in Manhasset and played high school football at East Islip. “The hit I’ve seen a thousand times since then. I knew it was significant. I knew it was going to be intense. And I realize now when I went back on it, the right thing was for me not to play for five weeks because it was a scary hit.”

Today, Esiason, 53, who also played for the Cincinnati Bengals and Arizona Cardinals, is an NFL analyst for CBS and weekday talk-show host on WFAN. He said his health is generally good.

Harry Carson, a Hall of Fame linebacker with the Giants from 1976 to 1988, was one of the first NFL players to take a proactive approach toward the concussion issue. In 1990, he was diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome by a doctor referred to him by Giants trainer Ronnie Barnes. Post-concussion syndrome is a condition associated with a head injury that can last for weeks or months. Carson has since become an advocate for more awareness of the dangers of head trauma.

Carson, now 61, looks back and says he would not have played football. But a Newsday survey of 763 former pro football players found that 89 percent (680 respondents) would play in the NFL again if given the chance. The survey also found that 57 percent (434) were diagnosed with a concussion during their playing careers. When asked what ailments they now suffer from that they believe are related to their NFL playing days, 49 percent (371) said the head.

Carson said he did not know about the potential for brain damage while he was playing.

People ask me if I had to do it all over again, and I say, ‘Knowing what I know now from a neurological standpoint, I would not play,’ ” Carson said. “Nobody told me about the whole brain injury issue.”

Carson, who was not a part of the concussion litigation against the NFL, said he is saddened by the plight of former players dealing with the aftereffects of head injuries, particularly those who have taken their own lives. He believes greater awareness can help prevent such tragedies and allow players to lead more normal lives once their pro careers end.

“I noticed the problems a long time ago, when most guys didn’t notice it,” he said. “Quite frankly, my feeling was that if it’s happened to me, it’s probably happening to a lot of other guys. That’s why I talk about it, to let guys know that there is something going on and that there’s something you can do about it.

“I feel like if the message got out that it was something that was manageable, then you wouldn’t have the Junior Seaus and Dave Duersons and any other guys killing themselves, because it’s manageable . . . Most guys who don’t have a diagnosis, they’ll think they’re off their rocker and they’ll resort to doing something their families regret.”

Marshall, 53, was recently told that he has symptoms commonly associated with CTE. He underwent a battery of tests at UCLA last year after experiencing a variety of symptoms, including memory loss, headaches and mood swings.

“I’m glad I know what’s going on now,” Marshall said. “I think it’s important we come forward with our situation. It really tests your ability to be patient with people and you have to deal with it on a daily basis. You have to learn to temper your behavior and deal with some of the issues associated with the disease.”

Chris Nowinski never played in the NFL, but he is deeply invested in the health and well-being of former players, particularly those who are dealing with concussion-related problems.

Nowinski was an All-Ivy defensive tackle for Harvard, but became a professional wrestler in 2002. He suffered a serious concussion in 2003 and developed post-concussion syndrome, which forced him to retire. Nowinski’s own injury taught him about the lack of awareness for concussions and brain trauma. He wrote the book “Head Games: Football’s Concussion Crisis,” which was published in 2006. He has worked with several retired NFL players in an effort to better understand the aftereffects of concussions. Nowinski co-founded the Sports Legacy Institute in 2007 and then partnered with the Boston University Medical Center a year later to research concussions, in part by studying the brains of deceased players.

According to Boston University’s Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy, 76 of the 79 brains of deceased NFL players studied at the Department of Veterans Affairs’ brain repository in Bedford, Massachusetts, have showed some form of CTE.

“With the state of football, I think it’s clear that CTE is not an isolated problem,” said Nowinski, the co-director of Boston University’s Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy. “We’re trying to unlock more information on what the disease is so that we can find ways to prevent it and treat it.”

The NFL is also spending millions on research involving brain injuries, partnering with the National Institutes of Health and providing funding to the Boston University study center.

“We obviously are very interested in the [BU] center’s research on the long-term effects of head trauma in athletes,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in announcing a $1 million grant. “It is our hope that this research will lead to a better understanding of these effects and also to developing ways to help detect, prevent and treat these injuries.”

NFL concussion data: Practice vs. Game(includes preseason and regular-season games)

NFL concussion data: Preseason vs. Regular Season

The NFL has since attempted to make its game safer through rules changes and increased awareness about the dangers of concussions. In 2013, the NFL’s head, neck and spine committee introduced new protocols for diagnosing and managing concussions, which included detailed steps for a player to return to the field after suffering a concussion. The NFL also put more emphasis on protecting players from helmet-first hits to the head and neck.

But Nowinski isn’t sure enough is being done.

“It’s going to be hard to solve the problem for the pros playing today in terms of preventing CTE, particularly because they’ve all come up in a football environment that didn’t pay attention to concussions,” Nowinski said. “I think there will be inherent conflicts forever, in that most guys from the team don’t have secure jobs and are not going to be forthcoming with concussions because they’re so common.”

Marshall wants people to know that the damage is real for former players dealing with concussion-related issues.

“We’re private people now and no longer professional athletes playing the game,” he said. “I think there’s a lot of fortitude that’s being exhibited in bringing our situation to the forefront and letting America have a chance to see what’s going on.”

PAINKILLERS

‘Pills were my mistress’

Two pills.

That’s how it started. Shane Olivea had just finished his first season with the San Diego Chargers, starting and being named to the NFL’s All-Rookie team. But the introduction to pro football had taken a toll on his body and a teammate told him about a friend who could get him something that would help. A couple of pops of Vicodin. It’s the same stuff they give people who have wisdom teeth pulled, so how bad could it be?

Olivea would soon find out. Within three years he would be out of the NFL, largely because of an addiction to painkillers that blossomed from two or three pills a day at first to his snorting ground-up OxyContin, an opioid, before taking the field for games.

“I never took another snap where I wasn’t under the influence of opioids,” Olivea said of the remaining 2 1/2 seasons in which he was a starter for the Chargers. He described his situation as “playing under the influence,” and described the feeling as if he’d walked onto the field after having a couple of drinks.

“You’re high, you’re stoned,” he said. “I wasn’t loopy. I was high, you get a high effect . . . You’re not drunk but you’re buzzed. You know you’re buzzed. You’re coherent but you’re not all there.”

Olivea, now 33, played offensive tackle for the Chargers and at Ohio State, where he was a three-year starter. He grew up in Long Beach, but his family moved to Atlantic Beach and he played for Lawrence High School his senior year. During his NFL career, from 2004 to 2007, he was listed at 6-4 and 325 pounds. Originally a seventh-round draft pick, he signed a $20 million extension in 2006. By then, he was already hooked.

Did you take prescription painkillers during your career?

He would routinely take $20,000 in cash out of the bank, slip across the border from San Diego to Mexico in a taxicab, and come back with a month’s supply. In all, he figures he spent around $530,000 in cash on medications that soon took over his life, ruined his career, and nearly killed him. When he checked into the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, California, in the spring of 2008 after an intervention by his family, doctors there told him he should not have survived the amount of drugs he had been taking.

“The best way I describe it to people is I was married to football and the pills were my mistress,” Olivea said of the start of his dalliances, which were kept secret from the team and other players. “And then within a four-year span my mistress was sitting at the dinner table and my wife was not in the house anymore. It sucked the life out of me. It affected every relationship I had, especially with my teammates.”

Olivea suspects he’s not the only one who has gone through an NFL career high on painkillers. More alarming — and more well-documented — are the rates at which former players removed from the structure and resources of their NFL teams turn to the pills that are so easily available.

Do you currently take prescription painkillers for injuries suffered during your career?

In a survey conducted by Newsday in conjunction with the NFL Players Association’s former players division, retired players were asked if they currently take prescription painkillers for injuries suffered during their careers, and 27.3 percent (208 of 763) said yes. (Respondents were not asked whether the medications had been legally obtained.) The survey also asked if they took prescription painkillers during their careers; 64.9 percent (495) said yes.

A 2010 study of NFL veterans by the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis focused on painkillers specifically and found that 7 percent of the former players were currently using painkilling opioid drugs and 71 percent of those who used opioids during their career — prescription drugs such as oxycodone, Vicodin, Percocet — went a step further and said they “misused” them (for example, took them for reasons or in doses other than the prescription). That study also found that 63 percent got their drugs either exclusively from a nonmedical source or a combination of both doctors and illicit sources such as a teammate, coach, athletic trainer, family member or street dealer.

The bottom line of the study: Former players are roughly four times more likely to use painkilling opioid drugs than the general population. That naturally increases the likelihood of addiction, which is already at epidemic proportions in the Unites States. According to federal statistics, more than 2 million Americans are addicted to painkillers.

“The dangers [of painkiller addiction] aren’t really prevalent until long after the careers are over. That’s the problem,” said Frank Mattiace, a former NFL and United States Football League player who is now a licensed drug and alcohol counselor and director of New Pathway Counseling Center in Paramus, New Jersey.

Mel Owens, a former NFL linebacker who is now a disability attorney in California and represents hundreds of players, put it bluntly.

“If you took all the medication out of the NFL, you’d have no league,” Owens said. “You go in as a healthy guy at 21 or 22 years old and just the massive amounts of medication they give you and the stress and strain of the game, you’re just ruined.”

Former Jets quarterback Ray Lucas was. He said he became hooked on opioid painkillers after his career ended because of a neck injury. He didn’t have insurance and couldn’t afford corrective surgery, so he began dulling the “excruciating” pain with medication. Like Olivea, he started out with just a few pills.

“Before you know it, you go from 100 pills a month to 400 pills a month, 800 pills a month, 1,200 pills, 1,500 pills a month which you don’t get from doctors,” said Lucas, who was receiving prescriptions from three different doctors and also buying on the black market, a habit that nearly bankrupted his family. “I was getting them from everywhere. Anything I could get my hands on. Roxies, oxys, Percocets, Vicodins. You name it, I took it, whatever the strength was.”

It got so bad for Lucas that he contemplated suicide. He planned to drive his SUV off the George Washington Bridge, he said, before receiving help for his addiction.

There were times where at night I’d take 50 and say, ‘Thank God I won’t be waking up tomorrow,’ ” Lucas said. “It’s pitch black. There is no light and there is no hope and there is no looking forward to anything. It just becomes darker and darker and you can’t do anything to get it to stop.”

Troy Vincent, a former Pro Bowl player who is now NFL executive vice president of football operations, said there are new protocols in the league these days to educate players on the ramifications — both in the present and the future — of the medications they are taking. In terms of doling out pills, many NFL teams have taken the onus off their physicians in recent years and now use third-party companies registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration to deliver prescription medications to players at team sites. Those companies also maintain usage logs that can be tracked by the league.


“We’re really trying to step up our efforts by educating not just the player but his influences that are around him about the long-term effects of painkillers,” Vincent said of reaching out to wives and parents as well. “It’s become one of our core areas of education as we talk about heart disease, cancer, pain medicine and long-term treatment.”

Language on the use of painkillers and policies for the care of addicted players was even added into the most recent collective-bargaining agreement signed in 2011. In December, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit by 1,300 former players against the NFL, writing that the collective-bargaining agreement between the league and the union was the appropriate forum to resolve claims that teams damaged the players by routinely dispensing painkillers.

Olivea said the Chargers were not aware of his addiction until it began to affect his performance. By then, it was too late. He didn’t know how to stop. He didn’t know he could ask for help.

“Pride, it’s one of those sins,” Olivea said. “Pride got me to the NFL, my pride got me out of the NFL. . . . The game of football always came easy to me. The crazy thing is that the game of life kicked my [butt].”

Olivea says he has been clean for more than six years and is still trying to catch on with an NFL team. He’s been living and training in the Phoenix area for several years.

“I spent my whole life training to get to the NFL and in less than four years I kind of ruined it,” he said. “I never played a game clean . If I can be that good stoned, how good can I be clean? That’s the only thing that’s a thorn in my side.”

He’s also close to finishing his degree in communications from Ohio State. If he doesn’t get an NFL job this offseason, he said, he’ll likely turn to coaching. He said his experiences can help him not only teach techniques and skills but also possibly steer young players away from the pitfalls of prescription medicines that he fell into.

“Having played in the NFL and also with my personal story, I could possibly help someone going down the wrong path or allow them to see what can happen,” he said. “I’m in a unique spot.”

Unfortunately, he’s not.

SUCCESS

‘Sitting on those planes talking business all the time’

On the field, the 1996 Jets were a waste of time, finishing 1-15 under coach Rich Kotite.

But deep in the belly of their chartered flights to ill-fated road games, two rookies were doing anything but wasting time. They were laying the groundwork for lives as former players in a new millennium.

“I remember sitting on those planes talking business all the time,” said Ray Mickens, recalling his conversations with No. 1 draft pick Keyshawn Johnson. Keyshawn would talk about Magic Johnson, who became a successful businessman after his Hall of Fame basketball career.

“He’d tell me what Magic had talked to him about, what Magic was doing, what he’d be doing with Magic . . . It kind of took off from there.”

That it did. Even as a very young man learning how to be an NFL cornerback, Mickens, a business major at Texas A & M, took an interest in off-the-field opportunities that could set him up for middle age and beyond.

Before he retired from football, he already was a successful businessman and has continued from there, more than eight years after he last played, primarily through ownership in retail outlets at airports.

Mickens looks younger than his 42 years and is around his playing weight of 182 pounds. But he does have his share of ailments. The biceps in both arms no longer are in their natural positions. He tore the left one tackling the Dallas Cowboys’ Joey Galloway in 2003.

How much time did he miss? “Oh, no, man, I had incentives to make,” he said. “I told them to tape it up. I could not take a play off. I never got it fixed. The other one doesn’t look as bad, but it’s still bad.”

Mickens also suffered concussions, he said, invariably playing through them. He has not been tested but said he sometimes gets headaches, and his memory is inconsistent enough that he writes down anything important.

Despite all that, he knows he is fortunate compared with many former players and tries to fight off any ill effects by staying in shape.

“I know I don’t want to let myself go, man,” he said.

Also, he has a good job. Ask Mickens and other successful former players their secret and many will tell you the same thing: being ready, and starting the process early.

“You have to understand what you want to do and prepare for that day from the time you get in the NFL,” said former Jets linebacker Bart Scott, 34, who retired from the NFL before the 2013 season to join CBS as an analyst.

“A lot of guys fail to do that because they never see the end coming. Then injury comes or something unfortunate comes and they’re stuck.”

Former Bills special-teams star Steve Tasker, 52, a CBS sideline reporter, said another key is accepting that even if nothing can replace the thrill of playing, that is not all there is.

“There is more to life than feeling the rush of covering a kickoff,” said Tasker, who also works for the Bills’ marketing department and is a spokesman for the biggest automobile group in New York State.

“It’s great, but you don’t skydive every day. You don’t bungee jump every day. There are a lot of joyous moments in my life that had nothing to do with competition.”

For Mickens, that included catching the business bug early. It began in the late 1990s when he got a contract to open a small kiosk that sold soft pretzels and soft drinks at Philadelphia International Airport. (His parents grew up in Philadelphia and he has many ties there.)

Total investment: $15,000.

He heard about the opportunity from an uncle who worked for the city. One catch: It required hiring welfare recipients. Mickens says he quickly learned being a business owner meant dealing with employees who, he said, were not all reliable or trustworthy.

“It was a $15,000 investment that I didn’t really make much money on, but it was the best thing that I could have done,” he said, “because I learned the business and I learned how people were.”

Things took off from there. When a new terminal opened, he partnered with Famous Famiglia pizza for an outlet.

“In the offseason I’d drive down to Philly after my workouts on a Thursday and spend a couple of days learning about the business, then came back up here Monday for workouts,” he said.

Mickens had an offseason home in north Texas and joined with HMSHost, a global retail food company, for outlets at the Dallas-Fort Worth airport.

Eventually he became a partner on 15 units that sell food, drinks, souvenirs and other items, with more in development. Mickens also owns rental properties throughout Texas.

He said players coming into the NFL today are more sophisticated and are given more support than in his day. But that doesn’t make the transition easy.

“A lot of the guys coming into college are from lower-income families; that means that one or probably both of your parents haven’t gone to college,” he said. “So how are they going to handle making $1 million, $2 million, $3 million? . . . You have to learn about that on your own.”

Mickens said he is just as passionate about his business success as he was about football — and has just as much of a chip on his shoulder.

“The stereotype used to be you’re 5-foot-8, you have to be 6-foot to be successful [in the NFL],” he said. “Now the stereotype is, hey, you’re a former NFL player, you’re not supposed to be successful in business. It’s another stereotype you want to break out of — or that I want to break out of.”

Did you find it difficult to adjust to daily life after your NFL career ended?

In a survey conducted by Newsday in conjunction with the NFL Players Association’s former players division, 480 of 763 responders, or almost 63 percent, said “yes” when asked: “Did you prepare for life after football during your playing career?”

Almost 66 percent of responding players said they did not have a difficult time finding employment for a post-NFL career and close to half (49.41 percent) said “no” when asked if they had struggled financially after the end of their NFL careers.

When Mickens learned Newsday was working on a series about life after football, he strongly urged there be a balance between the stories of former players who are struggling and the success stories such as his.

“I think more and more players are successful in business,” Mickens said. “They’re just not getting respect.”

COMMENTS

What the players say

Several questions in Newsday’s Life After Football survey of former NFL players, done in conjunction with the NFLPA’s former players services department, allowed for respondents to provide their comments. The survey was anonymous. Below are some of the comments former players shared in the survey.

Question: What has been the biggest challenge in your post-NFL life?


“Every year I prepare for pro football season by conditioning my body/mind, but I have no locker room/training camp/team. I can’t shake this built-in seasonal preparation. It’s warrior normal to my mind.”

“Refocusing on another career. Fortunately, I was able to attend law school and become an attorney.”

Every day is a challenge to maintain control over emotions! Peaks and valleys! Experiences with the birth of new emotions, i.e., depression, panic attacks, fits of rage and bouts of crying spells! Lastly, how do you tell someone, doctor, friend, loved one, that your brain is hurt?”

“People perceive me differently. I have a hard time dealing with how people view me and how people have used my football career against me.”

“Being viewed as an ex-player. Not as respected. Not as desired. Not as useful. Not as wanted.”

“Being on a structured schedule for at least eight months out of a year for 20 years was a hard adjustment.”

Question: Is the league doing enough to make the game safer?


“Too much. You are not allowed to hit anyone.”

“It’s toooo safe. Everyone should wear flags!!!”

“Probably too much because to me it’s not real football anymore. I rarely watch it because it’s boring now. No action like in the past.”

“League it getting too soft.”

“No. The NFL needs to change the rules about hitting defenseless receivers trying to catch a pass or defenseless players being blindsided by a block. Instead of fines, players should be suspended from games as a penalty.”

“This is a losing proposition for the league. What made the game today is the violence.”

Quit changing the rules. Football is violent. Deal with it.”

“They are doing too much way too late.”

“They are making the game unsafe with all these new rules. Just let the players play!”

“Emphasize strength training the neck and start measuring neck size at the combine.”

“Need more psychological evaluations and counseling.”

HELP

What’s available?

Some of the assistance programs available to former football players include:

NFL Player Care Foundation: Created in 2007 in conjunction with the NFL Players Association, NFL Alumni Association and the Pro Football Hall of Fame, this program helps former players with medical, emotional, social and community support. The NFL says this program has granted more than $7 million to more than 750 former players since it was created.

NFL Life Line: A 24/7 phone line where players, former players, coaches and team and league staff can call to speak with professionals about personal or emotional issues.

Transition Assistance Program: Free for recently retired players and their significant others. They meet with other former players to discuss psychological, physical and social challenges they faced when they stopped playing. Sessions also focus on fitness, nutrition, career development and finances.

NFL Joint Replacement Program: Run through the NFL Player Care Foundation, this program “provides medical and financial resources to retired players who are uninsured or lack the financing to have joint replacement surgery.”

NFL Business Management and Entrepreneurial Program: Run in conjunction with the NFL Players Association and graduate business schools at Harvard, Notre Dame and Stanford, this program intends “to improve players’ ability to evaluate business opportunities through interactive workshops, stimulating discussions and practical knowledge.”

Boot camps: Run out of the NFL’s Player Engagement division, the league runs boot camps for players and former players interested in areas such as broadcasting, franchising, the business of music, hospitality and culinary management, filmmaking and sports media.

88 Plan: Named for John Mackey. who wore No. 88 for the Baltimore Colts, the plan provides retired players up to $88,000 per year for medical and custodial care resulting from dementia.

REPORTERS: Jim Baumbach, Neil Best, Robert Cassidy, Bob Glauber, Mark La Monica, Kimberley A. Martin, Tom Rock.
VIDEO: Robert Cassidy, Chuck Fadely, Mario Gonzalez, Mark La Monica, Chris Ware, Casey Musarra, Michael Artsis.
PROJECT EDITORS: Hank Winnicki, Mike Rose, Norm Cohen.
DESIGN: Anthony Carrozzo, Matthew Cassella.

TEXT VERSIONS: Life after football | Concussions | Painkillers | Success

Manny Pacquiao vs. Chris Algieri

From Paramount to Pacquiao

Documentary

From Paramount to Pacquiao

In less than one year, Greenlawn-raised Chris Algieri went from boxing at The Paramount in Huntington to facing Manny Pacquiao on HBO pay-per-view in Macau, China. This is the story of his ascent.

Newsday/Jeffrey Basinger

<a href='https://www.newsday.com/sports/boxing/manny-pacquiao-vs-chris-algieri-live-stream-blog-1.9642712'>His dream denied</a>

Fight Night

His dream denied

Chris Algieri was knocked down six times in his fight against Manny Pacquiao. He got up all six times and finished the fight, losing a one-sided unanimous decision.

Newsday/Jeffrey Basinger

Behind the scenes with Chris Algieri

Photo Essay

Behind the scenes with Chris Algieri

During the biggest week of his pro boxing career, Chris Algieri spent many hours in front of cameras and microphones. Newsday takes you behind the scenes of fight week in Macau, China, for the lead-in to Algieri's fight against Manny Pacquiao.

Newsday/Jeffrey Basinger

<a href='https://www.newsday.com/sports/boxing/chris-algieri-sees-growth-after-painful-experience-of-first-loss-to-manny-pacquiao-1.96472062'>Down but not out</a>

Down but not out

The bravado that traveled halfway around the world with Algieri was replaced by sobering reality against Manny Pacquiao, but Algieri could take heart from the fact that he went the distance with the champ.

Newsday/Jeffrey Basinger

The boxer's mom

The boxer's mom

Dominick Algieri nodded toward his wife, Adriana, and said, 'She's already a nervous wreck.' This was Thursday night in their hotel suite at the Venetian Macao, three days before their son, Chris, was to fight Manny Pacquiao.

Weigh-ins, take 2

Video

Weigh-ins, take 2

Chris Algieri needed an extra hour to shed 0.2 pounds in order to hit the 144-pound catchweight limit for his title shot against WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao.

Trainers talking big

Trainers talking big

Tim Lane, trainer for Chris Algieri, predicted his fighter will retire Manny Pacquiao. Freddie Roach, Pacquiao's trainer, disagreed. On Sunday afternoon here in Macau (Saturday night in New York), we'll find out.

'Goose bumps'

'Goose bumps'

From the moment Bob Arum tapped him on the shoulder and offered the chance of a lifetime to fight for Manny Pacquiao's WBO welterweight title, Chris Algieri has lived the dream.

The Cutman

The Cutman

Jacob 'Stitch' Duran was brought in by Chris Algieri after the Ruslan Provodnikov fight to be his cutman for his shot at Manny Pacquiao. Newsday's Greg Logan tells the story of the switch.

Newsday/Jeffrey Basinger

The big payday

The big payday

The winner of Manny Pacquiao vs. Chris Algieri will see an even bigger payday for his next fight, assuming they can come to terms for a bout against the biggest pay-per-view draw there is: Floyd Mayweather Jr.

'The Chris Algieri Show'

'The Chris Algieri Show'

Trainers Tim Lane and Keith Trimble spoke boldly about undefeated boxer Chris Algieri's chances against WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao at the pre-fight news conference. Algieri was equally confident in his media roundtable just before the event.

Newsday/Jeffrey Basinger

Writer on fighter

Writer on fighter

Newsday boxing writer Greg Logan compares the styles of Manny Pacquiao and Chris Algieri and explains what the Long Island underdog will need to do to get the win.

Newsday/Jeffrey Basinger, Mark La Monica

Grand arrivals

Grand arrivals

Manny Pacquiao and Chris Algieri make their grand arrival at the Venetian Hotel on Tuesday night in Macau for their WBO welterweight title fight on Sunday.

Newsday/Jeffrey Basinger, Mark La Monica

<a href='https://www.newsday.com/sports/boxing/freddie-roach-manny-pacquiao-said-he-ll-beat-chris-algieri-in-one-round-1.9630164'>Pacquiao in 1?</a>

Pacquiao in 1?

Trainer Freddie Roach told a few reporters that Manny Pacquiao told him he believes he'll knock out Chris Algieri in the first round.

Training day

photo essay

Training day

Take a look at what an open workout for Chris Algieri looks like in this photo essay from Tuesday's training session at the Venetian Macau.

Newsday/Mark La Monica

Boxing and brains

Boxing and brains

At a community event at a local gym in Macau, Chris Algieri told young Chinese fighters that you can be a boxer and still get an education.

Newsday/Jeffrey Basinger

Goal is control

Goal is control

Chris Algieri said he wants to 'control everything' when he fights WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao in a few days.

Newsday/Mark La Monica

Champion lifestyle

Champion lifestyle

Training life has changed since Chris Algieri beat Ruslan Provodnikov and booked the fight against Manny Pacquiao.

Newsday/Jeffrey Basinger

Confidence men

Confidence men

Chris Algieri and his support team are confident as the fight week countdown begins for Saturday night's WBO welterweight title battle with legendary eight-division champion Manny Pacquiao at the Venetian Macao. Newsday's Greg Logan reports.

Newsday/Jeffrey Basinger

<a href='https://www.newsday.com/sports/boxing/manny-pacquiao-vs-chris-algieri-fight-week-pictures-from-macau-china-1.9624610'>Fight week photos</a>

Fight week photos

Scenes from around the Venetian Macau as Chris Algieri and Manny Pacquiao promote their fight this Sunday afternoon.

Newsday/Mark La Monica

Hands of stone

Hands of stone

Chris Algieri, the undefeated Long Island boxer, leaves his mark in Macau as fight week begins here at the Venetian Hotel.

Newsday/Mark La Monica

The matchmaker

The matchmaker

Chris Algieri 'is the real Cinderella man' says Star Boxing matchmaker Ron Katz.

Verbal jabs

Verbal jabs

Manny Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach has taken quite a few shots at Chris Algieri in the media. Algieri and his team take it all in stride.

<a href='https://www.newsday.com/sports/boxing/manny-pacquiao-vs-chris-algieri-postcards-from-macau-china-1.9615476'>Postcards from Macau</a>

Travel

Postcards from Macau

Scenes from in and around Macau, China, that have nothing to do with boxing.

Who is Chris Algieri?

PROFILE

Who is Chris Algieri?

The WBO light welterweight champion of the world wasn't bred on the 'mean streets' unless you find a bucolic cul-de-sac in a North Shore suburb on Long Island threatening. Newsday's Greg Logan takes you through how Algieri went from high school wrestler to world champion kickboxer to world champion boxer.

Newsday/Jeffrey Basinger

The fight club

PROFILE

The fight club

Trainers Keith Trimble and Tim Lane finding success with boxer Chris Algieri after a long climb. Newsday's Greg Logan tells their story.

Newsday/Jeffrey Basinger

Chris Algieri

Team Algieri

Chris Algieri

Chris Algieri is the undefeated WBO junior welterweight champion from Greenlawn. The 30-year-old former kickboxing champion is 20-0 with eight knockouts.

Richard T. Slattery

Keith Trimble

Team Algieri

Keith Trimble

Keith Trimble has been training Chris Algieri since he was a kickboxer and helped him transition into a boxer. He is based out of Bellmore Kickboxing Academy.

Newsday/Audrey C. Tiernan

Tim Lane

Team Algieri

Tim Lane

Born in Germany and raised in Virginia, Tim Lane was a professional kickboxer and former sparring partner of Algieri. He later became one of his trainers. He is based out of Las Vegas.

Newsday/Jeffrey Basinger

Manny Pacquaio

Team Pacquiao

Manny Pacquaio

Manny Pacquiao is the reigning WBO welterweight champion. Pacquiao owns a career record of 56-5-2 with 38 knockouts. He is the first and only boxer to win world titles in eight different weight classes.

Patrick E. McCarthy

Freddie Roach

Team Pacquiao

Freddie Roach

Roach turned to training fighters after retiring from the ring in 1986. Roach's first world champion was Virgil Hill. Roach, in boxing's Hall of Fame, also trained James Toney, Mike Tyson, Oscar de la Hoya and Miguel Cotto.

Newsday/Audrey C. Tiernan

<a href='https://www.newsday.com/sports/boxing/manny-pacquiao-fight-puts-huntington-s-chris-algieri-onto-the-world-stage-1.9608464'>World stage</a>

World stage

Chris Algieri has fought his way on to the world stage, just like he always said he would.

Getty Images

<a href='https://www.newsday.com/sports/boxing/manny-pacquiao-with-eye-on-floyd-mayweather-knows-to-take-chris-algieri-seriously-1.9546510'>Taking it seriously</a>

Taking it seriously

Manny Pacquiao is not looking past Chris Algieri at a possible and long-overdue showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Getty Images

<a href='https://www.newsday.com/sports/boxing/chris-algieri-works-on-new-weapons-to-face-manny-pacquiao-1.9520522'>New tools</a>

New tools

Chris Algieri has been working on a few new tricks to bring into the ring when he fights Manny Pacquiao.

Newsday/Jeffrey Basinger

<a href='https://www.newsday.com/sports/boxing/manny-pacquiao-s-trainer-disrespects-huntington-s-chris-algieri-1.9540301'>Freddie says</a>

Freddie says

Manny Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach said many of the sparring partners are better fighters than Chris Algieri.

Getty Images

Phil Jackson’s tenure with the Knicks

Phil Jackson named Knicks president

March 18, 2014

Phil Jackson named Knicks president

Phil Jackson played for the Knicks when they won their last championship in 1973 and returned more than 40 years later as the team's president. Jackson, who coached in 13 NBA Finals and won a record 11 titles with the Bulls and Lakers, brought the Knicks credibility, the triangle offense and a plan to reshape them into a championship team.

Newsday / J. Conrad Williams Jr.

Lamar Odom signs

April 16, 2014

Lamar Odom signs

Hoping that Lamar Odom would be able to assist Knicks players in learning the triangle offense while resurrecting his own career after some legal and personal issues, Jackson signed the former versatile forward, part of two championship teams with the Lakers, to a non-guaranteed deal.

AP

Mike Woodson fired

April 21, 2014

Mike Woodson fired

Five days after the Knicks finished with a disappointing 37-45 record, Jackson fired coach Mike Woodson and his entire staff. “The time has come for change throughout the franchise as we start the journey to assess and build this team for next season and beyond,” Jackson said. In the 2012-13 season, Woodson guided the Knicks to 54 victories and their first playoff series win since 2000. But in the 2013-14 season, they lacked chemistry, executed poorly late in games and had repeated defensive breakdowns.

Jim McIsaac

Derek Fisher hired as head coach

June 10, 2014

Derek Fisher hired as head coach

After first choice Steve Kerr spurned his old coach and accepted the Golden State Warriors' coaching job, Jackson turned to another of his former players. Derek Fisher was a key contributor and leader on all five of Jackson’s championship teams with the Lakers. The NBA’s all-time leader in playoff games, Fisher knows the ins and outs of the triangle offense. As a recently retired guard, he can relate to the players and help recruit free agents, including former Thunder teammate Kevin Durant in 2016.

Richard T. Slattery

Phil’s first trade

June 25, 2014

Phil’s first trade

The Knicks acquired Jose Calderon, Samuel Dalembert, Shane Larkin, Wayne Ellington and two second-round picks from the Dallas Mavericks for Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton. Citing a need “to change some of the chemistry” and “bring in some character guys,” Jackson addressed a major weakness from last season by upgrading the point guard position with Calderon, a good decision-maker and shooter. Chandler struggled through injuries in 2013-14 and regressed after being named 2011-12 Defensive Player of the Year. Dalembert remains a good shot-blocker and help defender at center and Larkin is a quick, young point guard. The move left the Knicks with a surplus of guards, but Jackson promised to address that, which he did with subsequent moves.

AP

Phil’s first draft

June 26, 2014

Phil’s first draft

The Knicks had no picks in the 2014 draft until the Dallas deal the day before the draft gave them two. Jackson used those picks on forward Cleanthony Early at No. 34 and forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo of Greece at No. 51. Early spent four years in college -- the first two at Sullivan County CC and the last two at Wichita State -- and showed he can score. The Knicks call Antetokounmpo “Tenacious” and believe he can help them down the road with his defense and athleticism. The Knicks also acquired the draft rights to Louis Labeyrie of France with the 57th pick. He will stay overseas.

Andrew Theodorakis

Rambis named associate head coach

July 7, 2014

Rambis named associate head coach

Looking for an experienced coach to help Fisher, Jackson turned to Kurt Rambis, his old friend and former Lakers assistant. Rambis worked extensively with Fisher with the Lakers and has served as the head coach of the Lakers and Timberwolves.

AP

Odom waived

July 11, 2014

Odom waived

Jackson said Odom “was unable to uphold the standards to return as an NBA player” and cut him less than three months into the experiment. “It hurt,” Jackson said. “We really wanted him to have an opportunity. Just couldn’t kind of break free from what was going on and get back on the basketball court and work.”

AP

Aldrich re-signed

July 11, 2014

Aldrich re-signed

Cole Aldrich proved last season he is a serviceable big man and solid rebounder, and the Knicks needed additional size. So Jackson quickly filled Odom’s roster spot with Aldrich.

AP

Melo stays

July 13, 2014

Melo stays

After considering signing with the Bulls and Lakers, Carmelo Anthony decided to stay with the Knicks and be a part of Jackson’s vision to make them championship contenders. Jackson locked up the Knicks’ best player since Patrick Ewing with a five-year, $124-million contract. By taking less than a max deal allowed by the NBA's collective bargaining agreement, Anthony gets a smaller increase in Year 2 than he could have received, giving the Knicks more room to sign other players in free agency in next summer.

Jim McIsaac

Jason Smith signs

July 18, 2014

Jason Smith signs

Jackson added 7-footer Jason Smith, who brings toughness, rebounding and shot-blocking at power forward and center and adds depth up front. Smith can stretch the floor with his shooting and should fit well in the triangle offense.

Andrew Theodorakis

Acy, Outlaw added

Aug. 6, 2014

Acy, Outlaw added

Looking to clear up the logjam at shooting guard, balance the roster and add some veteran depth behind Carmelo Anthony at small forward, Jackson shipped Wayne Ellington and Jeremy Tyler to Sacramento for Travis Outlaw and Quincy Acy.

Andrew Theodorakis

Cleamons hired

Sept. 3, 2014

Cleamons hired

Jackson brought in Jim Cleamons, his old Knicks teammate and former assistant with the Bulls and Lakers, to help Derek Fisher in his transition to first-time coach. Cleamons has been a part of nine NBA championship teams as a coach and one as a player.

Allsport

Travis goes, Travis stays

Oct. 27, 2014

Travis goes, Travis stays

Undrafted rookie Travis Wear (UCLA) impressed Phil Jackson and Derek Fisher enough in training camp that instead of putting him on their D-League team, they traded forward Travis Outlaw to clear a roster spot for Wear. The Knicks sent Outlaw to the 76ers for Arnett Moultrie, and a 2019 second-round pick. The Sixers also got the option to swap 2018 second-round selections. The Knicks immediately waived Moultrie. They could have waived Outlaw outright and ate his $3 million. Instead, they saved about $1.9 million plus luxury-tax penalties in the move.

Jim McIsaac

Smith & Shump gone in salary dump

Jan. 5, 2015

Smith & Shump gone in salary dump

J.R. Smith, the enigmatic shooting guard with the checkered past, was traded to Cleveland along with Iman Shumpert in a three-team deal in which the Oklahoma City Thunder obtained Cavaliers shooting guard Dion Waiters and a protected first-round pick. The Knicks received Lance Thomas from Oklahoma City and Lou Amundson and Alex Kirk from Cleveland, plus a 2019 second-round draft pick. Dealing Smith frees up $6.4 million in salary cap space for next season. The Knicks also released Samuel Dalembert, saving the team $2 million.

Andrew Theodorakis

Langston Galloway sticks

Jan. 27, 2015

Langston Galloway sticks

The undrafted guard from St. Joe's started the season playing for the Westchester Knicks in the D-League, and after signing two 10-day deals, the Knicks inked Langston Galloway for the remainder of the season with a partial guarantee for 2015-16. Galloway impressed Jackson, Fisher and the coaching staff with his work ethic and intelligence, and is expected to be a part of the future.

Jim McIsaac

Stoudemire bought out

Feb. 16, 2015

Stoudemire bought out

Amar'e Stoudemire's four-and-a-half-year Knicks career came to an end over the All-Star break after the franchise granted his request for a buyout so he could play for a contender. Stoudemire signed with the Dallas Mavericks after clearing waivers. Stoudemire famously said, 'The Knicks are back,' after signing a five-year, $100-million deal in 2010. The six-time All-Star big man brought excitement and respectability back to the Knicks, putting up MVP numbers during his first season and helping them end a seven-year playoff drought. Injuries limited Stoudemire his final four seasons as a Knick. He played in 255 of a possible 365 games with the Knicks and averaged 17.3 points.

Jim McIsaac

Prigioni dealt for Shved, picks

Feb. 19, 2015

Prigioni dealt for Shved, picks

On a wild day of dealing at the trade deadline, Jackson made a minor move. The Knicks didn’t have the assets to get involved for some bigger names but believe they acquired some when they sent savvy veteran point guard Pablo Prigioni to Houston for 6-foot-6 guard Alexey Shved and the Rockets' 2017 and 2019 second-round picks. Jackson also shaved $290,000 of next year's payroll (Prigioni's partial guarantee). Shved, who will be a free agent in July, holds career averages of 6.7 points and 2.4 assists over 17.2 minutes over three seasons with the Minnesota, Philadelphia and Houston.

Jim McIsaac

Knicks draft Porzingis, acquire Grant

June 25, 2015

Knicks draft Porzingis, acquire Grant

After the worst season in franchise history, the Knicks ended up with the fourth pick in the NBA Draft and Jackson didn't go for any of the players many deemed to be more ready to help now (i.e., Emmanuel Mudiay, Justise Winslow, Frank Kaminsky or Willie Cauley-Stein). Instead, Jackson chose the player many NBA executives and scouts believe has the most upside: 19-year Latvian big man Kristaps Porzingis. A good athlete and shooter, Porzingis is 7-foot-3 and his body is still developing. Jackson called Porzingis 'an eye-opening athlete and player.' Porzingis has said often he wants to show he's not another 'soft European.' Jackson seemed to nab the more ready player later in the draft when he traded Tim Hardaway Jr. to the Hawks for the 19th selection that he used on guard Jerian Grant. The Notre Dame senior has good genes: his father Harvey and uncle Horace played in the NBA, and his younger brother Jerami plays for the Sixers. In a separate move, Jackson traded two future second-round picks for the draft rights to the No. 35 pick, Spanish center Guillermo Hernangomez, who will stay in Europe.

Mike Stobe

The big fella

July 9, 2015

The big fella

All season long, the word was Greg Monroe would be the Knicks’ big free-agent signing. But he chose the Bucks, and the Knicks turned their attention to the most active, defensive-minded big man available to them: Robin Lopez. They gave Lopez, twin brother of Nets center Brook Lopez, a four-year, $54-million deal. It was reached July 3 and signed when the NBA moratorium was lifted. Derek Fisher described the 7-foot Lopez as 'one of the best centers in the game in terms of anchoring the middle of the floor.'

Getty Images

Versatile wing

July 9, 2015

Versatile wing

Arron Afflalo was the first player the Knicks reached an agreement with in free agency. The well-traveled guard said he canceled all other interviews after meeting with the Knicks. He wanted to try and help the Knicks turn things around and reunite with his old Denver teammate, Carmelo Anthony. Afflalo inked a two-year, $16-million deal on July 9. The second year is a player option. He’s a versatile wing player whose strength is guarding multiple positions and he also can hit threes.

AP

Deal for Derrick

July 9, 2015

Deal for Derrick

The same day the Knicks secured Lopez, they landed forward Derrick Williams. He has been a disappointment since being taken second in the 2011 draft. But the Knicks hope they can provide a little more stability than Williams had in Minnesota and Sacramento, which had three different head coaches last season. They envision Williams playing both forward positions for them and being effective in the triangle. He signed a two-year, $10-million deal on July 9. The second year is a player option.

AP

Coming home

July 9, 2015

Coming home

Looking for more versatility and defense, the Knicks acquired Queens native Kyle O’Quinn in a Fourth of July sign-and-trade that became official July 9. O’Quinn signed a four-year, $16-million pact, and the Orlando Magic received cash and the right to swap 2019 second-round picks. The burly 6-foot-10 forward-center showed he can be effective in limited action – he’s averaged 13.0 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per 36 minutes in three NBA seasons. The Knicks hope those numbers prove out in what will be a bigger role for O’Quinn.

Getty Images

Lance & Lou

July 10, 2015

Lance & Lou

Lance Thomas and Lou Amundson were acquired in the J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert three-team trade in January, were waived, brought back on 10-day contracts and ultimately signed for the rest of the season. The two showed the professionalism and selflessness that Jackson and Fisher are always talking about, and were brought back to provide depth, defense and stability for a team that has undergone many changes. Andrea Bargnani, Shane Larkin, Cole Aldrich, Jason Smith, Quincy Acy signed with other NBA teams and Alexey Shved is playing overseas now.

Jim McIsaac

Shooter Sasha signs

Aug. 7, 2015

Shooter Sasha signs

Jackson reached into his past and signed former Laker Sasha Vujacic. The veteran shooting guard was brought in to help the Knicks’ players with the triangle offense. Vujacic played five-plus seasons under Jackson and three-plus with Derek Fisher, and was part of NBA championship teams in 2009 and 2010. Vujacic plays with a lot of energy and is pesky defender who annoys opposing players. He averaged 5.6 points and shot 37.1 percent from three-point range with the Lakers and Nets before playing overseas the past four years.

Jim McIsaac

Fisher out, Rambis in

Feb. 8, 2016

Fisher out, Rambis in

After the Knicks' ninth loss in 10 games, Jackson decided to fire his first coaching hire, and he relieved Fisher of his duties. The Knicks were 23-31 at the time. Jackson promoted associate head coach Kurt Rambis to interim head coach. 'It's time for us to make a change, turn this team around and move forward and get some wins and keep going down the road we started here at the beginning of the year,' Jackson said. The Knicks got off to a better-than-expected start and were 22-22 before the skid that ultimately led to Fisher's dismissal. Fisher was let go after 136 games and a 40-96 record in 1 1/2 season as Knicks coach. He left with the second-lowest winning percentage (.294) in franchise history ahead of only Larry Brown (.280). Jackson credited Fisher for the way he 'moved the team forward.' But Jackson made it seem as if Fisher was trying to distance himself from being 'Phil's protégé.' Jackson said he brought in experienced assistants Rambis and Jim Cleamons to help Fisher, and noted that the first-time coach didn't take advantage of that. After firing Fisher, Jackson turned to his close friend and staunch triangle supporter to take over as interim coach. Rambis won eight NBA championships as an NBA player, assistant coach and executive — all with the Lakers and four while Jackson was head coach. Jackson hired Rambis as associate head coach to help Fisher's transition from player to coach and entrusted him for the final 28 games of the regular season. 'Kurt, he has a lot of games under his belt,' Jackson said. 'He knows the game. He has been around it for 30-something years as a basketball player and coach, he has been on championship teams both as a player and coach, he has a tremendous amount of experience.' Rambis compiled a 56-145 record (.279) as coach of the Timberwolves and Lakers.

Jim McIsaac

Hornacek hired

June 2, 2016

Hornacek hired

Jeff Hornacek didn't expect to get an interview with the Knicks, let alone get the job to be their coach. But Hornacek was the surprising choice over several candidates, including Jackson’s close friend and confidant Kurt Rambis, who went 9-19 to end the 2015-16 season as interim coach. Hornacek, the former Suns coach, is neither a Jackson disciple nor someone who ran or ever really played in the triangle offense. But Jackson entrusted Hornacek to guide the team in hopes of ending a three-year playoff drought. Hornacek, a former sharpshooting guard, comes from an impressive coaching tree, having played for Cotton Fitzsimmons and Jerry Sloan. Hornacek also spent half a season coaching under Sloan in Utah. Hornacek was 101-112 in 2 1/2 seasons with the Suns, and finished second in Coach of the Year voting after guiding them to a 48-34 mark in 2013-14. Hornacek played fast and small in Phoenix. He used two-point guard sets, relied on drive-and-kicks, pick-and-rolls and a heavy dose of three-point shooting. With the Knicks, Hornacek is expected to mix that style in with the triangle offense. Rambis remained on the bench, reprising the role he had under Derek Fisher: associate head coach.

Andrew Theodorakis

The Rose Garden

June 22, 2016

The Rose Garden

The Knicks' longtime search for a dynamic, explosive point guard led Jackson to his old stomping grounds. The Knicks acquired former Rookie of the Year and MVP Derrick Rose from the Chicago Bulls in a blockbuster deal the day before the NBA Draft. Phil Jackson said he felt the need to have a decisive attack guard. The point guard position has been a weakness for the Knicks for years, but they hope that changed with the move for Rose. They sent Jose Calderon, Robin Lopez and Jerian Grant to Chicago for Rose, backup guard Justin Holiday and a 2017 second-round pick. Rose is a three-time All-Star with career averages of 19.7 points and 6.2 assists. Of course, there are concerns. Rose has been injury-plagued since his 2010-11 MVP season. Multiple knee surgeries contributed to Rose missing 228 games over the past five seasons. But he feels strong and he believes he can return to being an elite guard again. Rose, 27, only has one year left on his contract so there's low risk for the Knicks. If Rose plays well and stays healthy, he could be a long-term solution. In the release announcing the Rose trade, the Knicks revealed they waived Tony Wroten, who never played a game for them.

AP/Mary Altaffer

Noah York

July 1, 2016

Noah York

After acquiring a point guard the week before free agency, Jackson set his sights on addressing the hole in the middle. It didn’t take long for Rose’s former Bulls teammate Joakim Noah to agree to play for the Knicks. On the first day of the free-agent negotiation period, Noah, a New York native, and the Knicks came to terms on a four-year, $72-million deal. The contract was signed July 8. Noah said he dreamed of playing for the Knicks since he was 5 years old. A two-time All-Star and the 2013-14 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Noah brings an intensity and passion to the Knicks that they’ve sorely been lacking. Selfless and hard-nosed, Noah has averaged 9.3 points and 9.4 rebounds in his career. He’s also a tremendous passing big man, which is important in the triangle offense. Injuries have slowed Noah the last few years. He had knee surgery in 2014 and shoulder surgery in 2016, and played only 29 games last season. He hopes he can stay healthy because it hurts him more not to play.

James Escher

Starting shooter secured

July 2, 2016

Starting shooter secured

The Knicks needed a shooting guard to round out their starting five and got one in the versatile Courtney Lee. The well-traveled veteran agreed to a four-year, $48-million deal on the second day of free agency. He signed the deal July 8. Lee, a 6-5 guard, has averaged 9.6 points while shooting 45 percent from the field over eight seasons. He's also solid on the other end of the floor, giving the Knicks someone who can help their perimeter defense. The Knicks are Lee's seventh team in nine seasons. He's a career 38.4-percent shoooter from three-point range, and has shot above 40 percent from deep four times.

James Escher

Jennings joins Knicks

July 4, 2016

Jennings joins Knicks

The Knicks created some fireworks on the Fourth of July, keeping one player and landing another that they had interest in for years. Brandon Jennings had been on the Knicks’ radar since the 2009 draft. They passed on him for Jordan Hill, later tried to acquire him in trades, and finally locked up the high-scoring guard on a one-year, $5-million deal. The Knicks also brought back Lance Thomas, a glue guy who has improved his overall game, on a four-year deal. Both will be key players coming off the bench. In Jennings, the Knicks got a 26-year-old guard who averaged at least 15.4 points his first 5½ seasons in the league. A ruptured Achilles tendon has limited Jennings the past season and a half, but he says he’s 100 percent now. Both deals were signed July 8.

AP/Julie Jacobson

International flavor

July 5, 2016

International flavor

On the same day, the Knicks came to terms with Willy Hernangomez, Kristaps Porzingis’ former teammate, and Lithuanian combo forward Mindaugas Kuzminskas. Hernangomez was the Knicks’ second-round pick in 2015, but the 6-10 center spent the season with ACB power Real Madrid after playing two seasons with Porzingis with Sevilla. The Knicks hope both can help them this season off the bench. Hernangomez is a skilled big man and Kuzminskas is an athletic forward with good ballhandling skills and passing ability. The Knicks need forward depth. Both deals were signed July 8.

Getty Images

Backup big man

July 8, 2016

Backup big man

The Knicks needed a backup center who would play physical inside and do a lot of the dirty work and believe former Duke center Marshall Plumlee will fill that role. The 23-year-old Plumlee, whose brothers Miles and Mason play in the NBA, is a high-energy, tough-nosed player who will hustle, rebound and set screens. Plumlee has been sworn in as an Army officer and plans a military career when his playing days are over.

AP/John Raoux

Sasha returns, Ndour signs

July 14, 2016

Sasha returns, Ndour signs

The Knicks brought back veteran guard Sasha Vujacic, who averaged 4.9 points while shooting 36.4 percent from three-point range last season. With just four guards on the roster, the Knicks needed more depth in the backcourt and only had minimum contacts to offer free agents. Vujacic, 32, can play both guard positions and is well-versed in the triangle offense, which the Knicks will continue to run under Jeff Hornacek with some tweaks to accommodate his desire to play up-tempo and mix in some pick-and-roll sets. In 25 starts last season, Vujacic shot 38 percent from three and scored 7.8 points. The Knicks also inked Maurice Ndour, an athletic wing who impressed them during the 2015 Las Vegas Summer League. He has the body and length to be a good defender, can run the floor and be a slasher, but he needs time to develop. He spent last season with Real Madrid and averaged 2.1 points and 1.6 rebounds over 9.1 minutes in 18 games. Jackson has talked about wanting to build stability, but he has overhauled the roster each summer. Also not returning from last season’s team are Arron Afflalo, Langston Galloway and Derrick Williams.

AP/John Locher

Phil jabs Melo

Feb. 7, 2017

Phil jabs Melo

Jackson appeared to take a shot at Carmelo Anthony on Twitter with a cryptic tweet in response to a Bleacher Report article that criticized Anthony. In the story posted a day earlier, Kevin Ding wrote that Anthony had resisted playing team basketball and wasn't able to transform into a winning player. 'Bleacher's Ding almost rings the bell, but I learned you don't change the spot on a leopard with Michael Graham in my CBA daze,' Jackson tweeted. Jackson coached Graham, who played alongside Patrick Ewing on Georgetown's 1984 title team, with the CBA's Albany Patroons. Though Graham was drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics, he never played in the NBA. It was the first time Jackson had tweeted since Dec. 27, and he hadn't spoken to reporters since Sept. 23.

Jim McIsaac

Melo 'better off somewhere else'

April 14, 2017

Melo 'better off somewhere else'

In a candid end-of-season news conference, Phil Jackson made it clear that the Knicks would explore trading Carmelo Anthony and told reporters that the Knicks' star would be better off playing somewhere else. The Knicks went 30-51 in 2016-17, marking their third straight season with at least 50 losses.

Richard Harbus

Trade Porzingis?

June 20, 2017

Trade Porzingis?

Just two days before the NBA Draft, rumors swirled that Phil Jackson hadn't ruled out trading Kristaps Porzingis, the No. 4 overall pick in 2015. The Knicks ended up not making a deal before the draft.

Jim McIsaac

Knicks draft French guard

June 22, 2017

Knicks draft French guard

With the No. 8 pick in the draft, the Knicks selected French point guard Frank Ntilikina. Phil Jackson said it was a tough decision, but he liked Ntilikina's size (6-5, 190 pounds) and aggressiveness on defense. Ntilikina, 18, has played professionally in France for the past three seasons, and notably is a good fit for the triangle because of his ability to play both backcourt positions.

EPA / Jason Szenes

The end is here

June 28, 2017

The end is here

The Knicks parted ways with team president Phil Jackson after three-plus seasons.

AP/Julie Jacobson

The Evolution of the Pitch

The Evolution of the Pitch

Pitching has changed from the days of being forced to throw underhand into something far more complex and intricate. Here’s a history lesson on how several pitches evolved through time. Similarly, movement of a pitched baseball can be altered based on a pitcher’s grip and arm motion. Through the use of special video cameras, watch Long Island Ducks pitchers demonstrate movement as Stony Brook physics professor Dr. Chang Kee Jung explains the science behind why a pitched baseball moves the way it does.

By Cody Derespina, Chris Ware, Chuck Fadely, Jeffrey Basinger, Matthew Golub, Anthony Carrozzo, Mark La Monica, Robert Cassidy & Ryan McDonald

The Fastball

a.k.a. heat, cheese, gas, No. 1, smoke

The first fastball thrown on a baseball diamond would have looked more like something you would see during a softball game. The original rules of the game, generally referred to as “the Knickerbocker Rules” for the club that adopted them in 1845, stated that the ball must be “pitched, not thrown, for the bat” – aka, with a stiff wrist, underhand. It was not until 1884 that limitations on a pitcher’s delivery were removed, permitting the overhand motion and leading to a truly fast ball. This rule change begot another rule change, as the new delivery method led to increased pitch speeds, which in turn led to the pitching distance increasing from 50 feet to 60 feet, 6 inches, where it currently stands.

As for movement, changing a fastball grip can cause the pitch to either move on a downward plane, as a sinker or two-seamer would, or appear to “rise”, as a four-seamer does. A pitch actually cannot rise; it stays on a straight plane. But the lack of sink as it speeds in from the mound makes the ball appear to rise to the batter. Backspin pulls the ball up while gravity drags it down, resulting in a straight path to the plate. Bill James writes in the Neyer/James Guide to Pitchers that “there is little evidence, before 1950” that pitchers understood they could throw both two- and four-seamers simply by changing their grip. Before this realization, most pitchers, James writes, believed the movement on the ball was a natural talent.

Because of the height at which they arrive at the plate and the action on the pitch, four-seamers that are put in play traditionally lead to fly balls and two-seamers to ground balls.

The fastest pitch ever recorded was a 105.1 mph four-seam fastball thrown by Reds reliever Aroldis Chapman on Sept. 24, 2010 at PETCO Park.

2013 2012 2011 2010 2009
Percentages of all pitches thrown 57.8 57.6 57.8 58.7 59.7
Average Velocity 91.7 mph 91.6 mph 91.5 mph 91.2 mph 91.2 mph
Fastest Average Velocity 99.3 mph (Bruce Rondon, Tigers) 98.5 mph (Kelvin Herrera, Royals) 98.4 mph (Maikel Cleto, Cardinals) 99.6 mph (Aroldis Chapman, Reds) 99.3 mph (Joel Zumaya, Tigers)
Slowest Average Velocity 81.9 mph (R.A. Dickey, Blue Jays) 78.6 mph (Jamie Moyer, Rockies) 72.9 mph (Tim Wakefield, Red Sox) 72.9 mph (Tim Wakefield, Red Sox) 72.4 mph (Tim Wakefield, Red Sox)
Pitchers to throw it 678 662 662 634 664
Highest Percentage Used* 94.1 (Kenley Jansen, Dodgers) 94.5 (Kenley Jansen, Dodgers) 86.8 (Kenley Jansen, Dodgers) 90.4 (Ronald Belisario, Dodgers) 90.0 (Bartolo Colon, White Sox)
*minimum 30 innings Source: Fangraphs

The Changeup

a.k.a. change of pace, slow ball, change, Bugs Bunny changeup

Similar to the story of the fastball, the first changeup was accomplished when some unknown pitcher threw a fastball a little bit slower in order to upset the batter’s timing. Given this definition, it’s no wonder the changeup was largely referred to as the “slow ball” during its genesis and for the first several decades of its existence.

But the changeup story, well, changed when pitchers also sought movement to fool hitters. Changeups resting in the palm of the pitcher’s hand with the thumb and pinkie applying pressure resulted in a wobbling, knuckleball-like motion and were referred to as a “palm ball.” The most popular type of changeup thrown in contemporary baseball is the “circle change,” named for the grip that features the pitcher’s thumb and index finger coming together in a circle shape. An effective circle change will break both downward and horizontally.

2013 2012 2011 2010 2009
Percentages of all pitches thrown 10.2 9.8 10.4 10.7 10
Average Velocity 82.9 mph 82.8 mph 82.5 mph 82.2 mph 82.2 mph
Fastest Average Velocity 90.8 mph (Tanner Scheppers, Rangers) 92.0 mph (Maikel Cleto, Cardinals) 91.6 mph (Maikel Cleto, Cardinals) 90.4 mph (Daniel Bard, Red Sox) 90.4 mph (Kyle Farnsworth, Royals)
Slowest Average Velocity 70.4 mph (Pat Neshek, Athletics) 72.1 mph (Jamie Moyer, Rockies) 66.5 mph (Daniel Herrera, Brewers/Mets) 66.3 mph (Daniel Herrera, Reds) 68.5 mph (Daniel Herrera, Reds)
Pitchers to throw it 557 528 528 510 587
Highest Percentage Used* 35.8 (Fernando Rodney, Rays) 39.0 (Jairo Asencio, Indians/Cubs) 36.5 (Rich Harden, Athletics) 46.0 (Juan Oviedo, Marlins) 39.2 (Rich Harden, Cubs)
*minimum 30 innings Source: Fangraphs

The Curveball

a.k.a. deuce, hook, Uncle Charlie, curve, yakker, hammer

Candy Cummings’ tale of inventing the curveball is one of the few firsthand accounts of how a particular pitch was invented — whether it’s as apocryphal as Abner Doubleday’s story of “inventing” the game of baseball is another matter.

Cummings’ “eureka” moment occurred one day in 1863 when he and other boys were throwing clam shells and studying the path of their flights. As the shells curved in the air, Cummings wondered if he could make a baseball do the same thing. For four years he experimented with his positioning while throwing, the location of the ball in his hand and anything else he could think to alter. Finally, during a semi-pro game against a club from Harvard in 1867, Cummings says he succeeded.

“The batters were missing a lot of balls; I began to watch the flight of the ball through the air, and I distinctly saw it curve,” Cummings wrote in September 1908.

Of course, Cummings faced the same restriction the early practitioners of the fastball did: throwing underhand. It wasn’t until 17 years after the curveball took its first flight that some pitcher finally unleashed it in the overhand or three-quarters fashion observers are accustomed to seeing today.

2013 2012 2011 2010 2009
Percentages of all pitches thrown 9.7 10.4 9.4 9.0 9.1
Average Velocity 77.3 mph 77.0 mph 76.7 mph 76.3 mph 76.4 mph
Fastest Average Velocity 85.8 mph (Craig Kimbrel, Braves) 85.8 mph (Craig Kimbrel, Braves) 84.0 mph (Jason Motte, Cardinals) 85.2 mph (Brian Stokes, Angels) 84.0 mph (Carlos Marmol, Cubs)
Slowest Average Velocity 66.2 mph (Eric Stults, Padres) 58.9 mph (Vicente Padilla, Red Sox) 59.5 mph (Tim Wakefield, Red Sox) 60.2 mph (Tim Wakefield, Red Sox) 54.0 mph (R.J. Swindle, Brewers)
Pitchers to throw it 415 409 411 378 430
Highest Percentage Used* 39.7 (Manny Parra, Reds) 43.0 (Xavier Cedeno, Astros) 46.9 (Daniel Schlereth, Tigers) 41.4 (Sean Marshall, Cubs) 39.6 (Jason Bulger, Angels)
*minimum 30 innings Source: Fangraphs

The Knuckleball

a.k.a. floater, flutterball, knuckler

The knuckleball was first thrown in the early part of the 20th century by either Nap Rucker, Lew Moren, Eddie Cicotte or Ed Summers. It’s likely some combination of the group, actually. Cicotte, who later gained infamy as a member of the White Sox that helped fix the 1919 World Series, said in 1952 that he and Summers worked on the pitch together. James and Rob Neyer’s book notes that Cicotte also pitched with Rucker in 1905.

Then there’s this wrinkle: Toad Ramsey, who pitched from 1865-90, may have been the actual originator, though his discovery would have been more about necessity than innovation. Dave Clark writes in “The Knucklebook” that Ramsey severed a tendon in the middle finger of his pitching hand when he was young. He ended up having to pitch “by resting that finger on the ball and gripping it with the inside of his index and ring fingers.” Such a grip can produce a pitch with no spin.

And that’s the point of a knuckleball: little or no spin. The idea is that the lack of spin causes a buildup in air pressure, making the ball seem to “dance” unpredictably and often dart downward near the plate.

2013 2012 2011 2010 2009
Percentages of all pitches thrown 0.5 0.4 0.6 0.7 0.4
Average Velocity 75.7 mph 77.1 mph 71.2 mph 71.8 mph 68.5 mph
Fastest Average Velocity 81.6 mph (Cory Burns, Rangers) 77.1 mph (R.A. Dickey, Mets) 76.6 mph (Ryan Franklin, Cardinals) 80.8 mph (Eddie Bonine, Tigers) 81.6 mph (Eddie Bonine, Tigers)
Slowest Average Velocity 75.6 mph (R.A. Dickey, Blue Jays) 77.1 mph (R.A. Dickey, Mets) 65.8 mph (Tim Wakefield, Red Sox) 65.9 mph (Tim Wakefield, Red Sox) 65.2 mph (Tim Wakefield, Red Sox)
Pitchers to throw it 4 1 3 6 5
Highest Percentage Used* 87.0 (R.A. Dickey, Blue Jays) 85.4 (R.A. Dickey, Mets) 89.0 (Tim Wakefield, Red Sox) 83.8 (R.A. Dickey, Mets) 84.9 (Tim Wakefield, Red Sox)
*minimum 30 innings Source: Fangraphs

The Slider

a.k.a. slide ball, slide piece

The short story is that no one knows how the slider was invented. George Blaeholder, who pitched from 1925-1936, is sometimes given credit. But the pitch Blaeholder threw was more likely a cutter.

Then there’s the mystery of the pitch thrown by Charles Albert “Chief” Bender. Bender pitched from 1903-17 (and made one appearance in 1925), winning 212 games and posting a 2.46 ERA. He described his repertoire like this to Baseball Magazine in 1911: “I use fast curves, pitched overhand and sidearm, fastballs, high and inside, and an underhand fadeaway pitch with the hand almost down to the level of the knees.” Was one of those fast curves actually a slider? Some evidence supports this. For one, the slider was sometimes referred to as a “nickel curve” during its early days. Also, pitcher Bucky Walters told The Sporting News in 1955 that Bender taught him how to throw a slider in 1935.

Why such confusion? Because one man’s slider could be another’s cutter or curveball. The slider is gripped similarly to the cutter, but more of the ball’s surface is in contact with the middle finger, causing a larger down and sideways break on the resulting pitch. The extreme break and downward motion can cause inconsistency in identifying the pitch.

2013 2012 2011 2010 2009
Percentages of all pitches thrown 14.5 14.4 14.6 14.8 14.9
Average Velocity 83.3 mph 83.1 mph 83.4 mph 83.3 mph 83.0 mph
Fastest Average Velocity 89.9 mph (Matt Harvey, Mets) 91.0 mph (Jeremy Jeffress, Royals) 89.4 mph (Alfredo Simon, Orioles) 90.5 mph (Fernando Rodney, Angels) 92.0 mph (Kyle Davies, Royals)
Slowest Average Velocity 71.5 mph (Joe Paterson, Diamondbacks) 70.9 mph (Yoshinori Tateyama, Rangers) 70.7 mph (Yoshinori Tateyama, Rangers) 72.5 mph (James Houser, Marlins) 66.2 mph (Chad Bradford, Rays)
Pitchers to throw it 491 485 499 504 554
Highest Percentage Used* 72.9 (Pat Neshek, Athletics) 68.6 (Luke Gregerson, Padres) 64.0 (Carlos Marmol, Cubs) 65.0 (Michael Wuertz, Athletics) 65.4 (Michael Wuertz, Athletics)
*minimum 30 innings Source: Fangraphs

The Cutter

a.k.a. cut fastball, sailer

A cutter is technically just another variation of a fastball. Or a slider. Kind of. A cutter generally reaches speeds a few miles per hour shy of a pitcher’s four-seam fastball and breaks a few inches horizontally, like a slider, but not downward, unlike a slider. The horizontal movement is due to the pitcher releasing the ball slightly off center. When thrown by a righthander, a cutter breaks away from a righthanded batter and in to a lefthanded hitter. The inward break to lefthanded batters is sometimes referred to as having a buzzsaw-type effect because of its tendency to cause broken bats.

While the pitch has been around since at least the 1950s, and probably long before that, just without proper identification, it began to reach prominence in the baseball lexicon in the 1980s and achieved staying power in the 1990s, particularly because of its use by Yankees closer Mariano Rivera.

2013 2012 2011 2010 2009
Percentages of all pitches thrown 5.7 5.8 5.7 4.7 4.6
Average Velocity 87.5 mph 87.5 mph 87.5 mph 87.5 mph 87.1 mph
Fastest Average Velocity 94.8 mph (Yordano Ventura, Royals) 92.6 mph (Bryan Shaw, Diamondbacks) 93.1 mph (Bryan Shaw, Diamondbacks) 92.7 mph (Evan Meet, Pirates) 92.1 mph (Brian Wolfe, Blue Jays)
Slowest Average Velocity 79.7 mph (Javier Lopez, Giants) 76.5 mph (Jamie Moyer, Rockies) 80.8 mph (Daniel Herrera, Brewers/Mets) 78.3 mph (Jamie Moyer, Phillies) 78.4 mph (Jamie Moyer, Phillies)
Pitchers to throw it 176 178 159 123 143
Highest Percentage Used* 89.2 (Mariano Rivera, Yankees) 81.1 (Bryan Shaw, Diamondbacks) 87.3 (Mariano Rivera, Yankees) 85.0 (Mariano Rivera, Yankees) 92.0 (Mariano Rivera, Yankees)
*minimum 30 innings Source: Fangraphs

The Splitter

a.k.a. forkball

Thanks to excellent research by Bill James and Rob Neyer, we have a fairly complete picture of how the forkball/splitter came about. Outfielder Mike Lynch developed it in 1905, but he couldn’t control it and, in 1908, Lynch taught his creation to minor league pitcher Bert Hall. Hall unveiled the pitch in game action on Sept. 18, 1908. Its effect was immediate with an article in the Seattle Times declaring “Hall’s assortment yesterday beats all the spit-ball and knuckle ball combinations to death, for he used it overhand, side arm and any old way and kept the ball breaking over the plate.” The Tacoma Daily Tribune referenced Hall’s “fork ball” for the remainder of that season. On the other coast in October 1908, New York State League pitcher James Swift had what he told The Sporting News was a “dobre ball”. What makes this case interesting is that the grip Swift describes sounds an awful lot like a forkball grip.

Joe Bush also developed a forkball in the early 1920s and, unlike Hall, threw it in the major leagues. His use popularized the pitch and he’s been recognized as its inventor for many years.

The splitter is somewhat of a “refinement” of the forkball and came about in the early 1970s. Despite its relatively contemporary origins, its story remains murky. Pitcher Roger Craig is popularly acknowledged as the inventor of the splitter, and he no doubt helped make its use widespread as pitching coach for the Tigers in the 1980s and manager of the Giants from 1985-1992. Reliever Bruce Sutter, however, who was the primary reason the splitter’s popularity grew, contends that he learned it from one of his pitching coaches and taught the pitch to Craig.

The forkball/splitter grips are similar. Both feature the index and middle fingers spread wide over the ball’s seams. A forkball, however, is wedged deeper between the fingers, while a splitter is lodged further into the pitcher’s palm.

2013 2012 2011 2010 2009
Percentages of all pitches thrown 1.7 1.7 1.5 1.4 1.3
Average Velocity 83.7 mph 84.4 mph 84.3 mph 84.5 mph 83.7 mph
Fastest Average Velocity 89.7 mph (Yu Darvish, Rangers) 89.2 mph (Pedro Strop, Orioles) 89.8 mph (Jonathan Papelbon, Red Sox) 90.4 mph (Danys Baez, Phillies) 89.8 mph (Danys Baez, Orioles)
Slowest Average Velocity 75.7 mph (Hector Santiago, White Sox) 74.6 mph (Hector Santiago, White Sox) 76.1 mph (Hector Santiago, White Sox) 74.7 mph (Robert Coello, Red Sox) 76.5 mph (David Riske, Brewers)
Pitchers to throw it 80 78 78 68 81
Highest Percentage Used* 56.0 (Edward Mujica, Cardinals) 55.0 (Jose Arredondo, Reds) 51.9 (Jose Arredondo, Reds) 52.5 (Jose Valverde, Tigers) 34.1 (Braden Looper, Brewers)
*minimum 30 innings Source: Fangraphs

Other

Eephus (blooper, floater), scuff ball (emery ball), spitball (spitter), screwball (fadeaway)

Though most aren’t categorized by any modern pitch tracking system, there are still plenty of trick pitches thrown throughout contemporary major-league baseball. The eephus is one of the more interesting and rare of the trick pitches. When thrown it comes in at speeds around 50 mph, by far the slowest pitch thrown in baseball, and makes a big, looping movement. It’s equal parts danger and hilarity. An unsuspecting batter can be helpless standing in against one as he either freezes in place or swings wildly through it. But for a hitter with great bat speed or an inkling that it’s coming, it’s an easier home run than a batting practice fastball. Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez was a recent practitioner of the pitch.

The spitball has been outlawed since 1920 (although pitchers who already threw it as a major part of their arsenal were allowed to keep using it) when baseball banned applying any foreign substance to the ball.

But don’t be fooled by the name “spitball”. Pitchers would generally apply anything they could to the ball in order to get it to oscillate in all kinds of wild fashions.

Despite its abolition nearly a century ago, many pitchers have been accused of doctoring the ball since, and it’s likely that not a season goes by without someone throwing a ball embellished with some substance.

Neyer and James credit Bobby Matthews with the invention of the spitball, and his use of it apparently was documented as early as 1868, when pitchers threw underhand.

A scuffed ball, either cut with an emery board, catcher’s shin guard or some other kind of abrasive tool, is used to achieve the same result of unnatural break when delivered. It’s also probably just as rampant (if not moreso) in contemporary baseball as are variations on the spitball.

Baseball Reference gives credit for the discovery to Russell Ford in 1907, though others have contended that this brand of baseball doctoring had been around for a while before that.

A screwball, or fadeaway, is essentially a “reverse curve,” breaking in the opposite direction of a pitcher’s curve or slider. It has been used since the 1800s and was popularized by Christy Mathewson. Other than that, its origins are murky.