Chicago, U.S.A. — The National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) and The Gatorade Company have teamed up to declare July 11, 2012, a day when U.S. sports takes a break from competition, the first annual National Recovery Day.

With high school athletes suffering two million injuries each year(1), National Recovery Day has been established to focus the attention of athletes on the importance of proper athletic recovery in order to continuously perform at their best.

The Gatorade Sports Science Institute recommends the following fueling guidelines for proper athletic recovery:

1. Studies show that consuming about 20g of protein as soon as possible following training or competition, can help enhance the muscle recovery process.
2. To speed up your body’s muscle recovery between games or practices, consume approximately 1/2 g of carbohydrate/pound of body weight* when the next workout is less than eight hours away.
3. Drink 16-24 ounces of fluid with sodium for each pound of body weight lost during exercise following a workout or game.

Athletes are constantly on the move from one workout to the next, and proper recovery is essential not only for rebuilding muscle but for sustaining strength. The focus on post-competition routines has been brought to the national stage leading up to and on National Recovery Day with professional athletes including the NY Yankees’ Derek Jeter, Washington Redskins’ Quarterback Robert Griffin III and Carolina Panthers’ Quarterback Cam Newton discussing how proper athletic recovery has allowed them to evolve as an athlete and achieve success in their respective professional sports careers.

As part of National Recovery Day, NATA and Gatorade are asking athletes and athletic trainers nationwide to share their recovery tips on Gatorade’s Facebook and Twitter pages and NATA’s Facebook and Twitter pages.

“How athletes treat their bodies is critical to their performance,” said incoming NATA President Jim Thornton, MA, ATC, PES, CES. “How they prepare and recover physically and how they fuel their bodies before, during and after training or competition all make a difference. We hope that National Recovery Day will serve as a reminder to athletes worldwide to do everything possible to set themselves up for athletic success.”

“We are pleased to team with the National Athletic Trainers’ Association on this effort to emphasize the importance of athletic recovery,” said Asker Jeukendrup, global senior director, Gatorade Sports Science Institute. “By combining our areas of expertise, we are working to ensure athletes are aware that recovering well is the key to coming back a stronger and better athlete.”

For more information on National Recovery Day, please visit www.nata.org or www.gatorade.com.

Image Courtesy of  Herbert Kratky / Shutterstock.com

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The role of the back-up quarterback is one of the least envied positions in all of sports. Performing well enough in practice to displace the current incumbent is extremely rare (unless of course your name is Tim Tebow) and the back-up usually spends much of the season sitting on the bench, preparing for an event that is unlikely to ever come calling.

That being said, there are cases every season when the unlikely does come calling and an untested rookie gets a shot at making himself a star, or an over the hill veteran gets one last chance at glory. The relative heroics of Matt Moore, T. J. Yates and Tebow last season have cast some light on a previously unheralded position and as such we have compiled a list of the back-up quarterbacks most likely to make an impact this season.

1. Jason Campbell – Chicago Bears

Campbell signing with the Bears was one of the more surprising off season moves this year, effectively co-signing himself to second string behind Jay Cutler. When you look at the multitude of teams in the NFL struggling at the quarterback position, a move to Jacksonville or Miami (Ryan Tannehill could definitely do with a season learning the game before being thrust into the limelight) would have made far more sense given that Campbell has the quality to start in this league).

That being said, Cutler’s absence due to a broken thumb last season cost the Bears their place in the playoffs, with deputy Caleb Hanie leading Chicago to five straight defeats. If a similar situation were to occur this year, Campbell would arguably provide a much more efficient option, and with the Bears looking stronger on offense, it could make a significant contribution if called upon.

2. Tavaris Jackson – Seattle Seahawks

There is no guarantee Jackson will actually be the back-up, with Pete Carroll currently splitting snaps equally between Jackson, Matt Flynn and rookie Russell Wilson. Stranger things have happened in the NFL, but it is unlikely that the Seahawks will pay Flynn $26 million over three years for him to be a back-up, and whilst Wilson is a great prospect, he is not yet ready to start in the NFL. Wilson could well be the long term solution for the Seahawks at the position, but a role as a back-up will give him a great chance to flourish by learning from two quarterbacks as contrasting as Flynn and Jackson.

Jackson is a good quarterback, certainly not elite, but still good. Given that Flynn has started just two professional games, both of which he was surrounded by the supercharged Green Bay Packers’ offense, his credentials have yet to be confirmed at this level. Should things turn sour for him in Seattle, you could see Carroll reinstating Jackson to the starting spot by the middle of the season as they look to return to play-off contention in one of the weaker divisions in the NFL.

3. Kyle Orton – Dallas Cowboys

In my opinion, Tony Romo is an underrated quarterback. If you could cut out his high-profile errors then he would arguably be rubbing shoulders with the league’s elite quarterbacks. Unfortunately for Cowboys fans however, it doesn’t seem too likely that that is going to happen. Given that Romo is now 32, and supposedly at his peak, it is hard to imagine him improving his game dramatically enough to push himself into the upper echelons.

Orton certainly didn’t have the best time in Denver last season, but being in pole position ahead of Tebow is definitely not an enviable position (take note Mark Sanchez). Should Romo continue to hurt his teams’ chances with self-inflicted errors, how long is it before the Dallas faithful start calling for Orton to start? A refreshing role-reversal for Orton certainly.

4. Tim Tebow – New York Jets

It would be impossible to leave Tebow out of this list for numerous reasons, but perhaps most fittingly because he inspired it. Similarly to Campbell, there were calls from the Tebow faithful to explore the chances of a move to the Jaguars or Dolphins in an attempt to start, but ultimately the Broncos and Tebow found the right deal in New York.

As if the media hype surrounding Tebow last season wasn’t enough, the media circus that is in New York City will do nothing but fan the flames of ‘Tebowmania.’ Throw into the mix an under-performing starting quarterback in Mark Sanchez and you have all the ingredients for another season of drama for Tebow.

Sanchez is rightfully the starting quarterback for the Jets, he is young and was showing signs of being a successful franchise quarterback for ‘Gang Green’ but a terrible 2011 season has raised a lot of questions about the long-term future of Sanchez. A new three-year contract seemed to answer the multitude of these, but the arrival of the iconic Tebow caused them to resurface more quickly than Sanchez had hoped for.

Jets’ fans will be hoping that the arrival of Tebow has two equally important effects for a team who consider themselves play-off contenders. First, they hope that the increased pressure on Sanchez will bring the best out of the young man (although many have already condemned him to crumbling under the pressure), and second, that the unifying presence of Tebow will help bring peace to a tumultuous locker room.

One thing is certain; all eyes will be on Sanchez this season. Just one bad game from the quarterback and, perhaps unfairly, Jets’ fans, the media, and possibly even Sanchez’s teammates will all be calling for Tebow to start. In the case of Sanchez, it is perhaps far less enviable to be the starting quarterback, the ‘Tebow Savior’ headlines are probably already being printed in New York.

Image Courtesy of   Keith Allison

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USC quarterback, Matt Barkley, has decided to don the Trojan red and yellow for one last season. On Thursday afternoon, the 21-year-old declared that he will not enroll in the 2012 NFL Draft, opting instead to return for his senior year in Los Angeles. Barkley broke the news in a nationally televised event held in the campus’ Heritage Hall with his family, girlfriend, head coach, the USC marching band, and many others in attendance.

When discussing the two options before him, he began by speaking optimistically of his future at the next level. “I am prepared to play quarterback in the NFL,” said Barkley. “It is my dream to play quarterback in the NFL – and I intend to make that dream a reality.” While this initially sounded like a young man that had decided to move on, Barkley would take everyone by surprise and suddenly go in the exact opposite direction.

“But, I know in my heart, that I have not yet finished my journey as a Trojan football player,” said Barkley. “Our USC football team has been through some tough times, and we have persevered. This 2012 team has some serious unfinished business to attend to, and I plan to play a part in it. I have firmly decided to forgo the 2012 NFL draft and finish that.”

The conclusion of that statement quickly brought about wild cheers along with a celebratory tune played by the band. For the first time in two years, the USC football program had good news for their loyal family. Sanctions handed down by the NCAA in 2010 banned the school’s bowl eligibility for the past two years. Barkley’s return will now give him the opportunity to lead the school to its first bowl since defeating Boston College in the 2009 Emerald Bowl.  With USC retaining most of its starters for next season, a national title run after this year’s 10-2 finish could be an inspiration as well.

Head coach, Lane Kiffin, was not shocked at all by Barkley’s announcement. Kiffin had paid Barkley a visit at his home the previous night, and his quarterback gave him a gold Christmas ornament. Displayed on the front of the ornament was a picture of the two embracing after this year’s victory over Colorado. After being told to turn it around, Kiffin found the words, “One More Year”, written on the back and immediately rejoiced.

Kiffin has tremendous respect for Barkley, knowing that most star athletes would not pass up the opportunity to begin making millions of guaranteed dollars and play professionally. “This is a special, special college student-athlete story,” said Kiffin. “To be a part of this story is unbelievable for all of us involved.”

Barkley had an outstanding junior year and was projected to be an early first round pick in the upcoming draft. In 2011, he threw for 3,528 yards along with 39 touchdowns and only 7 interceptions. Stanford’s Andrew Luck and Baylor’s Robert Griffin III were regarded as the only two quarterbacks that could have possibly been selected before him.

However, Barkley is not expected to hurt his draft stock at all by remaining in school. In fact, experts believe that he will be even more prepared for the 2013 NFL Draft and will actually be selected with the number one overall pick. Being a potential frontrunner for next year’s Heisman Trophy does not sound too bad either.

Barkley did not listen to those who believed that this was the wrong route to take. His ultimate goal is to help contribute to the winning tradition established by the historic USC program. All eyes will now effectively be on him in 2012 to see if he is successful in doing so, like those who occupied this prestigious position before him – current NFL quarterbacks, Mark Sanchez, Matt Leinart, and Carson Palmer.

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For the first time since the late 1990s, the Indianapolis Colts are in major danger of having a losing season. A team that has been a perennial championship contender since they drafted their Hall of Fame quarterback, Peyton Manning, their high-powered offense was derailed by Manning’s neck surgery and their chances of making a post-season appearance seem dimmer than ever.

At first sight of a Manning injury, the Colts signed a security blanket in the form of veteran Quarterback, Kerry Collins, to help keep the team afloat until their field general returned to the roster. However, after three consecutive poor performances leading to losses and suffering a concussion in Game 3 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, young Curtis Painter finally got a chance to show what he knows.

Painter had a rocky start when he first entered the game, under and overthrowing open receivers, but when he finally got into a rhythm, he began to hit his targets with precise accuracy. Though he only completed five out of 11 passes for a mere 60 yards, Painter led the Colts to their only scoring drive, while Collins couldn’t get the ball to the promised land despite his 29 passing attempts.

Another edge Painter has over Collins is that he knows the playbook inside-out. Collins is fresh off the free agency, while Painter has been behind Manning and Jim Sorgi for the past two years. Being the third string QB, he might not have gotten many reps in practice, but there’s no question he knows the plays.

Whether he can execute them, time will tell, but knowing how to run the plays and where each player should be is key for the new leader of the offense. Painter also has two key people backing him as the starter for the Colts: Star Wide Receiver Reggie Wayne and ex-Head Coach Tony Dungy.

After the loss to the Steelers on Sunday, Dungy believed that the Jaguars, in Week 4, would see a lot of Painter. And while Bob Costas responded in disbelief and astonishment of how he could side with someone who missed so many open players, Dungy showed confidence in the young Quarterback by saying that it was due to a lack of reps in practice.

Wayne, on the other hand, sided with Painter from the very beginning. During a press conference, he stuck up for the third year QB. “I’m going balls to the walls for him, man,” Wayne said. “I’m not going to let anybody just come in here. I don’t care who you are.

I mean I’m not going to let anyone just come in here and just push someone aside like you’re that dog now, you know what I mean. I’m sure Curtis is thinking it, and if he’s not thinking it, I’ll take the challenge for him.” With two important people backing him, Painter should be looking at quite a few reps this Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

If the coaching staff can show the same confidence that Dungy and Wayne did, the Indianapolis Colts could be looking at a functional Quarterback to lead the team to a decent record this season. Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis, the Colts’ D-Line superstars, have stepped up and gotten stops on the other side of the ball.

If Painter can lead the Colts to one or two scoring drives each game, Indy just might stay afloat long enough for the savior to return.
Alexey Stiop / Shutterstock.com

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It’s never been easy to evaluate a quarterback and the impact a quarterback has on whether a team wins or loses.  We have had the Quarterback rating which has been used over the years to put a value on signal callers after each game.

Now ESPN has unveiled a new way to evaluate arguably the most important position on the football field; it is called the Total Quarterback Rating.

ESPN describes this new system as a way of “understanding what each play means to the team, then gives credit to the quarterback for what happened on a play based on what he contributed”

In this new approach to the position, a quarterback will be graded from a scale of 0-100, of course 100 being the highest, 50 being average or middle of the pact and 0 being the lowest; I doubt we will see any one ranked that low, unless Jimmy Clausen starts for Carolina.

The probability of winning becomes important in rewarding points to a player, in this new system every play in which a particular quarterback is involved will affect his overall rating.

A player like Michael Vick will benefit in this new system because last year, the 600 plus yards he gains on the ground did not affect his rating as  signal caller; he will be rewarded for those yards in the  system but at the same time, so will fumbles and yardage lost.

Every aspect of playing the position will be accounted for- interestingly enough, players will be penalized for overthrowing or under throwing receivers, an aspect of this that seemed to be a little hard to compute.  If a quarterback places the ball in a great spot that allows the receiver to gain more yards after the catch that will bode well for his total rating.

There are those who believe this will answer the question of who is the best quarterback in a season yet meaningless numbers won’t be rewarded like they have been in the past. In fact, you will be rewarded as a quarterback for making the right play when it means the most to the outcome of the game.

The clutch factor which we have seen in many quarterbacks and that which many other quarterbacks lack will play a large role in how their season will be judged.

“A clutch play is defined before the play by how close the game appears to be. Down four points with three seconds to go and facing third-and-goal from the 3-yard line — that is a high-pressure and high-clutch index situation because the play can realistically raise the odds of winning to almost 100 percent or bring them down from about 40 percent to almost zero percent.”

As described by the ESPN article, a play of this nature at midfield is relatively less meaningful therefore the clutch index is lowered.  The outcome of that same play at midfield will mean less to the overall outcome of the game.

The whole premise of this new approach is that, football is played by a team and the offense functions as a team.  In order to evaluate one position (the Quarterback), it is important to understand how he contributes to the team winning.  It becomes less about the totality of the yards or touchdowns scored by the team and more about the individual plays, when they were made and how they were made.

There is more to examine about this new approach to evaluating quarterbacks in the NFL.  The Total Quarterback Rating will take some getting used to, but sports fans and NFL fans will have to learn and adapt quickly.

Many former signal callers appreciate the way this has been done because it tries to incorporate everything involved in running a play in the National Football League.  As Cosell was quoted saying in the article, “Football is not complex, but it is very detailed.”  That is clearly evident in the Total Quarterback Rating.

Richard Paul Kane / Shutterstock.com

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This past week, the NFL released its list of its top 100 players. The list is voted by the players and can feature a player from any position or team. The voted superstars are revealed on NFL network with in a ten show special. Each player is presented by a fellow teammate or coach who then explains why the player honored is one of the games current greats. The list is very prestigious and let me repeat, it is for the top 100 players in the NFL. This means you had to have been extremely successful and respected around the league for the 2010 NFL season. In laments terms; you’re probably really good and at least start. So how does a benched quarterback for the dreadful, Washington Redskins land at #100 on the list? Maybe the players were filled in on a little secret that Donovan McNabb isn’t washed up after all. Eh, lets not get ahead of ourselves.

Donovan McNabb’s career ended on April 4^th, 2010. Well not technically, but this is the day that McNabb was traded from the Philadelphia Eagles to the Washington Redskins.  The Eagles had to be so confident that McNabb’s best days were behind him that they dumped him to a division rival. That’s like if your smoking hot girlfriend is so over you that she tries to hook you up with her annoying fat friend.   Talk about getting slapped in the face; it wasn’t all heartbreak though.

Washington welcomed McNabb with open arms. The man was named DC Donovan and titled the savior of the franchise. In other words, the marriage got off to a great start. Washington attempted to convince the sports world the trade was a steal. They received a middle aged quarterback who has played in four NFC Championships (lost three) and one Super Bowl (lost that one too). Philadelphia received two extra draft picks and found their next pro bowl quarterback out of the U.S.  Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas. Guess the ‘skins thought all those losses were just flukes. Maybe he just needed a change of scenery? Yeah, to a retirement community in Boca.

McNabb went into the 2011 season looking to bring the Redskins back to the playoffs with new head coach, Mike Shanahan. He started off rather pedestrian going 4-3 in his first seven games, but looked promising after posting two comeback wins. It was in week 8 when we watched McNabb’s career slowly start to combust. In the fourth quarter in a game vs. the Detroit Lions, McNabb was benched due to poor play. The benching caused a rift between a disgruntled McNabb and new coach Mike Shanahan. McNabb would later be relegated to the 3^rd string quarterback behind Rex Grossman and John Beck. Sounds like a successful trade. Who wouldn’t give up a second round pick for the highest paid third string quarterback in the league?

If he was worried about being a back up in Philadelphia, how much more embarrassing is it that he now backs up Rex Grossman for a pitiful Washington squad? If I were him I’d do my best to build a time machine and go back to April 3^rd, 2010 and beg the Eagles to keep me to regain some pride. Why not take him back Philly? He’s a hero in the city and clearly most of the league has a man crush on him if they voted him as one of the NFL’s top 100 players. He’ll cause drama? Please; I am sure if Andy Reid can handle Michael Vick he can control McNabb’s ego. Face it Donovan, you’re a back up.

If you’re asking if you can hang up your #5 jersey, the answer is 100% yes. Not because McNabb is the 100^th best NFL player (there has to be an explanation for this) but because the guys done. Donovan, I wish you good luck on your 401k but please just get out while you still have a little respect. It’s been fun Donovan but your time on the playing field has come to an end. Philadelphia superstar to Washington wash up.

Image Courtesy of  http://www.flickr.com/photos/50322345@N02/

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Adrian Peterson is one of the top running backs in the NFL. His ability to run over defenders with electric speed has made the Minnesota Viking, a once in a lifetime talent.  Known mostly by his alter ego, “All Day”, Peterson is known for his constant work ethic and the ability to never take off a down. His relentless on the field effort must have been his excuse for skipping his own youth camp; he was probably too tired.

The Old Spice Adrian Peterson Football Camp is a held at Peterson’s alma mater, Oklahoma University. The camp, that ran “All Day” this past Thursday and Friday, was for 7-14 year olds looking to improve their game from the NFL’s best. Unfortunately, that never happened.

A few days prior to the camps start date, an announcement was made over its website that Adrian Peterson would be unable to make an appearance. An announcement on the camps website cited scheduling conflicts for the reason of Peterson’s absence and that he will be featured on the NFL’s top 100 players list. Peterson apologized to the camp goers and says he is very excited to be back in 2012 to host the camp.

Scheduling conflicts? Is this a joke? I have a man crush on Adrian Peterson as much as the next guy, but man what about the kids? If not for anything, do it for them. Or maybe do it for the parents. The parents that just dropped $200 (when most NFL players are holding free youth camps) for their children to have a chance to spend two days with their football idol; just to get their hearts broken when he doesn’t show up.

Kids, get your money back because an Adrian Peterson camp without well, Adrian Peterson, is a waste of time. The camp tried to save its reputation by getting some notable football names to take over Peterson’s duties as camp host.  Former Sooner Standouts, Mark Clayton of the St. Louis Rams, Rookie Dallas Cowboys running back, DeMarco Murray, and former Heisman Trophy winning quarterback, Jason White will be running the show in Peterson’s place. Sounds like a great bargain if you signed up for the Adrian Peterson camp ran by mediocre ex- Oklahoma Sooners. When I first read this I thought that those three were on the list of camp attendees. Wait; is it stretching it to praise Jason White as mediocre? Doesn’t he sell insurance now?

I want to personally apologize to all of the children who were looking forward to some football tutelage from the games best. I know I would be heartbroken and probably keep my #28 Peterson jersey in the back of the closet for awhile. Just the back of the closet though, lets not go doing anything heinous like  a Lebron James burning parade, part ll. All in all, the man did apologize and is missing the camp to be part of a very prestigious league event. Would the NFL have taken him off the Top 100 list if he missed the festivities? Probably not, but hey, the guy is in no contention for a Super Bowl ring anytime soon so let’s let him enjoy his moments of glory. Am I still disappointed? Yes, but It seems as if “All Day” just needed a few days off.

Image Courtesy of  http://www.flickr.com/photos/vikingsfrenzy/

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