Three dots thoughts on the second week of football…

…Watching Colfax High play the first game Friday night at the Battle at the Capital was tough enough for the fans. The temperature at game time was 99degrees. On the field it was considerably hotter.

Del Oro’s field turf, which incorporates ground up old tires to make the field more cushioned, also absorbs heat. Conservatively, one could add another 10-12 degrees to the temperature on the field.

…The game started at 6:00 pm; an unusual start time for a varsity game. The organizers of the game are stuck between a rock-and-a-hard-place. If you start the game any later, the following game won’t start until 9:00 pm. If you start the first game any earlier, the weather becomes even more of a factor.

…Missing for Colfax High last week was their tackling machine, senior Tommy Baldoni. A starter at linebacker since his sophomore year, Baldoni has been the cornerstone of the Falcon defense the last two years. This year he has been thrust into the role of primary running back. However, in their game against El Camino to open the season, Baldoni suffered a concussion. His doctor held him out of the game this past Friday.

Concussions on all levels of football, whether it is the pros or preps, have drawn more attention in the last few years. Diagnosing concussions, studying the long term affects of concussions, and attempting to reduce the number of concussions have become hot topics.

This season the CIF has authorized the head official of a high school football game to determine whether a player can continue to play if the head official feels a player has suffered a concussion.

In theory, the idea makes sense. No one wants to see a young man who has suffered a concussion during a game continue to play. Too much is at risk. Always, the best interest of the player’s health should be the prime concern. However, the devil is in the details.

At every high school football game a doctor is supposed to be on the sidelines. Would it not make more sense to have the doctor, one trained to deal with concussions, make the final decision whether a player should be allowed to continue to play?

The underlying legal issues will weigh heavily on any official. Does the head official allow a player to continue to play after a perceived concussion? What happens if a player continues to play and then suffers more serious brain damage? In a court of law, what defense does a high school official have? With this in mind, will a head official remove any player who has only the slightest symptoms of a concussion?

Best to have a doctor who is at the game make the final decision.

In Baldoni’s case, the family doctor held him out for last week’s game vs. Durham at the Battle at the Capitol. According to Danny Baldoni, Tommy’s father, Tommy was, “not happy with the decision, but his mom and dad were sure happy with it (the decision).”

Baldoni has been cleared to play the next time Colfax takes the field. For those who enjoy watching a standout player play the game, whether he wears green and gold, black and gold, or green and white, the return of Baldoni to the field is good for local high school football.