The strong opinion is Rawleigh Williams never should play football again.
That opinion comes from doctors, lawyers, CPAs, and a host of friends and strangers.
Williams is going through his second set of neck issues, and it was truly amazing that he came back after the first one when he was strapped to a gurney and carried off the field during his freshman season in 2015 in a game against Auburn.
Williams had surgery and was cleared to play, but even before last season -- when he led the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville in rushing with 1,360 yards -- he admitted it took a second medical opinion before he and his parents decided to give football another chance.
Williams was carted off the field again during the final spring practice Saturday, after what was practically incidental contact with McTelvin Agim.
Like the first time, he lost feeling in his extremities before the feeling returned.
Giving up football would be a heartbreaking decision for Williams, but he has strong family support, and the Razorbacks would honor his scholarship and allow him to be a part of the team in any way possible.
The fact Coach Bret Bielema isn't commenting doesn't mean anything. He can't because of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) laws, so the only news has come from two tweets from Williams -- the first thanking everyone for their prayers and the second quoting Leonard Fournette, the former LSU running back who was injured much of last season, about how dark times teach people to be thankful.
Williams, like Fournette, is a spiritual guy who seems grounded.
With his family leading the way, he'll make the right decision for his future.
It seems like this Kentucky Derby is another typically interesting assembly of horses who could only be found on the same track at the same time, and that's this Saturday.
There's the well bred, well read and some who are just interesting.
Girvin, winner of the Louisiana Derby, was being treated for a crack in a hoof but worked 5 furlongs in :59.60 Saturday and is apparently healthy.
Girvin beat Untrapped in the Risen Star by 2 lengths, but Untrapped was four and five wide most of the trip.
He beat Patch in the Louisiana Derby, but Patch has gotten more attention than Girvin because he lost an eye last year to an infection and didn't run his first race until January, then broke his maiden in February before shipping to New Orleans for the Louisiana Derby.
Hence broke his maiden at Oaklawn in a two-turn race in the mud. As he was pulling away from the field, he veered sharply toward the rail, then nearly stopped before being urged forward to still win the race. He ran seventh in the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn but won the Sunland Derby in New Mexico, the same race Mine That Bird prepped for the Kentucky Derby.
Sonneteer has run 10 times and never been first.
Lookin At Lee ran three times at Oaklawn, and all three times he was closing on the winner, so the extra one-eighth of a mile could help him.
Irish War Cry is one reason Classic Empire is only a 4-1 morning-line favorite despite being the 2-year-old champion and Arkansas Derby winner. There's almost always an East Coast bias, and the New Jersey-bred Irish War Cry's only loss in five races was to Gunnevera in the Fountain of Youth. He came back to win the Wood Memorial by more than 3 lengths.
And for only the second time in 11 years, Bob Baffert does not have a horse in the Run for the Roses.
Sports on 05/04/2017