Hilfestellungen » other choices available. It was disheartening for me to

In an instant, everything changed for Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas.?Thomas broke his left leg in a collision with 63, 232-pound teammate Kam Chancellor?in the second quarter of Seattles 40-7 drubbing of the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. It was the kind of brutal injury to which fans have become desensitized, but it shook Thomas enough to have him thinking of retirement.?While Thomas was doubting whether hed ever play again, the natural pivot for analysts and fans was to question how the Seahawks might move on without him. Indeed, his absence was felt immediately, as the Panthers targeted Thomass replacement, Steven Terrell, on the next play, a 55-yard Ted Ginn Jr. touchdown thrown right over Terrells head.Watching his team from the sidelines is a foreign experience for the durable Thomas. A hamstring injury kept him out of Seattles Week 12 contest, but that was his first missed game since being drafted in 2010 -- a streak of 118 straight starts. The sudden and jarring reality of a season lost to injury clearly had him thinking about his own fragility and longevity.Whether its age or injury, so few athletes get to choose when theyre done playing; if Thomas is able, he should make that decision with a clear mind and healthy body.ESPNs own Prim Siripipat, my guest on this weeks Thats What She Said podcast, knows all too well how a lack of closure might haunt an athlete later in life. After more than 10 years away from tennis, Siripipat is making a comeback. One of the top-ranked players in the country in high school, she went on to play at Duke. Three surgeries -- on both of her shoulders and her left knee -- plagued her junior year, and she never felt the same upon returning. After years devoting her life to covering sports, Siripipat realized she wanted to be back in the action.About six months ago I discovered that I was really unhappy with how my career ended, she said on the podcast. Sometimes things take a lot of time to process. First of all, right after I walked away from tennis I was experiencing just, like, a lot of psychological pain ... it was so hard for me. So I didnt watch tennis for four or five years. I didnt pick up a racket for roughly 10 years ... and it was around May of this year that I was like, Wow, Ive been carrying this pain for so long and Im really unhappy with how my tennis career ended.So in addition to her work at ESPN and planning a wedding, Siripipat is back on the court nearly every day, working toward a goal that remains mostly undefined. She does know this time around its less about results -- though of course she always wants to win -- and more about doing things the right way. Eating well, lifting properly, being kind to herself and enjoying the process along the way are key. Shes also working with her fiance to document the journey for ESPN -- a visual look at her rewrite.Its something thats so personal and such a big passion project, Siripipat said. Its been really cool. It hasnt been easy, because a lot of it has required me to go back and literally face the old Prim and the little Prim and having to go back and change all of that.Starting again at 35 is tough in tennis; its pretty much impossible in football. Heres hoping that, at 27, Thomas can decide, with his head and his heart, his best course with no regrets. Jonathan Schoop Twins Jersey . -- Team after team passed on Andre Ellington in the draft. Eddie Rosario Jersey . MLS Commissioner Don Garber and Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez also will attend the session, which was announced Monday. The league has discussed placing its next two expansion teams in Miami and Atlanta. http://www.twinssale.com/twins-martin-perez-jersey/ . Catch all the action on TSN2 at 11pm et/8pm pt. The nine-time Big 12 champion Jayhawks are positioning themselves for another title, as they have run out to a flawless 6-0 mark in conference play thus far. Max Kepler Twins Jersey . In the response filed Wednesday to the complaint by 30-year-old Alexander Bradley, attorneys say the former University of Florida player is invoking his Fifth Amendment right that protects people from incriminating themselves. Jason Castro Jersey .com) - The Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks both take aim at their first wins of the season on Saturday, as the Canucks open their home slate at Rogers Arena. Having the prospect of a world record resting on the outcome of Saturdays Test against Australia could be a distraction for the All Blacks.It can also be huge motivation for Australia. Hence I think New Zealand need to be really, really careful that the record sits in behind. Yes, it is there but it is not the motivating factor because Australia are trying to draw on anything they possibly can right now.Stopping the All Blacks in their tracks from this record is something that no doubt is talked about inside their camp. Australia are looking for a turning point in their game, and what could be better?They will not be far away. All the noises coming out of the Australian camp are that there is a lot of self-belief. Australians are a tough bunch. The country is built on a history of having got through some really tough times. They dig deep when they need to, and theyll fight.New Zealand need to respect them, and go into this game and draw motivation from what the All Blacks are trying to achieve: the fact that we are playing Australia and the fact there is a history at Eden Park that were defending.The All Blacks should be motivated by the chance to put in a complete performance for the last home game for the year; that should be more of a motivator than this world record that sits in behind and is something to celebrate after the final whistle has gone.I see the record as a lingering distraction. You drink the champagne when it is time to drink the champagne, not when its time to go to work because when its a Test match its really important to be ready. Theres no doubt that Saturday is going to be a cracker.There has been talk that Australia will take on the rush defence. And the way to defeat that is to create go-forward first. If you cant create go-forward and get that rush defence on its heels then the best plans wont work.Against the rush defence, if you go side-to-side you are just going to get smothered. Back in the 2000s when the Wasps team I was in first adopted the rush defence under Warren Gatland, the reaction was: Whats this about?When teams started to play that style against us, we knew that you had to get your big forwards to create go-forward, get the defence going backwards, and then look to strike and move it. Thats when you can find holes, and the defence doesnt quite come up so quickly.Argentina tried it in the first Test because it can nullify the defence. The defence has to retreat; even though it is only half a metre to a metre, it is far harder for the defenders to fly off the mark when they are on the back foot. It takes away a metre or two, and that is all the attack needs.Kicking into places where you think there is space is not always the best option because the All Blacks will have a sweeper -- which is T.J. Perenaras job, and he does that well. The other way to beat the rush defence, I believe, is to kick wide for the wing, but were well and truly aware of that and the All Blacks back three are as solid as anyone. They love the ball to be kicked to them because that becomes a 50-50.If the five-eighth comes up flat and the rush defence runs past him, say if he holds that ball a little and has some options around him, that can create a bit of havoc. There is nothing worse than being in a rush defence when youve come up too quickly and youve gone past the defender, you cant touch him and he runs past you and all of a sudden you are in real trouble.The rush defence done well -- and there is no-one in the world doing it better than the All Blacks -- is complete trust, communication and 100 percent buy-in; do well, it is extremely hard to counter. For opponents trying to break it down and find holes in it, good luck to them. It comes down to creating go-foorward.dddddddddddd If you cant do that then tactically, or technically, youll struggle.The selection of the New Zealand side will be interesting.Do the All Blacks try to get Malakai Fekitoa back in the starting XV? Its hard to break back in when the side is going so well. T.J. Perenara is a clear example. Theres an opportunity and, bang, two tries and a fantastic game later, he is hanging onto his jersey and rightfully so.Flanker is also an interesting one with Sam Cane back in the mix. You have to ask if Ardie Savea is just an impact player. You dont know that unless you give him a crack by starting him in a Test match.The All Blacks have got a hell of a job on their hands with Michael Hooper and David Pocock. If they both play this will be a good Australia side.Another consideration is to do with the talk of French clubs offering All Blacks contracts; Aaron Cruden and Israel Dagg are reported to be among their latest targets.I think there will be players in the All Blacks who will be thinking: Will I get through to Japan in 2019? They have to weigh that up. Someone like Israel Dagg looks at how old he will be by the World Cup, and hes got a bunch of kids like Damian McKenzie, Jordan Trainor and Sean Stevenson coming up behind him; so Dagg would be thinking he had to look after himself.A player like Dagg has given great service to New Zealand rugby. Hes gone through the middle and known what it is like to be dropped, and hes got back in the team and proven that hes a classy All Black. Hes been through adversity, but its time to also recognise that whatever he chooses to do should be done with New Zealands support and blessing.However, at the same time, it is important not to leave with any regrets. You dont want to leave thinking: I wish I had played a few more Test matches.I think it is a good way for New Zealand players to exit the game by spending time outside the New Zealand environment while understanding they are not the be-all and end-all. You can walk down a street and you are not a god.You are going to have to learn how to pay your utility bills and your mortgage. Not everything is laid out on a platter for you, and it is different when these guys go overseas. Theyre not the national heroes, although guys in their team may be. Theyre an import from overseas; it is a great way to look at life and come down off your pedestal before you ease back into normal life when you return to New Zealand.On the domestic scene, it was disappointing to see Auckland miss out on the Mitre 10 Cup playoffs because the cattle are certainly there. Not only do Auckland have enough players for their side, but they are propping up other provinces all over the country with their overflow of players.Some of the players I saw, I dont believe were better than some of the other choices available. It was disheartening for me to see Suburbs win the Gallaher Shield to claim the Auckland competition and not get one player in the provincial side. You have to ask what is going on when youve got a team that has cleaned up everyone and been the best team in the competition yet not have one player in the Auckland side. Are you honouring contracts and not picking on form? ?Auckland would have done a hell of a lot better had they picked on form.Finally I would like to pass on my condolences to the family of Anthony Foley, who died in France at the weekend. I had the chance to play against him, and he was a fantastic player, a great leader; I have some fond memories of playing him. It is a really sad story at the young age of 42 with such a promising coaching career ahead of him. ' ' '