Helmet-to-helmet hits and their devastating effects are back in the CFL spotlight but league president Michael Copeland doesnt believe they are becoming an epidemic. C... Montreal Canadiens Jerseys . Edmonton quarterback Mike Reilly took a nasty hit to the back of his head from Toronto rookie defensive lineman Cleyon Laing in the Argonauts 34-22 win Saturday night. Although appearing wobbly upon getting up, Reilly remained in the contest after being evaluated by Eskimos medical staff. On the next play, Reilly dropped the direct snap but recovered and threw a 17-yard TD strike to Shamawd Chambers. When he came to the sidelines, Reilly was re-evaluated and replaced by veteran backup Kerry Joseph. On Sunday, the Eskimos confirmed Reilly had suffered a concussion and hes out indefinitely. That leaves Hamiltons Henry Burris, 38, the lone CFL starter still standing. The six-foot-three, 280-pound Laing was flagged for his hit and the Edmonton native is expected to be fined this week by the CFL. Its an approach, Copeland says, thats working. "Concussions, according to our records, are flat this year relative to last and man-games lost to concussions are down, which I think speaks to better concussion management," he said. "I think its having an affect because when we talk to our officials, they tell us they see more players changing the way they tackle and that the culture among players is changing. "Youre going to see certain plays happen and again theyre fairly high profile. But theres many things people necessarily dont see that I think speak to the success of what weve been doing." On Monday, Edmonton head coach Kavis Reed left it up to the CFL to assess the Laing hit. "I truly believe we dont want to see our players exposed to those kinds of hits," he said. "I trust the (leagues) decision-making process that theyre going to go through in making an assessment as to the severity of that hit and the decision theyll come down with." While the 2013 campaign has been tough on CFL quarterbacks, Montreals Anthony Calvillo is the only other starter out with a concussion. He was injured in a game in August when his head struck the Mosaic Stadium turf following a legal hit by Saskatchewan defensive end Ricky Foley. But the issue of helmet-to-helmet hits is one the league has had to face often this season. On Sept. 18, Saskatchewan Roughriders safety Tyron Brackenridge was fined by for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Torontos Chad Kackert that left the running back with a concussion. Roughly a month earlier, Brackenridge was involved in a helmet-to-helmet collision with Montreals Brandon London that left the Alouettes receiver concussed but Brackenridge wasnt fined for the hit. However, the league slapped Hamilton defensive back Dee Webb with an undisclosed fine for hitting B.C. Lions receiver Marco Iannuzzi in the head on a kickoff in the Tiger-Cats 37-29 win Sept. 7. Iannuzzi suffered a concussion on the play. Webb was also fined last year for a hit on Iannuzzi that left the Lions player with a concussion. And Saskatchewan defensive lineman Levi Steinhauer was fined Aug. 1 for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Hamilton kick-returner Lindsey Lamar in the Riders 32-20 win in Guelph, Ont., on July 27. Mike Morreale, a former CFL slotback now heading up the CFL Players Association, doesnt believe head injuries are on the rise in the league. However, he said public awareness about the issue of concussions makes it seem that way. "My gut feeling is because of the awareness level and increase in terms of camera angles, were now becoming more and more aware of it and it looks like its happening more and more often," he said. "I also think theres truth that the bigger, stronger and faster these guys are and the increase in protection levels regarding the equipment they wear would allow someone to play more aggressively as well." Often, the CFL fines a player for a helmet-to-helmet hit but Copeland said the league can issue a suspension if warranted. However, Copeland feels hitting offenders in the wallet is a suitable punishment. "Judging by the reaction of players when they get fined, its certainly working," he said. "I absolutely think its having an effect and changing the way the guys think and I believe thats whats causing the change in culture and mechanics on the field. "The objective of discipline is to change behaviour and at the point we see its not having an affect thats when we have to take a look at the size of our penalties . . . Should we feel the need to continue to increase them well do that. Its a conversation we have with the (CFL Players Association) and we dont think were there yet but its not a place were afraid to go if we feel we have to." Morreale said the CFLPA has been very active in educating players on the dangers of helmet-to-helmet hits but admits the union faces a stiff challenge trying to get some of their constituents to change how they play the game. "In some cases you have to change 20 some-odd years of conditioning on how to play the game of football," Morreale said. "A lot of times, a defender is going for a shoulder and the (ball-carriers) head dips and you have incidental head-to-head contact." However, Morreale believes more can be done to enhance player safety in the CFL and said fortunately both the union and league are on the same page regarding the issue. "I think more needs to be done, which means we have to collectively as players and coaches and management come up with better rules that surround not only fines and suspensions but maybe possibly the rules of the game as well," he said. "Thats what I hope would create part of our discussion around negotiation time. "The league and us are on the same page so theres not a lot of head-to-head on, No, we cant do this, we cant do that. I think we both jointly agree the health of our players is the most important thing." Education, Copeland said, is a key. "Football is a contact game but it can be a very safe game when played properly," he said. "Thats what were trying to communicate to everyone involved." --- HALL OF FAME: Former CFL players Brian Fryer, Dan Ferrone, Miles Gorrell and Earl Winfield, along with builders Jake Ireland and Don Loney, will be formally inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame this week in Edmonton. Theyll be presented their jackets Wednesday and have their busts unveiled Thursday morning before the Hall of Fame gala dinner later that night. The festivities will culminate with the Edmonton Eskimos hosting the Montreal Alouettes on Saturday afternoon. Michael Kors Canada Boxing Day . "I think people know that," Melvin said Thursday. Melvin confirmed Greinkes availability in comments to USA Today and Milwaukees WTMJ radio earlier Thursday. Melvin did not go into detail on how many teams have expressed interest in the 2009 AL Cy Young Award winner, saying only that the trade market always heats up with the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline approaching. NHL Jerseys Black Friday . He returned from a broken collarbone and is taking aim at a post-season run, even if it took one big pass to get there. Rodgers fired a 48-yard touchdown to Randall Cobb in the final minute, and the Packers beat the Chicago Bears 33-28 to capture the NFC North championship on Sunday. . A routine popup that somehow dropped between Gold Glovers. [url=http://www.cheapjerseysfox.com/]MLB Jerseys Black Friday 2014 .K and Malcolm Subban, as this will mark the first official time the two brothers will play against each other.By now you will know all about the American Pharaoh story. Told well by the New York Times and Sports Illustrated recently, it is a tale highlighting the influence coach Bob Bradley has had on Egyptian football at a turbulent time in the countrys history. "Its one of the best stories in world sport right now," said iconic soccer commentator Ray Hudson. On Tuesday we all got to see why those stories were written now. Better to have a great story told in the current tense than one left for the history books. Warner Bros can blow the whistle on any plans they had of making it a movie. Bradleys time in Egypt is coming to a close. The American had hoped he could make the difference, turn the tables on a team that has suffered misery on and off the field for the past four years. Instead, in leg one of the crucial World Cup qualifier against Ghana, Bradleys side was destroyed 6-1, ending any realistic hopes they have of making Brazil. The Pharaohs looked nervous and paid the price for a horrendous first 25 minutes. Ghanian star striker Asamoah Gyan, formerly of Sunderland, should have put his side ahead after 12 seconds but he needed no second chances in the fifth minute when his powerful drive across the box sent the home crowd wild. On 22 minutes Egypt were down 2-0, Andre Ayew breaking on a transition before feeding Michael Essien in the box. The Chelsea midfielder then rolled back the years with every step, causing Egyptians to fall to the ground with every turn, before Wael Gomaa kicked the ball away from him and into the net for an own goal. Bradley, showing no emotion on the sidelines, waited for his team to insert their influence and got a break on 41 minutes when star man Mohamed Salah was bundled over in the box for a penalty, which was easily taken by Mohamed Aboutrika. A key away goal for Egypt could have caused a turn in momentum, but a minute later Sulley Muntaris free kick was met by the head of rising Majeed Waris to make it 3-1 before half-time. Egypt slumped off the pitch unable to cope with the pace and aggression shown by Ghanas front four and, in particular, their tactic of targeting right back Ahmed Fathi. The brilliance of goalkeeper Sherif Ekramy was the only reason the score was close at the interval. Eight minutes into the second half, not even Sherif in net could do anything to stop Gyans second goal, another header that left questions about Egypts backline. 4-1 turned into 5-1 when Ahmed El-Shenawi was harshly called for a foul in the box later in the second half and by now Bradley was only too aware that he was just another part in what has been a terrible four years for the national side, dating back to the misery caused by Algeria in 2009. Back then, much like 2013, things were supposed to be different. They had played four minutes and forty seconds of injury time the moment Emad Moteab headed the ball into the ground and just out of reach of the goalkeeper. Moteab sent Cairo into hysterics, only this time the scenes were of jubilation. Playing despised North African rivals Algeria in the final qualification group for South Africa 2010, Egypt needed to win by three to qualify and by two to earn a playoff. Moteabs stunning late goal gave them a 2-0 win, giving the two teams identical records in group play. The goal allowed Egyptians everywhere a chance to dream, to finally make the World Cup for the first time since 1990, and an opportunity for their team to show the world what they already knew; that Egypt were the true kings of African football. The second group game between the twoo nations had already been surrounded in controversy, with the Algerian bus being attacked as they arrived, forcing some players to wear protective headgear to cover up their gashes. NHL Jerseys Black Friday Deals. Now there would be a third matchup. After six group matches the teams couldnt be separated and a one-game playoff on neutral grounds was required to see who went to the World Cup. Egypt, already winners of the 2006 and 2008 African Cup of Nations, felt they had the momentum and were heavy favourites. They lost 1-0 and were forced to watch the first ever World Cup on African soil at home. Without a ticket to South Africa, incredibly they won a third successive AFCON tournament in 2010, beating Ghana in the final, giving them their seventh continental crown, the most won by any African team. By the time the World Cup kicked off in 2010 nobody else in the continent cared about Egypts local success. The Black Stars of Ghana shined bright, coming precariously close to a semifinal berth, after losing a dramatic penalty shootout to Uruguay. If Egyptian Football thought that was their lowest point they were in for a rude awakening. In 2011 they failed to qualify for the next AFCON, prompting coach Hassan Shehatas resignation, which led to Bradleys hiring. In two years Bradley has stayed with Egypt through the Port Said Stadium massacre - which saw over 70 people lose their lives, another failure to qualify for the AFCON of 2013, a military takeover and a national revolution that has caused so much social unrest, Egypt had to play all of their home qualifiers for Brazil 2014 behind closed doors for safety reasons. Most men would have turned their back on the country by now. Not Bradley. His reward? Another date with Ghana. It was a nightmare draw. Egypts World Cup bad luck had continued. Six wins from six in qualification gave them arguably their toughest opponent. Another change in the qualification process this time saw teams having to finish in the top two of their group before then playing off over two legs against a side for a chance at the World Cup. Ghana are now, for Egypt, Algeria of 2009. For Bradley they are also the team that ended his last World Cup campaign when they beat the Americans in Rustenburg. The American Pharaoh had the chance at redemption, and what a script that would have been, but facing an unthinkable 1-6 deficit ahead of the second leg on November 19th (still to be decided if it will be played in Cairo) it likely means Ghana will bring Bradleys time in Egypt to a close, much earlier than he would have hoped. Maple Leaf Sport & Entertainment President and CEO Tim Leiweke has publicly said Toronto FC coach Ryan Nelsen will return next season, but for a man who thinks big on and off the field, Bradleys upcoming availability certainly should make him think otherwise. Bradley is obsessed with the game and many thought his thirst for the day-to-day requirements of club football would lead him to MLS when he left the US national team in 2011. Toronto isnt previously a destination that would have interested him because of its constant failures but with the ambitious Leiweke at the helm the link is now more than plausible. Leiweke, former President and CEO of AEG, has known Bradley for many years including when Bradley coached the New York-New Jersey Metrostars, a club he left from Chicago Fire, when both teams were owned by AEG. Bradleys task at Toronto may not come as close to being made into a movie like his current one but it is certainly one both sides could well be interested in exploring. ' ' '