The Matter of the Heart
Tight end Brian Mandeville of the Northeastern University football team finally got the big deal he was waiting for in his entire football career. A tight end is a strategic position in an offensive team. (Whatever side the tight end is posted is called the “strong side” while the other side is called the “weak side.” ) He got an invite to the weeklong combine where “Athletes attend by invitation only. Implications of one’s performance during the combine can affect perception, draft status, salary and ultimately career.” (Source: Wikipedia) That’s where National Football League coaches, general managers and scouts spot potential superstars. Brian psyched himself hard for the combine at the Velocity Sports Performance Center in California. But, before he could wow anyone at the combine, “doctors instead told him that he should retire before he even got started.” (Yahoo! Sports) A routine physical found a problem in one of his heart valves. It appears that, though it it’s not life-th