Tua appreciates Dolphins’ handling of him in protocol
When quarterback Tua Tagovailoa made a tour of Radio Row at the Super Bowl on Friday, the big takeaway was his revelation that he would be taking judo lessons on Fridays this offseason to “try to learn how to fall” and reduce the chance of future concussions.
Beyond that factoid initially revealed to Kay Adams, Tagovailoa made other notable remarks in four other interviews, during promotional appearances for Subway:
In an interview with USA Today, Tagovailoa said clearing concussion protocol — he was in it from Dec. 26 to Feb. 1 — felt like it “took forever.
“For concussion protocol, I think the team did me the biggest service throughout that. They never allowed me to go through protocol normally until the season was done. So that’s why it might have seemed like it took forever, but they were just protecting me from myself.
“And me and my family are very thankful to the Dolphins. But it really entailed a lot of exertion, so like running, ocular and vestibular movements, so like balance — things like that. Having went to see a doctor in Pittsburgh, got clearance from him and then had to do a written test, memorization.”
Asked about the playoff loss to Buffalo, Tagovailoa said: “I’d like to think every time I’m out there it would be different, but I’m not going to take away any credit from the Bills or take any credit away from how our guys performed. We played our hearts out.
“It’s not easy to do what
Skylar Thompson did. He played in a playoff game before I even played in a playoff game in my career.”
Asked on Dan Le
●
Batard’s show about why he skipped the Pro Bowl, Tagovailoa said: “I didn’t think it was necessary the first thing I came back to do football related [that] wasn’t team related with the Dolphins. That was one of the reasons I didn’t attend. [Also], I’m a new father. I’m spending time with my son and trying to help out my wife, get him on a sleep schedule.”
Tagovailoa told Yahoo’s
● Matt Harmon:
“I hear people telling people that are in my close circle, like, ‘Hey, like, you should retire. Hey, you should do this.’ And I feel like I’ve heard it all.
“But I think I’ve had all the information that I need to move forward with the decision that I made with me and my wife and my family.”
Asked during his
●
CBSHQ interview about whether the NFL can do anything to prevent his concussions, he said no. “This is a violent sport. We all know what we were signing up for. In my situation, it was bad luck.”
CHATTER
Under new UM offensive
● coordinator Shannon Dawson, the Houston Cougars threw 500 times and ran 402 last season;
Mario Cristobal likely will want a bit more balance than that. The offense figures to have both spread and power spread elements. During the past two seasons, his offense was 15th and 16th in scoring among 130 FBS schools.
New Marlins manager
●
Skip Schumaker said,
“Joey Wendle is our shortstop” and is eager to see prospect Jacob
Amaya, who figures to begin the year in the minors. “Amaya will tell you when he’s ready,” Schumaker said. “He can make any play at the big-league level; [growth on the] offensive side will help him [reach] the next level.”
Schumaker says there
●
will be competition in left field. It could end up being a Bryan De La Cruz/ Jesus Sanchez platoon, or one winning the job.
Schumaker said Luis
●
Arraez, who will start primarily at second base, will play some first base when first baseman Garrett Cooper is off or playing DH. “Arraez has played a lot of first base,” Schumaker said. “Having Cooper off his feet and DH some games is important to him. I see DH [as a] rotating spot. Jorge Soler
will DH quite a bit.”
NBC-6 is losing its
●
entire on-air department.
Ruthie Polinsky, who essentially has been the station’s lead sports anchor, is leaving after this week by choice; she declined a new contract and will pursue other opportunities. Giselle Espinales,
who produced and did on-air work, left the station on Sunday.
The previous No. 2 sportscaster, Hailey Sutton, wasn’t replaced after leaving for a job with the Dallas Cowboys last year. NBC-6 plans to hire one new sportscaster; news anchors will handle the 11 p.m. sports segment in the interim. Sports segments will air on the 5 and 6 p.m. newscasts only when management believes news warrants it. Also, Sports Final, the late Sunday night sports show, will go on hiatus until football season.
We hear Heat coach
●
Erik Spoelstra believes
Kyle Lowry can still help the Heat when he returns eventually from his knee injury; their relationship is good but could be tested if Spoelstra moves Lowry to the bench. The front office was eager to dump his contract and will try again this summer.