The National Hockey Leagues years-long investigation into concussions was a whitewash, and the leagues claims that players should have researched themselves the consequences of brain injuries is absurd, according to claims made by a group of former players in newly filed court documents. Spencer Long Jets Jersey . Three weeks ago, the NHL claimed in pleadings that the former players who are suing the league over how it handled concussions and head trauma injuries ought to have been able to put two and two together, thanks to newspaper and magazine stories and other news reports. Publicly available information related to concussions and their long-term effects, coupled with the events that had transpired – i.e., the players incurring head injuries – should have allowed (players) to put two and two together, the NHL said in its court documents filed in Minnesota. Now, the players are firing back. In newly filed documents obtained by TSN, lawyers for players including Joe Murphy, Bernie Nichols and Gary Leeman rubbish the NHLs claims, saying players had no knowledge of the medical literature, and no understanding of any need to go find it because they relied on the NHL for information about player health and safety. Whether players could have accessed information in the public sphere is a red herring, the players say in court filings. By representing that the NHL was the caretaker of player safety and was responsible for researching concussions... the NHL was telling players not to look for or believe what the NHL now says the players should have researched and understood. The players, whose claims have not been proven, allege that the NHL did not do enough to protect them from head injuries before it created a committee to study head trauma in 1997. Even after that, the players charge the committees findings were not adequately shared with players. For decades, NHL players who sustained in-game concussions or who lost consciousness were simply propped up, given smelling salts, and quickly returned to game-action, the players allege. While the NHL began its concussion study in 1997 and published its findings in 2011, It was not until July 23, 2013, that the NHL changed its concussion protocols to require a concussed player not return to the same game in which the concussion occurred. The NHL players filed the suit in November 2013 after a group of nearly 4,500 former NFL players reached a settlement with the NFL over similar concussion-related complaints. The NFL players are expected to be paid about $1 billion, a lawyer working on the case told TSN. In its legal filings, the NHL says the court should dismiss the case because its taken too long for players to file their complaints. (The players) are not seeking recovery for acute injuries resulting from the individual hits, blows or instances of trauma inherent in hockey, the players pleadings say, adding that the injuries being sued for are the permanent degenerative brain diseases, or accumulated brain cell damage increasing the risk of such diseases, which arose and of which the plaintiffs became aware only after plaintiffs retired from the NHL. The NHL also has said the claim should be dismissed because health and safety issues fall under the purview of the leagues collective labour agreement with the NHLPA. The NHL said under terms of its CBA, that players have a responsibility to report injuries to their teams and submit themselves for examination. The CBA also addresses the rights of a player to receive his medical records, the NHL said in its legal filings. Players are clearly excluded from the NHLPA bargaining unit, the new court documents say, belying any argument that they are represented by a union who can initiate a grievance on their behalf... plaintiffs, as retired players and unrepresented by the NHLPA, could not initiate a grievance on their own behalf even if they wanted to. The judge overseeing the players lawsuit will hear oral arguments about the NHLs motion on Jan. 8 and will decide whether to dismiss the case by April. About 40 former NHL players have now signed up as named plaintiffs, compared to 4,500 in the NFL case. Isaiah Crowell Jersey .One day after winning her record 63rd World Cup race, Vonn posted to her Facebook account Tuesday that she was happy Woods surprised her by coming to the race, and that she felt terrible that his tooth got knocked out. Custom New York Jets Jerseys . Portuguese sides Benfica and Porto also advanced to the last eight while Basel overcame an early red card to win 2-1 at Salzburg and progress from a last-16 second leg that was briefly suspended because of crowd trouble. Lyon, Valencia and AZ Alkmaar will also be in Fridays draw in Nyon, Switzerland, where the team to avoid will be Juventus -- even though the Italian champions made heavy work of their all-Italian last-16 match against Fiorentina. http://www.jetsrookiestore.com/Jets-Nathan-Shepherd-Jersey/ . -- Washingtons Bradley Beal seemed to make every shot he took in setting a career high with 37 points.MIAMI -- Outfought for a late rebound by Dwyane Wade, a grinning LeBron James chided his teammate as they ran upcourt. With the game in hand, the Miami Heat could worry about individual stats. Wade and James had handsome numbers in Mondays 102-96 victory over the Detroit Pistons. James totalled 24 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds, just missing the Heats first triple-double of the season. Wade scored 30 points, his best total since Dec. 18 in an injury-hampered season, and he added a season-high 10 rebounds and five assists. James, who has come close to a triple-double several times this season, was blanked in the rebound department down the stretch. When Wade snatched one away from him with 4 minutes left, he heard about it from his taller teammate. "D-Wade knew what he had going on, too," James said. "He was like, I need this double-double. He had a heck of a game. He was spectacular." Wade pleaded guilty to being briefly motivated by getting his first double-double of the season. "I was going for a double-double," he said with a laugh. "Sorry." Heat guard Ray Allen also outmanoeuvred James for a rebound in the final minutes, which left James muttering to the Heat bench. James finished two rebounds shy of a triple-double for the third time this season, and another time he came within two assists. "Hes working on the all-time record for near misses on triple-doubles," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "Its not meant for it to happen this year," James said with a chuckle. "My own guys got me. But a win is what its about, and Im happy we played well for most of the game." Wade, who sat out four consecutive games last month to rest his troublesome knees, looked rejuvenated. He shot 13 for 19 and played 37 minutes, his fifth-highest total this season. "That rest did him well," teammate Chris Bosh said. "He has a lot of spring in his legs. When he plays well, were a tough team to beat." Bosh scored 17 points to help Miami win for the fifth time in six games. Allens buzzer-beating 3-pointer put the Heat up 84-80 after three periods, and they pulled away from there. Isaiah Crowell Jets Jersey. Wades 3-pointer put them ahead by 13 points for the first time, 98-85. Brandon Jennings had 26 points and seven assists for the Pistons, who trailed almost the entire game and took it badly. They were called for four technical fouls. "We can get upset with them, but you have to learn how to deal with it," coach Maurice Cheeks said. "When youre on the road, you have to learn to forget about whats going on." Greg Monroe had 17 points and 11 rebounds for Detroit, which lost despite forcing 20 turnovers and holding an edge of 51-44 in rebounds. "We just fell short," said Josh Smith, who shot only 5 for 20. "They are the world champs, so we have to play almost perfect." The Heat, who began the week three games behind Eastern Conference leader Indiana, started strong and scored 13 points before they missed a shot. From 41-all, James and Wade teamed up for back-to-back fast-break baskets. The second came when Wade fed Mario Chalmers, whose alley-oop over the hoop perfectly led an airborne James for a one-handed throw-down dunk. "The way it came out of Rios hand, I didnt think I was going to get it," James said. "But I tried, and the man above has given me some unbelievable abilities. I just try to take full advantage of them." James also tweaked his left shoulder and right hand, and was called for committing a foul with his face when he became entangled with Monroe. Will Bynums four-point play put the Pistons up 48-47, but that was their last lead. Miami went on a 14-2 run near the end of the half and led 63-57 at halftime. Notes: Miamis Michael Beasley tipped a rebound into the Pistons basket in the second quarter. ... Pistons F-C Josh Harrellson sat out with a sore knee. ... The Heat play six road games before their next home game Feb. 23. ... The Heat improved to 20-5 when leading after one quarter. ... The Pistons are 1-21 when trailing after three periods. 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