Ever since the tragic death of Korey Stringer a few years ago due to overheating, there has been a big emphasis on the health of players when practicing in hot temperatures. And in Texas, where heat indexes can get into the 120s, it is even more important to watch the players.
To combat heat related issues, the Texas Longhorns have now started giving their athletes a little white pill. No, not the same pill Barry Bonds takes, but actually a tiny little electronic device that players can ingest. This allows trainers to get internal body temperature readings to insure players are not overheating. Not every player receives this pill, only the heavier players such as lineman and incoming freshman whom the trainers do not have a good read on yet.
This seems like a pretty smart idea, though it does seem a little big brotherish. It is kind of creepy to know that something inside your body is electronic and is sending information outside of your body. Seems like the next step is to inject RFID into the players arm so that they can keep track of their every movement. Hey, maybe that isn’t a bad idea. Might keep some of the players out of trouble.
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