* In Thursday’s announcement that 78 percent of NFL Players Association members distrust team doctors, the union called for the removal of San Diego Chargers physician Dr. David Chao, according to U-T San Diego.

“There is a team doctor named Dr. Chao who is currently the San Diego team doctor,” NFL executive director DeMaurice Smith said, “who has been found liable of medical malpractice twice — twice. … It seems to me that the players of the National Football League deserve to have a doctor who’s not been found liable of malpractice.”

Chao declined to comment. A team spokesman said the Chargers are still gathering information about what was said. Previously, the team has said it’s aware of Chao’s legal and regulatory history but believes him to be a highly skilled orthopedic surgeon.

 

* In an informal survey of 800 readers, AL.com reported that 61 percent of the respondents say there has been no change in letting their sons play football.

Some results differ from a national online survey done last year by ESPN Research and the Global Strategy Group, which showed 57 percent of parents said they are now less likely to allow their sons to play football. More than three-fourths of the AL.com respondents acknowledged a connection between concussions and the prevalence of brain injuries. But 68 percent said hard hits don’t need to be minimized in college and pro football because that’s what makes the game great. Respondents believe the minimum age requirement for kids to play contact football should be between the ages of 10 and 12, although there are varying opinions. The 10-12 age received the most support (36 percent), followed by ages 13-15 (29 percent) and 5-9 (27 percent).

* The Columbus Dispatch reported that the State of Ohio has posted guidelines for all coaches and volunteers to prepare them for helping with concussions in youth sports.

* NOCSAE, which has been creating the standards for creating football helmets for decades, announced Thursday it was donating $855,000 to sports medicine and concussion research.

* The Great Falls Tribune reported that work has begun on the first concussion laws for Montana.

* The Dallas Morning News reported Dallas Mavericks center Chris Kaman is undergoing more concussion tests this weekend.

* The Delaware News Journal published an op-ed piece about concussions in football.

* The Victoria Times Colonist wrote about the concussion risk involved in hockey.

* And Yahoo! Sports Canada wrote that new Chicago Bears head coach Marc Trestman can blaze a trail for CFL coaches in the NFL.