Concussion

In the dank, cloistered visitors' locker room at Qualcomm Stadium, Brian Westbrook got dressed with his back to a swarm of reporters. An hour or so earlier, the Eagles running back had suffered his second concussion in two games spread over three weeks. The Eagles' 31-23 loss to San Diego yesterday seemed secondary in light of the severity of Westbrook's injury. The question was whether this will be the end of Westbrook's season or even his career. Westbrook declined to answer questions after the game.

WASHINGTON - Not wanting to succumb to the dreaded "C" word, Claude Giroux decided to lace his skates up for a quick spin around the ice by himself yesterday morning. His skate lasted only 15 minutes, telling Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren all he needed to know. "He didn't feel that good," Holmgren said. "He didn't feel like himself. " For the first time since Giroux was rocked by an accidental knee to the head by teammate Wayne Simmonds on Saturday night, the Flyers officially labeled the NHL's leading scorer as concussed.

Steve Young, still bothered by post-concussion symptoms, won't play tomorrow at St. Louis and Jeff Garcia will make his second straight start at quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers. "We're going to sit him down," coach Steve Mariucci said yesterday after the team's final practice before leaving for St. Louis. "Let's rest him. I think it's the appropriate thing to do. Hopefully, he'll feel great next week. I visited with Steve before practice and we both agreed that's the right plan right now. " Young will be among the 49ers' inactive players tomorrow.

The NFL chose two new co-chairmen - and a new name - for its committee on concussions. Dr. Hunt Batjer, of Northwestern University, and Dr. Richard Ellenbogen, of the University of Washington, will lead what now will be called the NFL head, neck and spine medical committee, the league said yesterday. The panel used to be called the NFL mild traumatic brain injury committee. Dr. Ira Casson and Dr. David Viano, who had led the league committee on concussions since 2007, resigned in November, less than a month after Casson and the NFL's concussion policy were criticized by Congress during a hearing at which commissioner Roger Goodell testified.

Mike Pirozzola's bid for a title at 149 pounds in the 68th annual Wilkes Open ended when the former Neshaminy standout suffered a concussion in his second-round match. The tournament, held Dec. 28 and 29 at Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, featured mostly college wrestlers with a few college graduates and standout high school participants, including several from the Hill School. Lehigh University assistant coach Pat Santoro said the school's staff expected Pirozzola to redshirt this season.

Don Beebe said that except for a sore neck and headache, he felt fine the day after getting knocked unconscious in Green Bay's game at Detroit. But the wide receiver implied his wife would like him to retire. "I've done this before. If I was to have the same play tomorrow, I'd do the same thing," Beebe said yesterday. "I would try to catch the ball. That's my job. I have no fear, still, I have no fear. "As far as my attitude, my attitude hasn't changed any. My wife's attitude now has changed a little, but mine hasn't changed any. " When pressed point blank if he would consider retiring, Beebe, who is attempting to become the first player ever to reach six Super Bowls, didn't deny it. "That's an issue I'd as soon not address at this time," he said.

Second in a series on concussions in sports.   Like an approaching meteor, sports' concussion epidemic has been observed with alarm as, with increasing noise and notoriety, it has moved from distant distraction to ominous threat. While professional and amateur leagues focus obsessively on head injuries and how best to identify, treat, and prevent them, the problem continues to alter the games Americans play and watch in ways both subtle and blunt.

Eagles wideout DeSean Jackson said his collision with Atlanta's Dunta Robinson felt "like a car accident" and that he lost consciousness for a few minutes. Jackson, speaking publicly for the first time since suffering a concussion Oct. 17, said in his weekly appearance via Skype on Comcast SportsNet's " Daily News Live" that he is hopeful of returning when the Eagles come back from the bye against the Colts but is "taking it day by day. " The Eagles said Monday that Jackson has passed head athletic trainer Rick Burkholder's concussion tests and now will be evaluated by an independent neurologist, the last step toward being cleared to practice and play.

There's a procedure in the NHL for a player coming back from a concussion: The doctors put it off as long as necessary, and the coaches keep it quiet as long as possible. So it was with Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron yesterday, when he returned for his first full practice since a May 6 concussion that kept him out of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals. Boston coach Claude Julien would not comment on Bergeron's availability for tonight's second game against Tampa Bay. Bergeron was hurt in Game 4 against the Flyers on a hit by Claude Giroux.

The following is a revised version of a report that originally appeared on Frank Seravalli's FrequentFlyers.com blog.   FLYERS STAR Claude Giroux is returning to the United States to be examined by the same doctor who treated Sidney Crosby's concussion, the Daily News has learned. Giroux, 24, suffered a neck injury on an illegal check to the head last Friday night during an overtime loss for Eisbaren Berlin in the German Elite League. His agent, CAA Sports' Pat Brisson, told the Daily News on Tuesday that Giroux will be traveling to Atlanta to visit controversial specialist Dr. Frederick "Ted" Carrick at Life University in nearby Marietta, Ga. Carrick is a "chiropractic neurologist" who specializes in traumatic brain injuries.