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Her left arm was paralyzed. But she's still playing

Evan Hilbert ,  Jace Evans   | Paste BN

Well ... whew. This weekend was exhausting. We had our popcorn ready for the Colin Kaepernick-NFL workout and that circus certainly didn't disappoint. And seriously -- how can anyone choose just one No. 1 college football team at this point? Ravens QB Lamar Jackson sure looked like an MVP, but you know who really won the weekend? LSU coach Ed Orgeron and Oregon coach Mario Cristobal, who together pulled in $600,000 in bonus money. 

Before we dive in, here's some of the best content from the week that was: 

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FORGET THE DIAGNOSIS. JUST GO PLAY

It's a tale that is told and retold time and again: Injury suffered. Doctors skeptical of recovery. Odds overcome. Recovery achieved.

What makes Gabby Brabner's story so inspiring, though, is that she didn't fully recover. Instead, she returned to the sports she loved through sheer force of will. Brabner, a three-sport athlete at St. Thomas More in Lafayette, Louisiana, suffered a horrific accident as an incoming freshman that left her in the ICU and with a paralyzed left arm. Brabner is left-handed. Doctors wouldn't say it to her, but they told her parents she'd never play sports again.

Did Brabner regain the use of her left arm? Nope. Instead, she just learned how to play softball, volleyball, and basketball with one arm. 

"I never had the thought that I’m not going to play anymore," Brabner said. "It was the opposite. I was like, 'Why stop?'"

HOW SOCIAL MEDIA IS HELPING KEVIN LOVE HELP OTHERS

Cleveland Cavaliers star Kevin Love has been open about his struggles with mental health. Love was recently the recipient of the NBA Cares Community Assist Award “in recognition of his outstanding efforts to raise awareness, resources, and support for mental health.”

One way Love now shines a spotlight on mental health is through his social media channels. Love told Paste BN Sports' Jeff Zillgitt he used to be wary of sharing due to his social anxiety, but he has since decided to share his life as he lives it.

"I’m just going to live my life and share it, and by even sharing my story through mental health, it’s allowed me to help a lot of people.

"It’s been liberating."

FROM SKATEBOARDING CHAMP TO KEY COLORADO STATE DEFENDER

Marshaun Cameron was once one of Southern California's best teen skateboarders, winning contests and being featured in popular YouTube videos. Along the way, however, Cameron realized he was pretty good at football, which could lead to a college education and potentially the NFL.

He was late to the game so he was lightly recruited, though he got a full ride to the University of Northern Colorado. After graduating, Cameron transferred to Colorado State for a post-grad season.

“He continues to make plays,” Colorado State coach Mike Bobo said. “He’s not the biggest, he’s not the fastest. But he’s got instincts, and if he makes a mistake or gets beat, it doesn’t fluster him. He lines up and plays.”

MORE AWESOME, EXCLUSIVE CONTENT FROM OUR NETWORK

SILVER LINING FROM NFL BRAWL

It was as ugly an incident as we've seen on a football field. But in the aftermath, lessons can be learned for both Myles Garrett and those who look up to him.

Jori Epstein spoke with Garrett's high school coach, Arlington Martin’s Bob Wager, who called the linebacker's actions "very, very out of character." Wager offered no justification, and he says he spoke with both Garrett and his mother Friday. His message? 

"Hey, we love you,” Wager said he told Garrett. "We support you. You made a mistake. And this too shall pass."

Beyond his support of Garrett, Wager used the incident as a teachable moment for his own players. First, he pointed out that however violent and emotional the game, one must keep their composure.

Here's more on the ugly brawl and NFL fallout: 

KAEPERNICK'S EVENTFUL WEEKEND 

Colin Kaepernick showed off his football skills Saturday, but the workout didn't go quite how the NFL had planned. In the end, the NFL itself wasn't involved at all: the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback bailed on the NFL-organized practice session and instead held his own at a Georgia high school.

“I’ve been ready for three years, I’ve been denied for three years,” Kaepernick said afterward. 

It was a great day for Kaepernick the activist and celebrity, but if he had real dreams of returning to the National Football League, those are probably over. 

Still, if any team did want to kick the tires on Kaepernick – and there are several who probably should – he showed he still has NFL-caliber talent. 

TUA'S INJURY PUTS DAMPER ON COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON

Star Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is done for the year after dislocating his hip in the Crimson Tide's game against Mississippi State. 

The season-ending injury came with Alabama leading 35-7 in the second quarter, inviting plenty of second-guessing of coach Nick Saban. But this was nobody's fault. 

At a football level, the loss of Tagovailoa likely means the Crimson Tide will be outside looking in when the final College Football Playoff rankings are revealed. But the star QB's injury is obviously much more important than that. Likely going pro, it was an unfortunate end to one of the best college careers we've ever seen.

Other (mostly positive) highlights from Week 12:  

NFL CATCH UP: THE STORYLINES YOU NEED TO KNOW

While you're here, here's the quick breakdown of the key storylines you need to know from Sunday's NFL slate: 

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