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A violent stunt is growing in popularity among teenagers. The so-called "knockout game" involves assaulting people without warning, and it is claiming lives.

The victims of the brutal game are chosen at random. Defenseless and unsuspecting people are attacked by groups of teens who have one goal in mind: to knock the victim out with one punch.

"One-hitter quitter," "knock em' and drop em," "point em' out and knock 'em out" are all names for a disturbing trend now drawing concern nationwide.

In Pittsburgh, a teacher was punched so hard he collapsed head first into the concrete curb. A man in Brooklyn was also knocked unconscious. And even women are being attacked.

There have been seven recent cases in New York City alone. And the game has turned fatal in at least four documented attacks -- in Syracuse, N.Y.; St. Louis; Chicago; and Hoboken, N.J., site of the latest fatal attack.

Boys -- seen in video from a security camera after the incident -- have been charged with the murder. They are just 13 and 14 years old.

Jeffrey Butts, who specializes in youth criminal justice at John Jay College, said, "We know from brain studies that the part of your brain that gets fired up through excitement and thrill-seeking actually develops more quickly and fires up more quickly than the other part of your brain, which comes along a few years later and is about judgment and discretion."

He says there's no real pattern to the way the attackers choose their victims, but they are always alone, and they stand out.

"The victims are someone who the young people consider to be an 'other,'" Butts explained. "That could be a racial difference, it could be a religious difference, it could be an age difference, it just could be a class difference."

Nothing in the so-called "knockout game," is about a fair fight. So if it's not about toughness, if it's not about courage, then what is it about?

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Deadly "knockout game": what it is and why teens are ...

Playing the knockout game and getting knocked out by nine-y

By: Melissa Samuels

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Playing the knockout game and getting knocked out by nine-y - Video

The Proteas' World Cup hopes hinge on fortune allowing their world-class players to keep shining.

He's made his name as a batsman but the Proteas will be relying on JP Duminy to bowl his share of overs in the upcoming World Cup. (Prakash Singh/AFP)

Optimism grows before every World Cup despite South Africa never winning a knockout game, and the 2015 edition is no different. Will this time be different?

This years belief is based on the brilliance of key individuals rather than the depth of the squad, but can a handful of players paper over some glaring cracks and win a tournament? Only with one, essential ingredient.

Luck.

A favourable draw in the knockout stages, particularly the quarterfinals, will be essential. Fourth place in Group A will face first place in Group B, and the second-placed teams in each group will play the teams that finish third in the opposite group.

If South Africa finish top of their group they will be highly unlikely to face Australia in the quarterfinals assuming Australia wont finish fourth. New Zealand, too, are unlikely to finish last of the qualifying teams, which leaves England or Sri Lanka as the likely opponents.

Struggling to ignite their campaign Neither side has enjoyed their best form in the build-up to the tournament and, if they struggle to ignite their campaign in the first month, will provide the Proteas with a less problematic route to the semifinals. Far easier, for example, than what would happen if Australia and South Africa both lost a game or two of their six group matches and finished in second and third places respectively.

Form and fitness are both fickle allies of the competing nations. Untimely injuries and peaks and troughs in individual form have affected the course of many a series and tournament. They are quickly forgotten once the trophy has been claimed but they have every bit as much an effect on the outcome as runs and wickets. Just without the headlines.

A loss of form for AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla or Dale Steyn could derail the campaign but a rich vein of it for someone unexpected Wayne Parnell or Quinton de Kock, for example could be the stroke of fortune that changes everything.

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The stars must align for SA to claim glory

Jose Mourinho is ready to take a gamble on Saturday's crunch title clash with Manchester City by risking his star players in tonight's Capital One Cup semi final with Liverpool.

Manuel Pellegrini's side travel to Stamford Bridge in a game that could prove pivotal in the race to be crowned Premier League champions.

But Mourinho's league leaders must first navigate their semi final second leg with Liverpool, which is finely poised at 1-1.

Chelsea could extend their lead at the top to eight-points with victory over City.

But after Saturday's shock FA Cup defeat to Bradford, Mourinho revealed that Diego Costa, Eden Hazard and Cesc Fabregas will all start tonight.

"It is a semi-final second leg, a knockout game, live or die, against a very good team," he said. "Maybe that pushes us to a good level of concentration and motivation that maybe we couldnt reach against Bradford.

"The fans want to go to Wembley and it is the same with me and the players. After such a disappointment I think everybody wants more now, because the only domestic knockout cup we can win is the Capital One Cup.

"At this moment we have a lot to play for the Liverpool game, the Premier League and the Champions League and we have enough motivation to carry on.

"My team selections always have a relation to performances in training and performance in matches, so I analyse the Bradford game well and see which players deserve more to play, but obviously I rested some with the intention to play against Liverpool.

"It is easy to understand that Matic, Ivanovic, Diego Costa, Fabregas and Hazard, these players are going to play."

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Boost for Pellegrini as Mourinho risks star players ahead of Chelsea's crunch clash with Man City

Atlanta Knockout Game Random? Aww hell no!
Atlanta Knockout Game Random? Aww hell no! The knockout game is back. this time in Atlanta. That means two things: 1) The denial is back; 2) So are the trolls.

By: Colin Flaherty

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Atlanta Knockout Game Random? Aww hell no! - Video