Jason Taylor's world of hurt

[Tricked]

Dolphins legend Jason Taylor, for example, grew up right before our eyes, from a skinny Akron kid to a future Hall of Famer, his very public path out in front of those lights for 15 years. But take a look at what was happening in the dark. He was just a few blessed hours from having his leg amputated. He played games, plural, with a hidden and taped catheter running from his armpit to his heart. His calf was oozing blood for so many months, from September of one year to February of another, that he had to have the equivalent of a drain installed. This is a story of the private pain endured in pursuit of public glory, just one man’s broken body on a battlefield littered with thousands of them. As death and depression and dementia addle football’s mind, persuading some of the gladiators to kill themselves as a solution to end all the pain, and as the media finally shines a light on football’s concussed skull at the very iceberg-top of the problem, we begin the anatomy of Taylor’s story [View Full Quote]at the very bottom … with his feet.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/01/1...lors-pain.html

[Sean50Lee]

This is a side of football not too many know about.

[vta]

I wonder how much of all this has to do with the size of the guys playing today. Old time football was average guys living average lives without all the training staff and they didn't leave unscathed, but these consequences today are brutal.

[arglebargle]

That's gruesome, and kinda crazy. Makes me think they don't get paid enough either. Though in some ways, as shown here, it is a self inflicted wound.

And really, the way training and maximization of strength is these days, the athletes are pushing the ability of the their bodies to take it without breaking.

[Kangaroo]

Originally Posted by vta

I wonder how much of all this has to do with the size of the guys playing today. Old time football was average guys living average lives without all the training staff and they didn't leave unscathed, but these consequences today are brutal.

I think some of the size is not natural and some of it is coming from steroids and another reason to crack down on it in sports. The NFLPA needs to start caring about the players instead of trying to protect them from themselves they want to steal money in the name of protecting the players and drag their feet on testing because they do not want one of them banned.

[Tricked]

I thought his story was very unique, but I have to wonder how many other athletes have issues of the same nature.

Has anyone heard of other athletes painful experiences?

[Eskimo]

I know when I ready about some of the issues they talk about players having and project what I would tell a patient they need to do and then am shocked to hear they are going to play the next week.

I also find it odd when fans get upset when a player ends up missing extended time due to a major injury (see Sean Lee`s foot injury last year). Many wanted him to play with an adapted shoe and tape instead of getting the surgery he needed for a properly functioning foot.

A friend of mine is the staff doctor for the CFL team here in Edmonton and he just tells me it is a different mentality and this is these guys livelihood. They need to be on the field. Now this is from guys who only make maybe $60K per season and yet they still put themselves through agony for the cheque. It is the same prinicple when he attends to the NHL team - it doesn`t matter that one group makes $3M per season and the other only makes $60K. They have mostly the same attitude when it comes to injury - do what you have to do to get me back on the field ASAP. I honestly believe that if you don`t have that drive and mentality you can`t play high-level contact professional sports. You`d have long ago alienated yourself from your teammates and coaches.

Funny world they live in. I can`t say that I share their view of the world. I enjoy football and could do without all the kill shots and steroid freaks out there.

[CoCo]

Originally Posted by Eskimo

I know when I ready about some of the issues they talk about players having and project what I would tell a patient they need to do and then am shocked to hear they are going to play the next week.

I also find it odd when fans get upset when a player ends up missing extended time due to a major injury (see Sean Lee`s foot injury last year). Many wanted him to play with an adapted shoe and tape instead of getting the surgery he needed for a properly functioning foot.

[View Full Quote]A friend of mine is the staff doctor for the CFL team here in Edmonton and he just tells me it is a different mentality and this is these guys livelihood. They need to be on the field. Now this is from guys who only make maybe $60K per season and yet they still put themselves through agony for the cheque. It is the same prinicple when he attends to the NHL team - it doesn`t matter that one group makes $3M per season and the other only makes $60K. They have mostly the same attitude when it comes to injury - do what you have to do to get me back on the field ASAP. I honestly believe that if you don`t have that drive and mentality you can`t play high-level contact professional sports. You`d have long ago alienated yourself from your teammates and coaches.

Funny world they live in. I can`t say that I share their view of the world. I enjoy football and could do without all the kill shots and steroid freaks out there.

Absolutely agree. But people sitting in their easy chairs complain about Goodell "wussifying" the game.

[ThePlaymaker14]

Originally Posted by CoCo

Absolutely agree. But people sitting in their easy chairs complain about Goodell "wussifying" the game.

He is, regardless of what you think about players injuries. That hatcher hit on RG3s head should never have been a penalty. When our player (i forget who)'s shoulder brushed against someones helmet when he caught a pass, that should not have been a penalty.

Anyways, I have always seen it as the price you pay for the money you make. Nobody forces these kids to go to the NFL. It's all risk/reward. They are going to be making on average 1Mil+ and a player like taylor made much more than that per season. He had to deal with a lot of physical pain to go with it and that was his choice.

[jobberone]

He had his leg operated on not amputated. The anterior area of the leg has very little room for swelling. You have to open the leg up thru the fascia to allow the soft tissues to swell without damaging the nerves etc from the internal pressure buildup. Still not pleasant.

[DBOY3141]

It's the profession they chose, they know the risks/rewards. Don't choose this career and make millions of dollars playing a game my 6 year old can play and then want me to feel sorry for you later in life.

Too many other professions in the world that deserve the spotlight more than football players.

Soldiers
fireman
police

They too chose their profession and know the risks but get no where near the rewards for their sacrifice.

I don't feel sorry for one single athlete.