This reflects a contemporary environment in which broken bones, torn ligaments and fractures, no matter how horrific, are regarded like cartoon violence and video games: The safe falls on Wile E. Coyote’s head, but he comes back in the next scene for more hilarious punishment.
What a wonderful little paragraph! Thoughtful observation rendered with economy and vivid imagery. Just great writing.
What a wonderful little paragraph! Thoughtful observation rendered with economy and vivid imagery. Just great writing.
1
I hope he doesn't come back till he's well. After the NBA has chewed him up and spit him out, he'll have the rest of his life to live with possible painful injuries and the sport and media will not be there for him.
2
John Wall's decision about playing should be based on unbiased medical advice. But Mr. Rhoden's comment, "With so much money at stake and such a rare opportunity to provide generational wealth for his family, Wall has to look at a much larger picture than a playoff series against Atlanta," begs the question of what is "generational" wealth? Wall signed a guaranteed maximum contract in 2013 for $84 million through the 2018 season. That's not enough for "generational wealth?"
2
How does returning to play, mask or no mask, 8 days after surgery to repair fractured facial bones, constitute a “Smart Approach.”?
“And he has already had surgery “? Your point being _____? I can’t imagine that his surgeon thought it was “Smart” of him to play 8 days of surgery.
Athletes should all look to Derek Rose’s decision to place his health first.
If retired athletes are polled,I wonder how many would say “I am glad I played through my injury.” Of course,some won’t be able to answer the question due to the severe brain damage sustained by repeated blows to the head, multiple concussions, or premature death caused by injuries.
“And he has already had surgery “? Your point being _____? I can’t imagine that his surgeon thought it was “Smart” of him to play 8 days of surgery.
Athletes should all look to Derek Rose’s decision to place his health first.
If retired athletes are polled,I wonder how many would say “I am glad I played through my injury.” Of course,some won’t be able to answer the question due to the severe brain damage sustained by repeated blows to the head, multiple concussions, or premature death caused by injuries.
1
Until teachers make the same amount of money as athletes, or vice versa, I can't get too excited about this macho culture.
1
There was a pretty good player named Grant Hill who got a high ankle sprain in a playoff game. Rather than stay out he returned in the next game and that sprain turned into an injury that kept him out a whole season and many games of at least two seasons after that.
Being tough and playing through the pain may seem like the macho thing to do, but a star at only 70% capacity is not much better than the second string guy who is fully healthy.
By allowing injuries to heal you not only might be doing yourself a favor, you just might be helping your team as well.
Being tough and playing through the pain may seem like the macho thing to do, but a star at only 70% capacity is not much better than the second string guy who is fully healthy.
By allowing injuries to heal you not only might be doing yourself a favor, you just might be helping your team as well.
5
Athletes need to protect themselves physically, to think otherwise is as callously immoral as telling any of us to act recklessly.
5
The author undermines his own premise by tying Conley and Paul's returns being smart to them winning, when they both sat out minimal time. What's the difference between Conley playing with fractured bones in his face that have not yet healed and Wall doing the same with his wrist? There's an air of moral high ground here that then betrays itself by selling the same myth he is trying to dispel.
2
The author appears to believe that the injured player is the best judge of whether he should play hurt. If that is the case, the author has no business recommending what Wall should do.
4
Rose criticized not as much for what he said, but for taking the $ while sitting out after 'cleared'......
1
What fan would expose himself to the pain, exhaustion, long term health risks, possibility of CTE and shortened life span with residual orthopedic disabilities that these men do? It's fun to see our heroes surrender their bodies to a win WE want but for which they pay a price no amount of money can ever compensate.
3
Excellent stuff from Mr. Rhoden, as usual. Let's be sure to say that John Wall isn't the only one who should heed this warning. Wizards management must act responsibly here, as well. Will they if Wall decides to try to play?
1
In answer to the comments by Mr. Guest, if everyone including Mr. Rose's management knew he was being paid less than he was worth to them at his peak, then what is it about that "money deal" that should prevent him from protecting his health for the rest of his life? How "large" does "a money deal" have to be to be deemed more important than taking precautions to insure one's health? And when the "money deal" was unfairly negotiated in the first place, according to many, how does that make him "entitled" rather than exploited in the "deal"? It would be wise for Mr. Wall to heed the advice of Mr. Rhoden and make his health a priority when making decisions about his career in the longterm and about the rest of his life.
3
During the NFL draft I was surprised at the number of injuries reported to young players just coming out of college. Knee injuries, shoulder injuries!
2
The concept of playing through pain is rooted in our military service culture, but it is outmoded. We don't defend to the death. That's unprofessional. We call for reinforcements and avoid casualties.
2
Just a question - if players compensation wee a function of minutes played, how fast would Derrick rose return to action? Ask the self-employed entrepreneur how much time he took off after his heart attack. Making zero makes a man healthy fast.
3
Fans tend not to see players as human beings--- thinking and breathing individuals who must decide their own lives. Players are expensive property and as such fans think they have the right to say an athlete "disrespects the game" or "reeks of entitlement" if they protect their bodies to protect their futures. It's beyond offensive. Players are not owned. They are grown men and women who want to perform at peak and who also want to be able to live pain-free productive lives when their playing days are over. That's not "entitled"; that's just intelligent.
10
One comment 10 hours ago? (At 8:50 AM CDT Chicago time)
A wait and see response perhaps? And what did Mr. Rose's expressionless expression say immediately following that winning shot? He knew it was a lucky, last-second shot at sewing up a tough game rather than having his team face overtime play. It paid off and and his was the least expressive response of all the players and fans. Did it say 'I told you so', or was it simply saying 'So, what would your response have been had that long bank shot NOT gone in?'
This guy's an individual. A realist. And his judgement of his own capabilities and state of health may simply be superior to others' assessments.
A wait and see response perhaps? And what did Mr. Rose's expressionless expression say immediately following that winning shot? He knew it was a lucky, last-second shot at sewing up a tough game rather than having his team face overtime play. It paid off and and his was the least expressive response of all the players and fans. Did it say 'I told you so', or was it simply saying 'So, what would your response have been had that long bank shot NOT gone in?'
This guy's an individual. A realist. And his judgement of his own capabilities and state of health may simply be superior to others' assessments.
3
If professional sports stars want to be considered heroes, a hero being someone who plays for something other, or higher, than 'self,' whether it be sacrificing one's self for country or for one's faith or for one's family, then Rose is no hero, in my opinion. And Bulls fans have the example, as perhaps mythologized, of Jordan playing with tremendous grit during the playoffs with a high fever, of getting IV fluids during half time, a really tough act to follow.
Why should playing a basketball game -- or fighting religious wars, for that matter -- become higher than self?
3
Sorry, speaking as a nurse practitioner, I think if Jordan did that, it was beyond stupid. And had he been my patient, I would have told him that.
2
Did Rose say he wants to be a hero? Did Wall? How is playing a professional sport analogous to fighting a war? Wars may be big business for some industries, but they are not games. Why should professional athletes grind down their health to play when injured --- to make fans happy? To make profits for the owners and leagues? Did Derrick Rose breach his contract? No --- he operated as a fully competent party to an agreement and made decisions that benefitted him as all parties to contracts do. Why people get all bent out of shape when athletes act within their contract rights to protect their bodies is really fascinating.
1
Rose did the right thing. Wall should also do the right thing. You can not dribble a basketball with a wrist fracture. It is stupid. It is not a sense of entitlement when an athlete shuts it down. It is an act of intelligence. These guys have a narrow window. They should not shorten this window by transforming injuries that will heal with rest into chronic conditions that rob them of their skills that make them ordinary.
8
Whether in college or professional sports, the human body is merely, in the minds of coaches, a meal ticket --- that's it. When that ticket stops giving meals then the body must go. I applaud Rose and others who are saying their bodies are not free lunches, but for most of these athletes, especially the non-elite player, the rule remain---play or leave the kitchen table.
5
Couldn't agree more. Reading the relentless criticism of Rose was painful - he was right and Bulls fans and reporters were selfish and short-sighted. Bulls fans don't deserve his current level of play.
6
Willis Reed never should have taken the court.
1
CHI had a significant financial and cultural investment in Rose, which made the team's 2012 decision to make public the fact that its medical team had cleared him to play utterly mystifying. If a player of Rose's caliber and heart tells you he's not ready then you trust him and protect him. You don't confuse and embitter fans by essentially saying he could play, but he doesn't want to play.
Rose himself, however, exacerbated the situation with his 2014 comments about the "long term" and especially "graduations" and "meetings" language. It was honest, but to call it "brilliant and prophetic" is a real stretch. It did show a disrespect to the game and to all the players who do have to battle through very difficult injuries because their team has no investment in them and won't wait around for them to declare themselves healthy. These guys also may not have contracts guaranteed past the current season; if they don't play through their pain/injury, they might be done in the NBA.
Rose had made his millions in the NBA and millions more in endorsement deals that few athletes ever have the chance to receive. And he earned the money in both cases. In fact, he was at his peak worth much more to CHI than they paid him (one would also say "could pay him" except Reinsdorf's stinginess is notorious throughout the NBA). But when you sign a max or large money deal, you forfeit the right to muse aloud about needing to save your body's form for post-pro days. It reeks of entitlement.
Rose himself, however, exacerbated the situation with his 2014 comments about the "long term" and especially "graduations" and "meetings" language. It was honest, but to call it "brilliant and prophetic" is a real stretch. It did show a disrespect to the game and to all the players who do have to battle through very difficult injuries because their team has no investment in them and won't wait around for them to declare themselves healthy. These guys also may not have contracts guaranteed past the current season; if they don't play through their pain/injury, they might be done in the NBA.
Rose had made his millions in the NBA and millions more in endorsement deals that few athletes ever have the chance to receive. And he earned the money in both cases. In fact, he was at his peak worth much more to CHI than they paid him (one would also say "could pay him" except Reinsdorf's stinginess is notorious throughout the NBA). But when you sign a max or large money deal, you forfeit the right to muse aloud about needing to save your body's form for post-pro days. It reeks of entitlement.
12
It didn't help that, two months after being cleared to play, when the Bulls were making a playoff push, D-Rose would go out and dunk during warmups, then return to street clothes and sit on the bench during the game.
1
It's a complex situation in Rose's case, probably with no genuinely "win win" outcome. A contractual asset is, well, an asset. Your points are all legitimate but I have to observe that as a former high school and college athlete who reveled in playing hurt - the memories of the glory, my team mate's admiration and my soaring ego are as fresh as if the games of 40 years ago were happening now - I have to say that I really now wish i hadn't had to limp through my son's graduations, at my daughter's wedding and countless other affairs. Not to mention the simple ordeal of getting on my feet arising from bed each morning, something I really don't need at the ripe young age of 61. It's admirable that Rose has the courage to look at what he certainly faces in his future. But then, would I do it all over again if I was transported back? Probably.
The only thing it reeks of is intelligence. I have great respect for Mr. Rose, and more importantly he has great respect for himself. There is no glory in giving up your body for the game. As a super star he can set an example for less heralded players.
10
As for Rose, I fully support him and his actions. Rushing back from an injury can only re-aggravate said injury or, you end up favoring the injured leg and cause an injury elsewhere.