Post by prossman on Dec 27, 2009 12:25:36 GMT -7
Ware’s quick return a rallying point for Cowboys?
IRVING — Inspirational feats are part of sports lore. A player who overcomes an injury to produce dramatic results is often elevated to mythical status. Great players are revered. Great players who succeed despite pain become legends.
Consider Ronnie Lott. In a 1985 Cowboys-49ers game, the kamikaze safety banged into Dallas running back Timmy Newsome while trying to make a tackle. Lott’s left hand was crushed in the collision and the result was a major injury to his pinkie.
Lott immediately left the game with blood dripping from his hand, had it taped up, returned later to play and the 49ers won the game to advance to the playoffs.
Doctors did what they could to mend the finger during the next week. When asked how many stitches were required, Lott laughed.
"They did what they could," he said in a telephone interview last week, "but in the end, we just taped it up and I played."
Lott played in the divisional playoff games the next week, but the 49ers lost to the New York Giants to end their season. During the off-season, Lott was faced with a choice. He could have delicate surgery on the pinkie and perhaps miss playing time the next season. Or he could have part of his finger amputated.
The top part of the finger went.
Lott watched the end of the Cowboys-Saints game a week ago Saturday and experienced several feelings — pride, admiration and understanding — as he watched DeMarcus Ware get the final sack of the game on the Saints’ Drew Brees to ensure the Dallas victory.
Lott knew that six days earlier, the Cowboys linebacker had been carted off the field on a stretcher and it looked as though he might have a serious neck injury. He could relate to Ware wondering about the severity of the injury, about getting advice from the doctors, about the process of deciding to play.
"Internally, you have a certain level of understanding of your body and you understand the risk that you’re taking," Lott said. "From what I’ve seen, he seems like the type of person who just wants to win. He came from a [college] program where they were accustomed to winning. He wants to be in the playoffs and he feels that you very seldom have these moments in your life. So I think that you find yourself sometimes playing hurt because you know the cause is bigger than you."
The nature of Ware’s injury took part of the decision-making process out of his hands. His strained neck required extensive tests, and doctors had to give him medical clearance. If they had not, it would not have mattered how badly he wanted to play.
Some of the most famous performances by athletes overcoming injury involved areas far less sensitive than the neck.
Kirk Gibson had hamstring and ankle injuries. Michael Jordan had the flu. Willis Reed had a torn muscle in his thigh. Kerri Strug had an ankle injury. Emmitt Smith had a separated shoulder.
Each of those athletes could ignore advice from doctors. Ware could not.
Still, he could have made the decision not to play.
IRVING — Inspirational feats are part of sports lore. A player who overcomes an injury to produce dramatic results is often elevated to mythical status. Great players are revered. Great players who succeed despite pain become legends.
Consider Ronnie Lott. In a 1985 Cowboys-49ers game, the kamikaze safety banged into Dallas running back Timmy Newsome while trying to make a tackle. Lott’s left hand was crushed in the collision and the result was a major injury to his pinkie.
Lott immediately left the game with blood dripping from his hand, had it taped up, returned later to play and the 49ers won the game to advance to the playoffs.
Doctors did what they could to mend the finger during the next week. When asked how many stitches were required, Lott laughed.
"They did what they could," he said in a telephone interview last week, "but in the end, we just taped it up and I played."
Lott played in the divisional playoff games the next week, but the 49ers lost to the New York Giants to end their season. During the off-season, Lott was faced with a choice. He could have delicate surgery on the pinkie and perhaps miss playing time the next season. Or he could have part of his finger amputated.
The top part of the finger went.
Lott watched the end of the Cowboys-Saints game a week ago Saturday and experienced several feelings — pride, admiration and understanding — as he watched DeMarcus Ware get the final sack of the game on the Saints’ Drew Brees to ensure the Dallas victory.
Lott knew that six days earlier, the Cowboys linebacker had been carted off the field on a stretcher and it looked as though he might have a serious neck injury. He could relate to Ware wondering about the severity of the injury, about getting advice from the doctors, about the process of deciding to play.
"Internally, you have a certain level of understanding of your body and you understand the risk that you’re taking," Lott said. "From what I’ve seen, he seems like the type of person who just wants to win. He came from a [college] program where they were accustomed to winning. He wants to be in the playoffs and he feels that you very seldom have these moments in your life. So I think that you find yourself sometimes playing hurt because you know the cause is bigger than you."
The nature of Ware’s injury took part of the decision-making process out of his hands. His strained neck required extensive tests, and doctors had to give him medical clearance. If they had not, it would not have mattered how badly he wanted to play.
Some of the most famous performances by athletes overcoming injury involved areas far less sensitive than the neck.
Kirk Gibson had hamstring and ankle injuries. Michael Jordan had the flu. Willis Reed had a torn muscle in his thigh. Kerri Strug had an ankle injury. Emmitt Smith had a separated shoulder.
Each of those athletes could ignore advice from doctors. Ware could not.
Still, he could have made the decision not to play.