AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2007 > October > 23
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Wondering about T. Choice
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’m no doctor, and I’ve never played one on TV, but I have some theories about Tashard Choice’s knee. I have to preface them by saying a lot of my postulates are based on seven seasons covering the Falcons, and the signs given off when a player first suffers a knee injury, and the timeline afterward. Also, I’ve had three knee scopes, all for cartilage damage, though one time I suffered “laxity” in my ACL in conjunction with the additional cartilage damage. Basically, the ACL was stretched.
So it’s entirely possible the signs given off by Tech — and so far they’ve been little more than signs — are different that what I saw with the Falcons (and other NFL teams) because Tech officials have different protocols. I can’t be sure.
Anyway …
Never in seven seasons covering the Falcons, and another year covering the NFL, do I recall a situation where a torn ACL was not properly diagnosed in the field, or in the lockerroom soon after it happened. This means without MRI, etc. The on-site assessments are never the final word; they’re just about always followed up with MRI evaluation or surgery. But again, doctors ALWAYS got the ACL diagnosis within an hour. I think they twist the knee around and so forth. Don’t know for sure.
I’ve seen very different outcomes with regards to posterior cruciate ligaments, medial collateral ligaments and the rarely-torn (as I remember) lateral collateral ligaments.
My experience is that doctors are also very good at determining that knee damage is not likely an ACL only to then suspect other ligament damage, which often runs parallel with cartilage damage. In these situations, they generally wait on the MRI for complete assessment.
There are many possibilities here. Perhaps doctors suspect ACL damage to Tashard’s right knee, but Gailey, et al, want to wait until further examination — in this case today’s surgery as an MRI has already been performed, and we’ve been told nothing other than it suggested the need for surgery — to confirm it publicly.
If their protocol is more in line with what I experienced in the NFL, they know there is damage, but they don’t suspect the ACL (or we’d know it already), and they may suspect other ligament damage but need this surgery to determine its extent.
And possibly repair it.
Many NFL players missed one game, or none, with PCL damage. No surgery required most of the time. By saying Tashard won’t play Nov. 1, I’d bet they’re not ruling out PCL damage, but fear that may not be the worst of the problem.
With the MCL, surgery again was usually not required — at least not for sake of repair — but I can’t remember a player ever playing the very next week. I remember several missing just one game. Tech has already said Choice won’t play Nov. 1 against Virginia Tech, which would lead me to believe they suspect MCL damage as part of the problem.
Cartilage damage frequently accompanies ligament damage, and I would be surprised if in today’s surgery that’s not cleaned up if there is indeed some meniscus damage.
In the worst of my three surgeries, I was told doctors were fairly certain I had cartilage damage (this was in 1981, a long, long time ago), and that I might have more damage. The plan was to go in and, since I had city high school wrestling championships in 13 days, repair the cartilage and assess the other damage. Beyond that, the plan was to repair it if it was so bad that I wouldn’t be able to wrestle anyway. If the damage to ligaments was minor, and I could wrestle with it but not if they repaired it, they were going to clean the cartilage and leave the ligament damage until later. Turned out, there was no ligament damage. Just a mess made of cartilage. Oh, how I’d like to have some cartilage back.
I could have sure used the conditioning I lost that week, too. Tied 2-2 going to the final period of my first match (with a guy much stronger than me, but whom I crushed 9-2 earlier in the season), I got winded, fell behind, tried a desperation move (hip-toss) that was not among my best, caught my trip ankle under both of us, and broke the damned thing as we both flopped down onto it.
All this mumbo-jumbo said …
My guess is that Tashard has some ligament damage, but not to the ACL (which to my knowledge usually tears completely free of its attachment and rarely in half, although it can fray severely in pulling loose; I think it’s easier to diagnose via external exam because once it’s gone, the knee is wildly de-stabilized, or loose).
By saying he’s already out for the Va. Tech game, I bet they suspect MCL damage. Were it PCL damage ALONE, it wouldn’t be uncommon, from my NFL experience at least, to be able to play 12 days later.
It’s a good bet that there’s cartilage damage as well.
Either way, what a shame. I know some people were still not convinced that Tashard was going to be a high draft choice next spring, as his is not a flashy style. Not me. I’ve seen enough running backs to know that knowing how to run is often more valuable than being able to run super fast. Tashard’s not slow, but no blazer. He reads blocks, though, and is patient beyond belief sometimes in letting a play develop. And he runs hard, and behind his pads. Plus, he got guts aplenty. Good luck teaching all that. He can flat-out play.
If he does have ACL damage, the draft changes for him, although dramatic improvements in surgery/rehab suggest that he could be ready to go next summer unless the knee is catastrophically damaged. If it’s something less, and particularly if he plays late this season and plays well, he could end up right back on track.
I’ve said I typically don’t have a rooting interest in my job. I’m rooting for Choice. Great, great guy. Wonderful teammate, and the epitome of what hard work and attitude can mean not only to one player maximizing his potential, but in helping bond a team and lend it purpose.
We’ll let everybody know something more when we know something more.
Matt
