All posts by Gidge

I have been thinking about this for a while. If you get hurt, say, break bones or strain muscles, you get time off of work in the business world. We sit at our desks, stroll to the break room for a coffee and a honey bun, and if we get hurt, we take time off – weeks off in many cases.  Our doctors don’t think we should be sitting in comfy chairs or typing on keyboards. They say we need to stay home, in different comfy chairs and type on different keyboards.

Why is it then, that athletes who play contact sports are playing through broken bones, risking permanent career ending injuries? It’s short-sighted, much less ridiculously short on compassion for them as humans.  I watched the Colts run the gauntlet repeatedly, letting Bob Sanders play “a bit hurt” only to have him get more hurt and then unable to play. Eating up salary, chilling on the bench and then providing zero support when needed.

When I see statements like “Michael Vick’s injury might’ve had something to do with his inaccuracy,” I kind of want to throat punch the person who said it. See how that contributes to their ability to say stupid insensitive things.

Matt Stafford says he’s not injured that badly,  but still, it’s reminiscent of a pianist trying to play with broken fingers.

As the awareness of concussion as a serious issue continues it would seem intuitive that the NFL embrace a more enlightened view of injuries and not expect players to be iron men, but rather treat them as the valuable, HUMAN commodity they are.  As a healthy athlete they are worth millions. Why would you risk breaking them? Personally, I’d want my money’s worth out of them, and benching a star for a week would be worth it if I could keep him around a few more years.

Vick’s status is uncertain for this next week.   Any bets on whether or not he suits up? My guess is, yes.