Amare's Injury

[frdbtr]

I think you guys know that I am a Huge fan of Amare and am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt when it comes to his injury, however I am wondering if he needs to just suck it up and play with pain. He has been cleared by the doctors so he should play. Is he going to be like Karl Malone who never missed games for Utah, or Like Chris Webber who normally sits out 30 games a year with a sprained ankle. I guess time will tell.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/0129sunsnb0129.html

 

[schutd]

Im starting to get worried about Amare.

I have no REAL reason to be, but I have a gut feeling that this kind of stuff will eventually lead to a me first attitude that can only be detrimental to the team.

Hope I'm wrong. But its a nagging feeling I cant shake.

 

[Chaz]

Eddie Johnson brought it up on the broadcast last night; What player doesn't have pain after January? He sid it is not possible to play all 82 games without pain of some kind.

He was talking about Reggie Miller "calling out" Jonathan Bender but it would apply to all young players and Amare in particular as well.

Let's hope he decides to play soon.

 

[scotsman13]

guys remember that amare played the whole of last year in pain. he did something that other players didnt do and that is have surgery as soon as the season was over. almost every other player out there wait till the season starts before even looking at having surgery just so they get extra time off.

on top of everything else it doesnt matter if he plays right now except to get the game experance. if he plays and we win then we drop in the draft and players like lampe dont get any playing time and the team starts to believe that we arent a good team. if he doesnt play and we lose then the team can look and say that hey when amare gets back it will be differant.

 

[Joe Mama]

I agree. I really don't think Amare Stoudemire would be sitting right now if the Suns were contending for anything other than a high draft pick. Those turf toe injuries are supposedly very, very painful, and the only way to get them better is to rest. It would be nice to see what this team can do with a helping lineup. We will get to see it after that Allstar break though.

Joe Mama

 

[George O'Brien]

Let's face, Amare really wants to get that top lottery pick.

 

[Wally]

Originally posted by George O'Brien
Let's face, Amare really wants to get that top lottery pick.

Nothing wrong with that as long as it doesn't become a habit - and I mean On All Counts!


As I've said before, Amare must make up his own mind when he wants to play. In making up his mind he will consider input from those around him. Some of the input may or may not be based upon sound reasoning - it's up to Amare to figure it out.

In the interview with JC several days ago he said,

Colangelo: I think this is a case where Amaré has to feel and believe and capable that he’s ready to come back, because he’s right on the cusp. Could he play? Probably. Does he want to play? I think so. I think it really matters what his response is to think he’s comfortable in coming back and he’s a little gun-shy right now. We certainly are not pushing him to play. I don’t think you push a player to come back. A player can be cleared in terms of the doctors, but then it’s up to him when he’s ready to come back.

As frdbtr said, "I guess time will tell"

 

[devilalum]

Amare is just imature. He's never gonna be Tim Duncan but hopefully he'll mature over the next couple of years and play with a little pain when the Suns are actually playing for something.

I still can't help but think every time I read something like this that his mom is involved somehow.

I imagine her saying something like, "Don't you go out there and hurt yourslef playing for this lousy team, we need to make sure we get that max contract in a couple of years."

I tried to be gentle with the imaginary quote. What I really imagine her saying would surely illicit a few critical objections.

 

[scotsman13]

devilalum, amares mother doesnt even life with him. only his brother does. if this was so much on his mind then he wouldnt have played in pain almost all of last year. also remember that that mcdyess was cleared to play by the doctors months ago but when he comes back and was traded to pheonix we get a look at him and how he is handling himself and then stick him on the IR and start him working out to strenghen his knee because it isnt as strong as it should be.

 

[George O'Brien]

Originally posted by scotsman13
devilalum, amares mother doesnt even life with him. only his brother does. if this was so much on his mind then he wouldnt have played in pain almost all of last year. also remember that that mcdyess was cleared to play by the doctors months ago but when he comes back and was traded to pheonix we get a look at him and how he is handling himself and then stick him on the IR and start him working out to strenghen his knee because it isnt as strong as it should be.

I agree. Some doctors are very conservative and others are pretty liberal (let them play if there is not an immediate risk of further injury). Unless I know what the specific doctor's style is, it is hard to know. There is also the difference between deciding a player CAN play and whether the player SHOULD play.

This is the first time this issue has ever come up with Amare. Maybe is being extra cautious in that he reinjured the same joint so soon after coming off a long injury layoff. I think it is premature to claim he is a malingerer.

 

[sly fly]

Originally posted by George O'Brien
I agree. Some doctors are very conservative and others are pretty liberal (let them play if there is not an immediate risk of further injury). Unless I know what the specific doctor's style is, it is hard to know. There is also the difference between deciding a player CAN play and whether the player SHOULD play.

This is the first time this issue has ever come up with Amare. Maybe is being extra cautious in that he reinjured the same joint so soon after coming off a long injury layoff. I think it is premature to claim he is a malingerer.

Some of you guys are generously optimistic! Geez, we've heard comments from Jerry Colangelo, Mike D'Antoni, and Eddie Johnson that Amare IS NOT INJURED.

Yet, some continue to give him the benefit of the doubt.

I'll say it right here: GET YER ARSE OUT THERE AMARE. LEAD BY EXAMPLE!

He's not injured! How many quotes from doctors, coaches, management, ex-players will it take for some of you to question what's going on?

Someone (Barkley) needs to take this guy aside, and set him straight. He hasn't "earned" the respect to play when he feels like it.

 

[devilalum]

Originally posted by George O'Brien
I agree. Some doctors are very conservative and others are pretty liberal (let them play if there is not an immediate risk of further injury). Unless I know what the specific doctor's style is, it is hard to know. There is also the difference between deciding a player CAN play and whether the player SHOULD play.

This is the first time this issue has ever come up with Amare. Maybe is being extra cautious in that he reinjured the same joint so soon after coming off a long injury layoff. I think it is premature to claim he is a malingerer.

I didn't call Amare Derrick Coleman. I'm willing to give him the benefit of the dought but I do believe this is the product of a kid with almost no education surrounded by yes people telling him what they think he wants to hear.

 

[George O'Brien]

Originally posted by sly fly
Some of you guys are generously optimistic! Geez, we've heard comments from Jerry Colangelo, Mike D'Antoni, and Eddie Johnson that Amare IS NOT INJURED.

Well, sorta.

Eddie claims no information other than having seen Amare on the practice court. Mike hinted that it may be an issue of playing with pain, but he certainly hedged his statement.

The problem with an ankle injury is that it can be medically "healthy" but not strong enough to play PF in game situations. Rapid cuts and jumps can put a terrible strain on even healthy ankles.

I doubt he will ever be 'pain free, but he needs to be able to play without thinking about his ankles if he is going to be effective.

 

[Chaplin]

Originally posted by sly fly
Some of you guys are generously optimistic! Geez, we've heard comments from Jerry Colangelo, Mike D'Antoni, and Eddie Johnson that Amare IS NOT INJURED.

Yet, some continue to give him the benefit of the doubt.

I'll say it right here: GET YER ARSE OUT THERE AMARE. LEAD BY EXAMPLE!

He's not injured! How many quotes from doctors, coaches, management, ex-players will it take for some of you to question what's going on?

Someone (Barkley) needs to take this guy aside, and set him straight. He hasn't "earned" the respect to play when he feels like it.

Not everyone is looking at it as a conspiracy brought on by immaturity.

 

[Wally]

Originally posted by devilalum
I didn't call Amare Derrick Coleman. I'm willing to give him the benefit of the dought but I do believe this is the product of a kid with almost no education surrounded by yes people telling him what they think he wants to hear.

Keep in mind that in spite of Amare's surroundings in high school, he made some very intelligent choices. He's pretty good at figuring out who to listen to. He's young, but he's not dumb by any means. His mother's influence worries me at times and she certainly doesn't have to live with him to offer advice. On the other hand, his mother could have been the best (and I mean good) source of advice he had during high school.

I will say the same as before - Playing injured is not smart, but playing hurt is part of the NBA and that's part of the reason these guys get paid as much as they do. If a player get a rep that he's "soft", his value wuill decrease and he will not be rewarded as much as the guy who doesn't want to be taken out of the game. That's the way the old cookie crumbles ..... or the ball bounces.... whichever way you want to look at it.

 

[capologist]

Originally posted by devilalum
Amare is just imature. He's never gonna be Tim Duncan but hopefully he'll mature over the next couple of years and play with a little pain when the Suns are actually playing for something.

Has it really been that long since we knocked the Spurs out of the playoffs?

It was exactly the same situation. He was “right on the cusp.” The doctors had cleared him, and said it was up to him to decide. His coach and GM said they weren’t going to push him, and it was up to him. And he chose not to play. And that was the friggin’ playoffs. And his team got eliminated.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Originally posted by devilalum
Amare is just imature. He's never gonna be Tim Duncan but hopefully he'll mature over the next couple of years and play with a little pain when the Suns are actually playing for something.

I still can't help but think every time I read something like this that his mom is involved somehow.

I imagine her saying something like, "Don't you go out there and hurt yourslef playing for this lousy team, we need to make sure we get that max contract in a couple of years."

I tried to be gentle with the imaginary quote. What I really imagine her saying would surely illicit a few critical objections.

funny, i hear a similar quote ringing in my ears . . . worries me.

 

[Wally]

Originally posted by capologist
Has it really been that long since we knocked the Spurs out of the playoffs?

It was exactly the same situation. He was “right on the cusp.” The doctors had cleared him, and said it was up to him to decide. His coach and GM said they weren’t going to push him, and it was up to him. And he chose not to play. And that was the friggin’ playoffs. And his team got eliminated.

I'd bet money that he wouldn't do that again and if he could get a mulligan, he'd take it.

 

[BMF]

Its pretty damn obvious that the guy is plain lazy.

 

[Wally]

Originally posted by BMF
Its pretty damn obvious that the guy is plain lazy.

Not sure if you're referring to Duncan or Amare - whichever - I don't agree. Decisions are made by all of us (humans) and they are not allways correct. That doesn't mean that the decision not to play is incorrect, but it certainly doesn't mean the guy (either one) is lazy. Personally, I think Amare could & should be playing. I believe Amare has been told by many not to play when he's hurt - and he has heard the sad stories about too many players trying to play with injuries. He's young & still learning and will make wise decisions as he gains experience.

 

[Chaplin]

Originally posted by Wally
Not sure if you're referring to Duncan or Amare - whichever - I don't agree. Decisions are made by all of us (humans) and they are not allways correct. That doesn't mean that the decision not to play is incorrect, but it certainly doesn't mean the guy (either one) is lazy. Personally, I think Amare could & should be playing. I believe Amare has been told by many not to play when he's hurt - and he has heard the sad stories about too many players trying to play with injuries. He's young & still learning and will make wise decisions as he gains experience.

He's played with 2 of the most disappointing players who attempted to make comebacks after injuries. It's no wonder he might be a little scared to come back sooner than he should, what with playing with Penny Hardaway and Tom Gugliotta. Perhaps he's learned from those what many haven't.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Originally posted by Chaplin
He's played with 2 of the most disappointing players who attempted to make comebacks after injuries. It's no wonder he might be a little scared to come back sooner than he should, what with playing with Penny Hardaway and Tom Gugliotta. Perhaps he's learned from those what many haven't.

You know, I was thinking just that a few days ago. Amare's smart enough to see the comparison. Dice used to be to the Suns what Amare is to them now. He can't help but look and wonder if that might be him someday.

The problem is that he doesn't have the judgement to know what he can play with and what he can't. If he's playing timid, or worried about every little ache and pain--he might as well quit now.

 

[Chaplin]

Originally posted by JCSunsfan
You know, I was thinking just that a few days ago. Amare's smart enough to see the comparison. Dice used to be to the Suns what Amare is to them now. He can't help but look and wonder if that might be him someday.

The problem is that he doesn't have the judgement to know what he can play with and what he can't. If he's playing timid, or worried about every little ache and pain--he might as well quit now.

Also, who's to say that Iavaroni is confiming his fears, if he has any?

Should the coaches be afforded some blaim for not telling him, "get out there Amare"?

 

[George O'Brien]

Want to see Amare plaiy with pain? Draft Okafor.

 

[Chaz]

Originally posted by Chaplin
Also, who's to say that Iavaroni is confiming his fears, if he has any?

Should the coaches be afforded some blaim for not telling him, "get out there Amare"?

I'll bet JC is telling him to take his time. He probably is excited about a lottery pick or two, or even a two for one.

I just want to see him play if he is able. If he is in some danger of hurting himself again he should wait. If the doctors have cleared him we all just wonder what the hold up is.