Loading ...Face it, no one out there appreciates injuries. The modern day NFL is overflowing with them and blame is shifted to any and all available parties.
Annually, the first guy to contract the role of scapegoat is usually the conditioning coach. It’s clearly because he is the guy that has enchanted powers and can prevent the human body from any damage in a sport that has more speed and strength than most. Every team in the NFL has a strength and Conditioning Coach and all of them deal with annual player injuries. The actual role of the certified strength and conditioning coach is to develop and utilize an exercise instruction program specifically geared to improve players’ performance. They also help athletes with injury prevention through utilization of proper mechanics inside their particular routines/skill position in the areas of strength, speed, endurance and power.
Realize, though, that while the human body is resilient, it does have limits. Bones, muscles and ligaments aren’t made of adamantium, folks; they break and tear. Think of this coach as a buffer – the guy that reminds players that while they learn to display their maximum strength potential, severe injury could occur (pushing too far could quite literally result in ripping tendons straight from the bone they’re attached to). He’s the one that harkens: balance, body awareness, stretch reflex and strength through self-consciousness. Oh, and he doesn’t work with bubble wrap.
Another liability element to the above coach/fall guy is the player himself. Some have the quick trigger finger to exclaim: he’s “made of glass,” “weak” and “a bust that can’t stay on the field.” In the Bill Parcells days, players were afraid to not play injured. Swelling, pain and decreased range of motion were excuses and if a skill player wanted to remain in the colors they were currently in, they dealt with all of the above and more. Limp after they big play was made, just go out and make a play. Physical toughness is one thing, but what about the mental side of that? Overcoming the physical aspect of an injury is only a fraction of healing. The psychological percentage of it is greater than most comprehend.
Another is what some refer to as the contract or money factor. Some look at it as the intelligent answer as to why the Friday injury report looks like it does for some teams. Organizations don’t want to lose a player for the long haul – especially when the ultimate goal is hoisting a silver trophy in February. Long-range plans are always perused when a big-time guy falls to the injury bug.
Fantasy owners don’t want to hear this, as they’re scrambling to replace a wideout or running back. This isn’t fantasy world, nonetheless. If the body doesn’t heal or repair itself enough (see: rest) before being stressed again, the chance of re-injury increases. So does the time off the field. Smarter teams and coaches hold players out until the healing is to the point of decreased risk of worsening the original injury – or, in some cases, possibility of a new one arising (think compensation). Smarter organizations will always have Plan B as well as a Plan C. The “next man up” mentality is there because of injury; it’s why there is a 53-man roster. Depth clearly matters.
Whatever your take on the yearly injury dilemma is (depending on your level of frustration), you cannot know any of the inner goings-on of the franchise, actual players and coaches and how exactly they go about investigating them; rest assured, they do.
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I’m unconvinced that our injury situation is significantly worse than many other teams. There does seem to be an annual rash of pulled hamstrings. But again, there’s nothing outside of anecdotal evidence to suggest we’re any different from anyone else.
I’d love to see some definitive numbers on injuries. But there’s so much gray area that even if someone sought to compile them they’d inevitably be biased in certain ways.
Jen brings up a good point about the mental side of this issue. You look at a guy like Domenik Hixon–dude has torn his ACL twice in 2 years. Meanwhile, the team acquires stud level talent to take his job away. What does he do? Year after year, he comes in with a positive attitude and makes plays. He’s not a #1 WR by any stretch of the imagination, but he is solid solid player that can help you win football games. Adversity just rolls off this dude’s back.
On the other hand, you look at Justin Tuck. This guy is seemingly always injured, but last year he dealt with a lot, on the field and off. The deaths in the family, the injuries and the cumulative effect of it all clearly got him down in the dumps. He turned “it” on at the right time, but he still has that h0-hum attitude to this day. I joke that it is part of his new sponsorship deal with Zoloft, but in all seriousness–the toll has been taken on this guy. He’s a great player, but he doesn’t seem to have half the mental toughness of a guy like Hixon, or Herzlich, or Chad Jones, to name only a few.
Kujo ” but he still has that h0-hum attitude to this day ” referring to Tuck
Youre calling his attitude ****-hum because he doesnt come out rah rah every 30 seconds ? Seems to me with as much evidence as you have calling him ****-hum ,
I would call it smart not to be reacting and running his mouth off every time in reaction to a derogatory comment against him or his team .It happens . Now if you want to say that his play may not have been up to snuff for whatever reason then OK but you and I know jack about his mental attitude .In the same mould would you call Eli ****-hum because he is laid back and doesnt look to see his sound bites on
evry show ? No .
Hey dont get all out of shape or anything , Im p—d about the Yankees and the injury to Jeter and the fact that Im in the office , so go gently my friend
Seriously – Kujo puts in h0-hum and I get bleeped for the same thing ? Can someone splain to me why it passed once and not the other times ?Actually twice since my quote of Kujo made it through also .
The system is biased against you. It’s an inter-Giants 101 conspiracy and Demo is the leader. Or is Kujo the leader? Or…are they the SAME PERSON?!
Quite simply put, in the case of ACL injuries, the human knee is not built to withstand extended periods of stress, especially from cutting. Until science figures out a way to work around this thorny limitation, we’re going to be looking at way more players with knee issues.
Very good article too, btw.