He would not be the first player to do it.
It is common for big time athletes to allow the administration of pain killing injections to an injured region of their body just before a important game so they can compete for a few hours without the pain that otherwise would have sidelined them.
Dwight Freeney faces that decision this Sunday in Miami and I am calling for the only people other than himself who can put a stop to this madness to do just that.
His employer, the Indianapolis Colts.
That’s right, the very team that pays him millions of dollars and needs his ferocious strength and speed on the field must make sure that Freeney never steps on it this Super Bowl Sunday.
When ESPN’s Adam Schefter broke the story that Freeney had sustained a level-three ankle sprain with torn ligaments against the New York Jets in the AFC Championship, I had to wonder what the Colts organization was thinking when they claimed just a day earlier that Freeney would be OK, and was expected to play in the Super Bowl against the New Orleans Saints.
Sure, it is common to be coy with your opposition in regards to injury reports, but the NFL mandates a detailed account of injuries from both teams, and the Colts now look as if they were trying to write off a major injury to their best defensive player.
Is it possible that they are truly expecting Freeney to suit up and succumb to the pressure of this game being for all the marbles and in their opinion, truly earn the $30 million signing bonus he received in 2007?
(For the record, Freeney was paid 6.22 million this season.)
But dollars and cents aside, is it prudent for the Colts to take a risk and allow Freeney to do further damage that might prohibit him from playing next season and beyond? Uh, no it is not.
That decision can only be made by a medical professional and while I am sure the Colts have access to the finest around, they appear to be taking the “wait and see” approach with Freeney and that seems ludicrous to me. Having said that, I reached out to the orthopedic surgeon, who has actually consulted to some NFL teams, who repaired my fractured patella in 1994 for some information.
While he opted to converse with me, he did respectfully ask to remain totally anonymous and I readily agreed to that condition. He spoke candidly about the potential dangers of anyone with that type of injury exerting undue pressure on the ankle, and stated that it was indeed likely that potentially serious damage could occur if a player was subjected to normal game conditions.
For all you keeping score at home, that damage would be in addition to what problems Freeney already is battling.
He made it clear that his assessment was based on what a normal level three injury would entail, and also pointed out that if indeed Freeney had a level three, there would no doubt be severed ligaments involved and most likely they would be completely detached from the bone. When asked if a player should compete with such an injury, he emphatically stated no.
Again, this is coming from a respected member of the Indiana medical community with nearly 30 years of experience dealing with these types of situations. So, what does the Colts medical staff know that this doctor does not? Nothing.
Sure, it is possible that the Colts brass is simply playing with the New Orleans coaching staff, making them prepare for Freeney being available to play. They too have trained medical pros on staff who have told them the same thing my surgeon told me. And you can bet if Freeney unwisely takes that shot before the game and tries to play, the Saints will go straight at him and that in itself could lead to an additional injury, one that could linger and hamper his ability to play, and more importantly, deprive him of additional monies he could earn if healthy.
It is one thing for the Colts to tell the media Freeney is expected to play when they know he cannot, but it is another to persuade him in any manner to do such. While those discussions between player and management remain private, I can only imagine the pressure this talented player is under to at least try to play in the biggest game of the year, and that seems terribly wrong to me. I have been very critical of Bill Polian historically and now I am hoping he will do the right thing here and tell Freeney to sit this one out, rehab hard in the off season, and come back stronger than ever as a result.
The Super Bowl is about big money and is for all the marbles, but then again we are talking about a man’s health. Having said that, how do you put a price on something that really isn’t for sale? The decision is easy. Simply bench him and play without him. It’s truly the only option. Freeney must take solace in the fact that this team would not have reached the Super Bowl without him, and perhaps they can win it for him as he looks on in street clothes instead of in pads and a helmet.
Notes: Dwight Freeney himself has been mum regarding his availability to play and that trend will no doubt continue when he is grilled by reporters on media day in Miami.
With all the talk about Freeney, many have forgotten that starting cornerback Jerraud Powers has an injured foot and probably will not be a factor in the game.
The Colts will be staying in the same hotel they lodged in when they won the Super Bowl in 2006. Unlike in the regular season where two players room together, each player will have their own private room. Their practice routine will also be literally the same as it too will be conducted in the same facility they utilized previously in Miami.
Carrie Underwood will perform the National Anthem this Sunday at the Super Bowl, which kicks off at 6:30 p.m. on WISH TV locally here in Indianapolis.
Legendary British rockers The Who will perform at halftime in what has become an event almost as big as the game itself.
(Remember the late Michael Jackson’s performance in 1993?)
Prediction: I think the Saints defense will pressure Peyton Manning and sack him more than once. The Colts secondary will be under siege from Drew Brees and the New Orleans passing game. The Saints will no doubt have success running the ball as well. While the Colts will score some points through the air themselves, I like the Saints to defeat the Colts in a shoot out type of game, one that could come down to the final possession providing the margin of victory for New Orleans.
Danny Bridges, who is nearly as old as the members of The Who, yet still a young rocker at heart, can be reached at (317) 578-1780 or at Bridgeshd@aol.com.
